Report 1
Definitions of Traffic Psychology


I liked Shane Akagi's definition on Traffic Psychology, it includes explanations on some of the reasons that we are bad drivers. Some of the reasons that he sites are aggression, rushing, the self fulfilling prophecy and people who are schizophrenic.
In Jae Isa's lab report 1a, she defines Traffic Psychology as a means to decrease traffic accidents and fatalities as well as improving the self.
Alan Furukawa defines Traffic Psychology as a means which allows us to reflect on our unconscious behavior while driving.

This is a picture my baby, a 5 speed, 16 valve Volkswagen Scorocco, with a body kit, leather interior, power locks, windows, central locking, sunroof, Neuspeed suspension, chrome Momo Star rims, exhaust, headers, a slamming 300 watt stereo with a custom sub floor, and an Alpine alarm with motion sensor. Its all gone now I totaled it in a crash! Had I taken this class earlier, maybe it would still be alive and kickin'!

Why Traffic Psychology is needed

My personal experiences
Even after burying the needle on my speedometer at 145 MPH on public freeways and making hard turns around corners and tailgating others when they pissed me off, I still considered my self a 'good' driver. Until I stopped to think what it meant to be a good driver. I always considered myself to be a good driver simply because I thought I was in control of the car, and the more reckless I drove, the more in control I felt, and the more I thought I was a better driver. But what I have now come to realize is that a good driver is not one who is in control of the car,(any idiot can do that), but rather a good driver is one who is in control of themselves. To be able to control ones own temper and to be an understanding, forgiving person while behind the wheel; now thats real controll.

When I looked back on my driving personally I noticed that I tended to speed more when I felt angry. I think that the reason that people speed when they are angry is because it is an attempt to regain control of something. Think about it, when you are driving, all it takes is a little flick of the foot and, BAM!! you're in business! You're in control of this huge steel monster!! Usually when we get angry, we feel that we are not in control of a situation, and if this anger persists, we get out of control. By driving fast I think that we are trying to regain control of the situation, or at least trying to make ourselves feel that we are capable of controlling something. Because if we are not in control, it implies that we are helpless or week. I think that traffic psychology is all about learning to control our anger so that we can learn to control ourselves better behind the wheel rather than controlling a metal chariot across asphalt.

About my car accident

As for my 'little' car accident in the picture above, here's the story... I was driving home on Pali Highway, it was raining heavily and the road was slick. I was driving at 45 MPH and as I anticipated the hairpin turn, I tried to slow down to avoid hydroplaning. As I took the turn, my worst dreams became reality. My car lost traction, I spun around 360 and hit concrete side wall twice, first in the back, then in the front. I was able to drive the car home, but the transmission was screwed!! I only had first gear and reverse!! and every time I lifted my foot off the clutch the horn would go off! (as if I didn't need to call any more attention to myself.) So when I got home I tried to open the door, but the frame was bent so badly that both doors could not open. I had to climb out of the sunroof, but it was still raining and I didn't want to get the interior wet. So to close the sunroof I had to open the trunk, climb in, close the sunroof, and climb back out of the trunk and close it.(lucky its a hatchback) The car was a totaled but luckily I didn't have any injuries to report, thank God for seat belts! I was lucky to be alive. After the accident, I still THOUGHT that I was a good driver, but it was not until I took this class that I realized what the definition of a good driver is. That is main reason that Traffic Psychology is needed, to make people realize their driving personality, because we often fail to see the possible consequences of our actions and the harsh reality is that most car accidents are a result of the driver not the car.

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