As we prepare for the exodus (which probably started yesterday) that is the Chinese New Year, let’s take a bit of time to plan for our journey which includes pit stops, toilet breaks and time to just stretch. Every year and several times a year, people from all walks of life travel back to their hometowns to visit family and friends. I know I will be joining that group on Wednesday as many folks head back to spend the Chinese New Year eve with their family.
This exodus causes a fair bit of congestion on the highways. More or less its always for one of the same reason, there are way too many cars out there and sometimes, there are some drivers who are completely oblivious to other cars on the roads. I call them idiots.
The way these drivers behave and act on the roads causes a ripple effect, it affects a number of other drivers which raises stress and discomfort and worse of all, make another driver loose their temper which might make them do something rash which in turn can cause accidents.
“Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances” — Thomas Jefferson
There has been many studies which co-relate both stress and driving. I quote a case study made to relate both stress and accidents.
Stress is an emotion which everyone experience in their personal and professional life. Many a times the performance of a person not only depends on skill and experience but also isexpected to depend on the stress level. Driving is a skill that needs high level of concentration, especially when one is driving a heavy motor vehicle carrying public.
Many cases around the world has related this cause of stress and accidents. Take the accident which occurred in Japan, a train jumped it’s track and crashed into an apartment complex, killing 107 people in 2005. This incident shook Japan because the train itself was deemed to be a safe mode of transport and many people believe that the cause of the accident was due to the fact that the train driver, 23, at the time, was stressed out because he was late by 90 seconds.
In the case of the driver below, I am sure the guy driving the truck who managed to film the entire thing had his heart stop beating for a couple of seconds. Well, mine sure did.
And that is the thing, drivers who hog the roads (the right lane is meant for overtaking!) and drivers who simply brake for no apparent reason (which causes a chain reaction of cars behind to brake) and the top the sundae with the cherry, drivers who miss their exit and decide that reversing on the highway is the way to go.
Honestly, if we ourselves as drivers on the road who don’t report these incidences and have the enforcement agencies actually act on it, the cycle of idiotic drivers will continue on like an ouroborus. Heck, this article will become another rant in the vast mess that is cyberspace.
But if you are reading this, just share to a friend, not this article, but rather your own thoughts about driving safely on the roads. Whether it may be being a little more aware of the road and other cars around you, planning their journey better or just being a little more courteous on the road, we might just make someone’s day a little better.
