Remember Common Courtesy

Posted by Roger Renwick
2
Mar 16, 2009
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Where Has Our Kindness Gone

As a driver for 38 years or so I have noticed the lack of kindness shown by people while driving. Where has our kindness gone too, people use to wave when they passed you on the road, that is far and in between now. People are so rapped up in their own problems, and their own little world to notice that there are other people on the road with them. I have actually followed a person before that never looked in the rear view mirror, not once during the entire time i was behind them. The mirror was turned toward the person in the car (why do not ask me), and when they went to turn off the road they jammed their brakes at the last minute, no turn signal (i did not know where they were going) then the person came to just about a complete stop before exiting the highway. Not once did the person look to see if anyone else was on the road, or care if anyone hit them from behind, and maybe that was the whole purpose for their uncaring behavior. I have learned over the years to stay back far enough from someone else's vehicle to be sure that I have enough time to stop in case they do something unexpected.

Common Courtesy Lost

I was in the Army for 3 years and trained as a heavy truck driver. The classes that i went thru to get my license to drive heavy vehicles was extensive. The lessons of common courtesy that i learned in the Army is still with me today as i drive my own vehicle on the highway. If I see someone on the side of the road of a two lane highway stopped in their car, or walking, I move over crossing the center line (when no on coming traffic is in the other lane) or crowd the center lane to give the person on the side of the road some room to keep from hitting them. People do not understand that a person walking could stumble and fall right into the path or your vehicle, or if parked on the side of the road could suddenly open the car door. I have seen people stay as close to the edge of the road as they can get like they were trying to hit someone, without any care to the person, themselves, the person behind them, or the person coming in the other lane.  The person that is the most dangerous on the highway is the one that has blinders on, they do not look left, they do not look right or behind them, they just stare straight ahead at the car in front of them mesmerized by the tail lights.  People like this cause more wreaks than anyone else, because they will not look ahead at what is happening with the cars way up in front of them, and rear end someone when it could have been avoided just by watching what other people are doing on the road.

Common Courtesy Lost - Continued

If people would just open their eyes, and look at what they were doing while driving it would make a world of difference in driver safety. I have seen women putting makeup on while driving, men and women talking on cell phones totally oblivious to anything going around them, and people driving with a cell phone in one hand, coffee and cigarette in the other hand all at the same time (who the hell was driving?). People do not get over on four lanes highways when someone it trying to merge from a side road, they ride in the fast lane blocking traffic, they go slower in the fast lane than the speed limit, and what is so bad about that is they usually get over into the slow lane after blocking traffic for miles and turn off to the right knowing that was where they were going to in the first place. I have had people look in the rear view mirror watching me, and go slower just to see what i would do or say. Or the person propped up against the drivers door with their hand stretched across the seat taking their ever loving time without any care to the person behind them because they do not have to be anywhere.

Common Courtesy Tips

Here are a few tips of common courtesy that can make driving more pleasurable, and safer for others on the road.

1. Leave a little earlier (ten minutes can make a world of difference).

2. Have respect for others on the road (just because you do not have to be anywhere does not mean others don't).

3. Do not talk on your cell phone while driving (pull off to the side of the road, or pull into a parking lot (get the hell out of the way).

4. Stay out of the fast lane unless you are passing a car (then speed up and get back over into the slow lane once you are clear of the vehicle you were passing).

5. Watch your surroundings (take the blinders off (WAKE UP!).

6. Have respect for other drivers needs (get the hell out of the way, stop blocking traffic).

7. Allow people to merge into traffic (get the hell over).

8. If someone needs to get over into the lane you are in (don't speed the hell up and block them, let them come over).

9. If you are the person being let over (wave, and thank the person for letting you over (then get the hell out of the way).

10. If you are turning off the road (get the hell out of the way, (safely of course) but get hell out of the way).

11. Put your makeup on while your car is warming up, or once you have arrived at your destination (you could be wearing the eye liner in the back of your head when you rear end someone).

12. Be aware of the person behind you (he may have a bigger gun than you).

13. If someone is on the side of the road (get the hell over, what if it were you there).

14. Finally obey the traffic laws;

      a. stay within the speed limit.

      b. stop completely at a stop sign.

      c. just because it say right turn on red does not mean slow down and turn (stop stupid).

      d. when you stop at a sign, or a light, look left, then right, then look left again (the person that is going to kill you while you are driving will hit the drivers door on the left side). These are a few safety, and common courtesy tips that that may save your life, or someone you love, so be aware, and be courteous to other peoples needs while driving.







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