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November 22, 2005Driver Personality ChangeDoes your personality change behind the wheel? I know that mine does. I like to think of myself as an easy going, even tempered, rational person who can see the good in everyone. But once I get behind the wheel of a car all I can see are morons out to murder me with their incompetence as drivers. When I am driving it never fails to amaze me how the shallow end of the gene pool has been allowed to continue to breed and become licensed drivers. I am continually searching for the next knuckle dragger who will run a red light or make a left turn from the right lane. Not a day goes by that I have to save my life with superior driving skills to compensate for the lack of ability of those who surround me on the road. I also think of myself as an emotional chameleon; my aggressiveness behind the wheel is dictated by the vehicle I am driving. If I am driving my boring family car daily driver (a '03 Honda Accord LX four door) I drive like the gray-haired suburban dad. I am cautious and courteous on the road and I drive within the speed limit. I would never dream of dicing with other drivers nor would I ever weave through traffic. But if I am driving my hobby car, a 1987 Honda CRX Si that has been modified for performance driving, I change into a much more aggressive driver. Freeway on ramps are an opportunity to feel the power of my performance-built engine and twisting roads allow me to test the lateral adhesion of my upgraded suspension. I am always take care to never push the limits of the car, the road conditions or my abilities on the public road; testing the limits of a car belongs in a controlled environment like a race track. It could be argued that I dance right up to the limits of safe driving behavior in my hobby car while on the street, but I do not break the law when driving on the street. Posted by Scott at November 22, 2005 6:03 AM CommentsIn fact, most drivers on the road don't fully realize the responsibility they take on every time they get behind the wheel of a car. We've all been on the freeway, stopped by an accident. Well, those accidents are common and caused by a variety of irresponsible behaviors. Posted by: Jay Stevens at November 22, 2005 6:20 PM I think that AJ may be upset at this comment but... I have seen a radical change in my driving as I migrated from a wimpy 1.8 with a turbo to a smile-inducing 3.5 280HP engine. Now if your hobby car has this type of affect on your, what will it do to the mind and emotions of a 16-year-old boy in LA? I know what I was like behind the wheel of a '69 Firebird convertible. Fortunately, I have another 8 years before I have to worry about this in earnest. Posted by: Buck at November 23, 2005 11:54 AM Post a comment |
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