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Exploring the internet is always an enjoyable experience. Mountains of information are at the user's fingertips as he/she surfs the sites, dropping in here and there, gaining knowledge and continuing on the quest for more. Yes, the Internet is a pot of gold which almost anyone can attain. This makes the Internet all the more appropriate for research on young and unexplored fields of Psychology such as Traffic Psychology. The Internet provides information 'in the raw'. Users from all over the world publish their beliefs without going through the hassles of being edited, censored, or pressured into supporting a belief other than their own.
As you can see, I have presented much support for the Internet as a vast resource of information. There is only one problem that I have encountered using the Internet for research purposes. That problem is that there is just too much out there that draws my attention! Many a time I have found myself straying from the path of my original search and wandering through new ventures in the middle of my research. This can be a problem when time is an important factor. The key to this is limiting yourself to the things that need to be done and taking note of any other sites one wishes to explore at a later time. Whoever said that the average attention span of a human being is less than 15 minutes has never surfed the Internet!
Nevertheless, I did find much information on concepts related to Traffic Psychology in my search. Here are a few that I would like to share and discuss with you. Sometimes the search was long and hard, but it was well worth the find. Happy reading!
Findings on Aggression in Relation to Traffic Psychology...
Aggression is a term well-studied in the field of Psychology. We have heard of studies documenting the influence of violent television shows and their effects on young children and aggression. We may also be familiar with reports studying the levels of aggression present in sports teams and the relation of the colors of their team uniforms. With aggression being an area well-studied in Psychology, one would think that aggression in relation to Traffic Psychology would also have much documentation. This is totally wrong! My searches for sites pertaining to aggression in traffic were not as fruitful as I had anticipated.
For my search on aggression & traffic, I went to Dr. Leon James' Home Page and headed straight for his Topical Index. It seems that every week in class he has information on different types of search engines that we can use when conducting research. I tried out a few and decided that
the find...
What I came upon was a link entitled "The Anatomy of 2 and 3 Lane Roads: The Types of Drivers and How They Affect Traffic Flow". This site first made it clear to the reader that all the information provided is the result of speculation and educated guesses. It then went on to introduce the 4 types of drivers believed to exist. The first category includes the slowpokes and the religious speed limit followers. The second category is made up of slow drivers and casual speed limit followers. Fast and generally typical drivers make up the third category. And finally, the fourth category is made up of the tailgaters and speed demons.
Definitions were then given of each of the different types of drivers mentioned. These definitions included personal comments and views of the author.
The slowpokes were the first group defined. They include all types of drivers who drive just plain too slow! Perhaps they do not know where they are going and thus they drive slowly. That is no excuse. Motorists should plan ahead so that they do know where they need to be going before they take to the roads. Slowpokes also include those that drive the speed limit on back roads that are uncrowded and 'idiotic drivers' who are just plain scared to drive fast (which the author claims are typically senior citizens). The message that is sent out to the slowpokes of the road from this site is that (1) you are never wanted on the road; (2) you create serious traffic problems; and (3) you can make everyone's day miserable just by being out on the road!
Slow drivers were the second group under attack. They are defined as those who don't speed for fear of getting caught and those who drive slowly because they don't put their attention where it is supposed to be--on the road! Slow drivers make up ten to twenty percent of the motorists out on the roads. They dictate the general speed of traffic and keep the people behind them at their own speed. They don't cause too much of a problem, however, they can be annoying!
The fast drivers were the third category under review. These are the people who drive within 5mph of the fastest safe driving speed (note: not the speed limit!). They are cited as being the safest and most wanted types of motorists on the roads. They rarely have people tailgating them and they are probably the most alert drivers. Their focus is where it should be--the road and nowhere else. The fast drivers are the truly safe drivers in traffic because they are the motorists who know how to drive. The only times that they may cause a problem are when they are extremely aggressive, when they tailgate, or when they do things like cut people off.
Who are the worst motorists to come across on the roadways? They are the tailgaters...the people who follow so closely that you can barely see their headlights as they are tailgating you. They are named the worst drivers because they endanger themselves and everyone else on the road by their tailgating. Were something to happen up ahead of the tailgater, there is a 95% chance that the tailgater will ram right into the person they had been tailgating. Their selfish acts endanger and annoy others.
