Driving brings out two very different sides of my personality. My repressed wicked-mean side comes out when people drive too slowly, or pull out in front of me, or do anything that deviates in any way from my preferred driving style. Sometimes driving makes me angry at the world. Of course I don't technically believe in even joking about hating specific people, but I make exceptions in generalizing about the whole human race. When I finally manage to get around the 5-mph-under-the-speed-limit person in front of me only to pull up behind the 10-mph-under-the-speed-limit person two blocks down the road, I begin to reminisce fondly about the drivers in Israel, who beep their horns in one long continuous blast when they are stuck in traffic jams. Oh to be able to release the tension in such an eloquent manner. Of course this is frequently right before I see that the driver is a very small, frightened looking woman, toward whom I couldn't possibly feel any lasting rancor.
But then there are the times when driving brings feelings of harmony with my fellow man. The flashed lights that mean "I see you are never going to get out of that side road without some kind soul letting you in, so here I am to be the kind soul" fill me with gratitude, and a little more faith in humanity, even when I am not the one being let into traffic. But even more I am in awe of the four-way stop. It speaks to me of harmony and order and the rule of law. Here is an intersection that could be a disaster, with the aggressive drivers zipping through and the timid ones stuck for hours. But instead each acts in the proper order, deferring when necessary and taking the lead when necessary. I usually feel very bonded with whoever else is at the intersection with me, although I don't break up the careful choreography of the moment to tell them so.
Driving, therefore, can be a very emotional part of my day. They should warn you about these things in driver's ed.
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