Recently, flock cameras have accrued many headlines.
As an imperfect driver, I attempt to abide by the rules of the road. Yet, I wonder in our “impatient, me” world if we are capable of following those rules.
This reluctance to hold ourselves accountable has pushed localities to install a camera technology to capture our driving shortcomings.
Despite efforts by local governments to improve crosswalks for pedestrians, slow neighborhood traffic with speed humps, using traffic circles to provide a constant, but controlled flow of traffic, and radar speed signs to remind us that we are speeding, we appear to be incapable of a self-imposed monitoring of our driving.
In our attempt to be supportive grandparents, my wife and I attend soccer games for our granddaughters through the Tuckahoe YMCA.
At these games, I notice that all the coaches wear a t-shirt with the following words printed on the back: caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility.
How many of our problems related to our driving habits are because of our inability to care about ourselves and those we encounter when we drive?
How does our lack of honesty with ourselves to admit that we are the problem behind the wheel factor into this reckoning?
Have we lost so much respect for ourselves and the drivers we encounter that the responsibility to reasonably comply doesn’t matter any more?
I think the answer can be found in how many close calls I’ve had at intersections when multiple cars run a red light, when yield signs are completely ignored, and despite a clearly marked crosswalk with flashing lights drivers disregard the right-of-way of pedestrians.
We can “flock” all we want.
However, the real question is how our human compass handles caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility when we drive.
