This morning I was walking and listening to Humankind. I learned about an experiment in which people were given different cars to drive down a street. A person would surprise the driver by stepping off the curb into the path of the car. When the driver had been given a beater, any kind of inexpensive used car, they would nearly always break for the pedestrian, to allow them to cross the street. The newer and fancier the car was that the subjects got to drive the less likely it was that they would stop for the pedestrian. Perhaps they would honk and drive by, perhaps they would just swerve a little but they wouldn’t stop. BMW drivers were least likely to consider the pedestrian stepping into the street. Why BMW I wondered. Did they try every car brand? What about Cadillac or Bentley?
We are not very good with power. The fancy car in this experiment made the drivers feel special, gave them power. They should have read the Tao.
I have been wondering about cars and drivers. Drivers are becoming more and more aggressive, I find. I think there may be a correlation between unhappiness and aggressive driving. Well, it’s more than unhappiness, I’m sure.
I am a very cautious walker, I never trust the driver.
re drivers with other drivers -. IMO – just nonsense (too complicated to untangle). Pay no attention , not worth one second of your thoughts/attention/energy.. Always drive safe.
I don’t know. I ‘ve seen quite a few drivers of sadly beat up cars practically attacking me as I drive around Santa Fe, tailgating me, cutting sharply in front of me, madly revving their engines.
Do you know whether the experiment switched the drivers of the high-priced cars with the beater drivers for a second test. Probably wouldn’t work since the drivers were on to the game.
How about the taxi drivers in NYC! They barely give pedestrians a chance. Once my mother was in the cross-walk on a green light, and the cab inched up,almost touching her with his bumper. She got mad and pounded the hood of his car with her purse. I don’t remember the taxi driver’s reaction, I was so horrified. How about that for an aggressive pedestrian!
Yes – sure are some odd behaviors among drivers.
I will not engage with any odd behavior. If need.be, I will pull my car over.
Such great topics you bring up…from the heart❤….and really important to listen and share viewpoints/ideas. It feels to me that these topics help to have better clarity all around..
Thank you. Power is no exception. It’s fascinating this study you speak about with cars and drivers, and the experiences you share.
I wonder if people are truly not good with power, or are people’s unhealed emotional issues not good with power? It seems that most mis.use of power stems from some underlying fear or insecurity that hasn’t been acknowledged or looked at deeper and worked on to transform it into some kind of balanced power. And the car drivers study can be an analogy for other areas where this kind of deliberate behavior happens as well… So my question would be do most people really honestly Value themselves? Honor whole-heartedly their true authenticity?without being on the verge of unhealthy narc behavior? And how can a driver of one of the Beemer’s be more Present and aware to be and do something differently consistently? Power is a big topic for sure…..so is human behavior and how it has been used for a long time.