- Ayrton Senna -
I got my drivers license at the age of sixteen. It felt great to have it and even better to have my own car which I'd saved up for, a grand total of $450 AUD, for about eighteen months prior. It was a total wreck and these days wouldn't pass a roadworthy inspection but it was mine and it gave me freedom. I loved it and I loved driving.
These days I spend a lot of time on the road driving and I have to say, it's much less enjoyable.
I still love driving but with the additional traffic, inattentive drivers due to mobile phone usage, influx of immigrants who don't understand (or respect) the road rules and everybody speeding, drink and drug driving, cutting into spaces that don't exist, inability to merge, unwillingness to give way, arrogance and impatience, failure to stop at stop signs and all the other nutbaggery that goes on...well....it's just so dangerous.
That's how many people died on Australian roads in vehicle accidents during 2023, 4.8 people for every 100,000 people that live here; add to that around 40,000 hospitalisations due vehicle accident.
Maybe it doesn't seem like a lot out of the 27 million people that live here but think about the other lives those deaths and injuries touched: Family and friends, colleagues, first responders, nurses, doctors, witnesses and so on...it soon becomes a huge number and much of it is avoidable, or would be if people took more care and responsibility.
Accidents happen, that's just how it is, but the roads are fast becoming a very dangerous place to be and much of it is simply unnecessary...I also don't see it every getting better, just worse.
I wonder what destination could be worth dying to get to? None I think. Also, which destinations are worth killing someone else to get to? Also none I'd say.
Every day I see people doing stupid things on the road as I guess most of the people that might read this post would also. I guess we have probably all done something stupid behind the wheel of a car or on a motorbike as well, I know I have.
We got away with it right? Cool, but so many have not and what happens on that occasion when we don't get away with it and we die, or kill someone else, an innocent bystander perhaps. It's pretty fucked up right? Maybe worse is being permanently maimed, quadriplegic or brain damaged maybe, horribly burned...I'd not want to live that way personally. It's all avoidable of course, but all I see is things getting worse, including the death and injury statistics, despite an increasing number of road safety initiatives, safer vehicles, reduced speed limits and more stringent road laws and penalties.
What are your thoughts?
Are you a dangerous driver or do you drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol? Do you drive culpably, irresponsibly and without care for others? What are the roads like in your country? Have you seen things decline over time like I have and has it taken some of the enjoyment out of driving like it has for me? Feel free to comment.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
[Original and AI free]
Image(s) in this post are my own
