My hypocrisy

July 8th, 2023

I pride myself on being a good and safe and courteous and conscious driver. I always think ahead and avoid any potential danger and I always try to minimalize my maneuvers on the road. I keep my eyes open not for opportunities to save seconds from my driving time but to predict any potentially dangerous behavior from other drivers. I follow all the signs and posted speed limits. And I have a stellar driving record to show for it — in 31 years of driving I got only 3 tickets for driving violations.

And every day I see and have to deal with moronic stupidity from other drivers…

I pity them and laugh at them and even occasionally curse them or use my horn. Unfortunately — over the last week, I became just like them. The explanation for this situation is easy enough — I started a new job and to get there requires me to drive right through the city center in the morning and evening rush hour, which is something I have always tried to avoid. And my hours are different from what I got used to at my last job — I start and finish an hour later than I did in my previous seven years. That makes me feel that I am late when I leave work, although I am not — I have already adjusted my private life schedule to a new work schedule and I go to sleep and get up later than previously, so the amount of my free time remains the same. And the actual driving to and from the new job site takes only 15 to 17 minutes… So there is no reason for me to behave in a way I hate and ridicule when I see it in others. And yet — I speed up whenever possible, I cut in front of others or weave in and out trying to find the quickest route. I get angry when other drivers don't behave in an aggressive enough way and I feel like I am losing precious seconds. I loudly use derogatory names for other drivers. I behave like an aggressive idiot behind the wheel now, and the hypocrisy of this behavior is colossally unpleasant.

Next week I will start riding my bicycle to work and, hopefully, that will help — since when I am on my bike I already know that all drivers are myopic idiots out to get me and make my cycling miserable, so I adjust my awareness of my surroundings and my attitude to them accordingly.