Date: 1997/08/08
Message-Id: <5sffn3$bgq@herald.concentric.net>
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
a reader had written:
"Aggressive driving" is a subjective assessment of one's driving style.
When I lived in South Florida, there were many people on the road who
would consider "ordinary" driving aggressive. To me it means the degree
to which you pushing your car. A little quicker, a little harder in
the turns, a little faster accelerating and braking and maybe some
"quick" lane changes.
[snip]
But there are
some whose aggressive driving habits show little or no respect for
others, like cutting into a small gap only to have to slam on the brakes
and panic those behind. This is called rude or inconsiderate driving in
my book."
++++++
"Dr. Driving"
wrote:
I think this distinction appears seductively attractive, but both types
of aggressiveness have a problem. OK, so let's dispose of the second
definition, since no one disputes the fact that inconsiderate drivers are
indeed aggressive and hostile towards those who are endangered or
inconvenienced by their inconsiderateness. Let's hope they'll change..."
Can't argue with that.
"Dr. Driving" wrote: However, the first definition also has a problem. What you call "pushing
the car" and "quick lane changes" also should be considered aggressive
driving because of the effect this style has on others. It increases the
overall stress of driving for everyone when some drive in a way that
involves "quick lane changes" and "pushing the car" around turns, etc.
Depends on how close you are to the other drivers. As that buffer
zone decreases in size you move from the first definition to the
second and that is the whole point. Keep the buffer large enough and
you won't effect other drivers at all.
I like to "push the car" and execute "quick lane changes" and I sometimes
do it --
Don't feel guilty, enjoy. Just stay far away from other motorists
when enjoying your car.
but I remind myself that it's not an acceptable or desirable way
of driving, and thus put pressure on myself to relax and be less
aggressive.
You're much too hard on yourself. Live a little, but always be very
considerate.
"Dr. Driving" wrote: All I'm saying here is that I understand and empathize with
the desire to push the car and the lane switching, but that we need to
work against it, make it less acceptable, recognize its problems. Don't
you agree?
Sounds like a nun talking about jerking off. Drivers need to treat
other motorist in a considerate and safe manner. Taking a sweeping
turn swiftly and enjoying it in no way interferes with that goal.
Having clarified that I must now point out that just as irrational
religious arguments won't keep people from jerking off, irrational
driving arguments won't keep people from enjoying their cars
performance capabilities. In fact rational driving arguments won't
keep people from enjoying their cars performance capabilities. So it
would be far more useful to train them to enjoy their cars safely then
to fool yourself into believing spirited driving can be prevented. Do
you think safe sex shouldn't be taught in the schools because
abstinence is the only 100% effective way to prevent STDs?
Date: 1997/08/08
Message-Id: <33eb5e33.795a@sprintmail.com>
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
"Dr. Driving" wrote:
I like to "push the car" and execute "quick lane changes" and I sometimes
do it -- but I remind myself that it's not an acceptable or desirable way
of driving,
"Not acceptable" to who!? To you?, Ok, if so then that's an easy
problem to solve (yourself). But what is "acceptable" to all the other
drivers on a busy highway isn't ever black and white. That's what Chuck
T. and others have been saying, we have to make an assessment through
the "car language" and sometimes eye contact of others (and maybe hand
gestures). We pick a comfort zone, realize that ours may not be
others, and go from there.
and thus put pressure on myself to relax and be less
aggressive. All I'm saying here is that I understand and empathize with
the desire to push the car and the lane switching, but that we need to
work against it, make it less acceptable, recognize its problems. Don't
you agree?
No. Not always. We do need to be sensitive to fact that others might
be made uneasy by driving that we consider within our safety limits
though. "Recognize its problems?", mmmmm, how about "recognize its
potential effects". But aggressive driving (as the way I drive
irrespective others, *not* the way I perceive others driving), by
itself, if not directly and uniquely connected with the dreaded "RR"
IMO.
"Dr. Driving" wrote:
No. I think we need to have more stringent requirements to be on the road
so that when I see someone make a quick lane change I don't have to fall
back on my defensive driving habits and assume them to be a complete moron.
If everyone were as competent as I'd like them to be, then I could assume
that they know what they are doing, and I wouldn't have any stress over
what would have previously looked like an aggressive/bonehead maneuver.
Better driver ed. would help Marc, but I'm not sure it is a realistic,
primary approach. Better enforcement of laws designed to facilitate
traffic flow, I think, would be the best start.
"Dr. Driving" wrote:
I don't think we disagree very much. You seem to say that drivers need to
observe certain limits to make sure other drivers don't get threatened by close
up maneuvers, etc. Better driver's ed would help if it's started early -- say
in Kindergarten, when young road users begin their career. Especially since
these young future drivers witness their parents driving in an aggressive manner
(actually, or verbally, or both).
However, I don't think law enforcement can solve the problem of aggressive
driving. Yes, it should be expanded as much as feasible, but the real solution
will depend on re-educating the driver population -- not an easy task with
almost 200 million of them...
Date: 1997/08/07
Message-Id: <33ea781b.beaf7150@mindspring.com>
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Sometimes we innocently make that *one* move that doesn't sit well with
some jerk on the highway, a driver who takes offense at your having
passed them and pulled in front of them (even if you do so safely and,
say, 50 yds ahead of them). Some people actually become territorial in
the privacy of their own vehicles and become offended easily by acts of
others that only *they* view as hostile.
In fact, I think this is often one of the hidden dangers that trigger
the so-called "road rage." That is, your own innocent driving behavior
is somehow "misread" by some fool who has a penchant to distort reality
and who decides to "punish" the perceived transgression you might have
committed.
Again, it's not anything you did but, rather, whatever the other driver
perceived you to have done and the attribution s/he made about your
driving behavior.
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