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Bullies Behind the Wheel
written by Maria Wojtczak, DrivingMBA Owner
Have you ever been in a situation when someone:
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Won’t let you in when you turn your
signal on to merge into a lane?
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Begins to move over into your
lane without any warning?
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Weaves in and out of traffic to
gain a few car lengths?
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Drives in the HOV lane during rush hour and
they don’t have any passengers in their car?
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Cuts you off?
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Takes a parking spot when you have been
patiently waiting for someone to pull out?
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Honks their horn at you because
you’re not “moving fast enough”?
If you’re a driver, you’ve probably had many, if not
all, of these situations happen to you. Or you may
actually be doing these things while you’re driving.
The purpose of this article isn’t to rant about the “crazy”
drivers out there, but to help parents think about the
message they’re sending to their children. Parents need
to pay attention to their own driving behavior, as well
as their response to the behavior of other drivers. As a
parent, you’re setting the tone and creating “a model”
of behavior for your children. They learn from you at
a very early age, and formulate in their mind what is
“acceptable behavior” when driving. Whether they’re two
or a teenager preparing to drive, be cognizant of what
you’re doing, because they are watching you! What do
you do in response to situations on the road? Do you:
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Yell and scream profanities?
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Get next to them and try to show
them your displeasure?
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Try to “teach them a lesson” by slowing
down, hitting your brakes, cutting
in front of or tailgating them?
While these behaviors may make you feel better, the
fact is, they are all inappropriate. The appropriate
response, particularly when you have children of any
age in your vehicle, is to let it go. If your child is old
enough, discuss what just happened and why it’s so
important to pay attention while driving. All any of us
have control over is the way we drive, not what others
do. Defensive driving means protecting yourself from
the mistakes and, quite frankly, the stupidity, of others.
DrivingMBA is a driver-tutoring facility located in
Scottsdale and Chandler. Our comprehensive approach
to driver training is a combination of classroom, state-
of-the-art simulation and on-road instruction to develop
safe and responsible drivers. Our model is student-
centric and utilizes experiential learning. Students learn
basic fundamental skills and good driving habits, as
well as advanced driving skills. The simulators allow
students to “learn by doing” in a safe environment. It
also allows them to learn from their mistakes, which
could have severe consequences in the “real world.”
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
To learn more, visit
www.drivingmba.com
or call 480-948-1648.