Human Behavior Behind the Wheel

In a beach community with few police to patrol traffic, speed limits and signage become mere suggestions, not laws of the road. I'm amused daily by human behavior behind the wheel.

With a freewheeling approach to driving, if a car rolls a stop when no one is around it's like the tree falling in the forest.

I've seen a driver make a U-turn with coffee cup in one hand and a cell phone in the other. Dog in lap, legs and extended stomach control the steering wheel. Then the car turns a corner and pays no attention to the pedestrian in the middle of the street nearly creating a new hood ornament.

Pedestrians also have their challenges to cross in front of moving cars, trusting they will stop. Recently, a fellow waved me across the street with his cell phone in one hand, other fist up, disgruntled by my inconvenience.

I observed a man drive on the left side of the street to extend his letter into the mail box in front of the post office. He continued on the left side as three cars lined up facing him. He honked and threw his hands in the air.

My favorite behavior involved the woman who drove in circle after circle in the middle of a busy street waiting for someone to back out of a parking place. Cars piled up and honked until she finally decided to drive forward.

My Do Not Operate a Vehicle award goes to an elderly woman who reached the red light and decided she did not want to wait so backed her car half a block and into a restaurant parking area. Honking cars caused her to grimace and extend her finger salute.