The speed demons were the final group discussed. These are the motorists who just plain speed. They are different from the fast drivers because they tend to go over the fastest safe driving speed limit. They don't cause too much of a problem on the roads just as long as they know what they are doing. However, if they were a bunch of teenagers racing along at demonic speeds, then they are a serious problem. They not only endanger themselves and other motorists, but they also endanger the people who are not on the road and in the general area, going about their own business.
In closing, the author gives advice for each type of driver mentioned. To the slowpokes, he exclaims, "No one likes you!". What they need to do is either learn how to drive faster or get off the road. Their driving style creates more accidents instead of preventing accidents.
To those who are religious followers of the speed limit (even on back roads), he tells them to wake up and smell the coffee. The 30mph speed limit is terribly unreasonable. Following that speed limit does nothing but hold up traffic.
For all you slow drivers out there, you are asked to either speed up slightly or simply pull over when there are cars behind you.
The fast drivers are praised. They are the motorists who are doing a good job out on the road. As long as their attention stays on the road, their actions do nothing but help make the flow of traffic as smooth as possible. Should the event occur where a fast driver is involved in an accident or accidentally strikes a person, the problem is more likely to be that the driver was distracted--not the speed at which they were going. The lesson here--keep your attention where it needs to be--on the road!
The tailgaters need to simply 'cut it out'! Instead of tailgating a person because they are not going the speed you would like for them to go, try different methods. One suggested method is to flash your headlights at them. If that doesn't work, try other methods. Tailgating is the worst thing to do to others and for yourself.
For speed demons, your actions are okay as long as you know what you are doing, granted you are not some out of control teenager. Traveling at higher speeds means greater responsibility on the motorist for his actions. One thing that you simply should not do is speed through small towns. There is no excuse for this.
with regards to Traffic Psychology...
As I pointed out earlier, aggression is extremely relevant to the field of Psychology. This also includes the branch of Traffic Psychology. To be able to be a fully-functioning motorists on the roadways of today requires at least a small amount of aggression. To be able to realize what types of drivers are on the streets helps us to predict the amount of aggression allocated for each style.
The slowpokes are those drivers for whom the streets and high speed holds some sort of terror. These are probably the least of the aggressive drivers. They are slowpokes because they fear and thus probably don't have it in them to be any more aggressive than they can get away with to operate in traffic.
The slow drivers are also afraid but it is not speed that they fear. Instead, they fear a possible consequence of speed--getting caught. They too, are probably the least aggressive of the driving styles.
Fast drivers speed. Speed itself can be seen as an act of aggression. Of course, aggression is not to be confused with recklessness. The two words are totally different concepts. To be able to maintain a safe high speed while in the vicinity of slowpokes and slow drivers requires a great degree of aggression, attentiveness, responsibility, and skill. Thus, fast drivers would be the more aggressive of the motorists, though in no negative manner.
To tailgate is to be extremely aggressive. It not only requires a high level of aggression, but it also commands a high degree of selfishness and recklessness. Aggression in the form of tailgating is nothing but negative and destructive. Do not be confused, there is nothing wrong with aggression. What associates it with the negative is the form that it is being channeled to. In this case it is being channeled to one of the most selfish acts motorists could do in traffic--tailgating.
Speed demons also require a great deal of aggression. Unlike the fast drivers, the also are less responsible because they drive over the fastest safe driving speed limit. This makes them reckless and thus makes the use of their aggression to be less than positive. They probably have the same amount of aggression as the fast drivers, if not higher.
In essence, learning about the different types of motorists out on the streets allows one to study the levels of aggression correlated with such driving. It may also be used to help ordinary motorists such as myself. Let's say that I was a slowpoke driver. From learning about the degrees of aggression associated with my driving style and that of others, I would know that in order for me to speed up, I would have to raise the level of aggression with which I drive. Of course, I would have to do it in a responsible manner. On the other hand, if I were a tailgater (God forbid!) then I would have to learn to be less aggressive on the road or channel my aggression to different things. I would also have to learn to be more aware of those around me.
