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Vatican warns that driving can bring out "primitive" behavior
The Vatican has issued a set of "Ten Commandments" for drivers, which you can put next to the praying Mary on your dashboard. The Pope and his associates warn that cars can be "an occasion of sin" -- particularly when they're used for dangerous passing or for prostitution. (They're extra dangerous when you combine both.) (Associated Press)
June 19, 2007 | Permalink
Comments
The Pope also goes into starving, overpopulated countries and tells people not to use birth control. Not the kind of guy I'm gonna take driving advice from.
Posted by: Jeff Vachon | Jun 19, 2007 8:07:49 AM
The only thing Rome, or a Pope could ever do to impress me, would be to emmulate Anthony Quinn's fictional account in "The Shoes of The Fisherman". Or restore the halo to a possibly fictional Christopher. I'm sure road rage, and parking, has been around for as long as the automobile. Compared to apologizing for the Inquisition 300 plus years late, they are becoming more timely in their attempts to mollify agressive human behavior. I wonder what they will have to say about the Middle East in 100 years.
Posted by: thomas | Jun 19, 2007 8:38:24 AM
Can I buy indulgences so I can speed and park in handicap spots?
Posted by: elchampino | Jun 19, 2007 8:38:32 AM
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The Pope also goes into starving, overpopulated countries and tells people not to use birth control.
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True. I don't hink that's a good idea either.
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Not the kind of guy I'm gonna take driving advice from.
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That's good advice no matter who it came from. I'll take it from him too.
Posted by: stopeatingmysesamecake | Jun 19, 2007 8:52:14 AM
Don't give them any ideas elchampino. Indulgences, good one! Now we will need a patron saint of road rage. Any nominations?
Posted by: thomas | Jun 19, 2007 9:09:39 AM
Following the dicatates of the Catholic Church can bring out 'primitive' behavior. Like telling an AIDS-infested region not to use condoms because they'll go to 'hell'. Better to die young of AIDS, the Vatican says, than to risk 'hell' by using a condom.
Too bad death is real, and humans made up the idea of 'hell'. I'm conflicted between cheering on Darwin and the needless deaths of gullible people...
Posted by: Sean, Torrington CT | Jun 19, 2007 9:10:31 AM
Well bloody hell....dangerous passing is a sin? Then I committed at least six sins behind the wheel this morning.
Posted by: pnwgal | Jun 19, 2007 9:16:14 AM
Patron Saint of Road Rage - how about Jack Nicholson?
Posted by: elchampino | Jun 19, 2007 9:26:01 AM
I'm reading an awesome book by a catholic called "papal sin" which discusses the polical structures of deceit that have transformed the papacy into what it is today.
The churches position on:
Women Priests
Priests Marrying
Birth Control
The Holocaust, during
Are all mired in scandal in which the majority of bishops, cardinals and respected theologians were shut down and had their positions ignored in lieu of the opinion of one man. Some of the decisions like birth control were made simply to maintain what was a general, but not firm rule, But the council that discussed it could find no firm spiritual or biblical condemnation. But the pope stood firm on opinions of the likes of St. Augustine and condemned it.
Of course Augustines position (and st. thomas aquinas') position on fetal humanity (a fetus is not a human) was ignored. They also ignored his position that infertile couples should not have sex, and sex should only be done in the missionary position.
Papal Infallibility as dogma isn't even 200 years old and came about because a weak and overly dramatic pope wanted to secure his place in history (as if kidnapping a jewish child and rasing him catholic wasn't enough) The pope rigged the council and just in case the decision wasn't in favor of his infallibility, he annoucned that if the council was against it...he'd just go ahead and declare it anyways.
so yeah.
Not gonna pay attention to the popes driving tips.
