Here's the problem - Driving

Driving is hands down the most dangerous thing I do on a daily basis. It requires concentration, experience and a good reaction time but even then accidents can happen. Every time I get on the road is a unique experience. I sometimes lose faith in humanity by the randomness and seemingly chaotic nature of others driving but no one is perfect. I believe that every specific situation requires a specific action. It seems like to only way to know the right action is by trying and seeing the result. Your first experience with braking on ice will usually end you up in the ditch but you will learn your lesson.

To pass my driving test I followed the rules of the road to the letter but once I had my license, a whole new style of driving appeared. It might have happened because I become lazy or I picked up bad habits. However, I believe it happened because I realized that following the rules of the road does not matter if you get into a crash and die. The rules of the road are not more important than your own life. The actions you take on the road may not be legal but once you can justify it being the safest action then it is also the most sensible option to take. Wise men are guided by rules, fools are bound by them.

A big part of driving is a psychological battle, where you are constantly trying to predict the actions of the cars around. It feels like I turn into Sherlock Holmes as I try and characterize the people around me. I instantly judge them based on things I notice about them such as the car they drive (for example Volvo) or who is driving (for example woman or old man). I then modify that judgement based on their reaction to events on the road. All of these things builds up in your head and soon you are able to predict events to a good probability.

Every time I step out onto the road, I put my life in the hands of others and sometimes they screw up badly. I remember when I worked in Drogheda and as I walked to a friends house for lunch, I was crossing the T-junction at Boyne Valley Hotel when a woman in a black jeep came flying out of the entrance and slammed on the brakes to stop from hitting me. After the screech of the tyres, I immediately noticed that she was brushing her teeth while driving. I continued on way lost for words on what just happened.

There are many lessons I have learned the hard way while driving. One night coming home from college, it was late and I clearly had sleep deprived driving but I just wanted to get home. I was heading down a back end country road when a white van was coming in the opposite direction. We both knew there wasn't enough room on the road but we didn't seem to care. As we barely passed each other my wing mirror smashed against a telephone pole. It only cost me a fiver to get the mirror replaced but the lesson I learned to never drive like that again was invaluable.

Driving is one of those things that people need to experience to truly believe how crazy it is. All the different types of driving styles out there and everyone bullying each other and working together to get to their destination leads to controlled anarchy. I would love to hear of other people's experiences or opinions of driving, so feel free to post. We are all friends here.