A Plea to Car Drivers

It’s almost been ten years since I’ve driven an automobile. In this decade I’ve rarely even been in a car and those have mostly been short hops in taxis to and from rail stations. When I see people in American movies driving around suburbia I shudder in fear of having to live a life in which a car plays an important role. I see people in cars here in Valencia and for the most part they look angry, stressed, and in a huge hurry. It’s so strange to see drivers taking insane risks just to get wherever the hell they are going a few seconds sooner. If I never drove a car again I’d die a happy man and probably not in a car accident.

I have a simple rule in life: I’m never in a hurry unless I can do something about it, something that doesn’t jeopardize anyone else. If I can walk faster or ride faster to bridge the gap between on time and late then I will do that. Driving like a complete asshole because you weren’t bright enough to leave five minutes sooner seems like a terrible plan for everyone involved, and unfortunately I may be involved if I have the grave misfortune of crossing your path. So maybe you should do everyone a favor and leave ten minutes sooner so you don’t kill any innocent bikers or bystanders. I don’t want to be part of your collateral damage.