Zen and the art of being 'Oblivious'

Have you ever been in a car with someone who is completely unaware that their driving is causing other motorists to swerve and panic brake because they don't feel safe around your car? I was a passenger in such a situation recently and I am happy to admit that the experience was more thrilling (not in a good way) than any sideshow ride than I had enjoyed as a child. Maybe it was because I'm little wiser these days, but for some reason I wasn't enjoying the experience in quite the same way. What made the 'white knuckled ride' even more hair raising was the fact that my driver was seemingly unaware of how close we had been to causing an accident, or at the very least, being on the receiving end of some very inconvenient road rage.

Now don't get me wrong, I was being chauffeured around and so was very appreciative of the friendly service and good company, but in between helplessly gripping at the upholstery and blurting out "You don't have right of way!!!!", I felt an uncontrollable urge to say "Do you mind if I drive"... Having the presence of mind to remain calm, I stopped myself from risking the offense. Having survived the journey, I can now comfortably admit that for one of the few times in my life, I had joined the ranks of those with acute NPS (Nervous Passenger Syndrome).

Perhaps it was just me, because 'our' vehicle was also carrying a tribe of children in the rear who seemed completely oblivious to the potential dangers flashing around us. I am more inclined to think though that children are generally unaware of much of what we as adults see and perceive from our years of experience and hindsight.

But hang on a second!! The driver was a responsible adult!!.. How then could all this be happening?.... Having spent a bit of time competing on race tracks, as well as having the benefit of being a long time car nut and 'navel gazer', I had some thoughts on the topic..

Driving technique and habits play a big role in such circumstances... In this case it was the habit of driving off the edge of one's bonnet that might have been the cause. In other words, where the drivers range of view is consistently limited from between a few feet, to a couple of car lengths in front of their own car's front bumper. It is not difficult to spot this driving style because they are the ones making unpredictably abrupt and erratic corrections and turns. These are also the drivers who demonstrate an uncanny ability to hit every pot hole, or other obstacle in their path as well. You will know when you are inside such a vehicle because you will feel an uncomfortable lack of harmony or rhythm in the car's motion. Depending on the degree of severity, ingyou might also feel a sense of forboding warns you that danger is close at hand.

Sometimes such happenings can be corrected by simply making the driver aware of what they are doing and asking them to practice a longer depth of view technique. But that doesn't always work. One might also ask, how did or could such a habit develop in the first place, as nothing could be less natural for those who intuitively drive with a broader range of view.While all this might seem obvious to those in the know, it is obviously not quite so clear to others.

This brings me back to the title of this epistle "Zen and the art of being 'Oblivious".... What about those who remain blissfully oblivious to what they are doing?... What then?... Well if you have any further errands to run that day, you might try convincing everyone that a long walk might be nice.