DRIVING IN TRAFFIC

by m0uadib

Most Americans have had the opportunity to drive in traffic, whether bumper to bumper, or cruising down an interstate. The radio may be on, or one may be listening to a CD, or just daydreaming as the scenery passes. It may be day or night, and one drives along in an effortless manner. However, there are times when conditions may be less easy to cope with. The sun may be setting, bringing glare that makes perception an strain. It may be raining, in which case headlights and wipers are on, and tension becomes a driving partner. However, the most difficult situation to find oneself in is to be the target of someone else's ego. Things get high-pitched at such times.

You look in your rear-view mirror and notice one car which is not behaving like all the others -- and of course, cars on the road take on a life of their own. It's as if the car and the driver are one entity. We don't see cars on the road as a means of conveyance, but rather as living, breathing entities which move, weave, turn and stop all on their own. We never hear someone say, "I saw the driver of a car run into a tree." No, we usually say "a car ran into a tree," as if the car was in control of itself. So you look in your rear-view mirror, notice one car which is not behaving like all the others -- and wonder why.

I think that as one enters a road or interstate and notices the other vehicles, one gets into the prevailing speed and unconsciously mimics the patterns already being exhibited there by the other drivers. But once in a while something happens. One car will begin edging up on the one in front of it until such time as the critical point arrives. That point is the time when the driver has to make a decision. Will he overtake the car in front, or relent and pull back until the original distance between the two is re-established.

Now we have come to the crux of the matter. I believe that when we enter the highway, we have a feeling of equanimity with everyone else on the road. Shortly thereafter, however, our egos begin to exert some force and affect the situation. Depending on how our day is going we can react either one way or the other, often going to some extreme. For example, if one is having a good day, things are going right, and the psyche is enjoying a level of happiness, then perceived transgressions are forgiven. "Oooops, that was dumb, but what the heck, he's human too," can be one expression of forgiveness. Not that the other driver needed forgiveness, but then, we're talking ego here. The car continues down the road at the same rate of speed, and nothing has changed. On the other hand, if one is having a bad day and is not in the mood for forgiveness, then things can get ugly. The same exact thing may happen, but now because of the change of mood, the reaction is the opposite. "That jerk!! Who the f*** does he think he is?" And now our driver guns his car to overtake the poor guy who made a mistake.

Lets take another situation. One is driving evenly spaced apart on a highway and suddenly feels that he should should be the leader of this pack, for no particular reason. Well, there must be a reason. People don't become aggressive for no reason -- do they? It would seem outwardly that they do, but upon closer examination one finds that the apparent equanimity of the suddenly aggressive driver's mind is but a false mask used to put people at ease, when all the time a beast is waiting to rear its ugly head. We all have that beast lurking somewhere inside us, but most of the time we are in control and it doesn't get the opportunity to make an appearance. But every so often the conditions are right, anger and arrogance bubble up from the depths of consciousness -- and we have a problem. So, as in other activities where we deal with our fellow man, our ego is always ready to involve itself, sometimes in a good way, sometimes not.

26 Oct 2005