Driven to destruction

By Tim Middleton | Jul. 28, 2024

Tim Middleton is the executive director of the Association of Trust Schools [ATS].

There is nothing more beautiful than driving through the rocky crags of the Matopos, through the dusty paths of our national parks, through the mountain passes of the eastern Highlands, along msasa-lined roads in northern rural Zimbabwe, across the Somabhula flats, along the long empty straight roads from Bulawayo to Victoria Falls, heading down the escarpment… Driving for long hours around the country can be an absolute pleasure!

And then there is driving with other drivers! Then there is driving long hours trying to cross Harare! There, pleasure is replaced by pressure; beauty is replaced by battering.

We have drivers pulling out onto the road when there is no gap, expecting (or rather demanding) that others must slow down to allow them in, instead of waiting for a gap to appear. We have drivers travelling slowly in the fast, overtaking lane, without a care in the world for anyone else. We have drivers forging through long after lights have turned red. We have drivers overtaking others when there is a long queue and there is no gap ahead, expecting (indeed insisting) that others will allow them in when it appears another car is coming; we have drivers coming down the wrong side of the road blaming the oncoming traffic for not moving aside for them. We have drivers overtaking on blind rises and corners. We have drivers driving at night with no lights.

Shall we go on? We have drivers who do not indicate their intentions. We have drivers who stop suddenly at the side of the road without notice. We have drivers who stop in the middle (or at the side) of t-junctions, blocking others. We have drivers who double and triple park. We have drivers who block the ongoing traffic because they want to turn right but do not want to wait their turn in the queue in the turning lane. We have drivers who form a third lane when two will not do as it causes them to be delayed, followed by even those for whom three lanes is not enough and who form a fourth lane, now blocking entirely traffic intending, rightly, to come in the right direction. In doing so, they cause an even bigger logjam and further delays for those who wait conscientiously.

Any part of the above is enough to drive us to distraction while for some it will drive them to destruction (often innocent people’s). It drives us not just to destruction though but equally to despair and despondency. We need to answer important questions, in this area of education.

Who taught these people? We are not asking who taught them to drive a car but who taught them, full stop. And what did we teach them? Did we teach them Maths that three into two does not go (especially when it comes to lanes)? Did we teach them not to be like sheep, simply following that other person who is blindly disregarding the rules with no thought of consequences for them or for others? Did we teach them to drive in such a way because others drive in such a way? One thing is clear: we did not teach them respect, nor responsibility nor patience nor community.

What use then is the education we offer if that is what we produce? What use are degrees if we drive recklessly, selfishly, arrogantly, brashly, brazenly, dangerously? Let us be clear, it is not a matter of intellect that is the problem here; the bad drivers whom we describe above are not only those who gained poor grades at school, but include people who have degrees and doctorates.

The problem with our education system is we are producing programmed not principled people. Our whole system is simply geared for people not to think for themselves (or for others) but to look after themselves and to do what they like if they can get away with it. Where there is no authority, we do what we like. Even where there is authority (as occasionally we find police at traffic lights), if they do nothing and we can get away with it (even with a backhander) then we will do what we wish.

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We pride ourselves in knowledge, thanks to our education system, yet what good is such when we deprive ourselves of discernment, insight and wisdom? No discretion brings distraction and destruction. We need principled people not programmed people. Simple! Programmed people are driving us all up a dead-end (in some cases, literally). We need to turn education around. Cars are not dangerous; people are. We must learn to be good drivers, years before we sit behind a wheel.