I believe that the correlation between aggression and driving styles is an area of study that the field of Traffic Psychology most definitely should look into. It would be interesting to learn if the levels of aggression with which we drive reflect the way we live our lives as non-motorists.
Hawaii is one place with many pedestrians every day of the week. Because of this, I believe that the Hawaii motorist is more pedestrian-aware. Most of us know that when we come across a pedestrian crosswalk, caution should be exercised because chances are that there just might be a pedestrian nearby. As a pedestrian, we know that our rights will be respected as long as we equally respect the rights of motorists. What we all need to do is learn those rights and duties.
using Excite...
For this search I decided to try out the search engine Excite. I found an interesting link entitled "Chapter 5: Pedestrian Rights & Duties". This site basically just contained a bunch of links (19) that one could go to in order to learn the different laws pertaining to pedestrians. All the links dealt with California law. They contained much technical information about the law and clarification on it. I would like to share with you a few of the points that I learned from this site.
the find...
California law states that motorists shall yield the right of way to pedestrians crossing the roadway in a marked crosswalk or at an unmarked intersection. This in no way relieves the pedestrian of their duty to use due care for their own safety. Pedestrians also are not to use the law to grant themselves the right to just step off a curb and cause an immediate hazard. Nor shall pedestrians stop or delay traffic while in a marked crosswalk. In turn, these duties of the pedestrian do not relieve the duty of the motorist to also exercise due care.
Another thing that California points out is the situation where a car stops to allow a pedestrian to cross. No car coming from the rear of the stopped car may overtake and pass a car stopped for such purposes. To do so would create a hazard for the pedestrian as well as both cars.
No pedestrian may carry and use a predominantly white cane in public sidewalks or roadways. The only exception to this are the partially or totally blind. I found this law to be akward until I thought about it some more. Suppose a person were to be toying around with such a cane and were to irresponsibly step off the curb. People would probably be slamming on their brakes a mile away for fear that the supposedly blind person might go running in God knows what direction. Also, the people for whom such canes are meant for probably know how to use them and the purposes of such a device other than the purpose of aiding.
The last law that I would like to point out is the law concerning pedestrians and bike paths/lanes. Pedestrians are more than welcome to use bike paths/lanes. However, if there is an adjacent adequate pedestrian facility, pedestrians are required to use that area designated for them and are not to use the bike paths/lanes.
with regards to Traffic Psychology...
Laws are meant to be a reflection of the society for which they are enforced. They are reflections of the duties and rights that citizens believe should be enforced and preserved. This is not always the case, but often assume that it is. Studying laws in relation to motorists and pedestrians has many uses for Traffic Psychology. First off, are people aware of the laws and rights concerning them as pedestrians and motorists? If they are, do they follow them? If they don't follow them, why not?
I believe that a topic worth researching is the effects of laws on pedestrian traffic behavior. Earlier we discussed the California law dealing with pedestrians and bike lanes/paths. As a bicyclist, I support such a law. Sometimes it is nice to have a whole pathway just for bicyclists. It brings about feelings of freedom and makes me feel that we are not being overlooked. Pedestrians may not agree with such laws. Perhaps they would choose to break the law and walk along the bike path because of the scenery. Would this law foster feelings of resentment between bicyclists and pedestrians? If so, would this cause acts of aggression on both parts?
Traffic Psychology could launch many studies dealing with laws pertaining to pedestrians and motorists. One of the main focuses could be the effects of such laws on attitudes and behaviors. The psychological impacts resulting from the stress of breaking such laws, the fear of being caught breaking those laws, and the feelings and actions that come as a result of being caught breaking them are just a few of the many interesting directions future studies might take.
As I said in my Report 1, no discussion on traffic is complete without the topic of speeding.
For my search on speeding, I decided to try out the Savvy Search engine. Utilizing this search for the first time, I decided to launch the search with a more general term. Thus, I chose the most general term I could think of in relation to Traffic Psychology and speeding--'motorists'.
the find... Part I
I uncovered the link entitled "Reasonable Drivers Unanimous Home Page". From this site, I was able to explore other links such as a federal study and a list of secrets. First let us discuss the Reasonable Drivers Unanimous Home Page.
