Sunbeem wrote:Our views determine our feelings, and if our feelings are uncomfortable, the answer is to alter our views.
If we seek the excitement of anger for more complex reasons, we will cherish and polish our incendiary views.
Blaming the other person for our discomfort is simply a sign of emotional immaturity.
You must get tired passing judgement on all these strangers!
Strangers?
I think 'beem is saying we can't control what others do, but we can control how we react to them. We can choose to get upset when traffic sucks, or not.
Steve in Golden, I would have got the same idea from reading Sunbeem's post. I'll share my secret with you. I now wait, after reading anything written by Sunbeem, so as to not misinterpret it. Zombie Master can be counted upon to come along and tell us what Sunbeem really meant. Pay no attention to the words Sunbeem writes. ZM is the only one who really knows what Sunbeem means. Very handy.
Zombie Master wrote:My entire attitude is to never assume anything about anybody. You never know what a person is going through at any particular moment.
When I'm on the MC, I make assumptions about everyone around me. I assume they are all blind, and they are all trying to kill me.
It's all downhill from here. Except for the uphill bits.
Steve in Golden, I would have got the same idea from reading Sunbeem's post. I'll share my secret with you. I now wait, after reading anything written by Sunbeem, so as to not misinterpret it. Zombie Master can be counted upon to come along and tell us what Sunbeem really meant. Pay no attention to the words Sunbeem writes. ZM is the only one who really knows what Sunbeem means. Very handy.
Chuey
Yes handy. To be able to sift through the prattle, and hear the chiding directly. IMO, to Beem we are just middle aged children, bereft of any comprehension of our own natures. We require his correction, because we couldn't possibly have developed the level self awareness that our self appointed Sensei has achieved.
"... a man hears what he wants to hear, and disregards the rest." (Paul Simon).
"I think 'beem is saying we can't control what others do, but we can control how we react to them."
You're right Steve, that's one of my points, and you'll notice that the one who responds most often to my posts, is the one who understands them the least.
My main interest in this discussion, is the connection between our state of mind, and the quality of our journey.
Control of the former leads to bliss in the latter.
That's where I'm going.
Since I basically drive for a living, I too think about traffic flow. Once I get over 25 mph, the speed for the cruise control, I do nearly all of my driving on cruise control. I can "bump up or down" in single mph increments. Most of the time that speed of change is enough. The result is that I end up allowing more distance in front of me than most drivers have.
My main rule is to not speed, as that is a threat to my driver's license and therefore my livelihood. I ignore the fact that I am not working because we need the money, but because I love to work. I really don't want another ticket for the rest of my lifetime.
On a road with two lanes in one direction, I prefer the right lane. I only pass when someone is driving even more slowly than me, usually a truck. I really appreciate truck drivers, so I usually defer to their wish to take the left lane to pass. They can go ahead of me anytime, I am not in a hurry in any way. Yep, I will make room for a truck and shut the door on a cheater.
This "more distance" really annoys a few of the people behind me. Too bad. I hate the cheaters who want to get ahead one car length, even if it means being a threat to the safety of others. I go to subtle measures to frustrate them. I will change my speed slightly to make no space for those passing on the right. I have even had them pass me on the right shoulder. What is that about?
Some drivers go ballistic with any frustration to their cheating. It is "their right" to cheat and "my obligation" to get out of the way. Maybe not gonna happen. The risk is engendering road rage in the cheater. I really don't want to see someone go into that mode, but I see it often. I might cause the frustration that develops into road rage and some innocent person could be the victim down the road.
The other day I was on a road that was two lanes in each direction. Traffic was near max capacity. I saw a car behind me that was acting sort of crazy. I try to keep track of who is where at all times. He disappeared from my mirrors. There was only one place that he could be and that was in my blind spot on the left. I was in the left lane already and there was no divider, just a double yellow line. Oncoming traffic was dense. The two lanes were fairly wide and he expected me to notice him, pull over to the right in "my" left lane to let him pass in my lane. I moved over to the left and he had to chicken out. He went completely ballistic and then I got scared as I realized just how crazy he was. He could easily have a gun. Oops, I am not up for that situation in traffic. Traffic was thick and fast, but he waited for a bit and crossed the double yellow line and then just dived into the "no space" in front of me. I had to allow him to hit me or back off. I backed off and took a photo of his car.
A few weeks ago I turned the corner to go to our home. It is only a couple of hundred meters to our driveway. I don't speed up a lot to just slow down again for the driveway. This is a very narrow country road with no room for a jogger, or bicycle. As I neared my driveway, I signaled for the left turn into the driveway. Just as I started my turn I was "nervous" and checked for the driver behind me. He wasn't there in my mirror, Oops, there is only one possibility. I straightened out my turn as he whizzed past me no more than 4 inches from the left mirror. That was really close. Had I continued the turn, he would have broadsided me and gone into the deep ditch. It would not have been pretty for me either, but not nearly as bad as for him.
Yesterday I took a rather late yellow light. I could have jammed on the brakes and stopped, but didn't because there was no traffic issue. The driver behind me also went through the completely red light. Everybody waited for him.
What are these people thinking? I don't get it. I put on 1-2 hundred miles a day, so I can't keep playing these odds forever.
I am tolerant, I allow everyone to "get in" except for the cheaters. I have had friends who hated to ride with me because I am too slow and accommodating to other drivers. What? So we get there a minute later, no bid deal.
Ask the Indians what happens when you don't control immigration.
Duane Ausherman wrote:
This "more distance" really annoys a few of the people behind me. Too bad. I hate the cheaters who want to get ahead one car length, even if it means being a threat to the safety of others. I go to subtle measures to frustrate them. I will change my speed slightly to make no space for those passing on the right. I have even had them pass me on the right shoulder. What is that about?
I have a theory about what that is about. We are in America, land of the TV. The television and the credit card companies have created an alternate reality where you can and should live beyond your means. Even though that is the national mantra, at some point it leads to frustration. People realize deep down, that they are violating a natural balance. They feel powerless. Their lives are out of control. When they get into their cars, they are, at last, in control.
Their frustration leads them to try to extend their control to others. You must do what they make you do or you are "the problem". They act this out in their driving habits. Smaller vehicles are prime targets for them to act out against. Small cars, motorcyclists and bicyclists are favorite targets for them. It is no coincidence that large SUVs gave way to huge ones. Size is, ultimately, the control they wield.
I would be in favor of putting those people into open dune buggies as a remedy. No modern safety features. No crush zones, no airbags, no anti lock brakes, etc. While we're at it, let's put a spike in the middle of the steering wheel. Drive right or die, Mofo.
Zombie Master wrote:
But it's a PIA to be told what you already know, over and over again.
ZM, I'm witcha there.
You say that but you don't practice it. Look, I already know that everything Sunbeem says is tearing down my country and attacking my fellow Americans. I already know, before I read what Sunbeem writes that it is untrue and filled with arrogance. I know this because you have been so kind as to tell me OVER and FUCKING OVER! Thanks for that but you can stop now. It really is a PIA.
Chuey wrote, "I already know, before I read what Sunbeem writes that it is untrue and filled with arrogance. I know this because you have been so kind as to tell me OVER and FUCKING OVER!"
I have looked long and hard to find the defects in ole 'beem's writing. I failed......... so far, but I didn't yet give up.
Ask the Indians what happens when you don't control immigration.
