Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Read While You Drive, The New In Thing!

Ok, I'm going to rant a little here so bear with me. No matter how much the authorities come up with this rule or that regulation regarding road safety, it isn't going to come to much if the people who sit behind the wheel of a vehicle don't use their blooming brains!

It really isn't about enforcing the use of rear seat belts (though it has its merits), it isn't about having an expiry limit for motorcycle crash helmets (I've always wondered why they're called crash helmets), it isn't about reducing the speed limit on highways that would reduce the death toll on the roads. 

It's all about the mindset of the moron behind the wheel. If he/she basically doesn't practice some common sense while driving, then all the seat belts or airbags or speed limits or crash helmets is going to worth jack-shit!

This morning, on the way to work, I was caught in the usual daily bumper to bumper crawl getting to work. Now, I'm kinda used to the traffic already (but that doesn't mean I like jams, ya) and was behind this lady inching my way through the roads. 

We all know how stressful it can be when you have to inch your way through and the car in front of you moves so slowly leaving a huge space in front for a few million cars to squeeze their way in. I for one hate situations like that. But never mind, I said, she is a woman driver after all (no disrespect to all you women out there) and maybe she just takes off a little slower than the rest

This kept on going for as long as I was behind here. Every time the traffic moved, she would take ages to move forward and a host of cars would get in front of her and I would have moved only about 2-3 inches from my current position behind her.

That was when I started getting irritated with her. I couldn't overtake her cos of the bumper to bumper traffic. That was also when I actually took notice of the real reason why she was slow off the accelerator. That dumb stupid woman was actually reading a book in the car while driving! Really, a book and even when she started moving, she had her eyes on the book!

I was flabbergasted! Shocked even! I felt like getting out of my car and giving her a blooming slap on her stupid brainless face. Come on lady, do you even know how dangerous it is to drive and read? With your mind on the book, can you even concentrate on driving? What if the car in front of you suddenly stops? Can you even react in time with your eyes and mind on your book?

Now these are the kinds of attitude that causes accidents and deaths on the road. To be honest, she isn't the only one. There are still countless people who still use the cell phone blatantly while driving, not caring that it's absolutely dangerous! Is answering the call while driving really that important? Can't it have waited a few minutes till you stop the car at a safe place and then make that call? 

I even had the experience of almost rear ending this idiot once who decided to stop his car right there at the traffic light (which was green, mind you) and talk on his cell phone! Seriously, this guy actually just stopped at this traffic light junction and answered his cell almost causing me to ram into his rear and the cars behind me braking frantically to stop from rear ending me! That was how stupid this guy was!

That's why I believe that all the safety precautions in the world isn't going to amount to much if you allow people like that lady who decided that reading a book in a traffic jam is okay or the guy who thinks stopping at a busy traffic light junction to answer his cell is perfectly the right thing to do. If the attitude doesn't change people, the accidents will always keep happening.

Now, if I get stuck behind that moronic lady again, I swear I'm really going to get out my car and beat the life out of her! And no I didn't take any pictures of her car and I can't remember her license number because I was too dumbstruck by her stupidity but I think she lives around my area and I'll recognize her car and face if I see it again.
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22 comments:

  1. "It's all about the mindset of the moron behind the wheel. If he/she basically doesn't practice some common sense while driving, then all the seat belts or airbags or speed limits or crash helmets is going to worth jack-shit!"

    Truer words have never been spoken.

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  2. Driving should be just that. Driving. Anything else would be deemed moronic.

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  3. I had seen a lorry driver, driving at 70km/hr and reading a news paper at the same time..it was scary to see the lorry swerving to the left and to the right..
    Have you seen a lady putting on her make-up while driving??? i've seen once..and it was even more stupid..!!

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  4. It was irritating enough that she kept leaving huge spaces in front for other cars to squeeze their way in. And reading while driving?

    Maybe our gov should come up with new regulations that let us shoot idiotic drivers such as these for our own safety measure

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  5. As long as this post is, I was kinda excited waiting for the part where you'll be talking about the read while driving part. hahahahaha. I can't help myself but to laff. I would be pissed if i'm in my shoes.

    I'm one of those who hates to be stuck in a jam. I'd be cursing at ppl who dun drive properly or who are too bz talking on their handphone while they should be driving. urgh~

    XD anyways, if you happen to see her next time, take photo! XD so the world would see how stewped she is XD

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  6. oh gosh! that really happened?!? my hubby would have gotten down and give her a piece of his mind!! some people are just so irresponsible!

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  7. I've seen those kind of drivers b4, but usually it's with a newspaper & usually I see them reading at the traffic light. I hope you at least honked at her, maybe that would've knocked some sense into her brain.

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  8. Hee hee .. That's why I take the public transport with my MP3 and PSP. Safe from the agony of facing such drivers??!!

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  9. agree agree! I've seen idiots who still brake their car even when there's no traffic in front and that really annoys me cause I don't know when he/she is gonna totally stop and cause me to ram them

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  10. you should have just honk her!
    i know my hubby loves his honk very much when seeing moronic people like that on the road.

    and yeah, i disgust people who drive slow when the light turns green. as if the green will wait for them forever.

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  11. What is wrong with these people? I had to drive into the city today for an appointment and believe me I dreaded the thought of it. By the time I got to my destination I swear my blood pressure was at dangerous levels because of all the tossers on the road. I'm sure some of these people won their drivers licenses in a raffle.

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  12. Gallivanter - True. People should practice using their brains a little more.

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  13. Kadus Mama - Driving at 70km/h and reading the papaers? That has to be the most stupidest thing to do on the road. And a lorry some more!

    Yeah, I've seen women who drive and put on make-up! Really silly people.

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  14. Si Kicik - First of all, welcome to my blog :D

    I for one would support a regulation allowing us to shoot morons like these!

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  15. Maslight - I intend to take her picture if I do see her again. She deserves a mention in my moron of the week section!

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  16. Sting - I wanted to get down and slap the woman silly! She really was reading and driving!

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  17. Perky - Well, this one was reading and driving at the same time! I'll bet one of these days she's going to meet a huge accident.

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  18. Waterlearner - Well, don't let me get started about the public transport system over here ... LOL! At least you guys have an efficient public transport system there unlike here.

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  19. Samantha - That always happens to me a lot. I can't even remember the countless times I nearly rear ended some fool who decides to brake for no reason.

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  20. Carol - Well, I'm quite liberal with my horn. Unless I'm absolutely pissed, then only I'll honk at someone. Maybe I should have just got out and slapped her instead ... hehehe ...

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  21. Romany Angel - Half the people over here probably bribed for their licenses judging by the way they drive! And I agree that driving can make your pressure go up by leaps and bounds!

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