INTRODUCTION

The concept of the QDC Report exercices were designed to help drivers analyze their driving habits and to become aware of the negative results of certain aspects of driving. This concept consists of various exercises which are organized on Tee cards. Each card is designed to focus the drivers attention on one aspect of driving, for example, anger, taking other people's actions personal, etc. In doing each of the Tee card exercises, your driving awareness increases and your ability to change the negative actions and reactions of your driving becomes possible. In going through the various exercises, I feel that I have become more aware of my own negative habits and although it is difficult to change habits, I am now more conscious of what my thoughts and feeling, as well as reactions to other drivers on the road are. This has enabled me to think about how my actions and reactions can impact my own driving and therefore, I try to look at each situation through optimistic eyes. For example, I know that the other drivers don't know who I am, therefore, they aren't out to upset me personally. Overall, I think everyone should be involved in a QDC discussion forum because everyone has bad driving habits that they may or may not be aware of.

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TEE CARD EXERCISES

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

Exercise 3

Exercise 4

Exercise 5

Exercise 6

Exercise 7

Exercise 8

Exercise 9

Exercise 10

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SELF-WITNESSING REPORTS

SWR #1
I notice that when I drive, I am a pretty cool headed person. But if someone knows that I am trying to get into the right lane to get off the freeway to to make a right turn, I get annoyed but not to the point of letting that driver know how I feel. with all the road rage that we have here in Hawaii, I wouldn't want to get someone pissed off at me and end up in a situation that could be physically dangerous to myself or my passengers. I noticed that I normally let a car into the lane I am in when I am not in a rush to get somewhere, but when I am, I usually don't. Another thing that really annoys me is when drivers are on cell phones and driving in an unsafe manner. If a driver can be on the phone and still have the ability to drive safely, then ok fine but if not, that driver should at least have the sense to pull off the road before making that call. I think that many people have road rage because of the misreading of other drivers' intentions. Many times, people think that another driver cut him or her off on purpose, when in reality, that other driver simply didn't see the car coming.

Evaluation of SWR #1

This was my first self-witnessing report ever and I thought it was really interesting how you don't notice things, even about yourself until it is pointed out. I think this opened my eyes to the reality of my driving habits. Maybe I was in denial before doing this exercise about my true driving habits. In the future, I think I will am going to be more aware of what I am doing, thinking and feeling while driving.



SWR #2
I think overall, I consider my driving attitude and ability to be pretty coolheaded except when I see reckless drivers. I think what makes me keep my cool and driving safely as possible is largely due to my precious cargo-my kids. The one thing I must admit when I am lazy and no cars are behind me is turning without signaling.

Evaluation of SWR #2

The majority of the time that I am driving on the road, my children are in the car with me. I know that this plays a huge factor in my temperment while driving. Even when I see driving being reckless, I tend to try and keep calm and just avoid being near them on the road. It is very difficult not to get upset because my biggest responsibility in life is to keep my children safe and away from harm. As a mother of three children, I know that I have the ability to teach them about better driving habits for later when they grow up and get behind the wheel.



SWR #3
I feel like I observe most of the items on the driver check-up list but I don't always react in a defensive way. Maybe it could be only since I've become aware of my driving habits due the this course.

Evaluation of SWR #3

Ever since I began this course at the beginning of the semester, I know that I have improved on my attitude about driving and I've witnessed how easily a situation can get out of hand or can resolve itself just by the changing of people's attitudes about other drivers. As time goes on, I know that I will become better at observing my feelings and actions and be able to react in a more positive and safe manner.



SWR #4
I feel really ashamed to report that I am a moderate road rage driver. I thought that I was a pretty cool headed driver, but after taking the little quiz, it revealed that I have road rage to some extent. I think that I can alter my driving a little but probably not entirely because everyone's tollerance level is different.

Evaluation of SWR #4

My thoughts before taking the quiz was that I didn't need much to improve on. Even though I know that I am not a perfect driver, I thought that I wasn't the "road rage" type. Much to my surprise, the quiz opened my eyes to the reality of how I react to situations while driving. It put me in an uncomfortable position so much that I forced myself to analyze my driving habits and reactions all the time. It has been a very good wake up call for me and I know that if everyone who drives took this quiz, they too would be very shocked at the results.



SWR #5
I think that a lot of people, not only the young drivers, are between phases. Although it shouldn't come to this, I think many times, it will take a tragedy like a car accident for someone to realize that a car is a weapon and that even taking precautionary measures while driving can result in a car accident.

