Thinking and acting like the tough guy was quite a big thing to do in high school. When done on the streets, that meant you're also challenging the law which added to the tough guy image. I remember days in high school when my friends and I would hang out in groups. Meaning that there would be a whole lot of drivers and on top of that, a lot of showing off. The characteristic of the evening included music to put us into the right mood for some, ego feeding type driving. That resulted in going over the speed limit quite a bit and being angry at the innocent bystanders who got in the way of the race of the big egos. That aggressiveness I believed carried over though the years to follow which will be featured later.
Anyway, if we managed to get to our destination without getting caught by the police, the task would be successful and the justification do try it again would proceed. Those actions did proceed as I crossed over to college. It even continued aside from the fact that I did get caught speeding and has gone to court and I did get into a one or two minor accidents due to my careless driving. My driving attitude became even worse when I got a hold of a moped in order to commute to college. The aggressiveness just escalated due to the fact that know one in an automobile likes a person on a moped.
Now years have passed since then and things did change. As mentioned earlier, I have access to both car and moped for transportation. The most recent means of commuting was the perchasing of mountain bicycle. After a few close calls with the law and other bystanders mixed with possible threats of insurance hikes floating in my head, it was time to change the way I drive, physically and mentally, in order to survive as a driver. Following will be some documented driving experienced that was done very recently with some possible remedies to that helped me through some situations that if I had my old persona, my driver's licence would have be taken away by now.
TRAFFIC
I live in the out skirts of Honolulu which means that I have a daily
encounter with traffic on the H-1 when ever I travel into town. Some days that
I drive into town are easier than others. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have to
hit the road at about eight in the morning which means I still catch the work
traffic with left over school traffic. Also if there's any type of
construction that goes on, it seems to begin at that hour which, as we all
know, alters everything in terms of driving plans to reach the desired
destinations. In my case on those days, my driving destination to school was
badly disturbed when they decided to close of a whole road. That road, I
should mention, is the road I always took to school and it's an easier route
because there's less traffic and traffic lights. Things just flowed on that
once pleasant route. Now I'm forced to catch the H-1 in the mornings to which
tension begins.
On that same note, Fridays I have to commute from my house into town at about 5:30 in the afternoon to attend band practice. If no one knows the horrors of late afternoon travel via H-1 on a Friday, I briefly explain with my personal theory. Friday traffic means driving your car at top speeds of five miles an hour on a piece of road that allows people to drive to about fifty-five. I believe, the last time I checked, highways were for quicker traffic. Anyway, this means seeing the same scenery for about five minutes at a time when it's just a blur on a good day of traffic. I'm convinced that the cause is a mixture of people going home from either work, school, picking up people from school or all the above. Also contained is people going to social functions that start at a stupid times on a Friday. For instance the Aloha Week block parties and University of Hawaii games that are held at the special events arena usually begin about six or seven o'clock which means parking has to found resulting in attending the game much sooner that it starts. The other days that I have to use the highway are days that start a little later than the others which enables me to avoid such headaches. Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings don't begin till 10:30 meaning less traffic. Thank goodness for mid-day classes.
If I had my old attitude, I would be very stressed out with the situation I have to encounter everyday. Times have changed, like mentioned previously, and I will reveal how I managed to survive the streets. On the days that I know I'm in for some serious traffic, I make up worst case scenarios in my head so that I'm mentally prepared for what's to come. The reason behind that is when the worst case does happen, it was expected and prepared for. In some cases that I didn't prepare myself, thinking that traffic will just find and it wasn't, led to a very unhappy driver that also lead to increase aggression. On the other hand, if my worst case wasn't met, then the traffic situation becomes pleasant because of the unsuccessful anticipated road scenarios.
