The Way You Drive is a Reflection of your Character

I have a general disdain for other drivers. I feel like most people are in either too big a hurry, or too distracted (be it by their phone or passengers) to pay much attention to others on the road. It seems like common courtesy is a rarity, and people easily forget that other's lives are in your hands when you are reckless on the road.

Today I was driving, and I noticed someone was driving right on my ass. I was going around a curve where an off-ramp from the highway merged with my lane. People frequently speed here, and consequently, there is usually a cop waiting for them around the corner. This jerk-face behind me decided to get into the merge lane to try and pass me. In an effort to help prevent her from getting a ticket for reckless driving, I moved over as well, so she couldn't use the merge lane to pass me (which is illegal, FYI).

Naturally, this woman honked her horn at me. Apparently she thought she was done a huge injustice because I wouldn't let her break the law. A short while later, she pulled into the next lane and eventually passed me. She gave me a good glare as she passed, and I just smiled and waved her on.

This incident got me thinking. How much can you tell about someone's character by the way they drive? I try not to be too judgmental, but I seriously wondered what type of person this woman was. On what planet is it really ever okay to do what she was trying to do to me, and then act as if you were the victim?

As a driver, I try to be courteous to others. If someone needs into my lane (and isn't a jerk about it), I let them in. When possible, I try and let others turn into my lane if it's a busy traffic day, and it looks like they may be stuck there for awhile. I firmly believe in the pay-it-forward method of driving: do good to others, and good will come to you.

I'm not trying to claim to be a perfect driver. I'm a bit prone to driving fast, and am guaranteed to be yelling at other drivers from the safety of my car, but I try to be courteous. Maybe I would do some of these things less if I knew my character was on the line.

Maybe if we all drove as though we knew it was a judge of our character, we would be in less of a hurry, and more courteous to each other. Who knows, we may just prevent some accidents and save some lives.