REPORT #3


My Driving Personality Makeover Plan



bnakada@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu


Introduction

For my third report, my assignment was to observe my driving habits for one week, pick a bad habit that I would like to change, and come up with a plan of action to change it. Before starting my observations, I had no clue as to what type of driving behavior I needed to change. As far as I was concerned, I was a pretty good driver. I felt that I did not need a driving makeover.

The week of Spring Break, March 23-31, was the period of time I chose to observe my driving patterns. I chose this time because I would be home on the Big Island, and that is where I have done most of my driving throughout my life. When I arrived home that Friday evening, I recieved a call from a friend who lives in Hilo, saying that he was having a party and that I should go over. Being that I live in Kamuela, and Hilo is approximately 60 miles away, I thought that that was as good a time as any to begin my observations.

I used two techniques to record my information. The first technique was to carry a pocket recorder with me, so I could relate my feelings as they unfolded on the road. The second way was to wait until I reached my destination and write all the feelings and observations I noticed while driving. Initially, I could tell the first method would provide more accurate results, and that is the technique I planned on using for the majority of my observations. Unfortunately, sometimes the traffic situations do not allow me to take my attention away from the highway, and that is why I used the second method.

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    My Observations

    While driving to Hilo that night, I did not drive any different than I normally do on the Big Island. I thought everything was fine, until I glanced over to my girlfriend, and she had a petrified look on her face. I asked her what was wrong and she pointed at the speedometer. As it turned out, I was driving well above the legal speed limit, about 80 miles an hour. Because the roads on the Big Island are so straight and everything is so far apart, I did not even realize I was going that fast. It was typical driving behavior on this highway. I guess being that it was the first time my girlfriend had ridden with me on the Big Island contributed to her frightened state. She was not aware of my driving habits.

    The next day, we decided to go to Kona. Kona is another 45 miles away from Kamuela, and is a nice long drive with lots of straightaways. Again I prepared myself to make observations of my driving habits. Everything seemed to be going fine, until I glanced at the speedometer again. This time, my speed was in the 85mph range. I honestly did not realize I was travelling at such a speed. As I thought about the land surrounding the highway, I came to the conclusion that it was the landscape that caused me to speed. On this particular highway, the surrounding land area is so barren and dry, it is hard to consciously know how fast you really are going. It is hard to judge your speed by the objects around you, mainly because there are none.

    While reviewing the previous generation's papers, I came across Bryan Yucoco's second report. I could totally relate to how he felt about speeding. He said that when driving on the H1 freeway, the temptation to speed is too great to ignore. He finds it hard to comply with the speed limit. I feel the exact same way when driving the barren highways on the Big Island. I see that I can not blame external forces for my speeding, and while reading Bryan's report, I came to the conclusion that it is the temptation to speed that is one of the primary causes of my speeding.

    By the end of Spring Break, as I reviewed my notes, I realized that I did indeed need a driving makeover. I found that I was impatient with other drivers at times, sweared a little too much at the cars, and really did not care too much for pedestrians. But the one habit I had that stuck out was my speeding. I must have caught myself speeding at least twice on every long driving trip that my girlfriend and I took. I asked her if I drove like this on O'ahu, and she said yes. She told me she has observed me speeding on many occasions on O'ahu. This was a real shocker to me. Actually I knew I sped some of the time, but not to the extent that she relayed to me. I realized I had a problem, and I had to find out what was causing me to subconsciously crave this need for speed.

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    My Reasons for Change

    Realizing the amount that I speed really sent chills down my spine. I actually needed a few hours for it all to sink in. As I was recollecting my thoughts, it seemed as if every time that I sped in my car came racing back into my memory. It was then I could see how much good a driving makeover would do me. Up until that "moment of clarity," I could not comprehend what danger I kept placing myself and others in, but now, I saw things differently.

    While reading Braden Kato's report two, I found he had some similar feelings like mine towards change. He came up with five reasons to change his behavior. Braden's reasons were:

    1. Speeding was dangerous, especially in certain conditions like rain and fog.
    2. Speeding is illegal.
    3. There is an increase in wear and tear on your car.
    4. Speeding burns excess fuel; you're always filling your car with gas.
    5. Speeding does not get you to your destination any faster.

    I have to agree with Braden's reasons for wanting to change. The main reason I want to change is because I have realized how dangerous it is to speed. Luckily, I have not had any close calls like Braden, and I feel extremely lucky that my realization came in the form it did--without any serious injury to myself, or anyone in general.

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    Reasons Why I Speed

    While reviewing my thoughts, I came up with three reasons why I find myself speeding. The first reason is because I am always late. When I am going somewhere, I always find myself leaving later than I expected, and then I try to compensate by speeding on the road to get to my destination at the time I was supposed to.

