Aggressive Driving

Most of us know it when we see it, but National Highway Traffic Saftey Admininstration (NHTSA), defines aggressive driving as occurring when "an individual commits a combination of moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property". Drivers who engage in aggressive driving tend to let their stress or frustration out on the other motorists. In 2009 the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reported that, “[a] total of 119,475 people were killed in crashes involving potentially-aggressive actions".

119,000 people died from road rage in 2009? Wow, those numbers are staggering!  

Today I was on my way home from the store and this car flew by me, cut me off and almost swerved into the side walk. All in a matter of seconds I noticed that the driver was using the cell phone while committing this heinous act of careless driving. I felt a bit of rage stir inside me, took a breath and let it go, so I can keep my driving ‘safe’ to the other commuters around me.

Road rage can be a common factor for almost every person driving, had I been in the wrong state of mind, I probably would of chased them down and shook my fist at them with the “your my number one fan” gesture on my finger. ;)

So here are my words of wisdom to my fellow drivers out there: Remember that we are powerless over the actions of others but we have complete power of our own actions while driving.

I don’t always drive a car, but when I do I drive safe my friends!

Don’t Trash Arizona

Why do people do litter? This is a question I constantly ask myself. When I look around and see litter in on sidewalks, in flowerbeds, by the sewage gutters, or even worst outside of an empty trash can, I can’t help but cringe inside. When I drive down a main road and see a bunch of litter along the sides the embankments, I ask the question, "Why the person or people did not leave this litter in their car's until they have stopped or arrived at their destination, then throw it away properly?" Perhaps people learn how to be careless by watching others throw their trash where it doesn’t belong. It is a question that will forever baffle me.

Some of the blame could be blamed on that the local city councils, whom do not provide enough trash bins around local surrounding areas such as, in-between bus stops. I feel that even if the city took action in providing more trashcans people would still fail to comply with using them. I believe this because I have seen trash accumulated around a perfectly empty trash can at a bus bench. I find this quite depressing knowing that someone could be that lazy as to not throw their trash in a bin which is less than 5 feet away.

Photo By: Rachel Wetle 2012

 

I was on the website www.DontTrashAZ.com and did a little research on how much litter is actually accumulated on our highways. I was very astonished to find out that close to 150,000 bags are collected annually, that total doesn’t even account for other bags being collected on a city level.  

This problem hits taxpayers in the pockets, because the trash doesn’t magically disappear, someone has to clean it up and unfortunately they won’t do this job for free. So please if you know someone who litters or just littered ask them to do their part and put it where it belongs, in a trashcan.

While I was on the website I took the pledge to do my part with not littering, if you would like to join me please use this direct link to the pledge: http://donttrashaz.com/secure-your-load/pledge-2 

"Some believe that one small piece of trash won't matter, but those small pieces have added up to a giant problem" www.DontTrashAZ.com

Respectfully,

Rachel W.