Kinder, Gentler 4-Way Stops

July 10, 2011
By: O. J. Cunningham

Is it just me, or does it seem like car/truck drivers are a bit more well-mannered at 4-way stops since the Styx concert at River Roar.

I know I am much more patient.

I yield the right of way.

I yield the left of way.

I was so kinder and gentler (and cautious) at a 4-way stop on the corner of Wheeler and Bangor Roads the other morning, that the driver in the car behind me brought me coffee and a Cinnamon bun.

I think it might have something to do with that baseball bat incident at Vet's Park a week or so back -- after the Styx concert.

If you remember, driver #1 allegedly cut off driver #2 during the exit traffic jam after the concert. Normally this just ends up in a harmless honking, finger-pointing, head out the window name calling incident.

But in this case, the pot boiled over and a baseball bat got injected into the argument. Very sad for all involved.

After two days of reading the graphic news reports about the altercation and adding in the fact that one of the drivers is still hospitalized in an induced coma -- I think most of us (drivers) are making sure we don't cut anyone off for the rest of the summer.

I know one thing sure . . . if someone hangs a Louisville Slugger out his driver's side window . . . or even looks like he might be a disgruntled Little League coach with a bag of bats in his back seat . . . I certainly won't be the one to make a left turn in front of him.

You might think that this kind of Road Rage with a Baseball Bat is rare. I Googled Road Rage Baseball Bat and our local Styx Concert incident wasn't even listed until page 3 -- or some 30 articles down the results list. And . . . there we're 507,000 links to additional "Road Rage Baseball Bat" articles.

Holy Crap!

Seems as though this kind of road rage, baseball bat, head-bashing is more common than then I had ever imagined.

My lovely wife Donna has an interesting take (Imagine that) on why there are so many Road Rage incidents these days.

According to Ms. Donna, road rage is much more prevalent in 2011 because everyone is driving sober. "People are a lot happier when they've had a few drinks," Donna offered, somewhat tongue in cheek. "Everyone knows that happy drivers are less likely to have road rage incidents," she went on. "Today's drivers are just way to tense behind the wheel . . . just waiting to explode," Donna added smiling with a twinkle in her eye.

This wifely perspective may take a bit more research. But in the meantime, at least for the next couple of weeks, I'll be the one waving you through the intersection when we're tied for first arrival at the 4-way stop.

You just go right on ahead.

I'm just politely waving you on . . .

No problem.

No sir.

No problem at all.