Adversarial attitude to road use

[vifferman]

Way too much cock waiving in this country. Hopefully one day we grow up a bit.

I'd rather not 'waive' my member - I'm rather attached to it.

[slofox]

I see many instances of all these every week on Auckland roads. Most people are decent, most drivers reasonably courteous and (for cages, can't expect biker standards) reasonably competent.

Ixion, my intention was not to deny that consideration exists here. Perhaps I should have been more specific on that point. What I am trying to point out is that the presence of the angry drivers is more apparent here than I would like.

[PrincessBandit]

I posted similarly in the submissions thread. Our attitude on the road has a huge impact on how we control our vehicles, and generally I think NZers have a huge chip on their shoulder when they get behind the wheel. Or, for those who don't have that, it is more of a self-absorbed attitude than "I" am the only important person on the road and no-one is going to get in my way.

I have been guilty myself of getting annoyed with people who hare up the inside merging lane when they can see the lane tapers off ahead, but instead of merging like others (read "me") they barge on in further up the queue. To me that screams "get outta my way, I don't have to be considerate like anyone else". Maybe they've just had a bad day, or maybe I'm just petty. I would like to see people drive and ride more considerately to others, including pedestrians, cyclists etc.

rant over.

[NDORFN]

It's a dog eat dog world man.

[slofox]

I posted similarly in the submissions thread. Our attitude on the road has a huge impact on how we control our vehicles, and generally I think NZers have a huge chip on their shoulder when they get behind the wheel. Or, for those who don't have that, it is more of a self-absorbed attitude than "I" am the only important person on the road and no-one is going to get in my way.

I have been guilty myself of getting annoyed with people who hare up the inside merging lane when they can see the lane tapers off ahead, but instead of merging like others (read "me") they barge on in further up the queue. To me that screams "get outta my way, I don't have to be considerate like anyone else". Maybe they've just had a bad day, or maybe I'm just petty. I would like to see people drive and ride more considerately to others, including pedestrians, cyclists etc.

rant over.

When I see that sort of thing, I always wonder whether these same people would behave the same way in a supermarket queue - or any other queue for that matter...

[Ferkletastic]

I'd rather not 'waive' my member - I'm rather attached to it.

Plus it gets a bit cold at higher speed.

the attitude is weird though, this idea that controlling a thing you purchase that is capable of doing something (going fast) makes you more of a man is odd. I had somebody bragging at me about how he beat some car on the motorway on his litre bike like he'd won some great battle of manliness as opposed to simply twisting his wrist. It's an odd idea really.

[NDORFN]

When I see that sort of thing, I always wonder whether these same people would behave the same way in a supermarket queue - or any other queue for that matter...

Yes they do, I see it all the time. The ones who when there are two checkouts and one vague queue going first in first serve two whichever checkout frees up first, they skip the queue and bowl up to either checkout and when you hit them up about it they claim they thought the queue was for the other checkout.

[Ixion]

Ixion, my intention was not to deny that consideration exists here. Perhaps I should have been more specific on that point. What I am trying to point out is that the presence of the angry drivers is more apparent here than I would like.

True, very true. But I like to focus on the positive not the negative. Makes the day so much more pleasant

[YellowDog]

I see many instances of all these every week on Auckland roads. Most people are decent, most drivers reasonably courteous and (for cages, can't expect biker standards) reasonably competent.

I agree with this point.

It is not reasonable to expect car drivers, who quite often have severely limited driving abilities (due to how easy it is to pass a test) to have 'biker' standards of competency (like looking over their shoulder).

[slofox]

True, very true. But I like to focus on the positive not the negative. Makes the day so much more pleasant

I'll remember that...

[ManDownUnder]

I ask myself why we are so aggressive as road users and to be honest I don’t know.

We suffer from small penis syndrome (aka tall poppy syndrome) where we're never good enough in the eyes of ourselves or others.

Behind the wheel of a car we become invincible... and a force to be reckoned with.

It's stupid.

[AllanB]

Behind the wheel of a car we become invincible... and a force to be reckoned with.

But it's so warm and comfortable in there with good music playing and cup holders for your drinks etc.

Unlike the noisy, slow, under braked bits of crap I learned to drive in.

[SARGE]

i ask myself why we are so aggressive as road users and to be honest i don’t know.

try fixing your eyes and walking across nearly any big city street in the states and you'll find out how fast that idea lasts ..

[sunhuntin]

i noticed when riding down south that there was a lot less aggression. i didnt feel forced to ride faster than either the speed limit or my ability like i am up here. i think in two trips totally 4 weeks, i saw one driver who hacked me off, but there was a karma waiting around the corner in the form of a cop with a breathalyser. lmfao. .
ive also played pillion in canada, and found the driving standards there to be much the same as the south island. maybe its cos theres less traffic? or, not so much less traffic, but more room for it? dunno. its weird.

good post, fox, and congrats on the 2000 posts.

[paddy]

We New Zealand road users seem to have an adversarial attitude to road use. The other driver is always “an idiot” who is “out to kill me”.ie the other driver is deliberately trying to harm us and is therefore a worthy object of our righteous indignation.

Sounds a bit like a certain internet forum that we are all familiar with. :-)