I live in Jacksonville, Florida and when in traffic I have noticed a few things that tend to ..... well get under my skin. I am normally a very calm and collected person, and let little if nothing bothers me, but lately I feel I must speak out.
I have noticed that when I drive down any road obeying the speed limit, I am confronted with high five middle fingers, seems I am slowing people up. They will ride my bumper until I either speed up, or I continue on my way within the laws limits, which then they will proceed seemingly becoming agitated and pass me quickly giving me unkind gestures. This I don't quite understand, what does it mean to "sets examples" , " obeying laws" apparently that doesn't apply anymore.
What is it when you driving down the interstate and again going the speed limit, and you find yourself among many cars that seem to be huddling together, really no space between them. They certainly aren't following the law that states to leave at least two car lengths between cars, and you just know if one of them in front of you stops quickly, that one riding your bumper behind you is going to cause you to have a really bad day. Accident waiting to happen!
How about the people that race down the road you see them coming in your rear few mirror, weaving in and out of traffic as though they are looking to get first place in some Indy 500 race. You then become concerned about the other drivers around you seeing this and wonder what their reaction will be, and whether you should pull over all together due to someone wanting to compete. Where are the police officers in times like this? They are always there if I make a mistake! Most of my few mistakes have been due to those that don't obey the law, by me trying to get out of the way and have gone a bit to fast.
How about that driver on the cell phone. Oh my gosh! I sustained a little sore neck and backache from one once. I was hit from behind, and jarred quite hard, only thing going through my mind was, is my car in one piece? I got out assessed the damage ( thankfully I had none really) the other driver approached me clinching his cell phone, so I asked him, " were you on your cell phone when you hit me?" He answered, "yes", as though I was intruding on his conversation. He apologized quickly as though he was in a hurry and needed to leave. What is that about? He hit me! I told him he was lucky it was me he hit, because I could have called the police and reported the accident, but due to no real evidence of harm done I would let the situation go. He thanked me, hurried to his vehicle and sped off again on his cell phone. ( The laws should change, where when we report someone for doing such things its valid, respected and investigated. Its a law in Florida that anyone driving with a cell phone in hand will be ticketed, however I have seen many a police officer just drive by without doing so? So who is going to help stop this from occurring, why have a law when no one will do a thing about it?
Imagine being at a stop light at an intersection, and across the way you see a someone in a car that wants to turn left. When the light turns green for both of you, you know you have the right away but they proceed to turn in front of you and the car behind them does that same. As you move forward, all start honking at you as though your in violation of interrupting their turn. Personally I think they are under impression from other intersections where they get to turn first with an arrow light at an intersection, why did the city allow that? ! Is it the same in your city? No wonder they think they can turn first, and if interrupted give unkind gestures. At intersections where no little green arrow is on a left turn, they still think they have the right to go turn first...... City of Jacksonville get this right please... change the lights where the person proceeding forward still has the right away, even when there is no little arrow for those turning left that are across from you. They aren't getting it right.... so this really needs to be corrected. So many accidents can be avoiding by changing it to the way the traffic laws are written!
Speed limit laws..... I think a lot of roads need to be re-evaluated on the speeds you can drive them. Many of these roads haven't been updated to the standards of today, they remain the same as before new construction changed the road conditions. In each state the speed limit laws are governed by the state or territory. Sometimes it seems the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.... sound familiar? I have seen lots of growth in this city road wise and as I said many road speed limits haven't changed, and perhaps someone needs to look into it.. far to many accidents have been happening since these new changes.
So many things are happening in the world today that can cause lots of stress, and one thing we can do without is Road Rage... its not productive and causes many people harm each day. Think about it, most drivers are just trying to get from point A to point B without harming themselves or anyone else. Some are slower than others, some perhaps don't need to be on the road any longer, but we are all only human and most of us are only trying to do our best. Stop pointing fingers at each other while driving, or yelling or being angry, it doesn't really help anything it only shows that you can try bully someone. If you could see how you look on camera, when you have a mean face and finger raised you might re-evaluate how you are managing yourself on the roads.... its really isn't a pretty site to us that view it.
These are just a very very few examples of the things that can and do happen on the road ways in my town, and I am sure in yours as well.... if you live in a populated area. Cities make traffic laws for a reason and I believe some of them should be re-evaluated by officials. When someone reports some violation they have seen, it should be recognized as important ..... it may save a life!
Jacksonville, FL —
Six Duval County students suffered minor injuries when a woman crashed her Mercury Grand Marquis into a school bus bound for Love Grove Elementary. The driver told WOKV's Adam Kirk she was changing lanes going through the intersection of University and Coronet and didn't see the bus in time to stop.
