I don't normally vent or complain about things that have nothing to do about technology, but here's one that REALLY upsets me and I just don't get it. My hope is if I speak up and make people aware, MAYBE, just maybe they'll be more courteous. Maybe?
In California, if you're in the right hand lane and you come to a red light, you must first STOP, make sure there are no pedestrians, bicycles, cars, etc. and when it's SAFE you can turn if there's not a red right arrow or something saying you can't turn. Take a look:
http://apps.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/turns.htm
Simple concept right? Then why do people get so impatient and angry if you don't immediately go? It seems if you spend more then 1/2 a second people start to honk at you.
For example, there's a turn by where I live that I take every day. It's a very busy street and if I leave past a certain time it's certain that the traffic will be really bad and making a right on the red without hitting something is very unlikely. It NEVER ceases to amaze me how impatient people are! I'm sitting at the light and 5 or 10 seconds goes by along with a very steady stream of cars and I know what's coming... I start to get nervous.... And it happens!
HONK!!
HONK!!
I jump in my seat. What the heck? It's not safe, I'm not comfortable jumping out into on coming traffic, but I'm being yelled at to move! The light turns green and I begin to make the turn and the guy who honked at me proceeds to honk at me three more times!
Have you ever seen the Disney short, Motor Mania? It was made in 1950. And it's true today as it was 65 years ago. The polite and friendly Mr. Walker transforms into the impatient, angry and rude Mr. Wheeler as soon as he gets behind the wheel of his car.
Mr. Walker - Just before the transformation.
Mr. Wheeler - The transformation has occurred!
Did the guy who honked at me really accomplish anything accept raise my blood pressure and his? Did he miss an important life altering meeting because I didn't jump out into traffic 20 seconds earlier?
Was someone's life in jeopardy because I didn't run through a red light?
Why are we always in such a hurry? To go where? Work? School? Will 20 seconds really make a difference? Just because you're in your car doesn't make you anonymous or less liable for your actions. Would you walk up to someone and yell at them, "Get out of my way!" Do people realize there's a person in the car in the car in front of them that they're honking at? My intention wasn't to anger this person, but to get to work alive.
Well that's enough venting. Maybe next time if there's a car in front of you and they're pissing you off for some reason, take a deep breath, is it really worth getting angry and ruining your and their day?
Anger and impatience leads to poor judgment and doing things we normally wouldn't do. Take a look what happened to Mr. Wheeler. Is it really worth it?
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