Ever get those mean hard disapproving looks from other drivers as they overtake you, just because you did something they didn’t like, like driving too slow and not allowing them to overtake you, or suddenly cutting lanes without giving any signal?
Yeah, that judgmental stare that seems to scream out, “You SOB, go back to driving school”.
I’m an Auto commuter here in Mumbai. And I’ve seen my fair share of auto drivers giving that dirty looks to others. Back in B’lore I had a car, so I used to be at the receiving end of such looks many times. And here’s the funny part – even I used to give those looks to other drivers!
The proverbial saying – “Look before you leap” becomes “Look after you beep”.
So if you have looked at other drivers, or other drivers have looked at you, here is my question: Why do we do it? If you really think about it, it’s pretty silly. It’s not like we are ever going to meet the person we stared at again. The chances of going to a job interview and the HR suddenly screaming, “Heyyyy wait a minute! I know youuu! I stared at you 2 months and 13 days ago because you suddenly swerved your bike towards my car. Sorry, we are currently not hiring any new copywriters!” is pretty slim.
But still we do it.
I guess to those of us who stare, it gives us a strange satisfaction to reprimand somebody for driving like a maniac.
But eventually… does it really matter? Does the person give a rat’s ass about our stare? Will he become a better person and win the Noble prize because we gave him the looks? Nah. I guess it is human nature to share our feelings and shove it down someone’s throat, however unwelcome it may be.
You can try this yourself – the next time you see some crazy driver ahead and you overtake that person, can you do it without staring at him/her?
Believe me, some of you won’t even realize it until you’ve read this. Just… keep moving ahead without giving the looks to that person, and let me know how hard it was not to stare at that person. Ah, the sheer temptation to turn and look!Funny isn’t it, this species of ours?
23 comments:
"I got the looks!!...Ka nui chhuak hawk hawk mai, Hotupa..Lolzzz....Inmelh rum ringawt chu a la tha viau alawm, kuttum hum ruh chungah ka inpelh tir hi an tam tawh mai :D
tun tum chu i va'n ziak tawi em em..
@ chawnghilh: lolz Hotupa, a ni ve a sin, mi in min han melh rum ringawtte hi han ngaihtuah chiang chuan a lo ho reuh lutuk. :D
@ Varte: Tun lai chu buai lutuk a... blog pawh ziak thui hman lau!!! :-)
I give them "the look" from the back of a rickshaw :)
You got the looks.... i blog pawhin en a hlawh bawk alawm :D
Btw... why did you called chhangte_II 'Chawnghilh' this time? missed call? lolzzzzzzzz
@ Zaia: HAHAHAHAHA So Sorry Pu Chhangte_II. Miss call chiang lutuks. I was in a real hurry last night as I wanted to watch the Arsenal-Barca clash on TV and I was still in office at 12:15am (see the time I posted the above comment). I wrote comment quickly and ran out of office. I eventually missed the first 15 minutes of the game :-(
@ Lucy: You give everyone the looks. Nothing new. :D
motor chu ka khalh thiam lo na in a chuang zok ni chung hian mi melh rum chu ka hrat nganggg mai...lolzzzz
Here is the real reason WE look: Because we CAN! :P
No one knows where it all started, and no one knows where it will end. If someone stares at you while overtaking, he'd be like "WTF is with you, $%^&*(!" while you'd be like "How dare he undermine my driving skills, the %^&*)(*!", and with the next driver you overtake, the roles would change.. It's a perfect circle.
But picture this, what if the guy you're overtaking is actually someone you know, then you'd be like "WTF is Wr... Oh Hiii! How are you.. etc etc!" (True story!)
BTW: I'm not much of a Soccer fan, but from what I've heard, you really didn't miss much of the game if you were rooting for Arsenal.. Hehehe!
Funny when you drive you take on a'drivers persona ' up to the hilt. They shout , you shout back. They give you dirty look, you stare back, etc etc.
