Living in New York I saw many people often catching their reflections in the hundreds of store front windows. One of my best friends could never resist looking at herself on our walks. I’m used to, thus, seeing a lot of attempts to catch one’s reflection. Now that is mightily different from engaging in true self reflection. Although, all those selfies and protestations of being true to oneself would lead anyone to believe we have entered the golden age of self-reflection. Which even my super awesome son of eight years can tell you is not true in any way. When I ask him why something occurred he just shrugs, says “hmm, I don’t know” and goes back to talking about his latest video moves. Which at times, apparently, quite impressive.
Where am I going with this? Well, of course, it’s a rant on self-reflection. But I’m going beyond, I hope, the usual rants out there. I’m afraid these days when I get into a car in Los Angeles, because the lack of self reflection on skills sets is quite astronomical.
Let me back up for one quick second to note you should always be afraid in a car in Los Angeles. People speed, drive down the wrong lane, and run red lights all the time. Cars get side swiped all the time. A drizzle sends everyone into a tizzie. Enough said.
Now, what really riles me up are those that drive horribly and don’t know (or accept) that they do. I know this one particular person who is a longstanding Los Angeles dweller. She, just like the majority of people here (or so it seems) drives a car that is too big for her to maneuver. She is easily distracted by her car phone ringing and the maps displaying on her dashboard. She has jerky car movements and doesn’t always signal. And just like many others here she cuts across 20 lanes of traffic at the last minute. This is a constant. I sit there with rosary in hand. I kid.
Despite all these marks of being a bad driver, she has no clue that she is a bad driver. She often remarks on how badly others drive as she nearly runs a car off the road. Where is the self reflection? Wouldn’t it be awesome if the rear-view mirror actually provided real, personal insight? Perhaps Facebook can work on this. Or we can keep going forward with uber’s plan for driverless cars. Lets see what’s on the horizon.
Categories: Culture, Health, Humor, mental health, Psychology, Travel
psychologistmimi 
I feel your pain. My husband drives very fast and I’m always stressed out as a passenger. A good reason for driverless cars even though those scare me too.
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TERRIBLE!…….
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😂😂 it’s always like that, no one ever wants to believe that are a bad driver.
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Hmmmh, so you have never been to cities like Cairo, there the traffic is really the pure unbelievable horror …. also a city like Rome is dangerous especially for pedestrians either. I remember that when being last time in Italy and stopping according the rules the car at a zebra crossing (so that pedestrians can pass the street without problems), the other car drivers (Italians) got really angry and furious about that.
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Oh yeah, been to Cairo, Rome and even Boston;-) but I’m here now in LA. They do the same here regarding pedestrians lol. We get honked at all the time for following traffic laws. It’s amusing and not..can’t wait till driverless cars…someday
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So Mimi!
I have it!
I’m in the front seat driving whilst looking at myself in the rear view – that’s pretty straight forward.
Now am I looking back to my un-restrained baby days. My adolescent personal discovery days. My young adult passionate drive-in days. My early parent days. Or my my current codger days?
It all is clear but sounds dangerous – but I am a good driver too.
How strangely enlightening it would be to see yourself as a baby in the rear seat of a car you, yourself were driving.
Very cool Mimi.
I’m off to have a lie down.
B
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Reflection is deceptive and hats off to your courage
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Reflection is deceptive and driving is an art
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You should be afraid in a car anywhere. Especially on the highways, when your husband likes to ride in the left lane until the last minute. Then he suddenly speeds to exit on the right. It gives me a heart attack every time. I enjoyed this.
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Self reflection is important but self reflection on one’s own driving is absolutely VITAL! My husband drives like a maniac except he is actually really good at driving, so it drives me INSANE when he takes all these risks because he is overconfident, then criticises other people’s driving (including my own) … I feel your pain in this post. Honestly.
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Ah. Oh no. Be safe out there and hold onto your seat!
Have a great week ahead.
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Take a look at what they teach at driving schools, it’s pathetic. I think people would be more inclined to learn how to drive safely through Virtual Reality than sitting behind a desk in the classroom 🙂
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