Day #67 - Road Rage

It may well be a primal thing, stemming perhaps from that old saying "A man's home is his castle!" or some such but I think that in a car people can get very territorial about space and time. They may also feel a certain right to foist their way upon another. I've had it a few times in recent weeks and it really has made me wonder. Now I'll be the first to admit that I am a bit of an elitist motorist - I learned to drive when I was VERY young - about 11 years old or so and was getting advanced instruction at the age of 14. I developed a few bad habits but these were owing to the fact that I hadn't had any tuition in about five years. I was lucky enough to be trained in advanced driving as an adult by a gentleman who had spent years working for the Metropolitain Police as an advanced instructor. I was under his tutelage for almost 6 months. I made my excuses in order to spend time with the guy - he was great. I have thankfully driven free from accident or incident for over twenty years. OK, I did prang my old Mini in London but that was owing to a brake failure and I did limit the damage by engaging first gear and almost pulling the handbrake out of the floor. Anyway, I'm digressing here.

My driving is always measured and meticulous though I have made some passengers nervous at what they think is a reckless approach. It is not like that really. I think that the only thing that makes me drive a bit "assertively" is other drivers that cannot drive. I cannot bear to see folks using their phones, not using their turn signals, disobeying fundamental rules of the road; stopping at green lights, being unaware of their right of way, running red lights, STILL using their phone (THAT makes my blood boil) I could go on (and ON) but I won't.

So here in Ireland we have some of the most unskilled drivers in the world. Many of them never actually sat a driving test but were granted full licences as part of an "amnesty" to clear the huge waiting list of people that had applied for their test and were waiting to do it. Some years back roundabouts were introduced to alleviate congestion and speed up the traffic flow. It was like introducing a time machine or Nintendo Wii at the Spanish Inquisition - total chaos. Many roundabouts are being replaced now with traffic lights. Traffic lights bring with them their own problems. Most drivers will run an amber signal and even a "just turned red" signal in order that they don't miss out on getting their space. There is one junction near where I live and if I were a traffic cop I'd be able to fill my month's quota in an afternoon. Drivers just skip the red and enter the clearway THEN they stare ahead forcefully ignoring the motorists that wish to travel onward through a green light to their respective destinations. The whole "logic" behind obeying traffic signals seems to be lost on a broad swathe of the driving public.

Then you get the "sleepers", these are folks that are barely awake at the wheel - they're so chilled out they are practically flatlining. Last week I spent several minutes behind a lady that must have been "on the tablets". I got a bit worried and at one point pulled along side to check if she was drunk or something. She turned and flashed an evil stare and then "invited" me to pass. I declined - much to her chagrin - deciding to stay where I was. This annoyed her no end and then, obviously on purpose, she carried on but at a snails pace to passively demonstrate her position. In then end I manoeuvred past her and carried on home.

Today I was unfortunate enough to be stuck behind a chap that was "relaxing" during his drive. He stopped at a pedestrian crossing and after the flashing amber light* commenced he just sat there with an open road ahead of him. I waited for a bit but there was no movement. I went around him and carried on. THIS was a mistake because he then raced right up behind me and sat on my tail for another quarter of a mile. Eventually I pulled in to let him pass but he stopped beside me to deliver a sermon on my driving. I just let him bawl and then moved on after he pulled away. It was then that he braked sharply to cause a collision - thankfully I stopped in time. I was quite angry afterwards mainly because of the hypocritical act of pulling up suddenly in order to cause me to hit him. Sadly it is most likely that he is totally unaware of his own dangerous driving. He just got pissed off that someone passed him and the giant ego that almost always accompanies insecurity suffered some kind of affront. I think that he needs to think about it all because that kind of behaviour CAN cause accidents.

Afterwards my mind rested on some of the best advice that I ever got from my advanced instructor so many years ago, he said; "It takes two things to be a good driver and a safe driver - common sense and good manners!" Sadly it is precisely these two qualities that this particular individual was lacking. Next time I might get out of my car and offer him a pillow - he needs a bit of a lie down I'd say.

I think that it might be an idea to test every driver that was given a full licence as part of that amnesty so many years ago. Then I might feel a lot better about shelling out hundreds for my insurance premium.

* Flashing amber light = proceed with caution provided the way is clear.