Re: alfa-digest V9 #619

[George Graves <gmgraves@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Anti-American? So now any criticism of our culture is anti-American? I 
see. Well, no, actually I don't see. Sure there are rude and or bad 
drivers everywhere, but here in the USA, the large majority of drivers 
are bad because no one ever taught them that there was any such thing 
as "good", in the technical sense. We don't teach people to drive in 
the USA, we teach them to "operate a motor vehicle." Perhaps a subtle 
distinction to some, but in reality, it speaks volumes. As a culture, 
we're terrible behind the wheel. We buy inappropriate vehicles and then 
we drive them inappropriately. Here in California we have a large Asian 
population. Driving an automobile is not part of their culture. Yet 
they come here, buy a car and get out on the road where almost daily, I 
see such behavior as driving on the wrong side of the road, going 45 in 
the passing lane of the freeway and continuing that way seemingly 
oblivious of anybody coming up from behind and blaring their horn or 
flashing their lights. They have no business on the road UNTIL they've 
been taught how to drive. But nobody does that and the state licensing 
procedure does nothing to test their competence. If it did, they 
wouldn't be on the road. Let's face it, if we had proper licensing in 
the USA, a lot of people wouldn't be able to pass muster, and thus 
would be disallowed driving privileges, but is this so bad? Look at 
another way. What if the FAA's flight certification procedure were as 
superficial as the driving tests in most states? You'd be afraid to go 
outside for fear of the airplanes falling from the sky.

Yes, Italians ARE better drivers than most Americans. I go there every 
year. I too have driven in Rome, and Naples (but it's difficult to 
drive in Venice, unless you have an Amphicar :->) I see them drive. 
They are, for the most part, very competent.

But there are many things about Italy that I don't like. I certainly 
wouldn't like their socialist government, I don't like the heavy tolls 
on the Autostrade, and I certainly don't like their gas prices. I do 
like their cars, their beautiful women, their lovely countryside, and 
their great food and wine.

And just because I notice a deficiency in the American automobile 
culture doesn't make me anti-American, either. So there!


George Graves
'86 GTV-6 3.0S




On Saturday, July 5, 2003, at 12:37 PM, alfa-digest wrote:


> Date: Sat, 5 Jul 2003 09:33:11 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Jerry in Houston <glewis4457@domain.elided>
> Subject: Our Usual Anti-American Tirades
>
> I see we are back to our typical anti-American cheap
> shots and of course the italians do everything so
> perfectly well.  WELL, bullcookies.  I lived and drove
> in Italy for 2 years (including Rome, Naples, and
> Venice) and I can assure you that they have their
> share of bad and rude drivers as does America, ever
> seen the classic Italian raised forearm and hand to
> the inside elbow, i.e. their version of the finger.
> They use it easily and frequently.  Of course these
> accusations are usually based on anecdotal evidence at
> best, Ohhhh I was in Italy for 3 days and yadda yadda
> yadda, or no evidence at all.  Characterizing a whole
> population as being afraid of their cars or some such
> malarky is no different than "white men can't jump"
> and "black folks all have rhythm".  Both of which are
> pure B.S.  There are good and bad drivers in both
> cultures, of course the members of this digest ALL
> qualify as above average or excellent drivers....
> yeah....right.
>
> Jerry in Houston
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