Common Sense or Research?
A few mornings ago, I was in bed listening to the news. One of the stories was about road rage. In Colorado, there are 3,000 reported cases of road rage a month and the number is increasing. One of our communities hired a researcher to find out why. The reason? The Holidays. There are more people at the malls and they are stressed. Gosh, that’s a surprise a few days before Christmas and all!
I called a friend of mine at the city and had them look into it. That little bit of information cost $65,000. I could have done it for $1.27. How?
I stopped at a coffee shop this morning. Two cars, each going different directions, tried to get the same parking space. It’s 6:15 in the morning and people are already fighting over parking spaces. Both drivers got out of their cars, threw their arms in the air as if they were the only person in the world to be offended by such an unjust act and couldn’t figure out why God hadn’t stuck the other person dead yet. Of course, a verbal exchange took place. It ended when one of them walked back to their car and said, “Well, you have a Merry $#^^%%*& ^^%&^& Christmas too, you stupid )(*&^&&!!.”
Did, I happen to mention it was 6:15 in the morning? I could have saved the city $64,998.73 had they just called and asked. They could have just paid for my coffee.
A year ago, on December 18, I made a post called Holiday Rage, no one read it or at least no one left a comment. Funny, it seems fitting to post it again. Here it is:
Holiday Rage
Ah, the Holidays! Nothing helps get you in the mood for the holidays quite like a dusting of fresh snow on the ground. Then seeing the grill of a green car shoved up the muffler of a red truck with flashing lights all-around. It really sets the tone for the holidays. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
Of course, two ladies doing hand-to-hand combat over the last sale item at a local department store can get you in the spirit as well. Neither one stopping to think they probably have boxes of them.
It is also quite festive to have the person in front of you shriek at the cashier that she has just spent the past two hours shopping for the ‘perfect’ gift and she doesn't care what the bank says about her credit limit.
Variations of these same experiences will be played out in communities throughout the nation. Proving that even road rage has a seasonal side and has transformed into Holiday Rage. All these incidents detract from the joy that the holiday season should bring. With that in mind, here are some holiday survival tips.
· Spend as much time as possible with people you like. You'll be around the others the rest of the year.
· You do not have to over spend. The national debt will increase without your help.
· There is no such thing as the perfect gift. Be thankful for what you get and equally thankful for what you are able to give.
Be mindful of the real reason for the Season. It is indeed a season of joy.
I called a friend of mine at the city and had them look into it. That little bit of information cost $65,000. I could have done it for $1.27. How?
I stopped at a coffee shop this morning. Two cars, each going different directions, tried to get the same parking space. It’s 6:15 in the morning and people are already fighting over parking spaces. Both drivers got out of their cars, threw their arms in the air as if they were the only person in the world to be offended by such an unjust act and couldn’t figure out why God hadn’t stuck the other person dead yet. Of course, a verbal exchange took place. It ended when one of them walked back to their car and said, “Well, you have a Merry $#^^%%*& ^^%&^& Christmas too, you stupid )(*&^&&!!.”
Did, I happen to mention it was 6:15 in the morning? I could have saved the city $64,998.73 had they just called and asked. They could have just paid for my coffee.
A year ago, on December 18, I made a post called Holiday Rage, no one read it or at least no one left a comment. Funny, it seems fitting to post it again. Here it is:
Holiday Rage
Ah, the Holidays! Nothing helps get you in the mood for the holidays quite like a dusting of fresh snow on the ground. Then seeing the grill of a green car shoved up the muffler of a red truck with flashing lights all-around. It really sets the tone for the holidays. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
Of course, two ladies doing hand-to-hand combat over the last sale item at a local department store can get you in the spirit as well. Neither one stopping to think they probably have boxes of them.
It is also quite festive to have the person in front of you shriek at the cashier that she has just spent the past two hours shopping for the ‘perfect’ gift and she doesn't care what the bank says about her credit limit.
Variations of these same experiences will be played out in communities throughout the nation. Proving that even road rage has a seasonal side and has transformed into Holiday Rage. All these incidents detract from the joy that the holiday season should bring. With that in mind, here are some holiday survival tips.
· Spend as much time as possible with people you like. You'll be around the others the rest of the year.
· You do not have to over spend. The national debt will increase without your help.
· There is no such thing as the perfect gift. Be thankful for what you get and equally thankful for what you are able to give.
Be mindful of the real reason for the Season. It is indeed a season of joy.
posted by Ralph at 8:25 PM
10 Comments:
I had to help a woman onto the elevator and into a door at work this week. She was carrying a crockpot full of hot food and had a shopping bag full of gifts looped on her forearm. Her face was red and she was sweating. I could only imagine how she got all this stuff into her car and drove to work. Then she asked me what I was bringing to the company "Graze Day". I told her I was going to Taco Bueno for lunch instead.
