Different Rules...
Ever noticed there’s more than one set of rules? It depends, not even on who you are, but on who people think you are.
This morning, I drove my car to work instead of taking the motorbike, and I discovered a curious anomaly.
Ok. Picture the scenario. I’m riding a bike which out-accelerates your average family car but a factor of about 3. by which I mean, in one second, moving away from a stop, with an equivalent amount of throttle, I will cover about 3 times as much ground as your average car.
On top of this, as you might well imagine, I use more throttle than your average road user; being, as I am, a bit of a lunatic.
So here’s the situation: I turn onto a side street behind someone who is in a far slower vehicle, and using that vehicle in a much slower way than I would be using it. Being, as I am, traveling on a much faster vehicle, I effortlessly accelerate past the slower road user and I happily go on my way, at my own pace.
But today, given exactly the same situation, I effortlessly accelerated past the slower road user in my commodore, and I received furious, judgemental anger, displayed by endlessly flashing high beams and wild gesticulation as I drove away.
Interesting, I thought, that if anything I was less aggressive and more patient than I would have been on the bike, and instead of the passive submission to which I’ve become accustomed, he was furious. Outraged, if you will.
It got me thinking. See, people have a certain idea of what motorcyclists are like as people: they are somewhat intimidating, incredibly aggressive, dangerous, fearless. In short: crazy. Most people are afraid of motorcycle users, thinking, almost always incorrectly, that the motorcyclist is hoping to be killed on the road, so don’t piss them off.
But the idea people have of fellow car drivers is ‘every other car user is inferior to me!’
So how dare another car driver speed past me, despite me clearly holding him up?
Seriously, why should I follow this man, for potentially most of my journey, at HIS pace? That’s just plain rude. I never told him he needed to speed up. I never followed closely to intimidate him into speeding up. Instead, I just waited for a safe moment, and I went past. I didn’t do anything dangerous. I only even sped temporarily.
It was plain silly. But still, it gave rise to some interesting thoughts.
Today, my boss left via the back door, despite there being clear rules that no one can do that.
I told her I would do the same thing, and she said ‘you’re not allowed!’
Interesting, isn’t it?
No. No it isn’t.
This morning, I drove my car to work instead of taking the motorbike, and I discovered a curious anomaly.
Ok. Picture the scenario. I’m riding a bike which out-accelerates your average family car but a factor of about 3. by which I mean, in one second, moving away from a stop, with an equivalent amount of throttle, I will cover about 3 times as much ground as your average car.
On top of this, as you might well imagine, I use more throttle than your average road user; being, as I am, a bit of a lunatic.
So here’s the situation: I turn onto a side street behind someone who is in a far slower vehicle, and using that vehicle in a much slower way than I would be using it. Being, as I am, traveling on a much faster vehicle, I effortlessly accelerate past the slower road user and I happily go on my way, at my own pace.
But today, given exactly the same situation, I effortlessly accelerated past the slower road user in my commodore, and I received furious, judgemental anger, displayed by endlessly flashing high beams and wild gesticulation as I drove away.
Interesting, I thought, that if anything I was less aggressive and more patient than I would have been on the bike, and instead of the passive submission to which I’ve become accustomed, he was furious. Outraged, if you will.
It got me thinking. See, people have a certain idea of what motorcyclists are like as people: they are somewhat intimidating, incredibly aggressive, dangerous, fearless. In short: crazy. Most people are afraid of motorcycle users, thinking, almost always incorrectly, that the motorcyclist is hoping to be killed on the road, so don’t piss them off.
But the idea people have of fellow car drivers is ‘every other car user is inferior to me!’
So how dare another car driver speed past me, despite me clearly holding him up?
Seriously, why should I follow this man, for potentially most of my journey, at HIS pace? That’s just plain rude. I never told him he needed to speed up. I never followed closely to intimidate him into speeding up. Instead, I just waited for a safe moment, and I went past. I didn’t do anything dangerous. I only even sped temporarily.
It was plain silly. But still, it gave rise to some interesting thoughts.
Today, my boss left via the back door, despite there being clear rules that no one can do that.
I told her I would do the same thing, and she said ‘you’re not allowed!’
Interesting, isn’t it?
No. No it isn’t.
posted by Arithon @ 4:20 AM
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