13.1: Incivility on the Roads

This morning woke up bright and early, 4:30 am to be exact, prepared to rock the Dallas Rock N’ Roll half marathon.  While this was hands down the craziest thing I have ever done, I went into with an open mind. At 8:00 am the race began and I was off! 

The first couple miles I was focused on my breathing and speed. Once I was able to find the perfect pace, I started noticing the people around me. Many of the people participating in the race were running in teams for a cause. While I completely support them and think what they did was amazing, there was one thing that bothered me most, they ran side-by-side. Having two people run next to each other is totally understandable, but when these packs are formed of four, five, even six people it creates a barrier for the other runners trying to pass them. The majority of the course was only two car lanes wide and these packs took up almost a complete lane, posing as a challenge for the other runners to maneuver them.

 In the novel, Choosing Civility by P.M. Forni, two of these chapters are applicable to my experience today, “Pay Attention” and “Acknowledge Others”. According to Forni, “We spend much of our daily lives neglecting to pay attention. I know I often go through my surroundings without taking them in…” (36). While I understand many people are focused on themselves, they need to be mindful of others around them.

One final thing, I would like to personally congratulate everyone that participated in today’s half marathon. It wasn’t easy, but we did it! 

Where is the Love?

      You are in your car driving one afternoon and you flip your blinker on. There is plenty of room for you to change lanes. All the sudden the car in the lane next to you speeds up, slams on his breaks, lays on the horn, and gives you the finger. Though you did everything you were supposed to, you still managed to piss off the guy riding your bumper. Unfortunately, this is the norm in today’s society.

      The simplest act can spark road rage in someone. Though many people lack proper mannerisms, this is especially an issue on the roads. Not only is rude driving a serious problem we see on a daily basis, but it can also be extremely dangerous. According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aggressive driving is responsible for one-third of all accidents and about two-thirds of the resulting fatalities. This is an issue that has not been addressed nearly enough. 

      I propose that the police start issuing tickets when they see road rage occur. With the hefty fines, hopefully hazardous drives will realizes that their outbursts just aren’t necessary. If rage on the roads could be reduced, driving would be significantly safer. So next time a driver does something to make you mad, take a deep breath, relax, and just carry on. 

Always & Forever

In recent years, the art of tattooing has been on the rise. More than ever, people are choosing to go under the needle to get “inked”. These tattoos range in shapes, size, and location. Some people are going as far as tattooing themselves from head to toe, but why?

Growing up, I have always been taught that if you choose to get a tattoo, you are disrespecting your body. If I ever came home sporting a new tattoo, not only would my parents be mad beyond belief, but also I would be cut off. For some reason, tattoos are seen as more socially acceptable than in the past.  The idea of tattooing is so popular, that TLC was able to launch a television show “Miami Ink”.  This television show was not only successful, but also managed to record six seasons. Multiple people have commented on reviews that not only did they absolutely love the show, but after becoming obsessed with “Miami ink” they felt the need to go get a tattoo.  

People need to stop and think before they disrespect their bodies and get a tattoo. It is not something that will disappear overtime. It will be with you forever. 

Tanorexia

             If you were doing something that increased your chances of getting cancer, don’t you think you’d stop? Unfortunately, this is not the case for many Caucasian women ages 16-29. This age group makes 70% of the tanning salon patrons. According to American Academy of Dermatology, using tanning beds before the age of 35 can significantly increase your chance of getting melanoma, the world’s deadliest skin cancer.

            Unfortunately, over the years, being tan has developed a positive connotation. Many Caucasians will do whatever it takes to be tan, even if that means paying a hefty fee and damaging their skin. WebMD recommends that anyone under the age of 18 should not engage in indoor tanning because of their rapid growth of cells. This puts them at a higher risk for potentially developing skin cancer. I personally think indoor tanning should be banned for all ages. If the legislation was to put a stop to the use of tanning salons, people would learn to not only embraces their natural skin color, but it would also drastically help the health of their skin.

            For people that feel the need to be tan year round, there are ways to get this healthy glow without exposing yourself to damaging UV rays. The beauty industry has spent years developing lotions and sprays that resemble tan. Not only are most of the lotions cheaper than indoor tanning, but also, they will not damage your skin. So next time you go to step into a tanning bed, think to yourselves, is it really worth it? 

