Road Rage and a Story to Change Your Way of Thinking...

This morning as I am getting ready to drive the 40+ miles it takes me to get to work, I am reminded of the awful ways of drivers today. I drove 2 hours to see my father over the weekend and every time I am driving I get so angry at people. I understand road rage...and I am in Iowa for God's sake, not New York or California. No way could I handle that...I've driven in Denver and that's so bad...even Des Moines gets me sweaty. But I digress....I was driving to see my father in Illinois. It's amazing to see the people with no seatbelts on, no one goes the speed limit and if you do, they are right on your ass, getting pissed because you are. No one ever gets caught. Some people do, but not while I am driving, for sure. The other thing that is my ULTIMATE pet peeve is that no one uses a turn signal. Apparently, it is a lost skill. People obviously believe we are all schooled in knowing how to read minds. Don't get me started on people using their cell phones....I cannot say too much about that, though I would like to....I do it myself, though I have a headset I use. It's interesting to me how unfocused people are. I am not a perfect driver...how can you be? But, I always use my turn signal, don't cut people off or pull out in front of people. I am one of those annoying people who patiently wait until it is safe to turn. People actually honk their horns if you don't turn when they feel you should. What is up with that? If you want to kill yourself, fine...do it on your own time.

I had to take a driving test when I started this job as it required me to accquire a chauffeur's license. It was amazing the habits one gets into, even the safe driver I attain to be. I had an accident a week before Christmas with my car and though it was due to the weather, I still got a ticket. I had not gotten a ticket in over 20 years. It has made me more cautious to know and be aware of my surroundings. So, be safe and be smart...especially if it's me behind you.

STORY:
A client I have, Dean, is 47 years old. When I first met he and his parents, an old farm couple, they told me about their grandchild who was 9 months old, killed in a car accident some 30 years before. I think of this every single day, while I am driving. It was told to me that their daughter and grandson were in the car driving on this certain highway that I now drive twice a week to go pick up Dean. This highway has 2 directions, going and coming and it is fairly narrow. A semi truck driver coming from the other direction made the fateful decision to pass the car in front of him. Suddenly, he did not have enough time to pass and he hit Dean's sister's car head on, killing the baby but the mother made it through. Every time I think about passing someone on a two lane highway, or anywhere for that matter, this occurs to me. I usually decide better of it. One decision can affect so many people without you even knowing it.

That is why I try to be safe and why I get so annoyed. So many young people who think they know what they are doing by speeding and driving recklessly. Motorcycles too....ugh don't get me started on that.

Happy driving!