World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

Just as "Road-Peace" is nearing launch, the 

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 

arrives, this Sunday, November 20, 2011. 

"...observed every third Sunday in November each year. This will be a major advocacy day for road traffic injury prevention and WHO and the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration encourage governments and NGOs around the world to commemorate this day."

(Check out the facebook page, here.)

(There is a handbook, available, here.) 

"The Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, which began in May this year, has the goal of saving five million lives. A global plan for the decade provides a framework for governments, civil society and the private sector to work together to improve road management; upgrade the safety of roads and vehicles, and educate drivers, 
passengers and pedestrians on safe behaviour."

I will not feel that my brother died in vain, 

if we become more aware of the need 

for patience, forgiveness, understanding and kindness 

for one another on the road. 

The qualities needed to make "Road-Peace" possible, 
are the same that will make World Peace possible. 

Please, visit www.road-peace.com 

and help spread the important message that 

"Road-Peace is a step on the road to World Peace."

The folks wise and gentle enough to create World Peace, 

will not treat each other as we do, on the road, today. 

If we hope to become those people, 

we need to start making changes... now.

Remember the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

Drive with care... everywhere.

http://www.makeroadssafe.org

A BELT for the ROAD by gridlocksmith
Another sensible bumper sticker
supporting the work of gridlocksmith

Signs of the Times?

Millions of dollars have been spent on signs, in the US. 

If the signs are disregarded, the money is not well spent.

One of the cardinal rules for gridlock prevention is: "If you can't get out, don't go in" (the intersection). So, what sort of signs do we see in D.C. to admonish drivers not to block intersections? 

"DON'T BLOCK THE BOX" 

...Really? How many drivers, surrounded by big boxes that we know as buildings, are going to equate "BOX" with intersection?  Can't we do better than that?

How about signs that simply say:

|            |

--------  KEEP  --------

INTERSECTION

-------- CLEAR --------

 |            | 

(Sorry, my Appleworks6 has gone on strike, 
refusing to allow me to put up a decent graphic image. Any volunteers?)

...enclosed in lines at right angles, forming a diagram of a crossing should complete an image that leaves no doubt. The sign will also be a positive , rather than negative, motivator.

There is a theory that holds that the human mind likes positive thoughts and motivations, and sometimes eliminates the negativity, while  keeping the positive. Might this account for drivers, seeing a sign that begins with "Do not," doing the opposite of what the sign says?

Another example...

 Driveways and minor streets, near busy intersections are often blocked by thoughtless drivers, in spite of easily understandable signs.

It is a frustrating way to start your journey, when you can't even enter the flow of traffic. At this particular location (a parking lot for a medical building), it is especially difficult to make a left turn upon exiting, since one is likely to be blocked by all three lanes of traffic.

Sometimes, one wonders 

if these drivers pay attention to signs at all. 

How about this one?

 

You may be fallen-crested

As your patience is tested

By those of dull wit.

But, don't have a fit.

Just laugh, like you've been jested.

You're a mover and shaker;

Not a slacker or faker.

The example you set

Becomes the world you get.

You're a Road-Peace maker.

Drive kindly!

Check out developments at road-peace.com.

THANKS TO OUR VETERANS!

As a Vietnam veteran, myself, I understand that the purpose of our military is to keep peace. Folks in the military want peace even more than the rest of us. The fact that they are so devoted to defending us, that they make such great sacrifices, should not go unappreciated.
So, gridlocksmith says to our defenders..   

THANK YOU!

Perhaps the very best show of gratitude would be to work for peace, 

so that they do not have to fight, anymore.

I know that sounds naive, but...

Will peace only come to the world when we have wiped ourselves off the face of the planet? With bio-chemical and nuclear weapons, that scenario is becoming a real possibility.

There is another, brighter option. It may be a "long shot," but, considering the other course, it is worth giving it maximum effort. "We the people" - not the governments, will lead as peacemakers. This action is based on Gandhi's advice: Be the change you wish to see in the world. Social mores have not yet evolved to the point that we humans consistently treat one another as precious, loving and intelligent beings that deserve respect, patience, forgiveness, helpfulness and thoughtfulness. By choosing to evolve, as individuals, we create a more evolved society.

We all need to be treated.... well.
We all need to treat others.. well,
in order to be treated........... well. 

Whether or not we feel that we (or anyone else) 

deserve to be treated well, is not relevant 

to our progress toward becoming "peace full" humans.

As we learn to be kinder
It will be a reminder
There's no need for chagrin;
For the kindness within
Becomes a "true self" finder.

The decision to "evolve" into our true selves is crucial!

Love, forgiveness and compassion are instrumental, along with thoughtfulness, patience, respect and kindness, to any effort to create "World Peace." 

"We must become the change we wish to see in the world."

My proposal is that all humans who desire peace commit themselves to evolving into such beings through the practice of kindness in traffic. It is a place that will provide challenges, lessons, and the incentive of survival to keep us alertly engaged in the process of becoming the peaceful humans we need to become, as we create "Road-Peace," a milestone on the road to World Peace.

The mission of road-peace.com: to encourage people to evolve into the kind, caring, thoughtful, compassionate, forgiving, patient and loving humans that we need to become in order to establish world peace.