Three: Privileged Drivers

I’ve been driving motor vehicles for 44 years. I spent 32 of those years in professional sales on the road constantly, a few months as a school bus driver, and nearly 2 years as a FedEx courier. I am pleased to say that, in all that time, I have never been at cause for an accident. I was involved in an accident only once, rear-ended by an inattentive driver as I sat at a stoplight. I count my blessings and thank the Almighty that in the thousands of hours I have been on the road, I have never been injured due to a collision.

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Honestly, I love to drive, and my wife loves it when I’m behind the wheel with her. Why? Although she is an excellent driver, she hates the stress created by other drivers on the road. Fortunately, my parents were both excellent role models, as well as good old Mr. Kilroy, my 10th-grade Driver’s Ed instructor. I was trained to always drive defensively, to predict the actions of other drivers, and to “leave myself an out,” meaning to place my vehicle in a safe position where I could safely maneuver to avoid an accident.

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What’s wrong with people on the road? It feels more and more as though you have to put your own life at risk to manage other drivers. This is one of my top pet peeves -- other drivers who are overly aggressive, ignorant of laws, and lack simple common sense as well as any semblance or courtesy on the road. I refer to these drivers as “privileged”. They own the road, behave however they want, and seem to view me as simply an obstacle in the path to their destination.

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You know exactly whom I am talking about. Privileged drivers operate their vehicles well over the speed limit, weave between lanes to overtake vehicles in front of them, tailgate to try to get other vehicles out of their way, ignore the effects of Mother Nature on road conditions, and do not signal their intentions with blinkers as they change lanes incessantly. They put your life at risk for their own convenience. These people drive me crazy!

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I am convinced that if we could reform the behaviors of privileged drivers, we would meaningfully:

·?????? Reduce injuries and loss of property that are caused by accidents

·?????? Free up First Responders to handle legitimate emergencies

·?????? Reduce traffic jams on all congested roadways

·?????? Improve the likelihood that drivers would arrive on time due to drive-time predictability

·?????? Reduce out-of-pocket fuel costs

·?????? Conserve energy, and

·?????? Improve the environment.

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How do we make such improvements? How can we influence the behaviors of privileged drivers?

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My first reaction is to increase police presence and enforcement of motor vehicle laws. As with every resource, however, there is limited supply, and budgets don’t enable police officers to be everywhere.

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What if your overall cost of vehicle ownership were directly proportional to driving behaviors? If you drive safely, it costs you less. If you drive unsafely, it costs you more? That would certainly cause me to think twice before I behaved unsafely in my motor vehicle. The insurance industry already behaves this way, and maybe it’s time for DMV to modify its prices for vehicle registration.

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I once worked at a company that provided me with a company car and a company-paid cell phone. They placed an App on my phone that monitored my driving speed, as well as rates of acceleration and deceleration. It provided real-time feedback of unsafe practices in the moment, and at the end of every single trip, the App rated my driving skills, using an 850-point scale just like a credit rating. A perfect, fully-compliant trip earned an 850. There were deductions for driving over the speed limit, manipulating your phone while moving, and braking, accelerating and taking a turn too fast.

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First and foremost, this created greater driving safety awareness. Second, it caused better driving behaviors because you wouldn’t want to lose your company vehicle, or your job, over driving skills. Lastly, once we got over the “big brother” of it all, we realized that it was in the best interest of our personal wellbeing, as well as the protection of company property.

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Ultimately, we made a game out of being the safest driver of the month. On our team, the driver with the highest rating at the end of the month got to host the safest-driver trophy that we created for our district. This gamification made it even more impactful, and competitive in a friendly way.

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My experience with “privileged” drivers, however, would suggest that doing the right thing for a modest reward is not motivation enough to improve driving behaviors. For that reason, I think it is necessary to suggest a negative consequence for improper driving behaviors, such as a substantial financial penalty or loss of driving rights. How could this be done? CCTV/speed cameras could be mounted on most streetlights and utility poles. Driving speed could be monitored, tailgaters could be watched and penalized, and generally unsafe driving practices could be recorded. Tickets could be issued by mail, with no additional police officers required. Too futuristic? The technology is available now.

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Does this sound too “police state” for you? There’s an easy answer. Decide to improve. Remember that we all share the road together. None of us has a greater right to the road than others. Recognize that speed limits are there for everyone’s safety. Turn signals should always be used to indicate your intentions BEFORE you start the maneuver. Remember that the safe driving distance between me and the car in front of me is NOT an invitation for you to move your vehicle into that gap.

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By sharing the road with kindness and courtesy, we can all arrive safely, and less stressed. Heaven knows we can all use a little less stress in our lives. Stay safe out there!

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“Meet My Pet Peeve” was inspired by Chewie, my grand-dog. Chewie was rescued by my daughter and son-in-law after he had been returned to a shelter multiple times. He is handsomely pictured above in his tux at his parents’ wedding. He crossed the Rainbow Bridge in July of 2024, but his memory will always live on as a highly adaptable, occasionally grumpy elder who knew what he liked.