Posted by: boynamedsue | Jun 19, 2007 9:29:07 AM
Sex brings out primitive behavior as well. Going up a road marked "one way"...aww yeah
/high five
Posted by: Cameltoes | Jun 19, 2007 9:35:09 AM
Many people have said that my Corvette is the devil's tool...but in reality it usually makes people in the passenger seat become closer to god.....at least that's what I think since they are usually praying or saying God's name over and over and over. :)
Posted by: jimmyjohn | Jun 19, 2007 9:35:51 AM
Does the pontiff have anything to say about the rage-filled Ford vs. Chevy debate?
http://electricstorytime.blogspot.com/2006/08/ford-vs-chevy.html
Posted by: Billy | Jun 19, 2007 9:39:42 AM
A few years back, this very well intentioned and retired doctor decided to do something about excessive speed and the related deaths on the highways around Los Angeles. he would drive in the fast lane at exactly the speed limit, refusing to move aside for the many willing lawbreakers behind him.
His family had to beg him to use secondary roads, or stop driving altogether. He'd been shot at, targetted with all kinds of debris, life threatened by phone and mail, car vandalized, and endured the worst verbal lashings possible by rage induced drivers. Don't know his name, but road rage was just becoming an issue at that time. I nominate the unknown doctor as patron saint, or Nicholson, or Hannibal Lecter, or Idi Amin, or,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,?
Posted by: thomas | Jun 19, 2007 9:54:22 AM
There are many highways were driving the posted speed limit will frankly put you and everyone else around you at risk. The Beltway here in DC, as well as I-95 anywhere between DC and NYC... if you are driving the speed limit you are asking to cause an accident.
Posted by: elchampino | Jun 19, 2007 10:16:17 AM
The Twelve Commandment of Jersey Driving:
How To Drive In Jersey
1. You must first learn to pronounce the city name, it is New-erk not
New-ark. (actually, it's pronounced NERK)
2. The morning rush hour is from 5:00 a.m. to noon. The evening rush hour is from noon to 7:00 p.m. Friday's rush hour starts on Thursday morning.
3. The minimum acceptable speed on the turnpike is 85 mph. On the parkway it's 105 or 110. Anything less is considered "Wussy."
4. Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Jersey has its own version of traffic rules. For example, cars/trucks with the loudest muffler go first at a four-way stop; the trucks with the biggest tires go second. However, in Monmouth county, SUV-driving, cell phone-talking moms ALWAYS have the right of way.
5. If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear ended, cussed out, and possibly shot.
6. Never honk at anyone. Ever. Seriously. It's another offense that can get you shot.
7. Road construction is permanent and continuous in all of Jersey . Detour barrels are moved around for your entertainment pleasure during the middle of the night to make the next day's driving a bit more exciting.
8. Watch carefully for road hazards such as drunks, skunks, dogs, cats, barrels, cones, celebs, rubber-neckers, shredded tires, cell-phoners, deer and other road kill, and the homeless feeding on any of these items.
9. Mapquest does not work here -- none of the roads are where they say they are or go where they say they do and all the Turnpike EZ PASS lanes are moved each night once again to make your ride more exciting.
10. If someone actually has their turn signal on, wave them to the shoulder immediately to let them know it has been "accidentally activated."
11. If you are in the left lane and only driving 70 in a 55-65 mph zone, you are considered a road hazard and will be "flipped off" accordingly. If you return the flip, you'll be shot.
12. Do not try to estimate travel time -- just leave Monday afternoon for Tuesday appointments, by noon Thursday for Friday and right after church on Sunday for anything on Monday morning.
Posted by: coconutkel | Jun 19, 2007 10:22:33 AM
One of the funniest short films I've ever seen is what happened when a group of people actually drove the speed limit (55) on I-285 in Atlanta. Take a look--road rage at its finest.
http://atlanta.metblogs.com/archives/2006/02/driving_55_on_t.phtml
Posted by: gsugirl | Jun 19, 2007 10:24:00 AM
coconutkel, that was priceless-thanks for sharing!
Posted by: pnwgal | Jun 19, 2007 10:48:52 AM
That video is brilliant. I think some journalists did something similar a while back.
