D.U.I. of being a jerk
Drivers need to consider others’ safety
By Joshua McCracken
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You don’t like me, and I don’t like you.
OK drivers, let’s be clear. You don’t like me, and I don’t like you. I am a possible impediment to your reaching your final destination in the least amount of time, and you operate the possible instrument of my destruction.
I cannot begin to count how many times I have had to either jump out of the way or run across a street simply to avoid one of you mowing me down. Frankly, I’m pretty sick of it.
The whole game does get old after awhile. I am not trying to generalize here, but based on what I have seen and experienced, about 86 percent of the people who have driver’s licenses shouldn’t.
In fact, most of them shouldn’t even be allowed to operate equipment of any kind, including a toaster. I understand a car is a great way to get from point A to point B with little trouble and in a brisk fashion, however, you do not own the road.
Think of the bikers and the poor blokes who haven’t forgotten that their legs are an excellent means of conveyance as well. The car commercials make driving look like this wonderful, amazing way to show off your independence.
Go as fast as you want in your new car. Pick up lots of beautiful people. It is the best example of promotional advertising I can think of.
But in the real world – you know, where you don’t have that fun mountain terrain to drive on – there are people who are trying to get from point A to point B using their legs, whether it be by walking or biking.
Do they deserve to be seriously injured because they don’t feel the need to drive a car too? If you answered yes, please burn your license as well as your car; I would rather you never set foot inside any motor vehicle for the rest of your life.
I have been honked at left and right because I was not walking fast enough for the guy who apparently had somewhere very important to be, not once considering the fact that a pedestrian, according to the law, has the right of way over cars at all times.
I’m not psychic, and I don’t know what your hurry is. Frankly, I don’t really care. You have places to go, and so do I. The odds are definitely in your favor of making it to your final destination before I do.
On this campus especially, the problem is near epidemic proportions. When people are young, they have this whole invincibility complex, and sadly that tends to extend to their driving. It doesn’t really seem to matter what happens to someone else.
In all likelihood the fact that you are in an enclosed space will keep you well protected. But, having been hit by a couple of very careless drivers a few times in my life, I have little sympathy for this attitude.
Maybe I’m just being selfish. The simple fact is, when you drive, your eyes should be on the road. Unless you are on a freeway, you should not be speeding, and even then, you shouldn’t be so subversive about it to you get pulled over.
Just because there aren’t people walking around does not mean an accident can’t still happen. You should never talk on your cell phone while you’re driving; that is just common sense. You especially shouldn’t talk on your cell phone when you are driving near a place like a crowded urban college campus.
People: Driving isn’t a right. If it were, you wouldn’t need a license to do it. Really, show some consideration toward the people who are not driving, and lay off that annoyed look when they are not running across the street so you can be on your merry way.
We pedestrians are in the minority, and I don’t think it’s too much to ask that you show a little bit of patience. You probably had to wait a few years to get your license; you can wait thirty seconds while someone is trying to cross a street or bike on a parallel lane.


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