Herdle Aggression in Amman
Actually, I am not sure that this word even exists! And no I am not talking about animals behaving freakishly all of a sudden in Amman… I am talking about cars acting all freakishly!
I happen to hate aggressive people… they just make me angry, and I specifically hate people who inflict uncalled aggression for no reason at all. I can’t remember how many argument I got in during my Jahiliyat years (… non-driving years. So my personal calendar is divided in BD, AD… different from Anno Domini… for me it is Before Driving and After Driving) with people I was riding with, because they shouted at other people while driving. Today I realize the error of my ways. I sincerely want to apologize to all these people… one specifically… with whom I had countless arguments for aggressive comments while driving. You people were right… driving in Amman calls for aggressive language.
The truth is, in Amman driving can be easily considered an animal act. Vehicles act exactly like animals that are fighting instinctively for scarce resources… this could be time, street space, or green light… whatever resources are at that specific moment. The nonverbal signs are based on aggression, competition and jungle rules…
It is kind of difficult for me to understand that these vehicles are driven by people with sense and humanity… how do these people (including myself, I am learning how to become aggressive fairly quickly) transform from logical beings into illogical beings, just by getting into their cars? At which point does the switch happen? Is it the moment we turn the key? Is it when the wheels start driving? Is when we come in contact with the first car? When?
The point is I find myself shouting at people, and practicing an amazing willpower in order not to give at least three people the finger, every time I get into my car!
Ohh something else, I now think that the utmost act of hypocrisy is when someone with slogans such as لا اله الا الله ( There is no God except Allah) all over their cars, roll down their windows and calmly toss their garbage in the street, as if the streets are a big trash can that have been developed for them to toss their garbage…. I just feel like shouting النظافة من الإيمان (Cleanliness is part of faith) from my window…. Obviously it is needless to explain that throwing garbabge is not acceptable from anyone… when I see a perfectly coiffed and made up woman throwing things from her window, I always get this mental image of her throwing banana on the floor of her living room… ( it is always a banana!) I wonder if this is indeed the case… why people in our culture who are so big on pickiness feel it is perfectly ok to throw things from their windows?
On a different note, I was just introduced to a Jazz singer called Diana Krall…. This woman has the sexiest voice ever… she really is cool.
Who introduced you to Diana Krall? I’m thinking that had to be me, because I’ve been listening to her nonstop on my iPod this past week… but I’m thinking, you haven’t gotten into my car this past week!!!
Hmmmmm…
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This was a great post. I can’t get over how people nose their way into a busy main street. Now that we have a BIG car, I speed up to scare them. Driving in Jordan has taken years off my life, I’m sure.
love the BD/AD thing
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Lina, as a matter of fact i was in your car this week… remember last Saturday?! ok we were listening to Um Kalthoum… but that is beside the point
The point is this woman is sooooo cool
the question is who introduced you to her?
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Kinzi…
My next car shall be a HUGE intimidating car! i will scare every car in Amman… and i will laugh my heart out when they get scared!
ok… my mind is wandering here
by the way i need to talk to you… i will email you separately
thanks
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How about a big yellow Hummer? Watch out world, here she comes. I look forward to your email
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well Mariam,
join the club .. heheheheheheheheh, you made me laugh
well, about that trash in the streets, guess what, am sure you’ve read the new regulations, people who trhough trash on the streets will get a ticket for that, and they’ll pay for it! GOD i love this regulation, it cheers me up
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Hey babes,
Thank you for your email. you cheered me up with your news
i am very happy that a ticket will be given to dirty people!
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Hi Mariam, it sounds like there is a lot of road rage in Amman! I saw the same sort of behavior in South Korea when i was in the car with my friend driving around Seoul. Everyone was honking their horns, it seemed to me for no reason!
I don’t see very many people throwing garbage out their car windows here. What really gets me is seeing so many giant SUV’s with special environmental license plates! There is hypocrisy everywhere, it would seem. So, when you buy your huge car, be sure to display a bumper sticker that says “I don’t brake for Bambi”.
Hey, I finally have a new post.
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Hey David… people honk their horns ALL the time here… it used to bug me, now i developed a deaf ear… i just close my window and block the sound.
Throwing things out of a window is a sign of backwardness… i think things will change once the government puts laws in place… i think everything falls into place with laws. I will check your post.. welcome back to the blogsphere
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You’d be amazed how driving an old big car in Amman gives u constant dominance of the road.
“.
Smoothing through any circle/intersection and ppl just give u priority over their own..feels like the pope waving around thanking everyone for being so nice “more like scared puppies
Here’s a taste of some retro jazz to a fellow rare Jordanian jazz consumer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwNrmYRiX_o
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mr.anonymous… thanks for your reply. it us for sure better to have dominance in the roads of Amman rather than being the meeky mouse
i will look into your jazz link when my internet has a human speed.
thanks
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ARGH, tell me about it! I was thinking of writing a post about it the other day out of absolute frustration!
Anyways Krall is amazing:)Good therapy:D
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