The 10 Driving Commandments

OK, I admit that as a baptized Catholic (clearly not a practicing one), I could not resist posting this.

Today the BBC reported that the Vatican had just issued the “10 Commandments” for driving (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6768395.stm), as part of the “Pastoral Care of Road Users”. This was something that I could not resist checking into, as both of my parents were practicing Catholics and both died in cars (though at separate times and of separate causes). Here are the commandments in their entirety, as taken from the Vatican’s website:

Drivers’ “Ten Commandments”

61. In any case, with the request for motorists to exercise virtue, we have drawn up a special “decalogue” for them, in analogy with the Lord’s Ten Commandments. These are stated here below, as indications, considering that they may also be formulated differently.

I.	You shall not kill.
II.	The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
III.	Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
IV.	Be charitable and help your neighbour in need, especially victims of accidents.
V.	Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
VI.	Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
VII.	Support the families of accident victims.
VIII.	Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
IX.	On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
X.	Feel responsible towards others.

Now, I realize that I am usually mistrustful of religious decrees, but if this actually reduces the incident of ‘road rage’ or reckless driving, then I am all for it. People are crazy on the road (especially in China, where people are buying more cars than ever before and have less experience driving and dealing with traffic problems). I, for one, am always nervous driving in cars. Of course, this is because I am all-too aware of what can go wrong in them. I am, as a result, a bit of a safety pusher and consistently urge all of my friends to drive safely. If the scary films we watched in driver’s education didn’t scare them into defensive driving tactics, then perhaps the story of my mother’s early and tragic death might.

In the end, it doesn’t really matter if it takes you 15 additional minutes to get to your destination. As long as you get there, consider it a job accomplished. On this point, I am in agreement with the Vatican. [The previous statement is one which I never believed that I would write in my lifetime, so please, no wry commentary. I am still a recovering Catholic, and a card-carrying science believer, and have not fallen off the anti-organized religion wagon. Yet.]