Road Etiquette and the Decline of Civility in America
How sharenting, trauma dumping, and poor driving etiquette are only symptoms of a broader problem.
“Just chill!” The white-bearded man shouted from his lifted black truck, holding his hand out with his palm flat to make a stopping gesture. His truck was in front of me, eating up both the right and left lanes. I’d heard of double parking, but double driving?
Behind me, people honked while grimacing and shouting in frustration, as if this was my fault. I tried again to drive left around him, and he again swerved his truck, forcing me to either pull into the lane with oncoming traffic, or return to my position behind him — so I yielded.
I couldn’t believe it. The dotted white line was going directly under the middle of his truck, as he opined on, waving his hands in his car, explaining some unseen point to his passenger. A small and evil part of me wished I lived in a post-apocalyptic Mad Max universe, and had spiked wheels that I could clip the guys truck with — without consequence. But I resisted the urge to escalate, as road rage is not something to toy with.
It was but another day in Florida, and America for that matter. His poor driving etiquette is a symptom of a broader decline in basic manners. But is it…
