How to Drive Like a Christian

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Many of us drive a lot. Personally, I drive about 20 hours a week, and I know that some drive more or less, but it is a big part of most of our lives.

Today the Vatican issued a "set of ten commandments for drivers". From a Puritan-minded perspective, what wisdom (ie., applications of the real ten commandments in light of Christian prudence) can we suggest to those of us who spend so much time on the road as to how we might redeem the time, and drive in a way that glorifies God (even if their car lacks a fish on the rear bumper). Your feedback to this question will be appreciated.

 

[AV1611]

I had my 8th driving lesson today...emergency stops. Phew, I am glad that's over

 

[VictorBravo]

We have to remember that the Mr. Ratzinger's world-view is shaped by his experience of viewing traffic through the windshield of a 1999 Volkswagen Golf.

I couldn't help chuckling at this suggestion:

making the sign of the cross before starting off and saying the rosary along the way. The rosary was particularly well suited to recitation by all in the car since its "rhythm and gentle repetition does not distract the driver's attention."

I just hope they are not closing their eyes and using their rosary beads for this.

I think the 10 rules are more or less sensible, but I am surprised that they call them "ten commandments." It really trivializes God's Decalogue. It's hard for me to reconcile the image of thunder and smoke on Mt. Sinai with rules for the road. It would seem that the original 10 commandments would be sufficient to inform our conduct anyway. Maybe the Vatican should take a look at the Westminster Shorter Catechism.

Number 2 seems kind of weird. I'm all for give and take in the interest of letting traffic flow, but communion? I'm not ready for that. Some of those people out there do not know how to "discern" anything. I say we should be more for closed communion here.

Number 7 seems OK if we are talking about making responsible parties support accident victims, and if we are talking about charity to the unfortunate. But if he's talking about calling for universal support, I'm not with him.

Number 8 seems to be cart before the horse. What is the "liberating experience of forgiveness" without a change of heart? Often the guilty motorists and victims are "brought together", but the venue is in court.

From the article:

"The "Drivers' Ten Commandments," as listed by the document, are:
1. You shall not kill.
2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.
5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
7. Support the families of accident victims.
8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
10. Feel responsible toward others.

 

[govols]

Mommy..why is that car with the fish symbol on the back pulled over by the cops?

See, that kind Christian lady is trying to witness to Mr Policeman!

How true, most fish symbols need some sort of flame coming out of them (like a rocket).

 

[polemic_turtle]

Although I am by no means a perfect driver, I've often been amazed at how easily Christian people violate the speed limit on purpose, despite Peter's injunction to obey "every ordinance of man". People do get caught doing this and I think it's a bad witness. If you simply can't do it yourself, get a cruise control; I use mine for every 100ft+ stretch I travel over.

 

[bookslover]

It sounds silly on the surface, but I think it's an interesting attempt to apply Christian principles (except for the rosary bit and crossing yourself) to a real-life situation. It'll be interesting to see what kind of feedback they get.

 

[toddpedlar]

Although I am by no means a perfect driver, I've often been amazed at how easily Christian people violate the speed limit on purpose, despite Peter's injunction to obey "every ordinance of man". People do get caught doing this and I think it's a bad witness. If you simply can't do it yourself, get a cruise control; I use mine for every 100ft+ stretch I travel over.

True confession time:

1) I have been pulled over twice.

2) I have never been pulled over when I wasn't on the way to church.



Cruise control is my best friend now. I also have a new perspective on
speeding, and find that it should be something that my conscience won't
allow. Why speed? It's not as if speed limits are unjust laws that force us
to sin (so we must obey them). What reason is there to break the
law? Be a better time manager, and you won't need to speed. Yes, we
can drive safely at substantially higher than the posted limit (at times)... but in this particular, there's no excuse to break it.

Todd

 

[polemic_turtle]

That sort of reasoning is in exact accord with my own. However, I will hopefully be well enough instructed in ethics to deal with the need to speed when there is a birth occurring or the like when the time comes. Otherwise, I guess I'll just do it and ponder within myself in the waiting room or wherever I am at the time.

 

[toddpedlar]

That sort of reasoning is in exact accord with my own. However, I will hopefully be well enough instructed in ethics to deal with the need to speed when there is a birth occurring or the like when the time comes. Otherwise, I guess I'll just do it and ponder within myself in the waiting room or wherever I am at the time.

I will admit to disregarding the speed limit during my wife's labor for our second oldest... That was about a 5-hr labor, which was progressing REALLY rapidly at the time.

 

[govols]

That sort of reasoning is in exact accord with my own. However, I will hopefully be well enough instructed in ethics to deal with the need to speed when there is a birth occurring or the like when the time comes. Otherwise, I guess I'll just do it and ponder within myself in the waiting room or wherever I am at the time.

I got the Odyssey going 115 mph with our 3rd child. We got half way to the hospital we were supposed to go to but praise the Lord there was a very good hospital at the halfway point. His head was crowning, my wife was screaming from the back seat and I go screaching into the ER with a police officer behind me (making sure I wasn't going to Denny's or something like that). Thankfully it was 2 am and no one was on the road except for an Odyssey with his hazards on going 115. The police officer didn't turn his blue lights on.

I had to ask for forgiveness of sorts from my wife. There for about 3 - 5 minutes all I was thinking about was outrunning a copper and just tuned out my wife.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

I'd like to steer this thread away from speed limits. That's not what I had in mind in the OP and there have been many threads about that in the past.

I'm talking about "how to redeem the time" while driving and drive courteously even when other drivers cut you off or how to stay cool during a stressful two-hour rush hour commute. That sort of thing. That is what I am seeking in this thread. Thanks.

 

[turmeric]

The article says Mr. Ratzinger may not even have read the article - he certainly didn't write it.

