Drunk
A note on drunk driving................................*@*!..........
It's unfortunate that many people, do not take into consideration what kind of situation they are putting other drivers in, when they drive under the influence of alcohol. Regardless of the fact that they could get into an accident, get arrested, and get their license suspended, people still drive under the influence. This is because they have gotten away with it in the past. The truth of the matter is, they are very lucky. But why wait for something bad to happen as a result of bad judgement? A possible solution is publicizing the reactons and feelings of drunk driving by the victims and their family and friends of victims. Hearing from the victims first hand would make more people actually think twice about driving drunk. Publicizing the statistics, will also emphasize that the problem of drunk driving needs to be dealt with more effectively. Therefore, my understanding of driving personality make over is, an effective way for drivers to " really" take the time out to see how their driving is, and recognize their bad habits and attitudes towards driving.
Relation
It's relation to traffic psychology is, that is actually makes people realize that our driving is actually the response and result of our way thinking. Our driving also reflects the kind of mood we are in. If we think about it, if we can change our behavior towards driving and when driving, we could be O.K. drivers. Most people are in denial. So, the first step would be is doing the driving personality make over. This will make the drivers, face the fact that we are not as good drivier as we think.
Myself
I admit I am a vey moody driver. I am also very impatient, when I am on the road. I am a periodic tailgater, and a convoy member, most of the times when drivig on the LIkelike or Pali. I only tend to see the danger involved in tailgating when I almost get into an accident, because I am too close to the car in front. I do not tailgate cars with dark tinted windows, or large trucks or cars, because I am unable to see the other cars futher upfront. When I suddeenly slam on the brakes, when I tailgate, I think about all the consequences that could result from tailgating, that would affect me negatively, as well as delay my arrival to my final destination later. Depending on my mood, I usually justify the cause of late reactions or careless driving of elderly people to be "due to age". But when I am not in such a good mood, I usually am thinking to myself, "get those brake happy people off of the streets". My dad is a brake happy person. I fear having to ride in the car with him. I get so paranoid and light headed, I have to put the seat back all the way down, and stare at the roof of the car. I do have alot of bad driving habits, bad attitudes, and behaviors. Up until ow I always thought I was a pretty much a lucky person up untill now because I never got a speeding ticket or caused an accident. But one thing I realized is that no matter how much of a good driver you are, the other people on the road may not be, and could cause an accident with you.
Engineer
Aloha
Stop!!!!
Baby
Speak
""A""
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CS
The way I would engineer a driving personality makeover would be to first, tape record the reactions to driving situations, comments, feelings, and justifications, for a period of at least two to three weeks. This way I would be able to see if a particular day, time, or route showed any effect on my driving. I would be able to identify any patterns or causes for certain ways of driving. Also then, have several people be passengers in the car, and evaluate my driving. This will give me a better analysis of my own driving. "Your own opinion is always the worst". I would also review videos, newspaper clippings, books, and interviews with people who survived the accidents which ivolved careless and reckless driving, as well as hear from those who caused these avoidable accidents. Going to this extreme will help drivers and drivers to be, to be more responsible and take into consideration the kind of consequences that result from careless driving, that can and will affect ot only the individual's life, but others also. So instead of learning from a mistake, take the initiative
article on driving behavior
, brings the question of " Does a reformed driver have to be willing to want to change inorder for he/she to be successful at overcoming their initial resistance to change?" Does a person have to have an open mind, positive attitude, and an willing attitude to successfully recognize his/her faults in driving? Because driving is a group effort, I think that it would take alot of time, practice and the effort of every driver, to become a "reformed" driver. Everyone has their habits, many show their feelings and thoughts through their driving, and most times react to other people's carelessness, by driving careless themselves. I think t it would be very frustrating and discouraging for people, to want to incorporate traffic psychology in their driving, but if others do not, it does not produce an incCan several drivers really make a difference? Most times people oo things if there is an incentive. Also if a punishment entails a certain kind of action people are forced to do things a certain way. But unless the individual actually experiences the negasequences from their action, they will be least likely to change. If people get away with doing things not always in the, correct or safe way, they will continue doing it, thwhile and saved them some time.
Part 2
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After reading I was shocked to read how differently people react to situations. Commenting on the first response, I guess many people do not think about the consequences that could result. I am sure thaty themselves experienced something that caused harm to another person due to carelessness, I think that would make them drive more safely. But for those who never had any negative experience resulting from careless driving will continue to do it. I think that the impact of consequences is the determining factor if a driver is going to alter their driving habits. Unfortunately although we all know that we should abide the speed limits, because it is for the safety for ouselves as well as others on the road, we still speed and go over the limit. It is sad ti know that it takes a bad experience for people to realize that some driving laws should be adibed by.
