A couple of years ago, the University of California (Irvine) posted a study about a bad driving gene (http://www.uci.edu/features/2009/10/feature_bdnfdriving_091028.php), I was working on a test people could take to see if they had this gene. I’ve come up with 10 questions. I was wondering if anyone had any more questions:
Do you grumble about how the government is always telling you what to do whenever you come to a stop sign?
Do you look at the highway route number and the speed limit sign and then set your speed to which ever one has the higher number?
Do you always wonder what all those other cars are doing on YOUR road?
Do you believe that the No Left Turn sign doesn’t apply to you because your name isn’t Turn?
Is there a warn spot on your horn button that perfectly matches your palm?
When you have the car in reverse, do you believe that you don’t shift back into drive until you here that crash and tinkle sound?
Do you think you’re a good driver because you have more points on your license than anyone else you know?
Remember, this is a genetics test: When you come to a green light, do you slam on your brakes because another family member might be coming the other way?
If you were driving an ice cream truck, would the neighborhood kids all come running towards you or ducking for cover?
When you see a Do Not Enter sign, do you think it’s there just to keep the riff-raff out?
Scoring. Give yourself one point for each time you answered “yes” to a question:
0 - 3 Points: You’re just a wimp.
4 - 6 Points: There is a good chance you have the bad driving gene.
7 - 10 Points: You live in Boston.
question 11. Do you believe in made up genes, diseases, sicknesses, illnesses, etc. so people can have a reason instead of an excuse to do something stupid, illegal, irresponsible, etc?
Yes, there is such a thing as a bad driving gene. Most defensive driving courses deal with a section called “personality types” that produce bad drivers. They are not referring to drivers with physical limitations and slow reflexes.
James Dean’s (Rebel without a Cause) was a good example.
Evolution doesn’t work fast enough for a bad driving gene to be present. But I believe that modern medicine as prolonged the reproductive life of those who would propagate the bad judgement gene.
Bad driving is mostly attitudinal. Over 100 years ago, horse cart driving had its share of bad teamsters, driving recklessly through the city. Every Western has its share of riders who storm into town in disregard of pedestrians and slow vehicles.
There is nothing evolutionary about this. Moses was a very short tempered person, until he learned patience tending sheep.
Driving manners demand patience, tolerance, good judgement, courtesy, and responsiveness to changing traffic conditions. Many drivers don’t have those because they are self-absorbed and or hot tempered, and have not been taught discipline.
Tolerance is perhaps the most important of those Doc listed. There is a percentage of the population that drives as if they owned the road. Their actions become far more serious and become road rage incidents when they enrage another driver and the “road games” begin.
Yes, they too should be driving with judgement and courtesy. But remember that you cannot control the behaviors of others. You can only control how they affect you.
Now will everyone get the heck out of my way! I’m tired and I don’t want to miss the beginning of NCIS!
There is the true story of a woman shopper who took 20 items through the Express line (max. 12 items) in a supermarket. Her excuse: “I’m in a hurry because I’m parked in a handicap space”!
A busybody reporter tried this type of thing on “Bull” in the program “Nightcourt”. Bull’s, (who is 6 foot+) response was: “I can arrange it so you can park there legally!”
I have a handicap placard. A coworker and friend joked recently that “you always get the good parking spot” (the handicapped spot next to the door). My response was “trust me, you don’t WANT to qualify for the ‘good spot’!”.
