Why does driving bring out the worst in the human race?
When my oldest daughter was learning to drive she was reluctant. Not comfortable with the whole process, we had to drag her out to practice. One day, we were at a busy two-way stop at rush hour.
Opposite us was a middle-aged man. We had arrived first, so it was our prerogative to go first when the road cleared. But it was rush-hour. My cautious, reluctant driver waited and waited for a safe opening. This was not good enough for the man opposite us who started to wave his arms in anger that she was not turning. His mouth was going so I can only imagine he was berating her. She was 15 but she looked 13. It was obvious she was a learner.
As he continued to demonstrate his frustration with her, she panicked under pressure and pulled out - right into the path of a mini-van. The wide-eyed, opened mouth shock of the woman driver is forever etched in my memory. How we missed her, I do not know.
Needless to say, our already nervous learner lost all desire to keep trying. Thanks guy!
Fast-forward to today. My son arrived home and asked if he had right of way driving on a road, or someone pulling out of their driveway. I assured him that he had right of way and he proceeded to tell me of a car that had pulled out from their driveway, without checking, right in front of him. He honked as they did not stop and were about to hit him. It was a mother and her student driver as it happened.
They followed my son and pulled up to him and then the mom honked the horn at my son while yelling something! She taught her daughter something today, but it had nothing to do with driving. She taught her that it's ok to chase down a teenager ( who had right of way ) and berate him. Nice. Classy.
It's hard enough to let your teens loose on the roads anyway. Teaching my kids to drive has been one of the scariest things I have had to do as a parent. When my oldest was a new driver I nearly had a panic attack every time he left the house. I finally had to give my worry over to the Lord and ask Him to protect my son.
Last year, I had met my daughter to worship at one of my religion's most sacred buildings, a temple. She was new to this practice and it had filled me with joy to do this with her. We parted and I was on cloud nine. As I approached a road near my neighborhood I had to turn left. It was the beginning of rush hour and I had to wait a long time. I decided to be nice and let the car waiting to turn onto the road I was on, go. It did not move, so I pulled forward to make my left turn. As I made the turn I saw the man yelling at me and throwing his arms around ( seems to be an epidemic where I live!). It appears that he thought I should have let him go - though it was my right of way and I had given him an opportunity which he had missed. I was disappointed to see that it was a man who was a leader in my church. He successfully burst my bubble of happiness and the aura of peace I had achieved with my daughter that afternoon.
Now I am not perfect. I get annoyed with other drivers but I refrain from being rude. What does it achieve? Come on people - we can do better at this! Treat others the way you would like to be treated - even when driving!
John 13:34
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
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