TYPICAL SPEEDER'S SELF-IMAGE:
Extreme skills, ultra-aware, master of my domain, rogue warrior, interstate superhero, uber-commuter, achieves safety via swiftness and panache, women dig guys who fly ahead of the flock, just a law-abiding citizen with a twinkle in the eye, note to self: pretend to be humble when pulled over, cooler than thou, my time is worth more than yours, my car is faster than yours because I know what to buy, my car is better than yours because I make more money, I should set the speed limits because I'm enlightened, I deserve special privileges for all the above reasons.
TYPICAL SPEEDER'S TRUE NATURE:
Egotistical, often insecure, chain smoking, alcoholic, drug-addicted, thrill seeker, amazingly UNaware of surroundings, poor risk buttessment or doesn't even care, creates pointless hazards every day, lots of tailgating and weaving, showboat acceleration, excessive use of brakes, style over substance, U can't touch this! (phony car culture), forever in a rush (because of bad time management, substance abuse or no real reason), compelled to pbutt others to feel like top dog, juvenile immortality complex, callous lack of concern for others (most tragically the elderly), despises the police for historical or imagined reasons.
NOTES:
A speeder's self-image often blends with reality but the areas where fantasy and reality diverge are the ones that make them really dangerous. Of course the above doesn't apply to ALL speeders, but most elements are there to some degree. Substance abuse may be in the past but there's usually some vice in addition to the speeding. Sometimes adulthood wakes them up but many will never be objective until the moment before they crash or their license is taken away.
C.T.
crossposted in alt.drugs.hard for both sarcasm and relevance