The woman, who didn't want to be identified, said her car bounced off the bus, hit a landscaping truck, then came to a stop on the side of the road. The driver was not injured.
Was she on a cell phone, or feeling she might be late for work, whatever it was .... isn't it hard not to see a school bus?
Lets each start thinking about changes we can make for the better on the roadways, let change the way we think about others and situations we may experience on the road. Is it worth possibly another persons life to have the last word, or to be angry you might not make it to work on time and take it out on someone else. Is it worth your life or someone elses to have a conversation on a phone... I am sure the person on the other end doesn't want to hear you have your last moments on this earth played out that way... what a legacy to leave someone..:(
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This might help you with anger issues please read below if you wish
1.) Face the real issues (Gal 5:13-26)
Can you admit to having a spirit of anger? Do you really want to live as God desires?
Do you want self-control?
Do you want to love one another?
We must accept the fact of our anger. Ask those around you if they sense a spirit of anger in you. Acknowledgment is the first step of overcoming anger. Why? Our pride does not make it easy to say that we were wrong in our actions, words and judgments.
Do I really want to live out God's love in my life?
Galatians 5:13-14
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only [do] not [turn] your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the [statement], "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.
2. ) Deal with your anger (Jam 1:19-20)
Unresolved anger is always bad. I must not tolerate it.
We must acknowledge that man's anger will not accomplish God's work.
James 1:19-20
[This] you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak [and] slow to anger for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
Do remember that our apology does not mean that others did no wrong. Whether they apologize for their wrong or not, it really doesn't matter, we still need to go forward in straightening out our relationships.
Confess past anger
Anger from the past must be acknowledged and confessed. Amends need to be made. Apologies for silent or open anger must be made. We also need to apologize for not loving them as you should have.
Repent from present anger
Anger in the present and future must be cut off. You must recognize man's anger is not going to accomplish the righteousness of God. You will confess that you have been responding to your own selfish desires and have focused on your own will and life, not on God's will and purpose.
3.) Die to self; live by Christ (Galatians 2:20)
I have died to myself. I now live for Jesus Christ.
An open and deliberate decision to not live according to your old life and consciously to allow Christ to live out His life in you is a special and necessary part of deliverance from anger. When this is done, you open yourself to Christ's full work in your life.
There seems to be two aspects to dying to self. There is the initial dedication period which is like starting anew. There is also the regular daily dying to self - a daily morning prayer where we commit ourselves to the Lord. (Read more)
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.
4.) Break the stronghold of anger (2 Corinthians 10:3-7 )
May God destroy every last lie of mine!
A stronghold is some hidden sin from our lives that we have given up hope on overcoming. We probably have tried to overcome anger in the past. Failure brings with it a disheartening and final cover up of our sin.
Truth, however, gives strength and confidence to do what is right. Lies block out the light and therefore strip us of any confidence in overcoming a certain problem.
From the verses quoted here and the many places exhorting us to deal gently with people rather than in anger, we are clearly responsible and able through Christ to overcome this stronghold of anger.
What common lies minimize the problem of anger and therefore prevent us from overcoming anger? Where in scripture did people cover up their anger?
"He deserves it."
"I was so hurt by him. I need to get back."
"I can't help it."
"I was always that way."
"My parents were that way."
"It's not too bad."
"My anger is better than before."
Hope comes when we are broken before God over our sin and welcome Him to overcome the sin in our lives. More than often our pride minimizes our anger's wrong and makes exceptions and excuses for our anger.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ..."
Other Key Verses
Proverbs 14:29
"He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly."
1 Corinthians 13:4-5
"Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered..."
5.) Replace anger with acts of kindness (Ephesians 4:31)
Anger must go, but I will replace it with fruits of love.
Peace and fullness of love will not be activated unless we replace our angry spirit with a loving spirit. We must not focus on what we should not do but on what we should do. Be practical. Write down a few things you can do for that friend you have wounded.
Regulate your conversation by polite statements and well-intentioned motives. For example, I will not interrupt another. I will wait for them to finish what they are saying before I speak.
Ephesians 4:31
"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."
6.) Fully deal with each day's anger (Eph 4:26)
Make sure before I go to bed, I deal with my anger.
Unresolved anger turns into wrath. We have a command from the Lord to heighten the importance of settling quarrel before we sleep.
Have you and your spouse made a commitment to resolve anger before going to bed?
As a parent, have you committed yourself to make peace with your children before they sleep?
One step at at time we can heal our woe's and worries our anger and sadness, resentments and begin to change the world even if it must be one person at a time! Let's set good examples for the new drivers to the road ( Our Youth)....
Blessings,
Butterfly
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