learning then changing behaviorthat is our current form of evolution
not everyone is evolving
as much as we may need an additional set of thumbs for our Blackberry or alternate text messaging device
I just do not think that we will experience that sort of evolution
no
we will not grow a third arm
so that we can always have an upper appendage in the right angle position holding a phone to our ear
no
we must suffer with two arms
forfeiting one of those arms for phone usage because were are too cheap to buy a cable at Radio Shack for 6.95
hands free technology is there...
but it goes unused... except for the Trekies with their Blue Tooth devices
I am evolving
I am growing
I am changing
inside
all the changes are happening inside
yesterday as I left from work I waited for the light to change so that I could cross the street in the crosswalk
in an impatient manner I did little circles
trying to time things such that when my Icon of the Walking Man started blink in white I could roll across the street and head my way home
on one of my final turns I saw that it was soon to be my turn
never taking my turn without waiting for things to be clear I watched for cars speeding down the block
always anticipating that there will be three or four cars pushing through that Red Light
with no concern of car or pedestrian traffic
just the need to progress forward at any or all costs
now...
I can not tell you if the light had turned yellow, red, or was still in the last second of green
but I did notice that there was an irrate driver behind the wheel leaning on the horn
cell phone in hand this driver honked impatiently at the car in front of him
again
I was not so focused on the behavior in front of me
as such behavior is so everyday that it hardly catches my attention
so I did not notice if the car in the lead had slowed for pedestrian traffic, had a stalled engine, or was unsure if they wanted to proceed left or straight
all I knew was that this person behind them was in a rush and letting the world know this by honking their horn
so when my little circle on my cycle brought me facing the direction of traffic I caught a glance of the man in the little blue car with the honking horn and cell phone in hand
I recognized him...
I had experienced his rushed behavior before
it is a story for another day...
but I will tell some basics
months before I was getting married I was out walking the dogs with my then girlfriend now wife
we were going on an unusual out of the ordinary path
not the usual woods loop
but a more urban bike path trajectory on foot with the dogs at our side
the day was rainy and cold
we were a tad stressed as the property we lived in was being shown to be sold
when in a crosswalk in Rock Creek Park going across Calvert Street we moved briskly across the road when there was space between the obnoxiously fast cars
the uphill traffic was speeding down towards me
there was a car going well faster than the recommended 25 MPH limit
as they got closer they leaned on their horn
as I stepped off the crosswalk onto the side of the street they swerved towards me
in an impluse reaction I gave the car a little kick
until this point in my life I had never kicked a car before
in short
the car pulled over
the car was dented
the man was irrate
there was a large dent that looked like a motorcycle had t-bone the vehicle at high speed
to my dismay
there was an officer 20 yards away who saw.... not the whole thing
but the kick
I was arrested and put in jail for the day for processing
the ugliness continued
there were fines/penalties/court dates/more court dates/and community service
it was a humbling experience
it was a learning experience
I evolved from that experience
I learned that my behavior was wrong
while society...
well
society never saw my side of things
society never told this driver that his speeding or his aggression was inappropriate or wrong
I grew from that experience
I am humbled by that experience
I am nothing short of embarressed by that experience
if I had a time machine would I go back in time and alter that experience from my history?
no... i would use that time machine for a greater good
like buying AOL or Windows Stock early on
but... I have altered my behavior
I have controled my behavior
I have tried to be more an animal of thought rather than an animal of reaction
while this driver...
I am not sure if his hand is glued to the steering wheel with no other function other than honking the horn
but
in the two situations I have seen him behind the wheel he has proven to be an very tense driver with no concern for anyone but himself
no... it is not fair to generalize about his driving behavior across the board from this experience
but
I delt with this man in the courts and since then
and well....
he never said anything about his understanding that pedestrians have rights
and that
cars need to slow down
no...
it is all about him
the story is long
and well
the story is painful
to really tell the story would force me to relive the emotions
I lack the energy to relive those emotions
that reactive action was a black cloud over my head
the outcome was not tradgic
but the outcome could have been tradgic
I could have been run down by the irrate driver
before or after the kick
the driver could have been a gun totting psycho-path
seeking justice after the kick
things could have played out differently across the board
sadly...
things could have been different
the officer could have not been there 20 yards away issueing a ticket
not there to see the kick and the dent
and well
I could have gone on my way
but
that is not the way it happened
the way things happened is part of my education
part of my understanding of traffic and human interaction on the road
I am a better person for my failures
as for this guy...
I do not think he ever saw that he was in the wrong
even if he charged me and my two dogs with no concern for the wet roads and his reaction time
he was just in a rush to get where he was going
and the sucker outside on the street was in his way
that is a problematic stretch of road
each and every day there are runners, walkers, and cyclists at risk
at risk because of the over inflated sense of importance that people get behind the wheel