A few months ago I got a bad ticket for doing 75 mph on a portion of the Beltway that is, laughably, 55 mph. The next time I was on that part of the Beltway I decided to try the speed limit just to see what would happen. Even in the far right lane I was almost run off the road. And as a Jersey native I can attest to cocnutkel's list - I'd say the speed limits on the Parkway/Turnpike are the most out of touch with reality as I've seen anywhere in the country.
Posted by: elchampino | Jun 19, 2007 10:55:01 AM
Where I live there is no traffic and as someone who used to live in Maryland I know the crazyness of the area roads. If you are not doing at least 70mph on 270 or the Beltway you are moving slow and as Elchampino said doing the speed limit which is 55 will just get you killed even if you are in the far right hand land.
In Maine though the speed limit on 95 is 65mph which is nice but there is no traffic so you can do the speed limit and people don't care. I myself though don't enjoy blowing extra petro at 3 dollars a gallon so I just take my time and leave early if I'm going on a long trip.
Posted by: The Asshole Guy | Jun 19, 2007 12:03:51 PM
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One of the funniest short films I've ever seen is what happened when a group of people actually drove the speed limit (55) on I-285 in Atlanta. Take a look--road rage at its finest.
http://atlanta.metblogs.com/archives/2006/02/driving_55_on_t.phtml
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It's one thing to try to show what happens when "everyone drives the speed limit". It's another to line your cars up across the lanes. There are laws (which are debatable) about impeding the flow of traffic. Would it have occurred to anyone that slowing a bit UNDER the speed limit would've allowed traffic through their blockade? Or a bit over- which may have been legal in the spirit of the impeding law? No, they lined up their cars and played dumb, proving nothing that most drivers go over the speed limit, so alot and some a little - who didn't know that?
They were a bunch of assnuggets, and their self-important video with the little interviews was stupid.
Posted by: stopeatingmysesamecake | Jun 19, 2007 12:09:56 PM
I'm sure glad that the Vatican has taken care of all the things wrong with the church and moved onto what really matters - driving.
Posted by: Moose | Jun 19, 2007 12:27:40 PM
Does New Jersey law SAY drivers are to stop at a yellow light? In my state, a yellow means "caution," not "stop." A teenager I know says yellow means "floor it."
Posted by: Sheila | Jun 19, 2007 12:29:23 PM
Primitive behavior? Hallelujah! The Pope has endorsed evolution!
Posted by: Nontheist | Jun 19, 2007 12:34:42 PM
A few weeks ago I got stuck behind some kids who were doing the same thing as the ones in Atlanta. It was amusing for a little while, but soon car horns blared, tailgaters were inches away from their rear bumpers, and a bunch of people started passing them illegally on the shoulders. I slowed down to avoid getting mixed up in the whole clusterfuck and was nearly sideswiped by some nutjob who was whizzing down the shoulder in a Cadillac Escalade.
If one of these kids was forced to stop suddenly, they'd have probably caused an enormous chain-reaction accident ... not to mention that one of the idiot shoulder-passers could have run into someone else's car or bridge pier. Even without an accident, the rolling jam would have made it hard for an ambulance, fire engine, police car, or other emergency vehicle to get through and respond to an emergency.
Posted by: Phranqlin | Jun 19, 2007 12:35:13 PM
I can vouch for 285 and the beltway in Maryland--I had to get Mister to just stop driving while we lived there. Where he's from in 'Bama, it's a drive just to get to the interstate so he wasn't used to that kind of traffic.
You've gotta be going at least 65 on a ramp just to merge in on 95 between DC and Baltimore. I don't even want to think of all the times Mister nearly got us killed.
But in eastern Georgia it's worse: you've gotta be on the lookout for grannies in caddies who think you've got to come to a complete stop on the ramp before merging onto the interstate. Love that!
My experience with Atlanta traffic is this: Lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way--quickly.
Sheila: my kids (the oldest is only 14) all agree with your teenager friend.
Posted by: Soo | Jun 19, 2007 1:41:01 PM
