RE: Road rage, redux.

["James A. Desveaux" <desveaux@ucla.edu>]

The last few postings on the subject are interesting, and point to an
additional problem.  First, kudos to Paul Wilson and Mike Arman for creative
solutions to the problem.  Second, a lot of this assholish behavior strikes
me as demonstrations of a kind of self-righteousness and arrogance.  I think
that, for a lot of people, living in a very large wealthy and powerful
country gives them a disproportionate sense of entitlement.  It remainds me
of the prick stockbroker at Logan Airport years ago with a button on his
lapel that said, 'I got mine.  To hell with you.'  Translation for the road:
I drive an 8,000 lb Excursion (future tense here, I realize), I'm in a
rasty, nasty mood, and I don't much care for your shiny euro-wheels today.
So what are you going to do about it?

I have driven with friends, one in particular, who is highly educated and
mostly reasonable, who on many many occasions has decided to be a civilian
enforcer of rules, and cut off other drivers who might've been speeding and
tried to cut in in front of him, mostly because they violated his norms for
what constitutes reasonable behavior.  When you've got two or more drivers
convinced that their driving habits are enshrined in the Ten Commandments,
watch out.  The stakes can get pretty high--and nasty. 

- Jim

- welding a 200 lb cowcatcher with spikes on the front bumper of my pickup.