rubbernecking

there are some characteristics of people that are irritating. Yet, I am somehow immune to most of those features, until I am directly affected. Therefore, I tend to overlook those undesirables by focusing more on what is good in a person and by realizing that I have my own bothersome quirks (or worse -- faults!!).

However, I realized yesterday that there is one thing that is still unforgiveable in my book... rubbernecking. It is a phenomenon that I truly do not understand. Why are humans compelled to watch tragedy? Why do they SLOW DOWN on the highway to 'partake' in their own way with something that is none of their business and occurring on the opposite side of the freeway? I cannot believe how susceptible people are to this tendency. I have no trouble sliding by accidents where there may be flashing lights, people walking around and a crashed-up vehicle. My desire is to keep my eyes on my side of the road, so as to avoid another incident just like the one that currently troubles the stacks of people forced to wait through the slow-down.

Rubbernecking sucks. If you do it, why? From the number of drivers that negatively affect those behind and around them, I presume that most everyone who reads this is a rubbernecker.

Let me know if you agree or let me know what is so compelling that it is necessary to do more than take a glance at the scene.