Okazaki Traffic Psychology USENET

Report 8:

What is the USENET?

The USENET is a billboard that people can use to post messages that people can respond to. What happens is one person posts up a little message. It could be an opinion, a statistic, a rule, ---anything that might be of interest to someone else. People then read the message and then make a response. Dr. James' participates in the USENET group rec.autos.driving. In this billboard, there are five topics that he responds to. They are Fast Driving, Slow Cars in the Fast Lane, Car Phones -- A Traffic Hazard?, Road Rage and Hostility, and Why I Tailgate.

Fast Driving is a topic about just that -- fast driving. It talks ofthe implication of speeding and what it does to the mentality of the driver. Does the driver think of the other cars, while speeding? Just what can someone get out of feeling the need to speed?

Slow Cars in the Fast Lane is a topic that is mainly written by the annoyed. The people who respond are drivers who want to go fast but can't all because of some slow car. This billboard is used to get their frustrations out about this " problem." Dr. James' view on this topic is to use the inner strength to not get upset. From reading everyone's replies to his message, I can easily tell that they are not ready to make this kind of commitment. The responders make fun of and get angry about his type of response. Although generally, Dr. James' does have some element of truth in that kind of attitude.

Car phones -- a traffic hazard? This is a debatable topic by many with different views. Some people feel that if people can drive with a cellular phone, then there's no reason why people should be restricted from doing so. On the other hand, if people can not drive then they should not be able to. Some people argue about the ability to use car phones with the hands-free option. I especially agree with this issue. At least this way, there are still two free hands that can manuever the car as it should be.

Why I Tailgate is a billboard about reasons for tailgating. These people feel that they have to right to tailgate because of something that "the other driver did." One female even went as far to say that other driver won't ever make mis takes and so she feels justifcated to tailgate. I have already learned that "I am responsible for my own actions" through this Traffic Psychology course. Dr. James' even feels that any reason for something you does not start with the word "I" is wrong already. Don't you?

Road Rage and Hostility is really a broad topic about anything that produces a mentality of "hostility" between drivers. I have read a few that even dealt with the subject of tailgating and gender.

Attitudes...they could use a changin'

People on the billboards have a strong belief that they are right. It's kind of like they don't take seriously the help that they are given. Instead, they refuse to see their mistakes and deny that they ever did anything wrong. This attitude only pollutes their mind. They need to be more open to suggestions. People who believe that tailgating is justifiable ought to be banned from the streets. They are unknowingly creating a negative atmosphere for themselves and the people that surround them.

So....what can traffic do, now?

As for implications for traffic psychology, I have only to document Dr. James' attempts to reform people. After reading Dr. James' comments on the billboard to other drivers, they are unwilling to see what he is actually trying to tell them. It's weird because it's like they don't even listen to him. And that in itself is a major implication. They have such a strong belief that they are right. Their mind is set. They don't want to care for the other driver, all they seem to care about is themselves. It's also because of this that they're going to keep on doing what they've been doing.

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