    The second reason why I speed has to do with emotional influences. In other words, the mood I am in dictates the way I drive. While doing my observations, I found that I am likely to speed when I am angry, or when a certain type of music is playing in the car. For example, I recall a time my girlfriend was getting on my case and made me angry. I wanted to get away from everything and found myself ripping down the H1 like a crazed maniac going at least 90 miles per hour.

    I am the type of person that really likes music to be playing when I drive. I play anything, be it rap, alternative, reggae, or hawaiian in my stereo. The kind of music that is playing in my car also has a great impact on my driving tendencies. I have found that if I play a really hyper song, like "Bad Habit" from the alternative group Offspring, I find this indescribable rush come over me, and it is like I transform into another person. Speed is of the utmost importance to me when I am in this "zone." However, when I play some reggae or hawaiian music, I do not have a stressful bone in my body. I am completely at ease, driving very responsible. When I am in this "zone," there is not one thing that could upset me. A driver could be tailgating me or cut me off, but I would not get rattled. It is funny how big an influence music has on me.

    Probably the worst reason why I speed is for no reason at all. This happens to me all the time. I could be driving on the freeway, and if there is open road ahead of me, I can guarantee that I will be driving at least 10-20 miles per hour above the posted speed limit. I guess this behavior began from the time I started driving on the Big Island. When I was in high school, I remember driving on the highway, and everytime I saw a car in front of me, I made it a goal of mine to catch it up and pass it, no matter how far ahead that car was. This activity was pretty silly, but because there is so much open highway on the Big Island, it is very hard to resist--especially if you like speed.

    While reading through generation two's files, I came across Berna Collado's report two. She found that when she does speed, it is usually because of the same reasons that I have. She did observe one different reason in her driving that I did not have, which was rushing. I can see how being late will cause a person to speed in order to make up for lost time. This is one quality I like about myself. I take pride in the fact that I can manage my time pretty well. If I have to be somewhere at a certain time, I try to plan ahead so I will not be late.

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    Resistance to Change

    Okay. Now that all my observations done and I know exactly which one behavior I want to change, I am set to begin my driving personality makeover. I went driving the first day I returned from Spring Break, ready to put into effect the changes I had mapped out. I always thought I was an open-minded person and willing to change if a situation dictated it. That is how I felt when I began my plan. However, I soon found that "old habits are hard to die." Deep down inside, I knew I wanted to change. Before I grabbed my car keys, I knew I wanted to change. As I was walking to my car, I knew I wanted to change. As I entered the car and started the engine, I still wanted to change. But as soon as I made my way onto the H1 freeway, I had the hardest time keeping within the speed limit.

    I started out fine. I kept my driving speed at 50-55 miles per hour. But seeing all these cars zooming past me soon got the best of me. I do not know exactly what it is, but some innerforce kept pressing down on the accelerator, and before I knew it, I was going 65-70 miles per hour. It seems as if my pride plays a big role in my speeding. The sight of other cars passing me really got me upset. The thought that always enters my mind is, "How dare they pass me?" Then I speed up to pass them.

    I tried using self regulatory statements like, "You are not in a rush, why are you speeding?" or "It really does not matter how many other people speed, it is better for you," to try and regulate my speeding, but on this first day, it was very hard. Trying to quit all at once is unbelievably difficult.

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    My Plan

    Seeing that I could not put an end to my speeding by going "cold turkey," I saw that my plan had to be restructured. I came to the conclusion that in order for me to curb my speeding, I would have to try and change each little influence first in order to get the result that I wanted.

    I have been going through my transformation for approximately two weeks now, and I am happy to say that the plan I came up with is working rather well. In the first week, I tried to correct the effect emotional influences have on my speeding. Eventhough I entered the car in a not so pleasant mood at times, I did not allow myself to let it affect my driving. I also changed the type of music I listen to in the car. Wheras before I enjoyed driving to Offspring or Green Day, and really getting "pumped" during my drive, I now play hawaiian or reggae on a regualar basis. I have found this to help me immensely and I truly believe I am on the way to transforming my driving behavior.

    I am currently trying to change my attitude for speeding for no reason. Truthfully, I am having a hard time with this one. It is so tempting to depress the accelerator when you see tons of open road in front of you, but I am trying. I strongly believe that by using self-regulatory statements when I find myself in this situation will aid me. I know some day I will find myself speeding again, but at least when that time comes, I will have new found knowledge on how to handle the situation. I know I'll always be in the process of learning, you could call me a traffic psychology student for life.

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