Table
of Contents
Instructions for this Report
Methods of Interaction
How Widespread is It?
Situation #2: Overtaking
Methods of Interaction
Situation
#3: Making Room in a Lane
Methods of Interaction
My Recommendations for Developing Official Methods of Interaction and Communication
Among Drivers
How They Should Be Taught
Relevant Reports from the Generational Curriculum
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I chose this situation because it is one that I am very familiar with. In this event, two or more cars will speed down an open road (not necessarily one that is free of traffic) while weaving in and out of other automobiles in order to see who is the quickest/most skillful at reaching a target spot, which is usually just in front of the group of participants. The goal of the drivers is to reach their destination and maintain a place in front of the pack without being trapped (or "boxed in") and with minimal other problems and obstacles.
There is a lot of non-verbal communication that takes place in this type of event. Some ways to initiate a race are: revving the engine while staring at a potential challenger, nodding, tailing a car and flashing your headlights, cutting off a driver and turning on the reverse lights (most racers hook-up their reverse lights to a switch in their car - like the defogger button). There are also some special insignias on the cars of drivers in car clubs that distinguish racers from the different clubs. For these drivers, simply pulling up to a racer from a different club at a stoplight is a signal that they would like to challenge.
How Widespread are These Methods?
There seems to be a uniform language for all the participants in car clubs in Hawaii. Even members of the civilian population, given some time to observe the interaction of these racers, can understand and participate in racer-style communication and lingo. Most of the drivers that I know can/do participate in this fashion.
Most of the racer population consists of teenagers and people in their early to late twenties. Out of the 15 people that I observed for this study, 13 of the participants in this type of activity were males. Only 2 were female. 3 of the males and 1 of the females were in high school. The others ranged in age from 20 to 27 years old. 9 of the males belonged to car clubs.
It seems like the specific signs or gestures that have been agreed upon by members of the car clubs, and the understood racing "etiquette" that each member is expected to abide by is effective as a form of communication. Racers have successfully created their own style of driving and method of interaction that, although dangerous to other drivers as well as to themselves, is amazingly effective as well as efficient.
What is It's Function for the Doer?
People who race, whether young or old, seem to be motivated by the same factors, such as, the thrill and excitement that comes with racing, and the satisfaction and relief that comes with competitive and aggressive driving. Racing also allows drivers to release some of the repressed frustration or anger that plagues all human beings from time to time.
What is It's Function for the Receiver?
The receiver of the signals to initiate a race may take part in this type of behavior to fulfill some of the psychological or emotional needs that the Doer fulfills. They may also experience some anger or resentment for being challenged and by taking part in the race, they may release some of the negative feelings that result.
Overtaking is very common in Hawaii, especially where there are one lane roads. To some degree this activity may be observed in all situations and driving environments, but I chose to study this phenomenon in a country setting (namely, on the Big Island), where driving room is limited due to a smaller number of lanes, and the allotted time to overtake a car varies greatly (from a short amount of time due to oncoming traffic to a large amount of time due to long, open, straight roads).
One of the most common methods of interaction when overtaking someone is signalling with a left or right blinker. In the cases that I observed, a large number of the drivers who overtook another car signalled with their blinkers each and every time they attempted to overtake a car. Most of the cars that were being overtaken responded by decreasing or maintaining their speed. Other methods of interaction included: drivers of slow-moving vehicles waving their hands gesturing to faster-moving traffic to overtake and tailgating to show contempt towards drivers who overtook a car only to decrease their driving speed while in front of the car they overtook.
How Widespread are These Methods?
The methods that I observed occurred in the Big Island, and although it is difficult to generalize my results, it is safe to say that to some degree these methods may be found in almost all driving environments. Specific areas may vary in the type/amount of interaction that occurs as well as the amount of overtaking that takes place.
Most people use the different methods of interaction for overtaking. There are a select few people who do not overtake cars. Out of the 5 people that I studied, 1 person refused to overtake cars, due to fear that she did not have the ability to time the process correctly. Another person did not overtake during my observation because she was simply, "not in a rush." The 3 males in my study all overtook at least one car during the time that I watched them, and both women I rode with did not overtake any cars.
The methods of interaction that I witnessed during my brief study were very effective. Although they relied on non-verbal messages, the messages that were relayed were the same/similar to the messages that were intended by the person conducting the interaction. Because all of the drivers understood what was about to take place and agreed upon this occurence, the smooth-flowing nature of the traffic was preserved and the dynamics were kept intact.
What is It's Function for the Doer?
The gesture that I saw the most when one car was overtaking another was the waving of a hand. Most of the slower cars that were travelling on the road used this motion as a sign for faster cars (which were, coincidentally, usually smaller in size) behind to overtake them. 90% of the time this gesture was accompanied by the slowing down and pulling off to the shoulder of the road by the slower car. Doing this allowed the slower car to travel at it's desired pace without disrupting the flow of traffic.
What is It's Function for the Receiver?
Whatever gesture or sign was given in this situation, the receiver usually reacted accordingly. In all of the situations that I observed, the Receiver of the signs understood what was being communicated to them by the Doer. Once in a while, the receiver might choose to disregard the requests that are being relayed by the Doer and they may increase the speed of their vehicle and not allow the other car to overtake.
