When I discovered my comic book driver mentality I became motivated to modify my behavior
on the road. I became a reformed driver. Here are the 6 methods that worked for me and
that I recommend to everyone.
1. I am committed to obeying all traffic signs and
regulations. I keep track of my speed and I am committed to making a full stop at all stop
signs, forcing myself to wait for "the dip" before taking my foot off the brake.
2. I remind myself regularly to drive as if I'm being videotaped on a live TV show with
the camera and mike right in my car. No cussing, no yelling, no threatening gestures. All
of that would be too embarrassing on the national network. So I stay well- behaved.
3. I keep alive the conviction that driver errors be considered from a moral and
spiritual point of view. Is breaking the speed limit immoral? Isn't it a sin to injure
someone as a result of my impatience? Is threatening a pedestrian with my car an evil act?
Isn't drunk driving a crime against humanity?
4. I use self-regulatory sentences to defuse and dedramatize driver exchanges in
traffic. If I hear myself denigrate someone ("Stupid driver! Why don't you watch
it."), I immediately use counter-propaganda sentences such as, "Come on, be
nice. Give the man a break." Or if I think that someone is tailgating me and out to
get me, I tell myself, "Take it easy. He probably isn't even aware he's following too
close" or, "He's probably in a hurry. Maybe I can pull over to let him
5. I keep myself knowledgeable on the subject of driving. The public and university
libraries have a tremendous amount of books and magazines on driver behavior, accident
statistics, traffic safety education, and so on. My students report that they are very
impressed and affected by this information. It forces them to re-appraise the situation
and their contributory role in it.
6. I let my wife help me. Until I became a reformed driver I responded defensively and
aggressively whenever my wife commented on one of my dangerous or inappropriate actions.
For her to say anything at all meant a fight. Now however I listen to her. My driving and
our relationship has immensely improved as a result.