Are Americans The Worlds Rudest Drivers?
As I was driving into work today, something dawned on me. Almost every single driver was rude/aggressive. Cutting in and out of lanes, tailgating, not giving the courtesy wave when someone let them into a lane. Really? Does every single driver out there feel somehow justified in behaving badly?
I had a conversation with my sister about this same topic. She lives in Ohio and if possible it’s worse there. When the roads are hazardous due to snow/ice/sleet, people are still just as aggressive. I talk to her every Wednesday morning on my drive in and she is constantly experiencing poor driving conditions, but drivers continue to tailgate, cutting off other drivers, bullying their way into lanes (Just because your blinker is on does not mean you automatically are granted access) or the opposite bullying out of lanes (If you see someone trying to get over, do you really need to race up and close the gap? Can’t you just let the person in?)
It’s not just driving either, its becoming prevalent in other activities too. Example, I’m walking in to a building and someone is behind me so I hold the door open for them too. Instead of taking the door from me, they walk right by me like it’s my job to be their personal doorman. Really? I won’t even start with the rude cell phone activity. Really people, no one else in the whole wide world wants to be a part of your conversation.
I am making it a personal quest to be a more polite driver. Will you join me?
Posted by Jennifer Carey on Jun. 01, 2009
Comments
A lot of this behaviour is a result of stress.
The window of tolerance, whether on the highway or in the office, closes unless people have techniques in place to transform their stress. This means that it takes less and less for them to anger. Negative thoughts and emotions set off a cascade of 1400 chemical changes that create, ironically, more stress.
It doesn’t excuse the bad behaviour, but it does provide an explanation. Unfortunately, this leads to unsafe driving conditions.
It is helpful to know that our thoughts and emotions create side-effects - positive or negative, we do have a choice.
Posted by Marianna Paulson on 06/02/2009 05:14 PM
Hello Jen,
For what I have experienced in different cities all over the world, there are always these kind of ... rude people.
In Mexico, Cancun it’s ok, but at peek hour nobody wants to lose a second. In Naples, Italy, you don’t want to know, if you want to cross the streets you need to jump on the cars so they will stop, if not you can be standing there for hours.
Here in Romania, in Bucharest is the worst, and if you talk about parking uff!... they park the cars all over, with the tale outside, so the one passing needs to go around to keep going, or they just leave the car in the middle of the street with the flashing lights on because there is no parking near and people don’t like to walk, the same when going to the big stores or mall, they park the cars in the sidewalk or in front of the main door while having the whole parking lot semi-empty and signalized.
It’s crazy, so just take your own rhythm and let them pass if possible.
We have a saying in Mexico, it’s better an hour late than a minute of silence!
Posted by KenaSiu on 06/02/2009 03:48 PM