Admittedly, it wasn’t the smartest thing to holler at the man. I did check out my surroundings to make sure that unless he had a high precision rifle on board and keen marksmanship, I was pretty safe.

It was a summer afternoon some years ago. I was driving down the road listening to the radio and enjoying the sweet summer sun. I cruised in front of my local shopping center and noticed there was a bit of a backup for some folks who were trying to get out of the tight corner and onto the road where I was driving.

As I drove past looking at the situation I couldn't hold back my thoughts. He was about the 5th car in line to get out. I was a good distance away and yet I could see what looked like a large amount of anger and animosity towards the string of cars in front of him. Evidently they were not moving at the pace he wished they would. He began to freak out, so to speak. Not like really freak out but his response for having to wait for a few cars to get going was the response we have all become familiar with lately, from our fellow drivers.

I, personally see it behind me quite a bit. Admittedly I can see how someone might be annoyed because I am putting on mascara at a red light and I may not go the instant the light changes. I can understand if the driver behind me has somewhere to go and is bugged that I am not in a hurry; but throwing your arms up in the air in a “what's wrong with you?” fashion when someone isn’t driving the way you think they should is a downright indication one’s whole life is out of balance. There is no need to get all up in arms with other drivers.

 

I personally just smile at those folks (even though they are in a state of furry that I am not doing things as they wished I would). I realize that people who are so hot over the road and the choices  that other drivers are making really need a smile. They don't want a smile of course, they want  me  to move-it so they can get where they are going.

 

They are all too often so furious with me that I didn't go the instant the light changed. Admittedly I am not always being sweet out of the kindness of my heart; it is sometimes a gesture of pouring hot coals on their head. (See Romans 12:20 and please refrain from judging me)

 

When I'm headed down the road and the car behind me can pretty much smell my shampoo because they are so close, I often act in a Christ like manner and sweetly pull over, so they can get by. It's a carryover of my family's motto "you go first". They clearly feel the need for speed and I really never do. (I like to leave a margin in life or settle for the fact that I am going to be late)

 

Admitttedly, in a non Christ-like manner, I certainly can find myself making comments to them at a stop light that are a little bit insincerely sweet, like, "Oh you go on ahead, clearly you are in a huge hurry." Almost always they look at me puzzled at what I have just said and give me the 'I'm not in a hurry' look as they realize they are just being 'incredibly impatient'. I love to expose to them how silly they are behaving while they are out driving their car.

 

That’s what happened that particular day at the shopping center. The fellow was holding his hands up in the air losing it as he sat behind the rather small string of cars. Once I was fairly certain I'd be safe as I drove down the road in front of the backup, I stopped my car on the street (probably contributing to an even longer wait for those trying to get out), I rolled down my window and stated the obvious to the outraged man. “That’s inappropriate", I called out “and you need counseling!”

 

I could tell by the look on his face, he realized I was right. There was not a reason in the world to get hot and bothered about having to wait your turn in a line of cars on a mildly hot summer’s day.

 

There have been other times like the time a girl dropped her empty pack of cigarettes out her car window while I was behind her at a long light. "Oops”, I appeared out of nowhere with the freshly dropped litter in my hand, “I think you dropped something.” I cheerily said as I handed it back to her. She gave me the standard ‘roll your eyes’ ‘Whatever woman,’ look I often get from teens girls in particular.

 

There was the time a teenage girl was driving with her mother and got really upset because there was a situation where she had to wait to move her car. When the situation had passed and I had some time to reflect I decided to go ahead and give her a little unsolicited advice.

 

I literally hunted her down and pulled up beside her. "Are you doing OK?" She was baffled. "You seem terribly upset, I just wanted to double check because you know getting behind the wheel when you are angry can really destructive to society."

 

She was dumbfounded. She looked at me like "what the... lady are you out of your mind?" But I was simply pointing out the obvious she had no business driving if she was going to be so impatient.

 

I can’t tell you the times I have been nine months pregnant with little boys in my arms or holding my hand crossing the road in a parking lot, in the rain and no one had the grace to pull over and let me pass. It is appalling. As a result I pull over for every single pedestrian in a parking lot and assure them I am not moving until they are safely across, especially the elderly. I am not tooting my own horn, this is common courtesy, and we should all be doing it.

 

Obviously I spend a major portion of my life on the road. It doesn't have to be an intense experience. Chances are you have music of some form; turn it on and enjoy the ride.

 

We can all plan a little extra measure of time and a bit of grace into our trips if we are intentional about doing so. We can be kind to others from our vehicles. Our kindness may be the only grace that person is shown that day. Admittedly I can be a bit of a pill and poke a bit of fun, but 90% of the time I really do try to be a blessing on the road. I try to forgive others when they freak out, I try to pull over and let people pass and on occasion and as you now know I can point out the obvious “that’s inappropriate and you need counseling.”

 

What about you? Do you ever find yourself a little short tempered on the road? Do you find yourself getting mad at drivers because of the way they are driving? Let's not forget that just because someone is in a car, they are still a person. Treating other people with love, dignity and occasionally a little humor will make the world a sweeter spot to live.

 

What do you like to do to contribute to society? Please tell us in the comment box.