Road Peace

I have a thing against Road Rage. I don’t get why some people feel it’s necessary or gives them some kind of advantage. Crawling up my bumper isn’t going to get any of us anywhere any faster. I’m more of a writer than a mathematician, but I can do the basics of distance equals rate times time.

I am guilty of the occasional middle finger out the driver’s side window. It’s not something I’m proud of, and the receiver of the gesture is only fueled and isn’t going to stop and think, hey maybe I shouldn’t drive like an ass.

I do try to be a nice little car though. It’s my daily contribution to Peace on Roads. I drive with the flow of traffic, not faster or slower. I use my turn signal and generally remember to turn it off when I’m finished with it. When another car signals, I let them over. I have been stuck in a lane I didn’t want to be in and unable to get out of it because no one will let me over, so I try not to stick someone else in the same conundrum. I let people cross in crosswalks without honking, creeping, or giving dirty looks.

I am also the one who won’t take the closest available parking space. I’ll leave it for someone else, someone who may be disabled but not enough for a sticker and could use a closer spot; though I know it’s not generally saved by the next car in the row. I’m willing to be the first one to stop at a red light instead of holding up the perpendicular traffic by insisting that I get through NOW. It gets me honked at, a lot.

I don’t text and drive. I don’t email and drive. I don’t blog and drive. I don’t drink and drive. I drive and drive, though. As a result, I usually make it where I am going without raising my blood pressure or my insurance rates.

Read Other’s Take on Peace

• Mike Watson
• The Life of Kylie
• Rarasaur
• The Temenos Journal
• Knocked Over by a Feather

You too can Be For Peace! Join the movement here or here.