Drivers need to learn to share the road better with other drivers

Photo: Ministry of Transportation

Sharing the road with other drivers means consideration of those drivers.

A message in the DriveSmartBC inbox says there is an incredible shortage of common sense about the practicalities of driving and many people seem unable to think clearly any more. It adds, you cannot get people to drive better just by saying "drive better".

I think the problem of poor driving habits and some of the emotional and health issues (fatigue, stress, aggression, time shortage) behind bad driving are more of a social problem.

This writer’s observations are something I have often commented on. Many drivers seem to say, "I'm important, you are not. I'm in a hurry, get out of my way" when they are behind the wheel.

Hiding in their steel cocoon, they are anonymous and to some extent, so is everyone else present on the highway.

Perhaps we think that because we don't know each other and probably won't ever meet face to face. We don't have to extend social courtesies to each other.

Witness a long line of cars that have merged into one lane well before an adjacent lane is closed due to construction. There is nothing unlawful with using the lane that is going to be closed until the point where it is actually closed.

But try it. Drivers will move to block you, open their doors to prevent you passing and wave in a very unfriendly manner. They are waiting, you should too. It’s another social faux pas.

How do we change the social outlook of a driver? As a police officer, I had only education and enforcement to use in conjunction with the Ministry of Transportation's engineering solutions. It was not a simple task and I often wondered if I was making a difference at all.

I hoped I did.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.