The mind games doesn't end at the beginning of the traffic experience. There will be days where the scenarios don't work and the aggressive starts to leak out. I have another way of controlling my aggression once I feel that it will affect my driving. In the first phase, I tend to stay in the right lane. It's true that the right lane is one of the worst lanes to be in because of all the merging involved but it puts me in a sympathetic mode. We all know what it's like to merge on a bad day. It's rather tough because no one wants you to cut in front of them, therefore waiting for a while, holding up the people behind you in order for you to find that hole to sneak into the ongoing traffic. In light of that, I put myself in the shoes of the merger or any other person that is at an disadvantage on the streets and act accordingly. For instance, when I come to an area that requires some merging, I leave enough space to let two to three cars go just to keep the traffic somewhat flowing in both the merging lane and in my lane. Another would be if someone wants to get in my lane, I let them in. I do this for the simple fact of possibly regaining a sense of harmony on the highway and even the streets. I feel good when I let someone cut in front of me because I know how difficult it could be to drive on these streets. When someone lets me in and vice versa, I feel that there's a harmonious communication between the drivers leading to a better traffic experience. I'm hoping that people catch on this method of harmonious thinking on the streets either through this report or just by being apart of my harmonious actions. By experiencing either one, it sort of shows the possibility that it could happen if enough people do it. Anyway, if late or not, the destination does get reached in one piece with safe and harmonious driving as about to mentioned in the following.
It's safe to say that everyone does get to their desired destination. Whether it be late or not, more than likely the place of arrival will not run away. I remember when I went to court for my speeding ticket. The judge asked me to give a reason why I was speeding, more so going double the speed limit. I told the judge that I didn't want to be late. He countered that by saying that my mother would rather have me home late than wrapped around the telephone pole. That is true in the case of a driver who is in a hurry in peak traffic. When the aggression rises, there could be a moment where the driver is thinking irrationally, resulting in a situation where the driver doesn't reach the destination at all. In times like that when I start to think irrational about the driving situation, I think about what the judge told me in court. On top of that, I think visions of actually getting into an accident appear, curving my driving and best of all, my attitude to result in safer and rational driving.
TRAFFIC PREPS
Preparing myself through cognitive preparations and other forms of
internal arrangements is helpful towards my driving make over. Most of the
times that doesn't work alone. I need something more to get my mind off the
circumstance at hand. The reason for that is if I think about scenarios and so
on, it could get carried away and get blown out of context. That too affect my
driving because I catch myself driving too slow, resulting in more unneeded set
backs on the highway. I remember one day in the midst of the morning traffic
going to school when I was thinking of certain scenarios to keep me in the
realms of safe driving. At one point it just got out of hand. There was a
very large freight truck next to me. Let me tell you by saying that it is very
intimidating be next to a large truck when you are subjected to a tiny Honda
station wagon. Back to the story, thoughts of the truck tipping over and
crushing me started to formulate in my head. Another thought was if my car was
too small, could the driver see me if desired to change into my lane. If
couldn't see, the driver of the truck could easily change to my lane and damage
me and my car very severely. So in light of those thoughts, I slowed down a
whole lot so the truck wasn't parallel from mine and I could see the driver
through one of his passenger side mirrors. By doing such that, I left at least
a four full length car space between myself and the car in front of me. That's
a lot of space and possibly a lot time being wasted through irrational
thinking. The best way so far that gets me out of outrageous thoughts is good
music.
MUSIC
Listening to the right music helps me think little better which leads to a
more improved driving experience. What is the right music? I'll start to
mention the right type of music by exposing the music that didn't work at all.
On top of the that, I'll unfold some of the wrong music made my driving worse.
The music that I try to avoid is music with heavy, bashing drumming with loud
and fast guitar playing. It also doesn't help if the singer sings in a very
aggressive manner with very immature angst lyrics to follow. In short for
those who listen to a lot of music, any type of head banging, speed driven,
angry heavy metal music is not my music of choice for driving in traffic and
probably driving in general. In fact, I think I'm beginning to dislike that
type of music all together. The music I truly enjoy using when I'm at the
wheel is songs from the Jane's Addiction collection, Peter Gabriel's Last
Temptation of Christ soundtrack, The Best of the Gypsy Kings and Santana.
These apart of my ingredients to becoming a better driver.
