No. They all knew that.

dwight

The one point that I left out of the piece was this: situational
circumstances. I tried to focus on rush hour traffic (which is when the
foolishness that the Pros do is REALLY stupid), which has its own set of
rules.

But throughout the day we are faced with a variety of traffic volume, from
lunchtime crush to wide open roads. When I'm in traffic, I tend to be Joe
Citizen, Mr. Rules of the Road. Give me a very light volume or no traffic at
all, and I'm a completely different driver.

And this can flip back and forth several times on a single trip.

Put a passenger in my car, and I drive like a chauffeur. When I go out for
cigarettes at 9:00 in the evening, I'm a wild man. (A wild man with a keen
eye out for deer, of course.) The people in my own neighborhood would
probably swear that I never go faster than 15mph.

So I can understand why a race car driver might be seen driving
ultra-carefully on the street, but I'd be willing to bet that this isn't
always the case when he's behind the wheel.

dwight

Okay. I might agree with this. We'll add a fourth group: "Us".

Yes, one of my own personal rules states that no other driver should have to
brake for something I do - other than traditional moves, like slowing down
to turn.

(SINGLE BIGGEST PUSSY MOVE is when someone accelerates behind you and almost
clips your bumper when you turn off, usually having signalled your turn with
puh-lenty of warning.)

But here's the thing: I have been among the Lost, have hung out with the
Slow, and have been an arrogantly stupid Pro. I am all of these. I think
that all of us, at some point or another, DO fall into all three categories.
Or, as I like to say, "We're ALL road warriors."

That's why cooperation is key. Cooperation involves

1) recognition that the other guy is a driver just like you and just as
deserving of respect. Failing that, the understanding that the other driver
is at least somebody's father, mother, sister, brother, etc etc etc One
hopes that the Pros would NEVER want another PRO doing their silliness to
one of THEIR relatives, but they're perfectly content to do it to one of
yours.

and 2) forgiveness. Road rage ensues when one party refuses to forgive the
transgressor. The bottom line is that we ALL do something stupid every once
in a while (hold up your hands, all you perfect drivers who don't). We just
take turns doing it. If the guy in front of me does something stupid, well,
it was just his turn. Let's forgive and go on with our business, and we'll
all get where we're going in one piece.

dwight

I will daydream about how to spend the millions I'm going to win in the
lottery. It may LOOK like I'm paying attention (no cellphone, no eating, no
reading, etc.), but I've been shopping for mansions over the past few miles,
and can't really remember how I got where I am. I'm on auto-pilot.

Am I more or less dangerous than the guy on the cellphone?

dwight