Listening to communication lecture this week about perception and non-verbal communication this week, what came up to my mind was the perceptions and amazing non-verbal communication on the road. Not having to speak face to face with each other yet understanding what the driver in the car wants to do is quite amusing and interesting.
First up what i want to talk about in this entry is about perceptions of the kind of cars and what kind of drivers drive those cars. People come up with conclusions that those drivers with with souped up cars with fanciful car decals are hell drivers who are nothing but danger and trouble when we see them and the road, and as my dad would always tell me to avoid these drivers. Its true a large number of drivers driving these cars are speed monsters but quite amazingly i have met some who have been courteous on the road too and there was once an encounter whereby one such driver actually signaled and gave way for me to cut into his lane which i thought was a really nice gesture. That prompt me to reconsider the perception that the drivers of all these souped up cars are demons on the roads but maybe they are just car lovers who love to do up their cars just like how someone would like to decorate their home. To add in on this topic of graciousness on the road, i have to say that what i observe on the road most of the time is that those uncles in their big mercedes benz or BMWs are the ungracious drivers who constantly speed and honk unncessarily on the road. I guess that maybe they have the thinking that they paid more for their COE taxes and drive bigger and more luxurious cars hence they are at a class higher above than others and others should give way to them. Hence the perception that those driving souped up cars are road demons, people should think twice again before coming to a definitive conclusion.
It makes me wonder who came up with the idea of red means stop and green means go and why not other colors like blue and white or any other colors. I guess maybe they chose red and green as they were the fundamental colors and the more obvious colors to human eyes so it would be easier for us to notice.
Another non-verbal communication that is often seen on the road is anger, there are a few ways i have seen and heard of anger being shown on the road. The most common and obvious way of display of anger is the pressing of the horn, people press their horn may it be in the way of danger or when they are frustrated with their fellow drivers. Being stuck in a traffic jam it is always common to hear the constant sounds of horns urging the driver in front to inch forward and normally it is accompanied by a disgruntled face when i turn around to look at the driver. I have to admit that i personally too am a person who occasionally make use of the horn to show my displeasure and it is something i have to curb myself from because looking back at it pressing of the horn at someone is not very pleasant and we should practice road courtesy.
The non-verbal communication of anger that i have heard of quite commonly on the road yet have not encountered such situation yet is the display of the middle finger to someone else on the road. Have heard of such situations told to me from my friends from unruly drivers who when displeased with someone on the road would press repeatedly on their horn and give the middle finger. Personally i feel that this is a very unpleasant and ungracious thing to do and it shows what kind of ill-mannered the person is as even though someone might have committed a mistake on the road one should not give the person the finger.
9 comments:
I do agree with the stereotype perception of flashy cars. Given the society stereotype, people who continues to follow suit with the action can only goes to show that they want to be seen in that light. They want to be seen like that of a rally car racer, fast, aggressive and don't-mess-with-me. However, like what you brought up about exceptions, they do exist but usually in small numbers.
On the subject of non-verbal communication, I must agree that on the road, everything is about that. How else can 2 people "talk" to each other when they both separated by physical barriers?
Some comments on horns. It is not entire rude to horn. It serves as a warning to others and some people do appreciate if you horn them. For example, in the busy street of Vietnam, almost all the vehicles horn at each other. They are merely give the message of "Be careful, I am coming through.", rather than "Get out of my way!"
Probably, you can add to your piece about hand signaling (less the middle finger). How drivers communicate with pedestrians when the latter are trying to cross the zebra crossing? Or how drivers thank each other for giving way?
In addition, you may want to consider this another effective form of non-verbal communication, which is the use of the headlights. Usage of high beam as warning and etc.
Thou i am a driver too but not with those souped up cars, i do agree with you that some drivers are reckless and inconsiderate to other road users. I have many friends who are car enthusiastic and have souped up their cars like how you mention on your blog. Many of them knows the consequences of street racing. Therefore, they obey to the road regulations and give up to other road users who are traveling faster instead of initiating a race with those reckless drivers. They would rather test the skills and car ability on race tracks in Malaysia.
I too agree to your comment on some Mercs and BMW drivers who thinks they own the roads in Singapore. Thinking that they should have the right of way and expect others to give way to them. Such drivers should get bullied by trucks and lorries and get their cars scratched in order to learn to be more humble to other road users.
Road courtesy is the way to make the road a more pleasant and enjoyable experience. Patience plays a big part in all drivers, one wrong move might lead to a drastic mistake.
Drive Safe Everyone out there!
hmm... would you define perception to be based on your evaluations on a said subject only when it occurs and not subjecting it to past prejudice, or basing it on sweeping statements of bigotedness influenced by others from before before you even come to evaluate?
i personally feel though it is impossible for a perception to be truely unbiased, i believe that for the context of perceiving what kind of driver someone is on the road, what kind of car he drives doesn't really matter now does it? it's his skills and road courtesy that truely matters? and contrary to earlier comments, i don't agree that drivers with modified cars are, in bulk, rogues on the road. i do believe it's a common misconception because most ppl would pay attention only to the black sheep of a family and neglect the merits of the others.