The songs used in the Jane's Addiction collection that make my driving more under control is Summertime Rolls, Classic Girl, Three Days, I Would For You and Then She Said just to name a few. The reason that these songs enhance my driving performance to a better level is because these songs have mystical lyrics about nature, life and women. Mix that with a psychedelic rock feel and the result is the potion that makes my driving stay within the realms of safety. Putting my mind at ease is what these songs do. It somewhat takes me away from the direct realities of the traffic I'm experiencing without totally withdrawing from the actual driving. As mentioned before, silence in the car allows my mind to drift to far to the point of irrational thought that affects my driving. Jane's Addiction and the I guess the rest of the bands that were mentioned, keep my thoughts to a sensible level.
Being that I went into detail of what Jane's Addiction songs were used for my driving make over, it's only fair to mention the other groups. Gabriel's album consist of middle eastern songs mixed with modern musical technology that eases the mind as well. The product then has a dreamy feel rhythmic trance with gears the listener to relax the mind as the music unfolds. Much like the Jane's Addiction, the music creates a small, out of reality experience so I don't get to aggravated at the present situation. Finally, I would group The Gipsy Kings and Santana together in terms of the effectiveness of the songs they produce. Both groups have this positive vibe that is needed when driving in circumstances like the ones I face throughout the week. It basically contains a beautiful combination of high energy guitars and best of all the killer percussions.
I have these tapes in my car because I don't know how I feel until I'm in the predicament. It obvious that there's extremes in the music selection. It very well needed because if the same style of music was in my car then I become bored of the sound with may influence later behaviors in driving. Different situations, whether in be emotional or physical, causes for different substances of usage. So once again, to have a variety of sound in the car, allows the driving to adjust to the context confronted with resulting in a better driving make over. However, there will be times were I just cannot have the music with me. When are these times? There are times in my transportation life that a moped and mountain bike are used. What do I do under those circumstances?
MOPEDS
In times when I am exposed to all types of danger, my personality has to
remain in some ways, very extreme emotional states. For those how drive a car
and only a car, relates to the feelings of anger and hatred toward a mopeder.
That is understandable because there are inconsiderate moped drivers.
Especially those who are not from the islands. Still, there are those from the
islands that give mopeders a bad name therefore transferring more animosity
towards all moped riders. I hate to say this but I am one of those drivers
that gave the bad name.
In the early days of my moped driving, I used to think that I was invincible. Nothing could harm me including the law. With my moped, I managed to totally avoid traffic. This was possible by weaving though the cars if I could fit. I only made last minute cut ins which I know the drivers don't like but still do it. In a specific case I was with a group of friends who too had mopeds. Drivers who driven through the university district and Waikiki know that the worst thing than a single moped rider is a group of moped riders. Well it was a group of five and we were driving though the streets of Waikiki. We all wanted to stick together so none of us would detached from the group just in case we made some last minute changes in driving plans. That meant if the driver at the head of the pack decided to make a last minute move to switch lanes, run a yellow and/or something to those extreme, the rest would have to try and follow or they will get broken from the pack. Also it would a daring type challenge to which us as men love to do. I must admit that escaping danger is a very exciting thing at the time. However, when thoughts occur moments later, it's still cool and that's why the tradition keeps on going; well for a while. Anyway, that night as we were driving down Kapahulu Avenue, the lead guy wanted to change to the next lane but the space was very tight. Since we were all thrill seekers, the lead guy went for it and we all followed. A few of us got a clear cut into the lane while the tail end of the group got honked at for almost getting hit by the driver we cut in front of. After that specific incident, we thought that the driver of the car would swear to himself and blow it off but instead he did something different. He managed to get around us and cut in front of our group. When we all got to stop light, the driver threatened us through fear by throwing his car into reverse and pretending that he was going to hit us. Well, with all our cocky attitudes on the wheel being that we were in a big group, we just called his bluff and the driver of the car took off. Before that happened, we didn't see a tough guy film or experienced anything else containing influential attitude exchange. Being in a group played a factor in our quest to being assholes on mopeds but that doesn't cover the whole reason. The main reason why my friends and I drive like everyone is against and ready to kick our butts at a drop of dime is because we feel that when we are on our mopeds, every driver does feel like that. In return leading towards extreme defensive driving. In these cases, too defensive to the point were we think that everyone else is wrong and all drivers should obey and accept the moped driver's actions. However, it's logical to think that I due time someone will get hurt driving with that attitude and it did. Another specific incident happened with my friend and I. We were driving in front of Pizza Hut one day, practically tailing the car in front us thinking the mopeders mentality. Well, the driver in front made a last minute decision which left my friend landing on the drivers back trunk and I on the road. Everyone was fine but my moped tires couldn't role anymore because it got bent from skidding into the car. After that, I decided that this tough guy attitude on the moped has to change. This meant that I had to stop taking things for granted as a moped driver. Since I couldn't use music as a way to reform my driving persona, I would have to do something that I had the privilege of avoiding while being in a car that had a tape deck. This meant having a strong cognitive way of viewing my driving techniques while at the wheel of a moped.
