She says. . .

Press, 21 December 1978, Page 10

She says. . .

Holiday driving time is here, and with it (as we all know, but try to forget) will come the usual horrifying tide of smashes, maiming and death. Most of this will be the result of stupid, careless and reckless driving behaviour by otherwise ordinary sensible and respectable citizens.

Nearly all these folk are convinced that they are good drivers, that some kindly fate will prevent them from ever having an accident, and if by any chance fate slips up, it will be the fault of the Other Driver. Christmas means that many people will drink too much. Many of them will then also proceed to drive cars and ride motorcycles. As a result, they will become careless and unco-o'rdinated. Because of that, some of them and some of the rest of the population will be killed and injured.

Any of us who get mixed up in one of these tragedies will spend the rest of our lives convincing ourselves that it was not our fault. But does it really matter whose fault it is when someone has been killed or injured? Not to those who died, certainly.

To me, this suggests that staying alive and unhurt on the roads is much more important than worrying about any real or imagined infringement of your “motoring rights” by someone else, no matter how stupid and reckless they may seem to be. In practical terms, this means I’m going to assume you’re all careless Or dangerous, that you’re trying to “get” me, and I’m going to stay as far out of your way as possible. So I’m not planning to insist on my right of way — or to assume that I’ll be accorded it. I’m not going to drive on your back bumper if you’re going too slow for me. I’m not going to get in your way if you want to pass. I’m going to try not to let your bad behaviour make me angry. And I’m going to try not to behave badly myself.

That’s because I want to stay alive on the road this Christmas. I want ray family too as well. And I don’t want your family on my conscience either.

How about you? — Barbara Petre