There are rude drivers in the world. This is not true just because I think so. Apparently, this is a classification used by auto insurance people to flag people who have any, or all, of the following infractions on their driving records:
Failure to yield.
Failure to stop.
Improper backing.
Passing where prohibited.
Tailgating.
Street racing.
Hit-and-run.
It is quite a list. Any time we get behind the wheel of our vehicles, it becomes a real crap-shoot. Just this week, two friends told me of road adventures where other drivers weren’t doing what they were supposed to be doing. One of these episodes resulted in a wreck. Thankfully, my friend was not injured.
Many people have turned to driving instead of flying because of our ongoing pandemic, which doesn’t need to be an ongoing pandemic, but continues to strangle our economy because people will not get vaccinated. But, I won’t tell you my opinion on non-vaxxers at this time, for I am talking about rude drivers.
So.
People. Driving.
To help us go on our merry way, the insurance companies have also identified the cities with the rudest drivers. I won’t list all 50 states here, but I’ll select a few for the readers I know who stop by the blog every day.
= Alabama: Phenix City. Drivers cited for rude behavior: 24.48 per 1,000 (31% ruder than state average)
= California: Rancho Cordova. Drivers cited for rude behavior: 65.37 per 1,000 (62% ruder than state average)
= Delaware: New Castle. Drivers cited for rude behavior: 22.96 per 1,000 (17% ruder than state average)
= Florida: Winter Park. Drivers cited for rude behavior: 45.66 per 1,000 (53% ruder than state average)
= Indiana: Hammond. Drivers cited for rude behavior: 31.07 per 1,000 (34% ruder than state average)
= Montana: Billings. Drivers cited for rude behavior: 27.41 per 1,000 (5% ruder than state average)
= New York: Schenectady. Drivers cited for rude behavior: 30.64 per 1,000 (36% ruder than state average)
= Ohio: Dayton. Drivers cited for rude behavior: 40.78 per 1,000 (16% ruder than state average)
= South Carolina: Mount Pleasant. Drivers cited for rude behavior: 31.55 per 1,000 (46% ruder than state average)
= Washington: Renton. Drivers cited for rude behavior: 46.15 per 1,000 (37% ruder than state average)
The highest rate I saw in any state, was Georgia with 62/1000 drivers.
Georgia: Hampton. Drivers cited for rude behavior: 62.35 per 1,000 (41% ruder than state average).
I only bring this up because I think rude behavior has been on the upswing in our society. There has been an influx in “studies” which have examined the increase of rude behavior in people.
One of those surveys reported that rude behavior can be as contagious as the common cold. I wish they’d come up with a vaccine for rudeness, although I doubt the people who need it the most would take the thing.
I know I’m getting older when I say things like “back in the day.” But. When I was a kid, we didn’t talk back. Not to our parents, not to our teachers, not to store clerks, waiters, airline attendants, or street sweepers. God only knows we never talked back to the nuns.
We just didn’t. We showed others respect. Yes, please. Thank you. May I?
I see a complete shift in this behavior from the ground up. I’m not sure what the answer might be, other than starting a mandatory curriculum in pre-school called human civility and compassion. Then, making it a requisite every year through college. That might help.
But today, I will be polite, kind, and compassionate in all that I do.
Even when I drive.
Thanks so much for reading today. Please, join me again soon. Pretty, pretty please. With sugar on top.
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“Always speak politely to an enraged dragon.”
― Steven Brust, Jhereg
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“Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners”
― Laurence Sterne
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“A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot.”
― Robert A. Heinlein, Friday
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Rude Drivers in Each State
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2021/09/19/rudest-drivers-by-state-2021-arizona/8381982002/
Toot, toot. Yeaaaahhhh. Beep, beep.
