Ugly UGly UGLy!!!!

In 2 weeks time, I will be a certified bus driver! (Hopefully) I went to take up a course to obtain a vocational bus license with my sis after my father wanted us to. The course lasted for 1½ days, purely theory. *phew* What was interesting about the course is that all the instructors that taught us mentioned about the “un-graciousness” of the Singapore driving culture. Some examples we see on the road:

• The impatience of the driver behind a car that is dropping off a passenger. You take longer than 3 seconds; you’ll either get a horn or a stare from the driver behind.
• When someone wants to overtake you, rather than slowing down, you speed up to prevent the car from overtaking you.
• Because of our impatience, we speed and beat red lights.
• In an accident, we are more concerned about the damage done to our car than if anyone got injured.

The list can go on but this particular question struck me. The instructor asked: “Why do we not beat the red light?” And one of the answer he got was “So that the camera will not capture our car license plate and get fine + demerit points”. The class broke out in laughter. It was here that the instructor mentioned that Singaporean drivers are too self-centered. Shouldn't the reason we don’t beat the red light be because we don’t want to endanger our own lives and others? Do we not value lives more important that the fine and demerit points?

This simple example really brings out the ugliness of man. It is a sad but real situation we are experiencing here. But what’s the real problem? Is it the lack of skill or education? Or the condition of the vehicle and the roads? It is the sin of man. Impatience, wanting to have the right of way all the time, inconsideration, pride etc., it is these things that really need to be sorted out. Defensive riding and theory lessons can never change that. Only the grace of God can.

God help me be a gracious and considerate driver…