MOPED REFORM
One of the first things I did to reform the way I drive was to put myself
in the shoe of the drivers around me. I'm a driver of a car too and I have ran
into incidents where a individual on a moped pissed me off one way or another.
That started to formulate my driving persona to a passive driver. This
personality characteristic is much like the one stated earlier in the report
when I mentioned my persona on the highway. Having this type of persona,
especially when at the wheel of a moped, is mixed with the frame of mind of
being in a car rather than actually riding a moped. There many occasions were
mopeders don't have to deal with traffic as mentioned earlier. The thinking
that I posses now when I'm driving my moped is that if I'm stuck in traffic,
I'm going to stick with it like the rest of my fellow drivers rather that
hopping the curb to avoid the whole situation at hand. This way of thinking
also change the way I change lanes. Before I used to just cut in at last
minute decisions. People who do that sort of driving, moped or car, is very
inconsiderate. So like my driving teacher taught me, I signal early enough so
the car that I going to try to cut in front of knows ahead of time and is
prepared for it. I've noticed by applying what I do as a driver of a car to my
moped driving, improves my driving safety persona. I still have to keep that
stern side of me when driving the moped because drivers still hate moped riders
which still makes me a minority on a road filled with the angry majority. Is
there a difference in the way I think on my moped than on another two wheeled
means of transportation?
BICYCLE
It's really strange, but my personality on my bicycle is much more
pleasant then when I'm riding my moped. At first I couldn't see why. Riding a
bicycle has the same dangers and almost the same feedback from drivers as
riding a moped. Then it dawned when I looked at someone's dumper. The basic
theme that this driver had on a bumper sticker said to respect the cyclers. As
I thought about it some more, there are a lot of stickers out there that have
the same theme of bicycle awareness and safety. To request these actions as a
bicycler, it's only common sense to me give that respect back when I am riding.
Knowing that something is being done helps my attitude be more at ease when I'm
riding. This pleasant view point affected as such to where it reflects the
way I react to situations that occur on the streets. I am more comprehensible
rather than have the persona that every driver should be aware and play by my
standards when you see me on the streets which I am convinced that some cyclers
have.
TRAFFIC PSYCHOLOGY
Everything mentioned prior has traffic psychology written all over it. In
the case of my driving reformation at the wheel of a car. Since I try to place
my feet into the shoes of the other drivers and react accordingly, places my
loyalty to my fellow drivers. Just having respect to those around no matter
how they act or react, leads me to a better driver and hopefully a better
surrounding. The meaning behind that is just hope in that this type of driving
can become influential by the mere observations of the respective acts that
occur. Another piece that makes up my driving puzzle is trying to apply simple
reason to my driving habits. In my early years of driving, it was pure
irrational ways of thinking. Once I learned though the hard way that thinking
like a inexperienced race car driver doesn't work, a newly reformed driver was
in the process of creation. Finally with all this positivity in my head, the
only reaction that one could get out of it is a improved driver. In the past
five years, I've managed to drive in a my way were no speeding tickets were
issued and no accidents occurred. Same goes with my moped driving persona. By
applying these views to my moped persona, it reformed me to become that better
driver.
This may sound out of context but it plays a big role in the usage of these terms to driving. I just recently purchased the bicycle. That means a lot of these terms that were practiced were in almost full usage when I purchased the bicycle. A lot of those terms were already a part of myself rather than having to practice those theories all over again.
To become the reform driver that you desire to be, one must practice until
it becomes a part of the self to keep on moving into the right direction of
one's definition of the most reformed driver.
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