The title heading this site was "Speed Limits Are Set Too Low". Unreasonably low speed limits litter the roadways. They make violators out of otherwise law-abiding citizens. A federal study is listed as proof of the unreasonableness of posted speed limits. The reader is also encouraged to tap into a list of secrets that they claim government and insurance companies don't want the public to know. For those of us that drive 100% by the book, the news for you is that doing so statistically increases your chances of getting into or causing an accident.
The Reasonable Drivers Unanimous Home Page also has a list of other sites that viewers may wish to check out. These include States' Attitudes Toward Speed Limits, Speed Limits, Etc....., and The Types of Drivers and How They Affect Traffic Flow. A section is allotted for reader input on issues and viewpoints. Some of the views expressed was the desire for cops to stop going after 'safe' speeders and instead go after the people who do things like tailgate or cut people off. Another expressed view was the suggestion that interstates have a speed limit no lower than 75mph because this is the rate at which most people travel on these roads. Going any slower than this would be to go against the traffic flow , causing those on the roadways to be more prone to being in an accident.
The main message that this site aims to put out is that speed does not kill!
From the Reasonable Drivers Unanimous Home Page I decided to take their advice and check out the federal study they had mentioned. This study was entitled "The Effects of Raising and Lowering Speed Limits". It was published in October of 1992 and done by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of raising and lowering posted speed limits on driver behavior.
Speed and accident data were collected at 100 sites located in 22 states. Speed and accident data before and after speed limits were altered was also recorded. Sites where speed limits were not altered served as a comparison for the altered speed limit sites. Both long-term and short-term effects of the altered speed limits were also examined.
The results of the study were that both lowering the speed limit by as much as 20mph and raising the speed limit by as much as 15mph had little effect on motorists' speed. When speed limits were raised, the majority of motorists did not go over 5mph of the posted speed limit. When speed limits were lowered, motorists did not reduce their speed by 5 or 10mph.
These findings show that the majority of the posted speed limits are below the average speed of traffic! Lowering the speed limit did not reduce the percentages of accidents occurring. It did, nevertheless, raise the percentage of motorists committing driving violations by speeding. Raising the speed limit did not increase the speed by which motorists traveled. Nor did it increase the number of accidents that occurred. Either way, after speed limits were altered, less than half of the drivers complied with the new speed limit.
This study confirms the results of other studies: the majority of motorists do not alter their speed to conform to speed limits they view as unreasonable! A few possible reasons for speed limits being as low as they are are public pressure and political pressure to keep them that way. Other factors are taken into consideration. These include land use, pedestrian activity, and accident history. Still, it is stated that just as land use and traffic characteristics change, so too should posted speed limits.
The next link that I decided to explore was the list of secrets earlier mentioned. This site carried the title "Secrets the Cops, the Courts, and the Insurance Companies Don't Want You to Know". It is published by the National Motorists Association. Eleven 'secrets' are listed and I would like to go over a few of them that I found to be of particular interest.
The first issue discussed was that the purpose of automobile insurance is to cover an unusual risk. If this is so, then how can speeding be deemed such when everyone knows that posted speed limits are set unreasonably low? Everyone speeds. It is not unusual nor is it dangerous. Hence, the surcharges for speeding tickets by insurance companies are pure profit! This leads us to the second 'secret'.
What is done with the profit insurance companies make on speeding tickets? According to this information, it is used to purchase laser and radar speed detecting devices. And what do they do with these devices? They give them to the cops! How much do they charge? Nothing. It is given freely. This secret was pretty hard for me to swallow.
Another secret dealt with traffic ticket fines. There is no other 'crime' that provides the cash flow like traffic tickets. They fund both the state and local government. How can we ever expect traffic courts to be fair and unbiased toward 'violators' before them when their financial welfare depends on traffic fines?
We have discussed the view that speed limits are unreasonably low. Just why is that so? Because they are deliberately set low. If you are thinking that this is for the purposes of traffic safety, you are wrong. It is not for the sake of traffic but instead for the sake of issuing traffic tickets.