I witnessed this event mainly in the heart of Honolulu city during the evening rush hour (5 - 6 p.m.). Most of the interaction that took place consisted of a wave of the hand (signalling an outside car to enter the lane) while the car in the lane either stopped completely or slowly inched forward. The responding gesture that I witnessed most was a hand being raised by the entering vehicle's driver (intending to say "Thank You").
How Widespread are These Methods?
75% of the times I watched cars enter a lane (including for myself) the aforementioned method of interaction occurred. Another 20% of the time there were no hand signals and the driver in the congested lane simply decreased the speed of his/her car while the other car entered the lane. The last 5% of the time the motorists would not allow other cars to enter the lane by tailgating the car in front or speeding up when another car signalled to enter.
Most of the people who use hand gestures do so in cases where visibility is high (ie. can be seen through the rearview mirror). When visibility is low (ie. nighttime), motorists tended to slow down or stop altogether to allow traffic to enter a lane without using any other signals.
This form of communication is very effective probably in part because it benefits the driver who initiates contact/communication (the driver who wants to enter a lane).
What is It's Function for the Doer?
The Doer in this event can accurately convey a message with a simple wave of the hand. This type of communication is simple and does not only serve the purpose of coordinating the movements of the two drivers, but also helps to boost the confidence and the morale of the two drivers (the entering driver's confidence in the goodwill of other motorists and the driver in the desireable lane's morale for extending his/her "aloha" for other drivers with this act of "generosity").
What is It's Function for the Receiver?
As I stated before, this type of communication functions on two levels
- on a practical level, allowing a driver to enter a lane, and on a personal
or psychological level, giving motorists more trust in the humanity of
others and more satisfaction with their own ability to act in an unselfish
manner.
Universal methods of interaction and communication already exist in our society. From the moment that a driver steps behind the wheel s/he is engaged in constant social interaction with everyone in their immediate environment. Drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians alike need to be aware of the visible signs and gestures that are relayed to know what is going on. Rather than developing a whole new set of techniques to communicate, it would be prudent to keep the driver's language that is already established and enhance it by teaching and enforcing these codes as an official language.
Some ideas on how these standardized set of signs and gestures could be taught to drivers:
1) Driver's Education Courses
2) Including the codes in the written and driving examinations (to
obtain a driving license)
3) Including the codes in the Hawaii State Driver's Manual
4) Shows on PBS (ie. Sesame Street), Channel 55
5) Websites, information in driving newsgroups, ads on the internet
6) Commercials (especially during driving related shows)
7) Any and all kinds of media that will help to generate publicity
What Would Be Their Usefulness
The usefulness of this language would be the same as it is now. However, if the language is established as a standardized and formal way of communicating, then the increase in public knowledge will also bring about an increase the effectiveness of this tool on the roads.
How to Research Their Effectiveness
1) Videocameras on the streetlights (similar to the idea created by
Mayor Harris in Waikiki)
2) Police
3) Driver's Education Instructors Observations
5) State of Hawaii Department of Transportation conducting a study
on the effectiveness.
Mary Elizabeth U. Pacheco, G7, Psy 459
According to Mary
Elizabeth: Drivers communicate to others whether they are aware
of it or not. There are some situations in which communication is
easily observed. These include: while overtaking, changing
lanes, or merging. Mary claims that most of the interaction that
takes place is non-verbal and warns us that sometimes actions speak louder
than words. She believes that there already exists a Universal Public
Communication code (UPC code) for drivers and feels that the best route
for motorists to take when dealing with each other is through this previously
established UPC code.
Kristin Subia, G6, Psy 459
According to Kristin:
It is our responsibility to communicate our intentions with other drivers.
It is the one tool that we have to prevent accidents and to maintain safety
for other road users. There are several situations where Kristin
felt that these interactions were most visible. They included:
making turns, changing lanes, yielding the way, making room in one's lane,
tail-gating/overtaking, and racing. She lists 3 types of methods
of interaction (vehicular communication, verbal communication, and gestures/facial
expressions) and then discusses the effectiveness of each.
Brandi Ashby, G7, Psy 459
According to Brandi: Brandi agreed with most of what was presented in Mary Elizabeth and Kristin's reports. She also included additional research that she conducted on the web and in the library. In these sections she gave some useful resources and links to pertinent information and resources.
1) As with all other requirements for this class - start early
and set aside a lot of time.
2) Have someone else drive so you can write down
observations as they occur. Videotape
if possible.
3) Study your own habits as well as others. We all can learn
something from ourselves!
When I first began collecting data on how drivers communicate with each
other, I focused on the negative forms of communication, such as cussing
and flipping the bird. Over a short period of time I discovered that
there were equally as many positive forms of interaction, such as mentioned
in Situation #3 of this report. I decided then that it is just as
important to acknowledge and understand this side to driver communication.
It is with positive feedback and association with other motorists that
drivers are able to coordinate their efforts to reach their destinations
in an orderly manner. If we are able to create a language universal
to all drivers (or at least embellish upon the style of interaction that
already exists), then we will be able to facilitate this orderly conduct
and maybe increase the efficiency in road travelling, decrease the amount
of congestion on the roads (and other traffic-related problems) and thus,
decrease the need for negative behavior or road rage.
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