Letter to the Editor: St. George drivers have taken on the mantra of ‘Get out of my way or I’ll kill you!’

September 29, 2018 Utah Channel 3

OPINION — In all the time I’ve been in the traffic safety game I’ve never been able to find a satisfactory answer to a very fundamental question: Why do we drive the way we do? More to the point – why do we drive the way we do in St. George?

As our city has grown and the driving risks have multiplied – rather than taking greater care to avoid danger – drivers here have gone from courteous and comfortable to “Get out of my way or I’ll kill you!”

Traffic laws and rules of the road are virtually ignored. Why? Wherever you go in this town it’s still no more than 10 minutes away, so what’s the point in wasting all that expensive gas, wearing out your brakes before their time, shortening the life of your car on our not-so-well paved streets and maybe shortening your own life while you’re at it? I’m no shrink but here are a few theories:

Theory #1 – The Violence Factor

Several generations have grown up saturated in violence – real and contrived. As a result of this overexposure we’ve become desensitized to the consequences of reckless behavior in general and reckless driving in particular. Yes, the threat’s there but it isn’t real, goes the myth. It’ll never happen to me, so what’s the problem? We’ve understood this phenomenon for a long time and its influence on our driving – but so what? There’s big money in violence so rock on!

Solutions – There are none.

We’ve become insatiable consumers of violence, but we’re in denial. So this condition will be a very long time going away, if ever. Too many of us will learn the hard way.

Only when you’ve experienced up-close-and-personal the heart-stopping instant when you first realize what’s about to happen and it registers that you’re powerless to prevent it, and you desperately want to stop the clock – only then will you understand the real meaning and consequences of roadway violence. Until then you will continue to drive as you do.

Theory #2 – The Attitude Factor

The 1960s brought revolutionary social change. It was the beginning of the “material” era. Attitudes changed. We became wasteful – If it stops working, throw it away. We became selfish – If it makes you feel good, do it. But most of all we became unwilling to wait – Do it now, have it now and get there now!

These attitudes have manifested themselves in a multitude of ways which we could never have imagined including the onset of an aggressive driving style never before seen in history. These attitudes have become accepted and now dominate our behavior.

Solutions – There are none.

After more than a half century these traits are thoroughly ingrained. According to my friends in local law enforcement “impatience” is the leading cause of death and injury here as well as statewide. Impatience is an attitude – a bad attitude! Failure to yield is the No. 1 cause of collisions in Washington County. Do you see the connection?

Only when you’ve experienced that sickening “crump” as your two-ton machine collides with another and – provided you’re still conscious – you see, hear and feel the sights, sounds and feelings of dread that go along with it. Only then will you understand the real consequences of this kind of driving behavior. Until then you will continue to drive as you do.

Theory #3 – The Race-for-the-Rush Factor

In my opinion our quest for the ultimate “rush” has had more to do with obsessive-compulsive behind-the-wheel behavior than any other single factor. Name almost any activity today and we’ve likely invented an “extreme” version to go along with it.

These are ordinary activities which we turn into potentially deadly pursuits for the sole purpose of achieving the all-important rush. The greater the risk, the greater the rush. Like violence, though, “extreme” sells, so it won’t be going away any time soon.

Solutions – There are none

If you’re determined to go to the extreme and defy the odds, that’s your business, but get it off the streets! If you must speed, take it to the desert. If you must tailgate, take it to the track. If you must risk death or injury, do it where you won’t take someone else with you.

Only when you’ve experienced that mind-numbing instant when you realize you’re going too fast to stop before you kill the child who just darted into the street – only then will you understand that “extreme” has no place on public streets and highways. Until then you will continue to drive as you do.

Is the race for the rush worth the risk?

Submitted by BOB SEARS, St. George resident, business owner, author and freelance writer. He can be reached at boge007@msn.com.

Letters to the Editor are not the product of St. George News, its editors, staff or news contributors. The matters stated and opinions given are the responsibility of the person submitting them. They do not reflect the product or opinion of St. George News and are given only light edit for technical style and formatting.

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