One last point to keep in mind is that the more the tickets the cops write out does not mean fewer accidents on the roads. It means more profit for the insurance companies, which then leads to more lasers and radars for the cops, which means more 'violators' in traffic court, which then leads to more revenue to fund such organizations. 'Tis a cruel and vicious circle.
with regards to Traffic Psychology...
Sites such as the Reasonable Drivers Unanimous Home Page are a great resource for Traffic Psychologists. They allow us to view things from the perspectives of motorists other than ourselves. They also present issues of great concern to motorists and keep the Traffic Psychologist in touch with the greater motorist population. Besides these things, they also provide direction for further research. This is again another illustration of the many benefits of the Internet. It is incredible how much one can discover without having to do hours of searching through card catalogs or waiting for information to hit the stands. The Internet allows us to be 'armchair' researchers. (The only thing you have to do is get off your bottom every now and then so you don't ache too much!)
The federal study and the list of secrets allows Traffic Psychologists to ask questions from a different perspective. For instance, I am interested in learning about the powers politicians and bureaucrats have concerning traffic laws and the psychological effects they experience as a result of it. Are they torn between raising the speed limits to more reasonable speeds and the pressures of keeping it low in order to keep sections of the government running? Do they feel guilt because they keep the speed limits unreasonable and almost everyone complains about it? I would also like to know about the insurance companies and the types of people who run them. What kinds of personalities do they have and who was the jerk who decided to start giving speed detection devices to the cops? I wonder what kind of psychological impacts such activities have on these people.
All this discussion has opened my eyes to a new way of viewing the potential of Traffic Psychology. Before I saw it mainly as being from the perspectives of the motorists, the pedestrians, and the bicyclists. Now I believe that there is another perspective that I have totally overlooked--the psychological impacts traffic has on the people who enforce the laws and those who have made a business out of traffic 'violators'. It is like saying that you want someone to listen to you but at the same time you don't want them to know what it is that you are saying. Yes, Traffic Psychology has much to cover.
Though not the toughest, this search was pretty tiresome. So many people tailgate every single day. I'll bet that at this moment there is someone tailgating the car in front of them somewhere on the roadways. You would think that so common an act would have mounds of literature written about it. This is not the case. Nevertheless, I did come across a site that I feel is worth sharing.
For some reason, Lycos seems to be the engine that I can utilize and get some good results. Maybe this is because of the fact that it searches over 90% of the Internet. Anyhow, when I have a tough search term, I know that I can turn to Lycos. For this particular search, the term 'tailgating' was used to launch it.
Throwing out links dealing with 'tailgating parties', I came upon a link entitled "Anthony M. Darmento ET AL., Respondents, v. Pacific Molasses Company, Inc. ET AL., Appellants". As you can probably see, this site was the documentation of a legal decision. However, after reading through the material, I found it to be quite appropriate for my discussion on tailgating.
The date of the decision was the 4th of May, 1993 and the state, New York. It seems that it is a negligence action to recover for personal injuries sustained in an accident. The situation was that the plaintiff (Darmento) and his wife were driving on the road. The conditions of the road at the time were icy, slippery, and snow covered. At the same time that the couple was on the road, they were being followed by a 31-ton tractor-trailer. This tractor-trailer was owned by the Pacific Molasses Company, Inc. Given the circumstances, the tractor-trailer was going too fast and was also following the car of the plaintiff too closely. Nor did it seem that the driver of the tractor-trailer had control of the vehicle. The plaintiff saw that the tractor-trailer was following him too closely and found this disturbing. As a result, the plaintiff lost control of his vehicle, skidded into a guardrail, and then bounced off of it, striking the tractor-trailer.
When brought before the Supreme Court, the decision was granted in favor of the tractor-trailer. The cause of accident was cited as being the plaintiff's loss of control. Yet when brought before the Appellate Court the decision was reversed. Pacific Molasses contended that even if the driver of the tractor-trailer violated vehicle and traffic law by tailgating, the statute of tailgating is not intended to protect against the risk of a collision of this nature. They further contended that as a matter of law, tailgating to avoid the collision could not be the cause of this accident. In response to this argument, the Appellate Court had to decide on whether it was reasonable under the circumstances for the driver of the tractor-trailer to tailgate.