I do find though, the part on non verbal communication to be quite valid. the road is one of the few archetypal examples where you say it best when you say nothing at all. it somehow shows that it's not impossible for people to convey thoughts and messages through means other than speech, though the content of some leaves much to be desired. though not every single non verbal communication that occurs on the road is one of undesirability. there are instances that are a sign of thank yous and contriteness.
Singaporeans on a whole still have much more to improve on. they often only do critisize the demerits of others without realising that they themselves are guilty of such acts, that's why the situation never improves.
I agree with you that we should not be too quick to judge drivers based on their cars. The mental picture of a tattooed gangster with dyed hair behind the wheel of a flashy sports car with a loud engine and even louder decals is a mere stereotype. So is the image of an old rich businessman driving an expensive luxury car. To perpetuate such stereotypes would be unfair to other drivers.
Truly, the road is an interesting place to study non-verbal communication. On the road, life and death can hinge on split-second interpretations of the intentions of other road users. It is therefore important to adhere to the common conventions used by local drivers. For instance, the flashing of one's headlights can mean one thing in Singapore but another thing in London. It is also vital to signal clearly to other drivers what you intend to do. More dangerous than a speeding car is one which haphazardly switches from lane to lane without warning. I have heard that in Vietnam, where traffic flow is unending, the safest way to cross the road is to walk quickly in a straight line with your head down. Even though one may be crossing a busy street, this method is safer because it allows motorists to predict your path and navigate around you safely.
From my own experience, motorists in Singapore seem to be an impatient lot. A consequence of the fast pace of life here, perhaps?
No doubt many of us tend to have already formed a stereotype perception on drivers in flashy cars and headlights, perhaps due to unpleasant experiences personally or too many horror stories from friends who may have exaggerated things a little bit. But as mentioned by some of your friends, there are of cos exceptions, so yes let's not be too quick to judge. :)
I agree that non-verbal communication do occur on the road. It applies not just to the hand signals and the sounding of the horn, but also the traffic lights, headlights etc. Very good point by Wes Brown regarding common conventions used by local drivers.. How different forms of non-verbal communication might differ globally. However, there are still some which are common across the board. One which is mentioned in the post, is the colors oh the traffic lights. It is commonly understood (i hope by those in both developed and developing ctries) that red means stop, green means go. As for ur question on why these colors were chosen, i did a quick search, and here's what i got:
"The use of these colours is thought to originate from nautical right-of-way. Usually, the red light contains some orange in its hue, and the green light contains some blue, to provide some support for people with red-green colour blindness."
One question i would like to post to all is.. are all these non-verbal communication acts really based on our local busy kiasu culture, or are there any other possible grounds?
wow very indept analysis. maybe ppl of different kinds feel comfortable in communicating the way they are used to? just like how a soccer fan feels at ease at a crowd of fellow soccer fans and not basketball fanatics.
Non-verbal communication on the road is common has you've mentioned. It helps people to understand the intention of others and react based on what they have interpreted. What is key here, is the word "interpret". This means to say that the intended meaning of an action by Person A may be interpreted differently by Person B. In your example of driving. Horning is used to express anger. True, but is this always so? Let's say a driver decides to change lane but did not check the blind spot (which is where your car is), horning him may not represent anger, but simply notifying him of your presence to prevent the collision.
Also, on the subject of stereotying, I believe this people/cultural schema is there for society to function. Like many have argued, let's not be too quick to judge. But stereotypes help people catergorise things easily and helps one to react based on prior knowledge when confronted with these people. Just as how you've given the example of flashy cars. But how did these stereotypes form? How did you acquire such knowledge that most people who own flashy cars are "hell drivers" as you've put it? Through people around you? Or maybe through the media? Accurate or not, it depends on what you've experienced to reinforce or break the sterotype.
i have to say that all these non-verbal communication is not based on out local kiasu community, pressing the horn in both locally and foreign countries is to express that there in oncoming danger or to alert others. what i have concluded from all the comments is that we should not jump to conclusion to fast about the different kinds of drivers to match the different kinds of cars they drive. most of the comments also agree that the road is really an interesting place to study non-verbal communication after all i think if you should from within your car the person in the car in front or next to you can hardly hear what you are trying to say so i guess non-verbal communication on the road is inevitable and has developed over the years to how it is today
In my opinion, the reason why people drive fast flashy cars is not only for the high speeds but also for symbol it presents. This is because cars are seen not only as a mode of transport, but also as a status symbol.
Therefore, if your driving a Ferrari or something, it obviously means you have a lot of money to spend. Thus in the eyes of others, you are a filthy rich guy. Flashy cars are just a way of flaunting your wealth.
Cars also reflect a person's personality, which many of you have already pointed out. Remember that we can determine a person's character and personality by studying what kind of artifacts he has.
Lastly, about the horns. For those who went to driving school, recall the real purpose of the horn. I have no idea why the use of the horn has evolved from a warning to and act of aggressiveness.
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