The art of being a gentleman covers a plethora of subjects, from fashion to work to relationships. An area that goes under the radar is driving. Sure, you’re happy to don gloves and appear to be the perfect gentleman, yet most guys have no intention of keeping their word. Why? It’s because when somebody cuts you up and the red mist descends, the road rage brings out the worst.
Look, nobody is saying that drivers see idiots on the roads and pretend as if nothing is wrong – most of us mutter obscenities under our breath – and no-one refutes the urge to drive quickly. Of course, there are rules of the road that all motorists must adhere to. It’s not only a gentlemanly thing; it’s financial too.
You see, it literally pays to be polished behind the wheel as acting with respect and refraining from petty insults have wide-reaching consequences. If you don’t know why this is the case, then you have come to the right place.
These are the four reasons to be prim and proper while driving, and why being a gentlemanly motorist never hurt anybody.
Avoiding Fender Benders
Swerving an accident isn’t as straightforward as it seems when you factor in the eye-watering statistics. There are six million incidents in the US every year, and around 6% of them lead to at least one death. Click the link for more information. Even those who aren’t fatally injured are either hurt or shook up by the experience.
Then, there is the insurance process. Whether it was your fault or not, the odds are high that your premiums will increase when your policy ends. Unfortunately, insurers appear to be able to act as they see fit, even though you were an innocent party. A single claim can result in hundreds of dollars of additional premiums.
And, that’s if you’re lucky. If you’re unlucky, and you weren’t concentrating, the cost will be much higher. Therefore, the smartest course of action is, firstly, not to react to idiots. Otherwise, they’ll bring you down to their level. Secondly, be polite and don’t drive aggressively. Letting another motorist pull out onto a busy street is not only kind but savvy.
After all, you never know when a desperate who has been stuck at an interchange for ages will take a gamble. You might be the injured part, or you might not, yet there’s no reason to risk it when it takes twenty seconds to slow down and do a fellow driver a favor.
Not Speeding
Lewis Hamilton isn’t the type of person who trundles along at 30mph, and neither are you. Of course, Hamilton is a six-time, soon to seven-time, Formula 1 world champion with a license to go as quickly as he pleases. You’re on a highway with tons of other drivers that have strict speed limits.
Going fast is thrilling, but it’s only allowed in certain circumstances. You aren’t a fuddy-duddy because you stick to 70mph and won’t go over the allotted speed. If anything, you’re a gentleman who is thinking about everybody else.
Sure, you’re also thinking about yourself because you don’t fancy paying an expensive fine. However, it pays to keep to a steady speed in general since it eliminates uncertainty. Speeding, or driving unnecessarily slowly, makes it harder for your fellow motorists to gauge gaps and overtake.
As such, you end up either in a fender bender, or something much more serious. Cruise control is your friend as it will prevent needless fuel wastage too. That’s three ways sticking to a speed limit is cheaper!
Taking Pride In Your Appearance
As a gentleman, you don’t like to leave the house unless you’re dressed comfortably and sharply. Smart-casual is okay, yet there’s nothing wrong with a collared shirt and a pair of gloves. The latter actually makes you a safer driver as they provide more grip, allowing you to control the vehicle more effectively.
Of course, your car’s appearance is also important as you need it to reflect your values. The good news is, there’s nothing cosmetic about maintaining high standards because it pays big time in the long-term. For example, the elements can easily lead to wear and tear on your vehicle’s exterior.
Not only does this make it appear ungainly, but it impacts the car’s performance. After all, rust on the underside of the vehicle can spread from the engine to the chassis to anywhere there is metal and moisture. Therefore, regular rustproofing and undercoating techniques will save you a fortune. Click here for more.
Taking pride in your vehicle’s appearance also means thinking before you park. Leaving it under a sappy tree or a telephone pole where pigeons flock are surefire ways to result in bodywork corrosion. And, sap and bird poop can be so harmful that you require a professional to remove it correctly.
Being Inconspicuous
Children and gentleman drivers are the same – they should be seen and not heard. Unless you’re in New York or Southeast Asia, where honking your horn is a recognized language, it’s best to melt into the background.
Why? Well, gentlemen are subtle and sophisticated, not rowdy and overbearing. It’s part of your lifestyle. But, there’s a much bigger agenda. You’ll make mistakes. No matter how much you attempt to drive like a perfect man of leisure who isn’t in a rush, you’ll speed, cut somebody up, or run a stop sign.
If you’re a gentleman, your vehicle will have no recognizable features, such as a personalized number plate with your initial or a bumper sticker. As a result, it’s less likely they’ll be recriminations. Hey, you’re happy to hold your hands up and admit fault, yet it’s counterproductive when the issue is cosmetic.
Like a gentleman, you say sorry – flash your hazard lights – and put it behind you as there’s no point stewing on an error in judgment. That’s how fights break out, and that’s not gentlemanly!
How polished are you behind the wheel? Could you be more gracious or generous to other motorists?
Thanks for reading and y’all stay dandy.
-Diego
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