Show common courtesy
The following events were happening, almost simultaneously, by coincidence, and affected two members of my family. One of the drivers was a man of about 75 or perhaps older, the other a teenage P-plater. Can you guess which event belongs to each of these people?
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Event 1. Driver A is driving along Bowral Street, a car is seen reversing from a driveway. Driver A slows down and waits until it is clear the reversing car isn’t going to reverse in front of them. Driver A then proceeds further towards the roundabout and waits until it is safe to enter and exit on the other side.
Event 2. Driver B is looking for a parking spot in a supermarket car park. Despite the fact that someone has their blinker on and is waiting for another car to leave a spot, driver B drives around the person waiting and into the newly-vacated parking space.
Many people will jump to the conclusion that the courteous, considerate and cautious driver would be the 75-year-old in event 1 but you’re wrong. The part of the story that I left out was that in Event 1 at both times when the P-plater showed caution and courtesy they were abused by the other driver.
In the case of Event 2 the older man (he was no gentleman) hurled abuse at the driver who had been waiting for the spot and proceeded off into the supermarket. It is time for drivers to take a good hard look at their behaviour when they get behind the wheel. P-plate doesn’t mean reckless, inconsiderate and selfish. It means that they are apprentice drivers and should be treated with understanding. We should applaud them when they are being cautious.
At least most P-platers know the rules regarding roundabouts, unlike many of our Highlands drivers who think the “give way to the right rule”, that disappeared decades ago, is still applicable, or that if you drive as fast as you can towards a roundabout you can bluff everyone into stopping and letting you through.
Age isn’t an excuse for rudeness, belligerence, selfishness and aggression. Respect is earned but being an older or more experienced driver doesn’t give you more rights. The common courtesy that so many older people think is missing in the youth of today was far from evident in these not-so-isolated incidents. How about taking a deep breath before you decide to abuse others just because you can. Age, whether young or not so young, is not an excuse for bad behaviour.
