Last weekend I enjoyed some wonderful rest and relaxation and play among friends at a friend's cabin near Cedar City. It was fabulous. And then Saturday night came and it was time to leave. I was in a vehicle with a friend. And we were traveling along, rather content, eagarly awaiting driving within range of 106.5's show tune Saturday. While en route back to Provo, we encountered an angsty driver. We were in the passing lane at the time, having just passed another vehicle. We were going 83 mph in an 80 mph zone. As we were driving thusly, a gentleman (and I use that term loosely...it would be more accurate to simply say an adult male) driving behind us was right on our tail and swerving.
Noting the non-gentleman's hurry and hazardous driving, we prepared to change lanes and signaled. However, he changed lanes and sped past us first, honking and displaying a rather disrespectful hand gesture as he sped past. Oh, it might also be prudent to mention that at this point it was dark and raining, and that the rain had intensified. As we watched the car going past, I believe I made a comment about slowing down and giving him plenty of space since he seemed rather unsafe. My friend made a comment (which proved prophetic) of how he could easily end up in an accident if he continued driving as he was. He did continue speeding and we soon saw he swerving back and forth up ahead, and then saw his headlights as he spun out of control and off the road. Yikes!
At this point, a normal person would perhaps have been worried or anxious or traumatized or something. Let's be honest, I really don't know how normal people think. But my thought pattern went straight to research. I was recently reading a research book that reported on the bystander effect and how often times in times of crisis, when there are several witnesses, no one calls and reports it or otherwise intervenes because they all assume that someone else will. This is called diffusion of responsibility, I believe. Well, despite wanting to assume that that another driver would report the accident, I decided to not be the part of the statistic that would not have acted, so I called and reported it to 911. A short while later I saw an emergency vehicle with lights on heading past us in the direction of where we had witnessed he going off the road.
So that was the adventure. And yet another reminder that thinking of social science research has become a reflex. I'm so cool.
1 comment:
I'm probably not a "normal" person either, but my first thought was that the jerk deserved it-- hopefully it'll teach him a lesson. What does that say about me? (Hypothetical question. I don't really want to know.) For the record, my subsequent thoughts were more charitable.
Glad you were safe! :o)
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