When the car starts, why does the brain stop?

by Todd Carlson

Oct 17, 2007

Many readers have probably experienced road rage or have been a victim of it. I know I have – both, in fact. Whether it be driving at excessive speeds or screaming obscenities at another driver, what is it that causes our brains to become unglued while driving an automobile?

Once we are safely strapped into our vehicles, it is as if we develop some super powers where we are safe from all that is around us. When someone does something dangerous — be it on purpose or accidentally — you will often see another driver making gestures or spewing profanities. Somehow a vehicle creates this false notion that we are safe from all that is around us, and that we can make our anger visibly clear.

But we don’t do this face-to-face. How often has someone suddenly come out of an aisle at the grocery store and hit your cart? Has there ever been an incident of grocery cart rage where a person has started berating another customer for accidentally blocking the aisle?

Why not? Is it because there isn’t that false sense of security that we have when immersed in our steel buckets? Or is it because starting to yell at someone face-to-face over something stupid or accidental is just rude?

I can recall having learned my lesson about 15 years ago after gesturing to a guy who had cut me off. This fellow came into the same parking lot as me and, upon exiting his vehicle, started walking toward my car. Suddenly, he was no longer cocooned in his car and now this was going to be face-to-face. I didn’t get out and decided to drive away with a lesson learned.

Young males often develop serious brain cramps behind the wheel. The recent incident near Bolton where two women were killed after a pair of brothers crashed — each while excessively speeding in separate cars — is a perfect example of young men putting their brains into park upon starting their cars.

Is there any reason to be driving along at 40 or 50 km/h — or higher — above the speed limit?

When I was younger I thought there was. Having owned a Ford Mustang with a V8 engine while in my early-to-mid-20s, there were occasions where I slightly exceeded the speed limit.

Was it for the thrill? Now that I’m older I cannot answer that with certainty. But I do know that it was stupid.

Two particular incidences of driving far too fast stand out in my head.

Late one night my (then-to-be) wife and I were driving north on Hwy. 404 when a carload of young guys driving a GM Sunbird wanted to race. Knowing how fast that particular car could go, I crept slightly past 185 km/h — just enough to toy with them. Then, literally in mid-laugh, a motorcycle roared by as if I was standing still. And then two more zoomed past us going just as fast.

It was the motorcycles which put the speed into perspective for me.

The other example, which I won’t go into great detail about, involved both myself and a friend in the OPP. Suffice to say, we discovered that his cruiser couldn’t even come close to keeping up with my Mustang but the next day we noticed that both of my front tires were showing some steel belts in a few spots. Thinking of what could have happened was scary and an eye-opener.

However, it was coming across a serious accident that really taught me just how dangerous a car could be.

Late one night I drove upon a single-car accident on Hwy. 12. Emergency vehicles had not yet arrived, and, having been trained in advanced first aid, I stopped to offer assistance.

The carnage was incredible. No one knew if speed was the cause, but even if the driver had been travelling at the posted limit, there was still incredible damage to the car and to herself. The memory of climbing inside a vehicle and being inches from her completely destroyed face (afterwards I realized I knew the woman, but due to her injuries she was unrecognizable) and the sounds her body made as she died still stay with me today.

This may sound morbid, but part of me believes that every driver needs to experience what I did in order to learn how dangerous an automobile can be. If what I saw was the result of regular driving, imagine what a high-speed crash would be like.

The automobile also seems to create a “me first” mentality.

How many people have driven into a strip mall or big-box retailer’s parking lot and found one lane of traffic being blocked by an idiot who feels that he/she can park right at the front doors? This is often seen in strip malls that have a bank or a convenience store. I’d like to know where I can get one of those special “privileged parking” passes so I can park in a fire lane and disrupt the flow of traffic.

I may have to start doing this. Now, keep in mind that I’m a busy guy. Those extra 30 seconds that it would have taken to walk from the parking lot to the front doors of the store could come in valuable later in the day.

“But I’m just running into the bank for a minute!” you may be saying.

I’ve felt like saying it and have seen others making faces indicating they are thinking it. But I never have. Finally though, through the false sense of safety afforded by my computer, I have the tool to do it. So for those of you who feel that you have the impunity to park wherever you so desire, read this very slowly in order to comprehend it and think about it next time you park where you are not supposed to.

See the parking lot just 25 metres away? It’s where your car is supposed to go. See that “No Parking” or “Fire Lane” sign? Believe it or not, it really does apply to you. It boggles my mind that you can think you are so damn special that you can simply park in a driving lane and block other vehicles. And turning your four-way flashers on doesn’t make a bit of difference either.

“It’s OK…I turned my four-ways on…I’ll just be a minute….giggle… giggle…”
I don’t think so.

Quit being so damn selfish and lazy and park with the rest of us where you’re supposed to.

Writer’s rage. Who would have seen that coming when I sat down and started typing?