Texting & Driving: Worse Than Drunk Driving

The popularity of cell phones has sky rocketed in the past two decades. Though communicating has become much easier, car accidents related to mobile use has also increased drastically. Reports have shown that texting and driving is more dangerous than drunk driving, according to Virginia Tech Driving Institution. Though there is a law against drunk driving, there is not a law prohibiting texting and driving nationwide. Clearly, this is a serious issue.

            In 2008, 5,870 people died in car crashes related to texting and driving. While over half a million people were injured in texting and driving related accidents.  One would think these alarming statistics would force Congress to take action, but it hasn’t. As of July 2010, only 29 states have ban texting and driving according to Governors Highway Safety Administration.

            People typically think that more teens are using cell phones while driving than adults, but this was proven false by the statistics released in 2010. 34 percent of teens admitted to texting while operating a vehicle, while a staggering 47 percent of adults admitted to it. Despite your age, cell phone use while driving is just simply not safe. There needs to be a law nationwide that bans texting and driving, enough said. 

Let's Put An End To All This Hate

          Cyberbullying has been an issue for many years now, but within these past couple years, the media has covered it more than ever. Cyberbullying has been linked to many suicides, especially among teens. According to Oklahoma Parents Center, bullying includes behaviors and actions that are verbal, physical and/or anti-social, such as exclusion, gossip and non-verbal body language. It can occur at school or in transit between school and home. As of July 2010, forty-four states within the United States have laws against bullying, but why do only five states have laws against cyberbulling?

            With the rising rate of suicides linked to cyberbullying, one would think there would be more laws making cyberbullying illegal. Unfortunately, forty-five states still do not have any laws against this hateful crime. Most states do not consider cyberbullying to be a part of bullying laws because the bullying does not occur face-to-face. One of the most talked about cases of cyberbullying took place in Missouri, the state where I am from. A mother created a fake account and pretended to be a teenage boy interested in Megan Meier, a fun loving 13-year-old girl. After a few weeks, the relationship between the boy and Megan became verbally abusive. The boy began to taunt Megan by saying, “Megan Meier is a slut. Megan Meier is fat,” according to Good Morning America. The young girl could no longer handle the harassment and ended her life October 15, 2006, at the age of 13. Mrs. Meier will never be able to hold her daughter again. Instead, she is only able to hold pictures of Megan and cherish the memories they have together. As of July 2009, the mother who engaged in cyberbullying was only indicted under the Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. 

            With the growing rate of social networks available to anyone, there needs to be a law against cyberbullying in all states. There have been way too many unfortunate incidents where young people ended their lives due to this vicious crime. How many more suicides due to cyberbullying is it going to take for the country to realize enough is enough?

Starbucks: The Money Monster

Each morning as I stumble out of bed at 7:15 am, I think to myself, “ah I could really use a Starbucks.” This is something that has run through my head each morning for almost 5 years. Growing up, I have always been a coffee drinker. As a freshman in high school, occasionally, I was able to convince my dad to take me to get my morning coffee fix from Starbucks. As years passed, the occasional morning Starbucks run turned into a something that was almost a daily routine. What was initially just a venti coffee at a little under $3, was now I venti ice caramel macchiato at a whapping price of almost $4.50.

            How much is too much to spend on a cup of coffee? A poll done by the Consumerist showed that 73% of Americans think Starbucks is overpriced, while 21% are unsure. Falling into the endless cycle of spending $4.50 on a cup of coffee added up fast. In one month alone during my senior year, I managed to drop almost $300 at Starbucks. Needless to say, dad was not too happy about this.


            Since entering SMU and not having a Starbucks conveniently located near my dorm, I have almost completely given up my daily coffee run. Looking back, I was stupid to spend $4.50 on a cup of coffee on a daily basis. Starbucks’ coffee prices are outrageously expensive and though the coffee is good and all, you are primarily paying for the logo on the cup. I have found that homebrewed coffee can satisfy my caffeine cravings and help cut back on the expenses.