I was reading an article in the paper the other week, and there was an article written by a husband, who's wife, children, a lady friend and her children were stuck on the side of the freeway because they had a flat tire. He said in the article that not one person stopped to help these ladies and their children change their flat tire. No one was thinking about the coming rush hour traffic, and that by helping these ladies would not create even more traffic than ususal. He also said that it was very sad to realize that the "Aloha Spirit" it diminish. And it is a shame because we are living in the ALOHA STATE. Buton the other hand, who can you trust nowadays??????There are sy car thefts, muggings etc......By allowing some stranger help you fix your tire you could be putting yourself at risk for a possible mugging. I think the best thing is, if you can't fix your car yourself when you are stranded call someone you know for help. Carry a cellular phone. It can save your life!!!!!!!!!!!Especially if you have a long commute or drive alot at night carry a cell phone, you never know when it might come in handy.
For those of you who work on the cn the Internet from home, don't you get irritated at these weird bunch of characters and letters that come up on your screen?????!!!!!If anyone knows how to stop this please let me know............
I want to comment on the fourth response about the girl who hit the pregnant lady who was high on drugs............The girlfriend not being able to drive at night after three year after the incident, shows that she at least has a conscience. My sister was 6 months pregnant and was hit by a girl who didn't have a license and insurance. The accident gave my sister complications and she later lost her baby.......the girl that hit her didn't even care........she never called to check up on my sister or anything. on top of that my sister's honda was considered a total lost. So now my sister drivers a four-runner with huge tires, so that she can dominate the road when she drives.........
In Dr. James section under made me think about keeping my mouth shut. I don't know sometimes letting out your anger frustration, feeling, and reaction makes a person feel good. Keeping everything bottled up isn't always a good way to resolve problems. But there are two ways at looking at things. Keeping comments, feelings, and reactions to yourself, may actually keep you out of trouble. It may make you think things over before letting the world know. Perhaps, breathing and meditating before driving will make a driver take things more lightly. I do agree that silent verbalizations mediate and control the overt performances.
It is hard, when society reinforces open communication. Maybe silent verbalization may not be a good approach towards driving because, a driver who usually expresses their feeling, anger, frustration etc........verbally while driving, lets out all energy that is caused by some kind of action on the road. But if a person has to keep their feelings silent, maybe their feelings wil tend to reflect more on their driving, becuase they can't scream about it. But who knows? This appraoch may work for some and not for others, but at least the option is there to try.....
I think that mostly all drivers are hypocrites. We tend to disapprove of other people's wrong doings on the road, but yet they themselves do it to. I often to express fear when driving. Especially when I get those close calls,I guess I am just a "temporary conditional reformed driver" I tend to only reform my driving after almost getting into an accident, or seeing someone else geting into an accident. I tend to forget about the consequences that could result from my sometimes careless driving. But I am just a moody driver, and my driving shows it. I guess when you live on the windward side most of your life and had to get up early all the time to get to school, you tend to really hate traffic. You dread getting up so early in the morning and try to get as much sleep as you can while your mom or dad or friend drives you to school, I did reject to my dad buying me a car because I didn't want to drive myself to Mid Pac in Manoa. But he refused to be my chauffeur any longer than he had to.
A bad habit, I tend to usually speed in the area my friends that are police officers work.... I know I shouldn't take advantage, but hey.....anyway my friend tends to think that the SHOPO sticker on his car would let him get away with driving any way he wants to. He says everytime he is on the freeway and is speeding and runs into a cop, he never slows down, he just drives right on by and waves, and till this day he never got stopped yet. He says that the sticker is a very good thing to have on your car. I don't know my friend asked me if I wnate done, But I never wante dto ruin my tint. But I thought I used to take advantage, my friend is bad...............
A little on cognitive self, I think that everyone always has a reasoning about a particular driving circumstance. Sometimes, self blame does arise when perhaps, when an accident was just missed. I think it arises in the after effects. People usually only tend to see what could of been done differently on their part after some kind of scary driving experience happens. Also in sensorimotor, I think the way a person grabs on to the steering wheel reflects their state of mind and body. For example if a person is really relaxed their heads are leaned back against the chair and they use only one hand to steer. So in response to scary and close situations on the road, their mannerism in the car tends to change and alter to what is more appropriate. For example, when I really tired, I do drive with two hands on the wheel, but when I almost hit another car, or hit the plastic dividing bumps, I wake up with hesistation and fear, my heart pounds,my face turns hot, and I grab on to that steering wheel till my hands sweat.
In response to I think that the traffic in Hawaii will eventually take a toll on all drivers mental health. Imagine if you lived far from your working place, and you had to commute in ruch hour traffic everyday, going and coming home????? YOu don't want to get up earlier because you work at an institution like a bank, and you don't really have three hours of work to do before the bank opens, you are stuck!!!!!!!The sun in your eyes doesn't make it any easier or fun too.......Perhaps incorporating car pooling might be a good idea.......You wouldn't have to drive everyday, and you have someone to talk to and let pout your frustrations out on. You would also save gas, and because you are car pooling with a friend you know she would support you in your comments, opinions, and feelings even though they were wrong and irrational.