Thursday, December 15, 2011

Distracted Drivers and Temperament

Occasionally I do find it necessary to talk to an extrovert, and the things they say often amuse me. Last week an extrovert relative brought up the problem of Distracted Driving (read the latest analysis of the statistics here). "Don't you hate it when people take cell phone calls while they're driving."

I certainly do, especially when they take text messages, which means (a) looking at a phone screen instead of at the road, and (b) trying to use one hand to tap out a message on an itsy-bitsy keyboard while driving. I want to scream, "For pity's sake, pull over! I'll drive!"--but I know that that would only increase their distraction, and the immediate danger to my life.

Then there's the case of...well, for new readers, let's say that I have long-term working relationships with two clients known in cyberspace as Right Hand Man and Left Hand Man. One of them was born with only one partly formed hand, and one lost one hand in an accident. And I worry that he's likely to lose even more body parts in a preventable accident if he persists in picking up the phone with his one hand while steering through traffic with his elbow.

But this extrovert nattered on, "...and you were hoping to be able to talk with them on the way, and they interrupt you to talk to someone else on the phone!"

It takes all kinds to make a world. God (hello, Donald Pennington) had some reason to create extroverts, not that I've ever claimed any insight into what that reason might have been. Anyway, whatever the temperaments of your car pool buddies may be, please turn off the phone while driving.

Think of disconnecting while you drive as a way to offer your children greater emotional security. With all the dangers in the world today, why expose anyone to any danger that could possibly be avoided?

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