The taxi-driver was probably sleepy or dazed from long hours
of driving. There have been many occasions where I have encountered
taxi-drivers cutting dangerously into other lanes, overtaking and then
e-braking for a passenger pick-up, and even reversing at high speed on main
roads. Whenever I see this happening, I am tempted to wind down my window and
scold them for such foolish behaviour. During those times that I actually drove
up to such errant drivers, I saw that they were old uncles with white or grey
hair and had a dazed look on their faces which probably was a result of long
hours of driving on the roads.
There was once I took a taxi after sending my car for
servicing and happened to meet a taxi-driver from Batam. He came to Singapore
once a week and would drive non-stop for five days before going back. I was
surprised when he mentioned that and asked him if that meant he had minimal
sleep during his stints in Singapore. He answered that he would drive for 18
hours straight each time and then grab a couple of hours' rest in a carpark in
between. That was the way he maximised his earnings. I felt sad and angry at
the same time - sad because of the tough life he had, angry because he was
obviously putting other road-users in danger due to his actions. His driving
was erratic and he had difficulty keeping his eyes open. I think he might have
just fallen asleep at the wheel if I had not been keeping him awake with the
conversation.
As I got off the taxi, I suggested to him that he try to get
more rest and have shorter driving intervals. He gave me a weak "you don't
know what I'm going through" smile and then drove off.
I have been guilty of having high expectations on the roads
when I am driving. I have the tendency to think/feel that all drivers are
supposed to be perfect beings - fully rested, alert with quick reactions and
capable of responsible decisions on the move. Thus when others do not behave in
the "correct" manner e.g. road-hogging or blatantly talking on the
phone without any hands-free kit, I would get angry at them. Each time I get
angry, I would think of the incident with that taxi-driver from Batam and then
remember that not every driver has the luxury of being fully-rested and alert on
the roads. The roads mirror our lives. There are many drivers who have little
choice (from a certain perspective) when it comes to driving. Delivery men,
taxi-drivers, despatch riders for example. Perhaps they would prefer another
lifestyle, another job that does not require them to be on the roads 12 to 16
hours a day. Those long hours sap their energy and like any other human beings,
they behave erratically when exhausted.
Buddha taught "我不入地獄, 誰入地獄". The rough english
translation is "if I do not go to Hell, who should?". I first heard
of this saying when I was in primary school and I took it at face value. I
thought it was a peculiar saying - why should I go to Hell in other people's
stead? As I grew older, my experiences allowed me to reflect further on this
teaching and I came to the realisation that it was not the going to Hell that
mattered. It was the attitude that one had in life which was key, and which was
what this teaching is trying to focus on. Today, the world influenced by
western thinking emphasises a lot on liberty and human rights. The right to
speak, the right to act, etc. It is all about freedom that the individual
should have. In a twisted manner, freedom has become synonymous with
self-importance. "I" am the most important.
The problem with such thinking is that the world becomes a
self-centred place. Everyone looks out only for himself. If you are infringing
on my rights, you are committing a grave and heinous wrong. Buzz off. This kind
of thinking is the anti-thesis of "我不入地獄, 誰入地獄" and I believe it is
one of the main reasons for social breakdown and decadence. Again, using
driving on the roads as a mirror of life - I have been driving for decades. In
the early days, people were patient and gave way when you signaled to move into
their lanes. Today, drivers speed up to close the gap when they see your
lane-change indicator. How has this come about? When the self-centredness that
is in human nature is not countered by the innate compassion that we have, it
becomes the poison that spreads through the community. Without awareness, there
is no living. Without awareness, the innate compassion cannot be awakened. We
become selfish automatons that are concerned only about self and aspects which
are closely associated with self.
As a society, the focus on meritocracy has led to the
proliferation of self-centred mindsets. I am capable therefore I deserve the
rewards. You are incompetent therefore you deserve to be in a state of poverty.
While meritocracy has served the needs of society by motivating individuals to
strive for progression, we have failed, as a society, to recognise that it is a
double-edged sword like many other things. The positive aspects come with the
negative as a package. In exalting the positive aspects, we turned a blind eye
to the negatives which have been given free play to grow deep roots into our
society. The self-centredness that comes forth from these negatives has become
the root of many social problems that we are facing - the lack of graciousness,
inconsiderate behaviour, hanging of bras in lifts, punching of bus drivers,
playing loud music in the trains. These behaviour are symptomatic of a society
that is like the spoilt child who we see in shopping centres screaming and
wailing because he is not getting things done his way. He is given the latest
technological gizmos but as morality and ethics have not been engrained in him
through education, he selfishly uses technology for his own benefit only.
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