Call me crazy.
First of all, the fact that it was 6:15 a.m. is enough in my book to warrant rage, holiday or otherwise. You will seldom find a meaner person than myself in the morning.
That being said, I see your point. I experienced a little road rage myself today when an older gentleman drove under the speed limit and swerved all over the road when I couldn't pass him, and then floored the gas when I finally could. Then a lady pulled out of the bank and onto the road in front of me without ever stopping, let alone looking for traffic. I slammed on the brakes to avoid an accident. Some days you just know the Cosmic Forces are aligned against you; I went home and stayed there.
Are the holidays a factor in my struggles today? Probably. I can see spiked eggnog causing the first situation and shopping/financial stress causing the second.
So you're right: $1.27 should have covered it.
I see that "rage" during the holiday season and during the spring and summer surges.
I agree wholeheartedly with you that now should be a season of joy. Well-said.
Well Ralph, not everybody didn't not read it. I read it.
Good post. I do like being able to look out the window and see nothing going on. Kind of settles a person down. I don't know how you survive in the traffic. I'm sure by now, I would have armed my self and been incarcerated.
Ralph, My dad and I have two opposite types of road rage. He gets upset at the aggressive drivers and I get upset at the slow drivers. Someone just has to pass Cliff on the highway while he is going the speed limit and he is ready for a brawl. I myself try to keep it at the speed limit but people that go under the speed limit burn me up. I think a lot of the problem isn't aggressive drivers, it is slow drivers. At every busy intersection all day long, there is someone, that when the light turns green, they have to come back from la la land, put their mind in gear, and slowly pull away. One car like this can keep 2 or 3 others from getting through on the green. That backs it all up, causing me to feel that I'm wasting my time there, then I want to drive aggressive. Then I accelerate past an innocent bystander like Cliff, who gets mad at me for thinking I'm more important than everyone else. And all this started from ol' Henry up there who forgot to take his meds and forgot where he was. Sure I am more in the wrong than right on the road, but I just don't want to spend my day driving. I want to know who you are on the road Ralph. Are you a Cliff, Dan, or an Ol' Henry? By the way, I'm not leaving a comment, just sayin'.
Dan, you should be particularly happy about aggressive drivers. They put food on your table.
Ralph. An outstanding post.
I enjoyed the "road-rage" comments from the Morrows, too. Speaking of which, I don't mind sharing my streets and interstates with other folks at all. I just wish they'd get outta my way and stay behind me.
I stopped by to wish you and yours a very happy and blessed Christmas.
Excellent post Ralph! I hate it when people get on my bumper because they think I'm going to slow, and I'm doing the speed limit, especially on our road. I immediately get slower! I figure it's okay to let them stew a while!
I think the worse road rage directed at me is when I'm driving in unfamiliar territory and so I'm slower and looking for street signs, etc. People around here are pretty friendly. I have found drivers in other states to be far more rude and agressive in their driving!
It is a season of joy indeed, but I don't think we need road rage anytime. I think people need more patience and to take things in stride. I think we need to ask ourselves, "What would Jesus do?"
Jerry - I have had to "miss" a few of those due to meetings and the fact I hate potlucks. Good choice with Taco Bueno.
Aravis - I'm just taking a wild guess here but I'd say you're not much of a morning person.
GEL - yeah, it should. I think there is way too much pressure looking for that "perfect" gift.
Cliff - Thanks for reading it last year. Looking out and seeing nothing happen is a good thing. As far as the traffic we'll have to discuss that some other time (I'll buy).
Dan - I'd have to say I am a Clian (half Cliff, half Dan). I try to drive the speed limit, slower if I have too. I have reviewed the paperwork necessary when people I work with get a ticket. It is a lot of paperwork. Plus, it just wouldn't look right on the form if I answered the question why did you you receive this ticket and I filled it in "I was speeding trying to get to a meeting I didn't want to go to in the first place". It just doesn't sound right.
Paul - thanks for stopping by and Merry Christmas to you. Let me know when you are in Colorado and I'll stay behind you.
Rachel - I read your post before leaving tonight then a 10 minute drive turned into a 55 minute one. So, I pondered the What would Jesus do question. Remember the fig tree that didn't have fruit, so He had it wither and die. While pondering your question in that traffic I started laughing, one answer would be stalled cars.
What would Jesus do? He would find a lake or river to drive over as a short cut!
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