Don't you all just hate when you're cruising quietly on the highway and someone cuts you off? Your first instinct would be to honk, to speed up or even allow obscenities to take command of your gestures. But wouldn't it be less stressful just to relax and ignore the jackass just the way you pretend you haven't heard the latest office gossip concerning your new boots?!
A few centuries ago you could have been excluded from the so-called “good society” if you didn't prove enough courtesy. Nowadays, manners have become the exception to the rule.
Politeness - the great missing actor from the film
Since politeness is missing from our society, driving habits are not a good example for what I would call the road-trip etiquette. On the contrary. If once verbal aggressiveness was the attribute of men, many women have borrowed their behavior behind the wheel kilometer-by-kilometer.
Of course, there are examples of true ladies behind the wheel, albeit they are so rare as an exclusive Armani dress. It's true women had to travel a long way until they got their right to be behind the wheel, but is it a reason to externalize their anger?
You might tolerate the road-hog, the rude and inconsiderate driver, but nowadays the well mannered driver is no longer fashionable.
Certainly there are so many excuses: the baby didn't let you sleep all night and now you're tired, your boss is always complaining about not achieving performance at work and you're all irritated, you had a fight with your insensitive boyfriend and you're so angry that you no longer stand any male behind the wheel.
I know you're already used to saving money for the silver diamond ear-rings you spotted last month, but politeness costs nothing. Not even a penny. Either you got it from home or you learn it on the way. Besides, your consideration towards others will make them treat you just like a lady.
Although a reasonable excuse for their behavior would be that their pet was dying and they must take it to the vet, reality proves that we are so egocentric believing this world won't go round the sun if they didn't exist.
Moreover, if you brake suddenly without no justified reason, the vehicle behind you might slam into the back of your car. Yes, you can put the blame on not keeping a decent distance from your vehicle, but you would have been a nice girl if you hadn't done sudden gestures in the first place.
Also, when you are driving the speed limit, the left lane is only used for passing in many countries all over the world, so it wouldn't be wise to block it. No police in the wo will give you a ticket for doing this, but you will only start a storm that's not likely to end in a pleasant manner. It is just as if you wanted to buy an exclusive skirt and your best friend knowing how much you have dreamt to that clothing item has done it before you got to the store. Her gesture is not “illegal” but it shows no consideration to your feelings.
Here's a very often scene! Men know you hate their aggressiveness behind the wheel and many of them might act like real gentlemen when seeing a lady behind the wheel. Although you don't have priority and wait patiently for your turn to pass, there are good chances you'll find a male driver who will allow you to pass in front of him. And what do you do? You simply turn the back on him and go on with your way as if the road was only yours. Is it so difficult to say thanks? Blink-blink...just that!
Most sure you're neither going to have a golden statue built in your garden nor be gifted with a pink Bentley like the one that belongs to Paris Hilton (not that you would have wanted this) but if you showed a little consideration to other traffic participants, most likely you'll manage to make yourself respected behind the wheel.
The best advice would be to avoid the confrontation even if you're challenged. Just stay away from the road rage. You might have beautiful eyes and be willing to show them to everyone but wisest thing would be to avoid eye contact and never to make obscene gestures to drivers who do things to irritate you.
More importantly, don't use your vehicle to intimidate others like honking the horn, tailgating or speeding up and slowing down. This is not high class!
Last but not least, don't let the situation frustrate or stress you as you have more important things on your head right now... such as changing your hair color or taking a visit to the fitness club...
Of course, there are examples of true ladies behind the wheel, albeit they are so rare as an exclusive Armani dress. It's true women had to travel a long way until they got their right to be behind the wheel, but is it a reason to externalize their anger?
You might tolerate the road-hog, the rude and inconsiderate driver, but nowadays the well mannered driver is no longer fashionable.
Certainly there are so many excuses: the baby didn't let you sleep all night and now you're tired, your boss is always complaining about not achieving performance at work and you're all irritated, you had a fight with your insensitive boyfriend and you're so angry that you no longer stand any male behind the wheel.
I know you're already used to saving money for the silver diamond ear-rings you spotted last month, but politeness costs nothing. Not even a penny. Either you got it from home or you learn it on the way. Besides, your consideration towards others will make them treat you just like a lady.
Scenes from the road movie...
You've been there, you know the drill. When cars are parked on one side of the road and your side is clear, oncoming cars insist on trying to force their way through, many times without waiting for their turn.Although a reasonable excuse for their behavior would be that their pet was dying and they must take it to the vet, reality proves that we are so egocentric believing this world won't go round the sun if they didn't exist.
Moreover, if you brake suddenly without no justified reason, the vehicle behind you might slam into the back of your car. Yes, you can put the blame on not keeping a decent distance from your vehicle, but you would have been a nice girl if you hadn't done sudden gestures in the first place.
Also, when you are driving the speed limit, the left lane is only used for passing in many countries all over the world, so it wouldn't be wise to block it. No police in the wo will give you a ticket for doing this, but you will only start a storm that's not likely to end in a pleasant manner. It is just as if you wanted to buy an exclusive skirt and your best friend knowing how much you have dreamt to that clothing item has done it before you got to the store. Her gesture is not “illegal” but it shows no consideration to your feelings.
Here's a very often scene! Men know you hate their aggressiveness behind the wheel and many of them might act like real gentlemen when seeing a lady behind the wheel. Although you don't have priority and wait patiently for your turn to pass, there are good chances you'll find a male driver who will allow you to pass in front of him. And what do you do? You simply turn the back on him and go on with your way as if the road was only yours. Is it so difficult to say thanks? Blink-blink...just that!
What you learnt from the story....
The best advice would be to avoid the confrontation even if you're challenged. Just stay away from the road rage. You might have beautiful eyes and be willing to show them to everyone but wisest thing would be to avoid eye contact and never to make obscene gestures to drivers who do things to irritate you.
More importantly, don't use your vehicle to intimidate others like honking the horn, tailgating or speeding up and slowing down. This is not high class!
Last but not least, don't let the situation frustrate or stress you as you have more important things on your head right now... such as changing your hair color or taking a visit to the fitness club...
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