Thursday, November 09, 2006

Assumptions and presuppositions

Do you ever get frustrated while driving?
Boy do I ever! To begin with I really dislike driving in the first place. I love the freedom and independence it gives me, and I would never go without it. But usually I am driving alone, which, for social me is pretty sucky.

So I am usually just trying to hurry up and get to where ever I am going (not speeding, just in attitude). And some days it feels like every other driver on the road has been purposefully put in my path to slow me down, and muck up my timing.

I know what you're thinking - easy Egotistical there Mira - the world does not revolve around you! And you're right, the impractically of every driver just waiting for me to hit the road, then doing everything in their power to mess with me leans the balance completely away from that theory.

But sometimes, despite my most rational efforts, I can't help but feel that way.

Now here's the funny part - when I get frustrated by other drivers I mutter the make or model of their car, as if it's a bad word. So if for example you cut me off, I would probably say something like "hmmm...Camry". Then For a few minutes I have a genuine dislike of all Camrys. And I always equate the license plate with the newness of the driver. So if your plate starts with an AW or AY or AZ I just figure you're a new driver, and I can add inexperience to the litany of reasons why I don't like you. The irony, I got a new car about a year ago, and my license plate starts with an AX. I am not however a new driver - I've been driving for 12 years (can you believe it's been 12 years already!)

I wonder what other drivers think about me?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Actually, Mir, whenever you go out we issue an APB to warn people to stay indoors. The drivers you are cursing were, unfortunately, already on the road when you went out.

It's interesting you do the license plate thing, I haven't done that myself. I do tend to dislike very large vehicles (which drive like bricks), and I will associate a rising car price with decreasing driving skill. But typically this only happens if I'm late for something, or a driver does something extraordinarily dangerous. (Or certain pet peeves, like chronic lane changing - especially without signals).

ghanima said...

I've got an intense distrust of black cars just 'cause the "hmmm...black car" reflex got used so often whenever I was driving. I'm firmly of the belief that people who choose black cars are predisposed to being awful drivers.

Anonymous said...

Out of curiousity.. what you think of people with custom plates. :)
I typically don't equate new plates with new drivers. People will often get new plates with a new (new or new to them) car because it is often times easier than transferring the old one over.

I like driving and actually don't mind driving alone, it's one of the few places that I get to listen to and enjoy music. I can also sing along if I feel like without offending anyone else's ears. :) The only time i don't enjoy driving is in grid locked traffic. (Who does?)

MiraFabulous said...

I like custom plates, it's like a travelling trivia game.
And you know how I feel about trivia!

Joy said...

I like custom plates if they make sense (or at least appear that they could be a shortwave radio address). I've seen "NO1 DOTR" and "LV2 LRN" recently. When they don't make sense to me, though, I find it frustrating. What's the point of customizing a plate if your message isn't going to make sense to anyone but you?

Know what I found funny, though? When I was up in Aurora in July getting my G2, I spotted a car that had a plate that I think was simply "NSF"...and was a sporty red convertible. I took it that the owner had blown all his money on this fancy ride and now all his cheques were bouncing "NSF."

Later, I heard a young man who'd just come out of the licensing office talking on his cell phone. Apparently he didn't get his G (I only assume he was going for his G because he had no co-driver with him), because he said to the person on the phone, with a smirk in his voice, "Yeah, apparently I'm a dangerous driver." He got into the sporty red "NSF" convertible and drove away.

I guessed he was just generally a reckless person. (Either that, or his examiner was not impressed by his license plate and marked him extra hard, but I tend to believe the recklessness theory more.)

Anonymous said...

Hmm... I never thought to pay attention to these things either.

Incidentally, I think I'll pull out my ACWN plates for my next car. Might as well nip this in the bud for anyone that DOES pay attention.