Driver's Ed
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Prepare yourselves, for I'm about to rant.
While I'm come to accept that people (in general) are stupid, every day when I go out on the streets I see them doing things that get me agitated.
Fairly often, when they do these stupid things behind the wheel they are also talking on handheld cellphones -- which is a stupid thing to do in and of itself, especially when the damned thing is in the left hand, making the use of a turn signal rather difficult... Argh. Hang on, now...
I've realized that, in order to be a better driver myself, I have to try to keep these things from getting to me. The act of complaining to my passengers, I can see, represents the very kind of distraction that we all need to avoid. Now that I think of it, when I'm driving by myself I may mutter a bit, but I don't go on and on to myself about whatever act of vehicular stupidity I've just seen...
What I need to do, and what everyone should do, is to look at the streets and highways as a battlefield. Be aware of every potential threat, use your best strategy -- and don't complain about it. The bad drivers are GOING to be there. They don't have a clue how easily they could maim or kill someone, so we must treat them as hazards.
You might find yourself in the turn lane in the middle of a seven-lane street, waiting for a break in traffic so you can turn left -- only to have someone in the near lane stop to let you through. This is someone being a dumbass, while trying to be nice. You can't see well enough past the line of traffic behind that person's vehicle to know whether it's safe. You could try to wave that person on, but from my experience it's better to flip your turn signal stalk upward, signalling right instead of left, and merging back into traffic to try again at the next left. The driver trying to be courteous simply doesn't realize how hazardous it may be for you to go on and make your left turn. I can't tell you how many times I've had to deal with this exact situation at Murdoch and West Virginia Avenue here in Parkersburg. ARGH! Just GO! I can wait!
[continuing, ~5 days later]
There is a four-way stop on West Virginia Avenue that wasn't always there -- but the change was made several years ago. Twice in one week, this summer, I witnessed people blowing right through that stop sign as if it didn't exist. One of them, I can tell you for certain, was holding a cellphone when she did it. I've been noticing more and more people running red lights, too -- so now more than ever, I look before starting to cross an intersection.
Back in May, over on my Phil's Mythos blog, I made a post called The Cellphone Number of the Beast, which I concluded with "I just wish they had the sense not to drive under the influence of microwaves." The town of Belpre, across the river in Ohio, passed an ordinance quite a while back against the use of hand-held phones while driving. I don't know how many of our States have banned the practice, but as of July 1st it is illegal in California, punishable by a $100 fine. How long do I have to wait before it is illegal here in West Virginia?
Please, if there is anyone reading this who talks on a cellphone while driving, STOP. If you absolutely must, please at least hold it in your RIGHT hand so it doesn't get in the way of making turn signals. If your car has a manual transmission, you really have no business trying to use a handheld while driving anyway.
A big part of the problem in THIS country is the ease with which people acquire (and keep) driver's licenses. As with all too much else, it's dumbed down. Neither the written test nor the driving test is very challenging, and no one is required to undergo ANY kind of instruction. To renew your license, you merely need to show up and pay a fee, and get a new picture taken -- unless you're above a certain age, in which case they might check your vision.
We might as well not require licenses at all.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go out there and drive a bit, even though I've already had a few beers (and will likely have more at my destination). No matter how many I have, as long as I feel I can handle the task I know I'll do a much better job of driving than the vast majority of people out there -- especially the ones talking on cellphones.
Argh.
Phil Smith
July 14, 2008
There is a four-way stop on West Virginia Avenue that wasn't always there -- but the change was made several years ago. Twice in one week, this summer, I witnessed people blowing right through that stop sign as if it didn't exist. One of them, I can tell you for certain, was holding a cellphone when she did it. I've been noticing more and more people running red lights, too -- so now more than ever, I look before starting to cross an intersection.
Back in May, over on my Phil's Mythos blog, I made a post called The Cellphone Number of the Beast, which I concluded with "I just wish they had the sense not to drive under the influence of microwaves." The town of Belpre, across the river in Ohio, passed an ordinance quite a while back against the use of hand-held phones while driving. I don't know how many of our States have banned the practice, but as of July 1st it is illegal in California, punishable by a $100 fine. How long do I have to wait before it is illegal here in West Virginia?
Please, if there is anyone reading this who talks on a cellphone while driving, STOP. If you absolutely must, please at least hold it in your RIGHT hand so it doesn't get in the way of making turn signals. If your car has a manual transmission, you really have no business trying to use a handheld while driving anyway.
A big part of the problem in THIS country is the ease with which people acquire (and keep) driver's licenses. As with all too much else, it's dumbed down. Neither the written test nor the driving test is very challenging, and no one is required to undergo ANY kind of instruction. To renew your license, you merely need to show up and pay a fee, and get a new picture taken -- unless you're above a certain age, in which case they might check your vision.
We might as well not require licenses at all.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go out there and drive a bit, even though I've already had a few beers (and will likely have more at my destination). No matter how many I have, as long as I feel I can handle the task I know I'll do a much better job of driving than the vast majority of people out there -- especially the ones talking on cellphones.
Argh.
Phil Smith
July 14, 2008
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