Stupid Drivers: Slowing Others Down Slows You Down Too

I love Word Pictures because they help memorably convey important life lessons using common, relatable things around us. 

Here’s something we all can relate to: stupid drivers!

It’s been said everyone thinks 3 things about themselves:  

• They’re funny
• They’re great lovers
• They’re great drivers

Too bad we’re all legends in our minds!

I’m an overachiever, but despite how much I try I can’t make speed limits “suggested minimums.” 

I like fast cars and have owned a few over the years.  After buying a Jeep SRT I even went through the Chrysler/Dodge SRT version of the Richard Petty Driving School at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway to learn how to drift, among other things. 

OK, I like to drive fast, but most of the time I was speeding. I was trying to get somewhere or do something. I describe myself as having 2 speeds: zoom or zero. Zoom helps me get a lot done in the day, but it’s really frustrating when I want to zoom and can’t.

Ever have someone ride your tail thinking you’re driving too slow?  That hasn’t happened to me that often. If someone is crazy enough to want to pass me I let them so they can “run interference” and get the speeding ticket instead of me!

What do you do when someone cuts you off?

What if they DARE to cut you off, hit the skids, then drive slow in front of you? When I was younger I, of course, got angry, sped up, tried to cut them off and do the same thing to them. Too bad it never proved anything, except I was stupid enough to be willing to let them upset me. Often that one little inconvenience would ruin my mood all day. Imagine how dumb I felt when I realized I let stupid drivers have control over my mood, my happiness? Basically I realized I sometimes let my mood or happiness be impacted by the actions of others.  Not cool.

Do you know what the problem is with cutting someone else off just to slow down? Nowadays it could get you shot in a road rage incident. Aside from that, consider this: if I like going fast, I actually punish myself if I slow down to make them go slow. My time is too valuable to waste it on slowing other people down; especially when it slows me down in the process. I get there faster, and with less frustration, by just avoiding the stupid drivers. Same thing works if you avoid stupid people, stupid situations, things that pull you down, or that sets you off in bad mood. You get the idea.

Choose not to let other drivers make you mad.

Sidenote: I once had a very bad temper, and anything that didn’t go my way ticked me off. Over time I pushed a lot of people away with my foul attitude. I tried everything to change. Nothing worked until I realized I didn’t like the control others had over me, or how I felt, when I let things make me angry. I learned I could choose to not let actions or words make me mad. 

I didn’t ignore problems, I just learned ways to deal with them so they wouldn’t ruin my mood or day, or control my life. For instance, avoiding the stupid driver is a way to deal with the problem. Don’t mistake me controlling my anger as weakness, or giving in. I promise you controlling anger is harder than giving into it, but worth it. I vowed to never let my mood or happiness be dependent on the actions of others, so I try to never let others control me by getting me angry.

What’s the point of this Word Picture?

• Things we do to slow others down slows ourselves down in the process.
• We can choose to control our anger, and whether we let anyone or anything else else affect our happiness.
• Don’t waste your time with stupid people or stupid things.
• Its best to simply ignore stupid drivers and stupid people altogether. It’s not worth the frustration or waste of time. 
• I won’t let my mood or happiness be affected by the actions of stupid drivers or stupid people. 
• My life is better by doing the things I should do than the things I could do, even if I don’t want to do what I should.
• My time and happiness are too important and valuable to let someone else take that from me. 

I hope this helps you have a different perspective on things that may distract you or try to ruin your day. You’re too important and valuable to let others pull you down.