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DR. LEON
JAMES HOMEPAGE - learn more about Traffic Psychology.
This report addresses the resistence people have to the idea of
becoming a Traffic Psychologist. Two subjects were chosen, by me. The
first was a nineteen year old male ("Subject One"); the second was a forty
year old
female ("Subject Two"). Both subjects, I belived, would have a strong
aversion to Traffic Psychology. The two subjects had very different
problems in traffic. Subject One was a reckless driver and changed lanes
impulsively without taking into consideration other drivers around him.
He also was a chronic tailgater. Subject Two had a driving phobia. She
hated driving and became completely stressed out at the idea of driving a
different route than simply from her home to her office. She had just
bought a new car and was afraid to drive it.
The two subjects were approached individually and, although both were
unenthusiastic (to say the very least) about the idea of Traffic
Psychology, they both agreed to participate. Of course, individual plans
were established and follow ups were completed. The following report
shows how strong resistence can be to Traffic Psychology, but, also, a
realization of how necessary and helpful Traffic Psychology can be.
SUBJECT ONE
THE APPROACH
I decided on the stereotypical nineteen year old male driver (and to
top it off he also delivered pizzas). I have had the opportunity to
drive with him several times and found every time I was in the car with
him I found myself biting my tongue (usually to keep from screaming). He
swerved in and out of traffic and tailgated. He had no regard for other
drivers and constantly was making comments about the other cars being in
his way. And, to top it off, he had commented to me several times about
what a good driver he was (what a laugh). He was an offensive driver and
had even been in a few accidents which, of course, he told me were no
fault of his. I had my work cut out for me.
The approach to talking to him about the subject of Traffic
Psychology was going to be a touchy one. I decided to take it nice and
slow and ease my way into it. I thought the best approach would be for
me to ask him if he could do me a favor by participating in my Traffic
Psychology study. I brought it up when we were on our way to the
movies--walking through the mall--not in the car. He responded
favorably. "No problem" he said. "Anything I can do to help you out."
However, when I told him it would involve changhing his driving
"attitude," the wall came up and he became totally definsive.
I obviously hit a sore subject. There was a few moments of complete
discomfort between us. He is a really good friend; but, for a moment, I
thought I crossed the line. I mean, we weren't talking about changing
his religious beliefs or a strong conviction for capital punishment, I
was simply asking him to try to modify his driving attitude. My first
reaction to his defensiveness was to just forget it and find somebody
else. I mean, I didn't want to ruin a friendship over it. So I told
him, if it is a big deal, I will find somebody else. For some reason,
that sort of settled him down. He said he would try it. We went into
the movies and I didn't mention it again until our ride home.
The ride home was a nightmare. We got in the car and I thought to
wait to mention it again until I was in front of my house. I don't know;
it just seemed like a bad thing to bring up while we were driving; I was
right. I think it is sort of like trying to talk to an alcoholic or drug
addict when they are doing their respective drugs. Anyway, he brought it
up. It was like he turned into the devil himself. He looked at me and
said, "so, you think I'm a bad driver; do I scare you?" He proceeded to
drive like a maniac, weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating, and
basically driving like a psychopath. This mild-mannered friend of mine,
who writes poetry in his spare time, had turned into Freddie Kruger. I
couldn't say anything. I was scared, but I was afraid to speak. When we
got to my house, I simply got out of the car without saying a word. I
was extremely mad and hurt.
He called me that night after he got home and apologized for his
behavior. I told him if he wanted to partcipate in my report, he would
have to take it seriously and if he couldn't do that then I didn't want
his help. He said he would try it. So, at that time, I simply asked him
to start keeping a traffic log for the next few days and observe his
driving behavior. What made him want to irratically change lanes and
tailgate people? Why was he such an angry driver?
THE MODIFICATION
He did keep a log, but it mostly consisted of what other drivers were
doing wrong. He really didn't address any of his shortcomings as a
driver. He still professed to being an excellent driver and the thing
that made him such an angry driver seemed to be the other drivers
inability to drive "correctly." I guess what he meant by this was the
inability of the other drivers to get out of his way.
We sat down over school at lunch (I wasn't going to get in the car
with him when he had this on his mind again) and began to discuss the
problems. I thought maybe it would be a better idea to sit down and
discuss the idea of Traffic Psychology in general, and not his
conformance to it. We talked about the general ideas and he seemed to be
in agreement with the basic ideas behind it. However, when we got on
this subject of his driving, he, again, became completely defensive. I
didn't know what to do, but I wasn't prepared to give up.
I thought of another approach. I decided to let him know how I felt
when I was in the car with him. He isn't the type of guy who usually
goes for the power-trip role, so I though I would appeal to his good
nature. He responded favorably. I told him how it made me feel when I
was driving with him and how many times I felt uncomfortable. I told him
that it wasn't a joke, that many times I really was scared to be in a car
under his control. I think I hurt his feelings, but he had already hurt
mine when he had driven like a fool on the way back from the movies.