 

[VictorBravo]

The article says Mr. Ratzinger may not even have read the article - he certainly didn't write it.

! That's what I get for reading while driving. (Really, I don't, but I've seen others do it on the freeway. The most egregious I got was to read while plowing).

Andrew, redeeming the time is the big deal. I try to follow the traffic laws in our area mostly for peace of mind--I don't have to worry about looking over my shoulder.

But road rage is a pretty big deal in my locality. Gunshots, people wielding baseball bats, etc. I do think an attitude of constant prayer helps with a commute (Mine is about an hour and a half--sometimes less--one way). I try to let people in for merging, give space, be consistent in my driving pattern, signal, etc.

In heavy traffic one rule seems consistent. The guy who tailgates me, swerves radically to change lanes, jockeys for position, and otherwise tries to get ahead, almost invariably is right next to me at the first stop light after an hour of driving. At best he may have beat me by 2 or 3 minutes.

He is running on adreniline and ready to blow a gasket. I've been listening to a sermon or to Bach and am ready to go to work.

So, to a great extent, following the rules of common courtesy and not letting your evil side get the upper hand is really self-preservation. And it is preservation of others too.

 

[caddy]

I have ! I was 18, did one of those rolling stops at a 3-Way stop sign and Mr. Policeman followed me into the Church Parking Lot! Boy, talking about being embarrased. He just gave me a warning.

2) I have never been pulled over when I wasn't on the way to church.




Todd

 

[toddpedlar]

I have ! I was 18, did one of those rolling stops at a 3-Way stop sign and Mr. Policeman followed me into the Church Parking Lot! Boy, talking about being embarrased. He just gave me a warning.

Think you might have missed the double negative, Steven I have ONLY been pulled over when en route to worship.

 

[caddy]

LOL

Now I'm feeling MUCH better. I gave that a quick read and did indeed miss that !

Woooo

Can I say praise the Lord...and ease up on the accelarator!?

*** I'm coming out of the closet ***

I'm also a BUTT RIDER...

Think you might have missed the double negative, Steven I have ONLY been pulled over when en route to worship.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

! That's what I get for reading while driving. (Really, I don't, but I've seen others do it on the freeway. The most egregious I got was to read while plowing).

Andrew, redeeming the time is the big deal. I try to follow the traffic laws in our area mostly for peace of mind--I don't have to worry about looking over my shoulder.

But road rage is a pretty big deal in my locality. Gunshots, people wielding baseball bats, etc. I do think an attitude of constant prayer helps with a commute (Mine is about an hour and a half--sometimes less--one way). I try to let people in for merging, give space, be consistent in my driving pattern, signal, etc.

In heavy traffic one rule seems consistent. The guy who tailgates me, swerves radically to change lanes, jockeys for position, and otherwise tries to get ahead, almost invariably is right next to me at the first stop light after an hour of driving. At best he may have beat me by 2 or 3 minutes.

He is running on adreniline and ready to blow a gasket. I've been listening to a sermon or to Bach and am ready to go to work.

So, to a great extent, following the rules of common courtesy and not letting your evil side get the upper hand is really self-preservation. And it is preservation of others too.

Great comments -- thanks, Vic! That's what I was looking for. Bach, yes, and for me, Pachelbel's Canon. And of course the sweet psalms of David.

 

[toddpedlar]

Great comments -- thanks, Vic! That's what I was looking for. Bach, yes, and for me, Pachelbel's Canon. And of course the sweet psalms of David.

Pachelbel's Canon won't work for me anymore... ever since I saw Pachelbel's Rant...

 

[Dagmire]

I ran into what might be my biggest driving peeve today. I cannot stand when people drive under the speed limit. I was on my way to the post office when this person decided to drive 15mph under the speed limit. I gave them a quick honk to let them know they were doing something wrong and inconsiderate. Then a while later they dropped to 20 under the speed limit. So I honked at them twice. They didn't seem to get it.

No offense to any elderly folks here, but if you're too old to drive the speed limit, maybe you should at least stay off of main roads.



But it served to show me the current state of my heart. It's ugly. A lot of vulgarities came out of my mouth and I found myself, for a moment, wishing harm on those people. I'm ashamed.

 

[polemic_turtle]

I usually say something like "I am so slow!" in a foreign accent and try to pass them the first chance I get. They really get to me as well and that is where I struggle.

I also struggle with wanting to be considerate if I'm slowly passing someone who's going a few MPH under the limit and somebody behind me is almost having a heart attack with desire to go 10 MPH over. I always think "I pay my taxes, you're the felon." But I need to just get over. I'm glad I never really encounter road rage.

 

[Storm]

Fish Symbol on Cars

When I was in grad. school at a Christian university, a friend gave me a fish for my car. As I was putting it on the back of my car (Toytoa Celica GT Liftback) in the parking lot of student housing, a girl walked by and said, "I'd NEVER put one of those on my car!" When I asked why, she said, "Because then I'd have to drive like a Christian!"

What's up with THAT?! If I have perfect theology and completely understand (and agree with) the five points of Calvinism, but drive like a pagan...what good it that?

 

[eternallifeinchrist]

I love to put in praise and worship music and sing the whole long way. I find that it is difficult to not become gloomy if I am listening to other music. I like to set my mind on things above and experience some of the greatest worship praise in my car. I also call my friends or mom and share time with them. It's good to 2, 4, and 10. In the Jeep, I just let the wind blow and expectantly look forward to maybe meeting Jesus that day! So, my prayer life is really great on the highway in the Jeep...Y'all think of peeps in Jeeps when you think of 9.

1.You shall not kill.


2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.
5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
7. Support the families of accident victims.
8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
10. Feel responsible toward others.