Giving A Black Eye To Your Friends
Since 1962 I have been an amateur radio operator (known to many as "hams") and have a distinctive license plate that bears my radio call sign. People may not know me, but the alert might notice that I'm a proud (though mostly inactive) member of the amateur radio fraternity.
Some obviously pay attention, for occasionally another car bearing amateur radio tags will pass with a friendly toot of the horn. Old timers may even go a step further by beeping out in Morse code the word "hi," the universal greeting among ham operators when Morse code ruled the airwaves.
Should I be observed driving recklessly, my unique car tag may inadvertently become a liability for other radio operators. "Would you look at that guy! Those radio operators must think they own the roads! How dare he cut me off!" It's that easy for my indiscretion to heap criticism on a whole group when I'm the only one to blame. I am, in essence, giving a black eye to my friends.
Something akin to this happened to a reader not long ago. As two police cars tore around her and cut her off, she naturally envisioned a compelling emergency. Imagine her surprise (and chagrin) to see the officers stop at a local restaurant. She followed. "Murder?" she queried as they hunkered over coffee. "No, ma'am. No murder."
Certainly these men in blue were the only ones at fault. But it's easy for our minds to expand the blame, giving other officers black eyes they don't deserve.
A few days ago, I was waiting to turn left off a main road, but oncoming traffic came in a steady stream. There was no stop sign for me, so I had the right of way as soon as traffic cleared. I was anxious--but so was someone else.
A late-model truck was at the stop sign (on street I was trying to enter) was waiting to pull onto the main road. I suppose the driver felt that since he had been waiting longer than I had, the rules of right of way could be ignored. So that's just what he did. Out he sped, cutting me off from my turn. I could have run smack into his passenger side where a child was sitting.
I don't know his name, but I did notice his special tags. He's a firefighter, and his impatience has indirectly given his comrades a black eye they don't deserve.
And when one is in public service--and in the public eye--a black eye is not an asset.
Copyright 2001 James McAlister
Comments
Post a Comment