Evaluation of SWR #5

There are accidents everyday in Hawaii alone and there are times when I think it is due to someone who has road rage. We live in a very violent world and I think it has progressed over the years. Only now are we as a society really taking road rage seriously. It is very sad to see someone die tragically in car accidents and I feel that after something like this occurs, the people involved as well as the surrounding family and friends take driving seriously as a weapon that can become lethal. If there is a way to get every driver to join an SWR group, I think there would be less road rage and the potential danger while travelling on the road may decrease.



SWR #6
I think that the management techniques are a good way to change the way people drive. Although I try to drive without getting emotionally upset or frustrated at other drivers, sometimes I forget this and will end up with tension. I especially liked the development and attitude of latitude approach. It brings me to really thinking about what our driving community could really be like if everyone put some effort into controlling their emotions while driving.

Evaluation of SWR #6

The management techniques can apply to everyone who drives because every driver isn't perfect and every driver cannot and will not see his or her faults while driving. This can be a good way to bring awareness and improvement in drivers of any age. It is very natural for emotions to surface while driving, but the management techniques will teach drivers how to control it, even in situations that are very difficult to keep the tempers from flaring up.



SWR #7
I think that everyone as human beings drive with feelings and emotions and habits. We are creatures of habit, but we also don't like to see our faults. I know that I have faults in my driving habits and only since taking this course have I become conscious or aware of really analyzing my drivng habits and trying to adjust it to more safe driving. So far, I have acknowledged the fact that I drive with too much emotion toward other "bad" drivers.

Evaluation of SWR #7

Driving with less emotion and concentrating on dealing with situations that arise while driving on the roads have been something that I've been working on. Coming to the realization that most drivers drive with too much emotion has made me want to make a small difference on the road. I now try really hard to drive with less emotions and more on getting to my destination safely. This has helped me with feeling less anxiety in getting to places. Before, I would get all worked up about someone's driving and what I've realized is that the driver doesn't even know or care that I got all worked up about something that he or she was oblivious to doing.



SWR #8
I think that the story is very scary. To think that the tragic ending all stemmed from a fender bender. I have been involved in a fender bender where a car backed up into my mom's car. The other car reversed out of his parking stall and hit my mom's car. Being a teenager and all, I didn't think about the danger to myself and my mom, I got out of the car and started swearing at the other driver telling him not to drive if he doesn't know how. Now that I think about that incident, there were so many things that could have possibly caused my life or my mom's.

Evaluation of SWR #8

Our society has become one that is trigger happy. You never know who will pull out a gun and shoot you for cutting them off on the freeway. When I think back on the incident that happend years ago, I feel very lucky that the other driver didn't have a gun because the outcome of this could have been tragic. I think that we all need to be very careful in how we react to other drivers, no matter how offensive their gestures may be. That is the only way to play it safe.



SWR #9
I think that children are exposed to so much bad driving on the television and in movies, that they become immune to the possible danger that is involved in bad driving. I have experienced this with my kids when I am driving. They're always telling me to look at something that they see while I'm driving which would mean taking my eyes off the road. Sometimes they even get upset because I miss seeing something that we've already passed. In talking to my kids, they did report seeing a lot of bad driving on t.v. and even in some commercials. It would be very difficult to prevent them from watching cable t.v. in order to shield them from viewing bad driving because it is in the commericals on the local stations as well.

Evaluation of SWR #9

Children are very keen to the things that are going on around them. Although this is true as far as what I experience with my own children, exposure to bad driving could direct them in either direction. A child could see bad driving on t.v. and with their own parents and decide that they don't want to be that way or a child could just feel that it is ok to be that way because everyone else is driving badly. It is very difficult to determine the true effects that bad driving has on children's long term opinions on how to drive.



SWR #10
I think that my driving habits as far as getting angry while driving is average. I do tend to get angry briefly when other drivers are reckless in their own driving. I think I get angry because of the increased potential of that driver being the cause of possible injury to myself of my passengers, especially my kids. I think that everyone has the natural human response of getting angry at the possible risk of injury or death due to the cause or negligence of others. If someone didn't have this in them, then something is wrong because that displays a lack of care for the quality of life. I try not to get too angry when I witness others driving recklessly or seemingly reckless because it could possibly impair my own driving.

Evaluation of SWR #10

I know that I am always telling my kids to put their seat belts on as soon as we get into the car. This is something that I feel can prevent or minimize injury in the event of a car accident. I don't trust majority of the drivers on the road because there have been so many times when a car may take a change and turn left at an intersection while I am travelling in the opposite direction, going straight. People seem to take these types of chances everyday. I see this all the time and I wonder why anyone would want to take that kind of chance when it can be totally avoided, just by waiting a couple extra minutes for the next green light. That is something that I just cannot understand.



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