Maybe that's what it had to take.
THE FINAL PRODUCT
Well, it wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but I guess it was an
improvement. In my opinion, he completely resisted the idea of Traffic
Psychology, however, when I am in the car with him, I see him making a
conscious effort to try not to make me nervous or scared. The down side
of this is that I don't think he has adjusted his driving behavior in any
other respects. He still contends that there is nothing wrong with his
driving. To further disarray, the subject of driving has become a sore
subject between the two of us and even when we are in the car
together--whether I am driving or he is--there is tension.
SUBJECT TWO
THE APPROACH
Subject Two had a strong driving phobia. She rarely drove and it was
quite an incovenience for her. She liked to go places, but she
constantly relied on her husband or other members of her family to take
her. She had recently bought a new car, but was afraid to drive it.
Every weekday morning her husband drove them into the downtown area and
then he got out and she drove two blocks to her office. He walked over
in the afternoon. So, the extent of her driving since I have known her
(six years) has been only those two blocks. When her husband takes
vacation, she takes vacation (partly because she didn't want to drive
into downtown by herself).
My approach with her was much less stressful. Although I knew she
had a strong aversion to driving, I also knew that she wished she could
get over it. When I told her about my report, I was surprised that she
was reluctent to participate. She didn't think it would make any
difference. I explained that it would hurt to try and reminded her of
her new car that she keeps telling me she wants to drive (right now
the only one who drives it is her seventeen year old son). I also told
her it would be a great help for me if she would do this to help me in my
class. She finally agreed.
I decided the best approach would be for her to write down all of her
anxieties regarding driving and how she thought she would be a better
driver. Also, I suggested that instead of her husband driving everyday
into town, that she try driving into town and dropping him off. She
agreed she would try this. She also seemed very eager to get started
once she got used to the idea.
THE MODIFICATION
About two days later she brought me in a list of her driving
problems. I noticed the two main ideas (or problems) which she had written
down in several different ways was (1) the paranoia about getting lost, and
(2) parking. She also had written other problems, such as, making other
drivers mad, reluctance to making left-hand turns, etc. I gathered from
this information a general nervousness for driving. She hadn't ever
really drove; and, thinking back to my first driving experiences, these
were the things that made me nervous. I explained this to her and she
said she sort of agreed. I also reminded her that she had every right to
be out there on the rode driving with everyone else. She was a licensed
driver who had no accidents or bad driving vices (other than being
nervous).
We decided to work on the two problems which came up the
most--parking and getting lost. First, I asked her what made her the most
afraid about parking. I thought her answer was pretty weird. It didn't
seem to be the actual parking itself that made her so nervous, but,
instead, the thought of not finding a parking space. Living in Hawaii
and having to drive around sometimes for a half hour looking for a
parking space, I could sort of see her point. However, this is no reason
not to drive. I asked her what was the worst thing that could happen if
she didn't find a parking space. She said, "well, I guess I would have
to go home, or not go where I was going to." I asked her if this seemed
like such an awful thing. We both agreed it really wasn't.
Her next major problem was her fear of getting lost. I also had a
hard time with this since she was born and raised in Honolulu. But, as
it turned out, her problem seemed be more in the maneuvering through
traffic to take the right exit or turn. As I figured, she knew where
most places were, but her fear stemmed more from not turning in time or
being in the wrong lane and
passing a street. Again, we discussed the option of always taking the
next street and getting back on track. We also talked about planning her
trips and paying attention when she was driving somewhere for the first
time. She thought this sounded reasonable. We even went out on our
lunch break and bought her a map book of Honolulu so she could look at
map before she went out to see what streets she could look for before the
approach of her destination.
Her driving experiences into the office in the morning, I think, built
her confidence. Her husband was also very
supportive (he was
probably tired of driving her around). She felt comfortable with another
passanger in the car, but, she also felt like she was ready to go out on
her own. I told her she should just try driving to the market after she
got home from work at first, and then, maybe take on further challenges.
THE FINAL PRODUCT
Subject Two has a new outlook on driving. She has taken a few drives
by herself (in her new car) and seems, with every new driving adverture,
to become more confident in her driving abilities. I think she already
is a Traffic Psychologist, but to an extreme, since she seems to think to
much of the other drivers. She has to remember that she has rights as a
driver. She took me for a drive in her new car the other day and if I
hadn't been taking to her so much about her driving problems, I would
have never known she had any!
CONCLUSION
I learned a lot from this report and I think others can too. I think
many people feel a very strong resistence to any criticism about their
driving and the thought, for many, of becoming a Traffic Psychologist is
almost inconceivible. I think it has to do with pride and being able to
admit to yourself that you have another side to your personality--a
driving personality--which for many can be like a Mr. Hyde.
BACK TO THE TOP
Leave me EMAIL
MY HOMEPAGE - which contains a list of my files.
DR. LEON
JAMES HOMEPAGE - learn more about Traffic Psychology.
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