Symptoms of a Disease

Over the past eight months, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in thousands of miles of traffic. My current job as a Courtesy Patrol Driver isn’t my first driving position, but it’s the most demanding, both physically and mentally.  My workdays are unpredictable and require me to adapt to fluid situations such as Multiple Vehicle Accidents [MVA], Crime Scenes, and Medical Emergencies.

When I’m not dealing with a crisis, I’m searching for one, non-stop crash hunting along the Interstate Highway. This leaves me with an opportunity to observe my fellow Motorized Vehicle Operators. Like everything else within the Universe, driving skills are highly diverse. Unfortunately, High-Quality Driving Skill seems to be lacking coast to coast.

I’m confident that all of us have experienced something known as [merging traffic], particularly when exiting one highway onto another highway. In many cases, a hazardous bottleneck is generated. More often than not, when this happens, a large percentage of vehicle operators continue to shove onward regardless of everyone around them. Most of us have experienced a traffic jam; boiling over with drivers and their endless rantings. Senseless dispenses of time and energy.

I’ve made some discoveries. Let’s say I’m traveling in the right-hand lane [lane #3] with two lanes of traffic merging from another highway on my right. In addition, there’s an exit coming up one half-mile on the right. If I drop back five or six car lengths and allow everyone to find the lane they’re looking for, something remarkable happens. The entire section of the freeway opens up and immediately begins to function with its intended purpose. Yes, things are now moving forward. At least, temporarily.

I realize all of this may sound ridiculous, possibly even insulting. As obvious as it seems, I don’t see many drivers seizing the moment and stepping back from the chaos, thereby allowing traffic to function as it should. True power is knowing when and where to spend our energy.

Selfishness, Instant Gratification, and various levels of Narcissism have grown to degrees once unheard of within our world. Generation by generation, society has enabled an ugliness to take root and flourish. Sadly, some see it as part of their agenda—symptoms of what’s here.

Joseph Shanklin

May 1st, 2021