In its decision, the Appellate Court rejected the view that tailgating is not intended to protect against risk of collision in this nature. Without adequate reason, tailgating is a violation of the law. Further, a collision-rear-end or otherwise is not required. Though rear-end collisions are viewed as one of the most obvious results of tailgating, other types may also occur.
in regards to Traffic Psychology...
This is a perfect illustration of the dangers of tailgating. Tailgating is a very dangerous and selfish act. Accidents may result from it and this decision by the Appellate Court sends a message to tailgaters: You are responsible for your actions!
The significance of a site such as this is that Traffic psychologists are presented with the effects tailgating may have on those who are being tailgated. The plaintiff suffered such disturbance at being tailgated that he lost control of his vehicle. This point also illustrates the importance of Traffic Psychology. Traffic and the things that happen/are experienced while in it have a psychological effect on those that are a part of it. What better place than Traffic Psychology to study this effect?!
Finding information on traffic convoys in relation to Traffic Psychology proved to be the toughest search of this report. I explored link after link and utilized at least eight different Search Engines. Still, I fearlessly and tirelessly went on with my quest for sites that could provide enlightening information on traffic convoys. Perhaps this is the reason why I was waiting until the final stage of this report to share with you my findings. After hours of relentless searching, here it finally is!
As you already know, much sweat was spent finding relevant sites to share with you. Through my exhausting and often discouraging exploring, I decided to try out the Magellan Search Engine. I had heard fellow traffic psychologist and car culture researcher, Sharla Supnet mention in class that she had utilized this search engine for purposes of finding information for our weekly presentations on car culture. Hence, I was curious to try it out. Actually, by this time I was willing to try anything! Fortunately I did find a site to share.
After zooming through a number of irrelevant sites, I came across a link entitled news:rec.autos.driving. I clicked on to it and discovered a very long list of links containing different topics of discussion and responses to them by various people. I suggest to anyone who decides to explore this site to be prepared to exercise the virtue of patience--this site takes a long time to load. Anyways, there were many interesting topics that were listed. A few of them were Traffic Tickets, How to Defend Yourself..., Advice On Radar Detectors, Hi-Performance FWD Traction Problems, and German Cars Are Superior Because Germans Are Superior (could whoever wrote that be of German descent?!).
One link interested me in particular. It was entitled Re: "Duh Speed-Matchers". This was an article written by a Mr. Alexander M. Bilan on the 10th of November 1995. In it he expresses his view of drivers in general. This view was that most drivers are like 'sheep'. He goes on to explain that if one were to conduct an experiment on city streets by driving 'annoyingly slow', this would prove his view. By driving at a turtle's pace, one would see that no matter what, there is bound to be a herd of cars that will stick with you. Mr. Bilan goes on to explain that people tend to drive in 'herds'. They do so because no one wants to be their own pilot. He future implies that the issuance of driver's licenses are handed out like 'candy on Halloween'.
in regards to Traffic Psychology...
The importance of this site and the information it contains is that the author is both describing how convoys form and expressing his belief as to why they form. I have to mention that nowhere in the article being discussed is the term 'convoy' mentioned. Instead, it was expressed by the term 'herd'. This is also a significant point because it gives an idea as to just how the author feels toward convoys or 'herds'.
I was not able to locate the article (Speed-Matchers) that he was responding to, but my guess is that the term 'speed-matchers' refers to motorists who practice 'convoyism', a.k.a. 'convoyees'. The author made the claim that no one likes to be their own pilot. This illustrates his reason for why convoys form. The author's comparison between the issuing of drivers licenses and candy on Halloween relays his attitude toward the practice of convoys and those who support it.
The views expressed by Mr. Alexander Bilan are important to Traffic Psychology because of the sheer fact that they are the views of a motorist. All motorists' views and feelings are important to Traffic Psychology because they depict some of the many psychological effects of traffic on individuals. The opinions they express show how they perceive events in traffic. From these opinions, Traffic Psychology can help motorists to realize their driving personality and thus plan for action to initiate a driving personality makeover plan.
