Their is a peculiar aspect to Utah that is rarely found anywhere else in the world. In a culture that expounds quite often on the importance of relationships and maintaining a good amount of communication in those relationships, it often falls short in one of the most important relationships we may have with others, that of driving together on the same road.
In a college course I took that dealt with the topic of dating and marriage, I learned that communication is the most vital aspect of these relationships, along with any others we may have with our fellow man. If we desire the other person to treat us in a specific manner, we must communicate clearly and respectfully what we want. We must also learn to listen to the needs of the other person and form compromises where necessary for any relationship to flourish.
Unfortunately, this concept is lost when it comes to driving in Utah. I cannot count the number of times I have seen accidents occur, or almost occur, due to the complete lack of communication. A car decides to change lanes with out signaling and cuts off another that is traveling at a higher velocity. Another driver gets angry when some indicates they are moving over to the next lane with ample time for the angry driver to know they are coming and move in the path of travel of the said angry driver. These are the most common incidents I run into while traveling through Utah. Along with the incessant need to drive no more than twelve inches from the car in front of you while traveling twenty over the posted speed limit.
Many problems that occur while people are driving are due to strict negligence to communicating one's intentions; it's amazing how much can be avoided by the simple use of a blinker. The same goes for any type of relationships. I find it extremely annoying when in movies the main couple run into some sort of road bump, and one gets angry and refuses to let the other explain what really happened. The whole incident could be avoided if they just listened to what the other had to say. It's almost as if we are being taught that we must avoid letting others know of our intentions, that in so doing we reveal some weakness or dependence we have on others.
Also, when one person desires to express something they need, the other cannot become angry or offended, especially when the person asking is constantly giving to the other so that the person is happy and comfortable. We all live in this world together, and we must all share the same road, so let's allow everyone else to know what are plans are so they do not become a hinderance to them.
Many people I talk to about such things often agree with me, but I wonder if we fully comprehend the importance of the matter. I am not saying that I am not part of the problem, I have often been part of the cause of many problems, both on the road and off, because I refuse to communicate my needs to the other person so they can accommodate them. All I wish to say is that we learn to listen more than we talk and try to understand what is really required to accommodate those we interact with.
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