* King’s fans will know what this means ;) If you don’t then boo to you :OP
Whoa, my last paper (?!) was published March 2005 about legging it on the Indian roads. This one here has graduated to the 4-wheeler. Where’s the 2 wheeler one may ask. My near and dear can probably regale you with funnies about my experiences with that. There is only a certain level of self-deprecation I engage in and my 2-wheeler (read cycle) traumas are far too humiliating even according to my standards to be recounted here.
So, driving in the US. I prefer the side-roads to the highway. Yes, highways take you from point A to point B faster but they can get boring. No amount of heavy metal or shock-jock shows on the radio stations can relieve you of the boredom. I prefer the side roads myself; more laid-back and enjoyable. One main drawback (?!) of side roads though is the traffic signal(s). In these days of camera monitored traffic signals one has to either be super rich to afford to pay the tickets or plain suicidal to run ‘em. I am neither and more often than not the signals I cross would’ve stayed amber for about 3 seconds when I go through. I’ve always thought it takes a certain measure of courage to do that and that leads to my paper here.
Assumptions made:
The test group for this paper is very very small – read 1. I don’t know what the mentality of the other driver is, I cannot speak for their analytical tactics as to how far is too far for them to make it across successfully and finally I am not taking into consideration those jackasses who
a. Haven’t heard of a blue tooth headset and are yapping away on the phone with glazed over eyes.
b. Haven’t heard of alarm clocks, get up late, run out with the face they were born with and end up driving while putting another face on – a younger color, coordinated face.
Observances are based on 2 scenarios:
- The subject is in the first car waiting at the signal – The Courteous
- The subject is in the last car to cross the signal before it turns red leaving behind (1) above – The Brave
Case 1: The subject is in the first car waiting at the signal – The Courteous
Approaching a signal light, when I am 50 feet from it, I make up my mind. If it stays green when I am about 50 feet away then I am crossing the intersection come what may. In my 7 months of experience driving, this has come up as a safe threshold to make up one’s mind. I will still cross the intersection when the light changes to amber when I am at the threshold because I am going at 50mph and in 50 feet I would’ve beaten the signal, do the math.
Talking about lights changing while at the intersection I have to confess a quirky practice of mine; I associate the lights changing with whatever I am wishing to happen. By wishing I mean serious stuff, not things like ‘I hope I get that handbag’ or ‘I hope whatever I cook comes out edible’, no, but more serious stuff like ‘I hope my brother comes to the US’ or ‘I hope my husband gets an office with a view’. All too often I’ve noticed myself holding my breath when crossing hoping that the light doesn’t change for as long as I can see it and associating that with the fact that whatever I am hoping for will happen without any hindrances. Green light from God if you may. Corny, I know, but driving alone, with only your thoughts for company, stranger things happen.
So, going back to the 50 feet; say the light becomes amber before the threshold, I decide to stop and I think a couple of time I’ve caught the driver behind me shake his head incredulous at the fact that I didn’t make it. Did he have a view of that SUV waiting to make the left turn across us? Did he have a view of that truck already making a right turn from the side onto our lane? Would he still think I am lily-livered if he had a view of all that? May be may be not, who cares? My point is the driver in the first car at a signal is not a coward. He/She would have had his/her own reasons for not braving the amber and more often than not it’s out of courtesy and not cowardice.
Case 2: The subject is in the last car to cross the signal before it turns red leaving behind (1) above – The Brave
When you see a car being the last in a string of automobiles, would you think the driver is a slowpoke or would you think the driver is brave? I wouldn’t call the driver slow. Being the last car in a string means those cars just got through an intersection and the last driver beat the light to cut across making him/her brave. He/She is also brave in the sense that the driver crossed knowing fully well the guy ahead of him could brake suddenly – which happens all too often owing to a long line of traffic stopped at the next signal and stretching all the way to the one you just escaped. Say the guy in front of you brakes just as you cross:
- The bad thing that can happen is you risk leaving a long tire rubber deposit on the asphalt. Yeah, your heart beat shoots up and your system gets a big shot of adrenaline.
- The worst? Well, let me just tell you it’s not the tire rubber deposits the EMT’s will be rushing to the emergency room.
So, next time you see the last car, do no smirk at the bloke rather try to recite a silent prayer for his/her soul. They like to live dangerously and yeah, they could be a little rude too.
As an aside, while on the topic of braking, I saw this sticker on a guy’s truck that said “I brake to piss you off”. I quickly changed lanes when I got close enough to read that.
Conclusion:
Having now presented Cases (1) and (2), what is the conclusion? Was there supposed to be a conclusion to this paper? Were we supposed to decide which approach is the best?
- Beat the light (and hence the system) or acquiesce to the light (and hence the system)?
- Extol bravery or encourage courteousness?
- Are you even interested :OP