Like Dr. James says, it is very important that we first realize our actions and feelings. It is only then that we may begin to make changes for the better.
How I came upon the Inktomi Search Engine is beyond me. It was one of those 'link, after link, after link' things where I had gone so far that I did not know where I had come from (Dr. James always tell us to write it down!). Nevertheless, I am thankful that I ended up on it. I especially liked the way the user is given the choice of articles being displayed with either full graphics or text only. It really helped cut time otherwise wasted by huge pictures that have nothing to do with the information provided.
With the term 'travel convoys' leading the way, I found a couple of short articles that I feel are worth discussing.
This first article comes hot off the presses of a state newspaper called The Daily Oklahoman. The title of the article is 55-Truck Convoy Delivers $1000 Donation. It is a short piece that tells the story of how a convoy of trucks traveled from Salinas, California, picking up others trucks to join the group and collecting funds, to Oklahoma City. Money was collected at truck stops, rest stops, and roadside diners among various locations. More than $1000 in crumpled bills and loosed change was raised. In Oklahoma City, the 55-truck convoy pulled off of the highway and presented the collected funds, along with bundles of sympathy cards and letters, to an official of the American Red Cross. They then held a short prayer service after which they jumped in their trucks and were on their way.
The second site that I uncovered was a very short bulletin. It was labeled The Ultimate Youth Pilgrimage to Graceland. Basically, it was a call for any young adults (preferably between the ages 21-27) interested in joining or meeting up with this certain group. Together they would form a 'convoy to the King'. Any parties needing more information were provided with an Email address.
in regards to Traffic Psychology...
I enjoyed reading these articles. They showed that traffic activities such as 'convoys' could be used for the means of carrying out a good action. In the first case, the convoy was used to help out the victims of the Oklahoma bombing. Not only did they collect funds, but they also provided a unified assemblage of support. When pertaining to traffic, we have heard people express the belief that the convoy provides strength in numbers. The same applies to this use of the convoy. The size of the convoy truly illustrated the strength of the support and concern they rendered.
The second article also helped in displaying the variety of functions of convoys. As Miss Jae Isa wrote, intentional convoys can be quite enjoyable. In this case, we have a group of people coming together to do something they all want to do. Like they say, "The more the merrier".
The different uses of convoys and the different perceptions of them in these uses are all important to Traffic Psychology. Traffic Psychology helps us to realize that to every 'not so great' thing, there is a 'great' thing. What we need to do is to realize this. Once we are able to do this, we will be able to focus on the positive side and at the same time realize that the negative isn't so bad after all. Traffic Psychology has done this for me. I have never been a fan of convoys. In fact, I rather see myself as a user of convoys. However, after reading about the opinions and the perceptions of others, through the teachings of Traffic Psychology I am able to realize that my (past) opinion of convoys tended to focus on the negative aspects. I focused too much on the negative and paid almost no regard to the positive. The truth is, I like intentional convoys. When I am in one, I make sure that I stay in it and don't lose sight of the other cars in it. And when I head it, I often look in my rearview to make sure that I am not traveling at too high a speed where others are unable to maintain the convoy.
The advancement of technology with the reality of the Internet provides countless resources for further study. This is something that we as traffic psychologists have begun to take advantage of. The next step is promoting the study of Traffic Psychology. It is still in its initial years. This is both an advantage and disadvantage for early traffic psychologists. It is an advantage because with the few published resources available on Traffic Psychology (most of them the work of Traffic Psychology pioneer Dr. Leon James), it seems that every personal discovery is a 'breakthrough' in the field. This is a good feeling. The disadvantage is quite small in comparison. This represents the hours upon hours of exploring we early traffic psychologists must do to in order to bring the information together and at the same time contribute our own personal information for the use of later traffic psychologists. Personally, I believe that this is a small price to pay for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In years to come, I will be able to look back and proudly say that I was one of the earlier traffic psychologists. All thanks to Dr. James.
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