Pyromancer wrote:
>> The driver behaved properly, why is this a surprise ? Some drivers
>> are courteous and considerate, others are selfish.
>
> It's very surprising (and a refreshing change) for anyone driving a
> BMW to behave in this way. Something about BMWs seems to attract a
> particular type of selfish and very aggressive driver. Obviously this
> is a generalisation, but a noticeably large percentage of the most
> aggressive driving I've witnessed from other road users has been by
> people in BMWs, and I first noticed it in Glasgow about fifteen years
> ago.
Try these two experiments...
Experiment 1:
Assume that all blue car drivers are agressive because you once saw an
agressive action by a blue car driver. Now watch how many times a blue car
driver behaves agressively.
You'll quickly find that it happens lots of times and it matches your
initial assumption.
You will then find more evidence to match the correlation, and hey-presto,
your brain now knows that all blue car drivers are agressive (brain very
good at those sorts of jumping to conclusions).
Experiment 2:
Assume that all cyclists are agressive lycra louts, who ride on pavement,
jump red lights, maliciously damage cars, etc. Now watch how many times you
see one of those behaviours.
You'll find that all cyclists are, indeed agressive lycra louts, you see it
all the time.
Though, if challenged, you will concede that there were a few rare cases who
weren't lycra louts.... Because you're put all the cyclists into an "out
group" and attributing all bad behaviour to that out group.
(See the thread about the Lords debate on cycling and Highway Code recently
for illustrations of some lords putting all cyclists into the "out group".).
- Nigel (as it happens, my car is blue).
--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at
http://www.2mm.org.uk/