I recently upgraded from a Maruti 800 to something slightly 'better' and know what? Taxis actually gives me the right of way. Perhaps they think, 'He's driving a new car, so may be he is somebody rich and important'!!
heee...hee...ka lo chik ngai lem lo mahse dik chiah...
This stems from the same attitude that one has to overtake everyone (whether u r driving a bike, car, bus or steamroller)Why?cos its their birthright!So every Indian driver with swerve,turn and cut lanes, at the risk of an accident, so that he can arrive 1 minute early!!!
BTW happy birth-month, but, hard days ahead this mont i presume (snicker snicker)
@ Opa: Bleh. "Hard days" lam a ni leuh. Invitation pawh ka dawng reng. A lelele. :-)
@ Irene: Nia i dik lutuk :P
@ dr_feelgood: lolzzz. Yeah that could be the most logical reason :D
@ Blackestred: If you're a ManUtd fan and didn't watch the match last night, you didn't miss much either :D :D
Yeah I guess this whole human basic instinct comes from some weird mutation down the evolutionary line. I wonder if the guy who invented the wheel stared at the second guy in our planet with a wheel, as he overtakes him.
@ Almost: Hahaha. i in hmeh e nang leh melh rum hi. :D
I give them the look from the passenger seat. And who cares if it makes a difference to them? We do it because its fun! The death stare is a great way to vent our feelings. I stick out my tongue too. Best is when a slow moving vehicle refuses to let u pass when ure on a two-wheeler, and he gets stuck in traffic, and u let out an evil laugh as u zip pass. WHOO!
Haha! You blow the horn in me! I too often give the looks, especially when somebody ahead suddenly stopped or cut the lanes giving wrong signal or no signal at all...
But now I have understood that it's the usual practice here in our big city! The only thing you can do is just to get ready to push the brake any time :)
Ah, what would be the 'mazaa' if we didn't even look. :)
Man, that looking business has just taken on a life of it's own.
I know we probably look so silly, but it's just grand... the momentary satisfaction of a non-verbal glare and then the immediate look away.
And look, if this doesn't put the person in his place, nuthin' will. :P
And I must know: WHO said "It's a small world after all"?
@ Eve: Just got back from GoaFest 2010. Had a blast. Will blog about it later. Reached Mumbai this morning at 9, went home and took a shower, and now am back in office about to leave for a client meeting. If I faint, dunno if it will be because I'm tired or goafest withdrawal symptom :D So you didn't come for the fest huh? :(
@ Banno: lolz. Yeah you're right I guess. Satisfying to look huh? :)
@ faka: Look after you beep :D
@ shuaki: hehehehe... I'm sure you must have stared at me once too. I still get the jitters trying to picture your death stare ;)
The other day I saw a taxi driver showing his finger to a bike rider, coz the bike guy had a loud mouth (in my opinion).. same over taking case. hihi.. two wheelers ho leng leh leng loa an inhnawh tawng2 hian ka lo ngei thin. Keichu ka ti ve ngai miah lo :P
En pawh a ho, i rawn ziah pawh a ho, a chhiar tute pawh kan ho... :D
Mizoramah chuan "Zawnga"... "Zawnga...".. Zuangthla thuai a, chhuk pahin mawtawr kawngkhar a chemte pai kha an han phawrh nghal a. Kawngkhar lehlam atangin Handimeen (?) a zuangthla ve nghal thuai a. An inmelh nghek zellll :D
Keichu melh rum tih vel hi ka peih thlot lo!!!!ka hau hrep zawk zel:)
@ Mimi: lolz. I rarely see people give the finger in Mizoram... :)
@ VaiVa: i ho.
@ Clio: Chuti chu i hauh lai chuan sweet deuhvin i melh a mi? Hauh a na awm lo eeee :D
I really am satisfied when I give them a stern look, making those eyes as big as they can get, and you won't believe it, though a chiky, I only knew then that my eyes are that big.
Ahhh...this kind of satisfaction don't come easy.
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