Find Religion

I’m all for finding religion in everyday life…but I was a bit awestruck when I saw that the Vatican had released a new document for travelers–the Driver’s Ten Commandments. Not that its not a good idea, but I mean…it’s a bit weird that the Vatican too ktime to prepare it, don’t you think?

In any case, it is important to remember that this document comes from PEOPLE not from GOD, but there are some great key points here, and if it helps make driving safer, I’m all for it.

The “Drivers’ Ten Commandments” (with my little comments)

1. You shall not kill.
(aka, slow down and THINK when you’re driving.)

2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
(huh? isn’t this reiteration of don’t kill with cars?)

3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
(aka, stop flipping people off and let someone cut ahead of you once in awhile.)

4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.
(good advice is underlying here–you should learn what to do in an emergency so that you’re prepared to call 911 and do first aid)

5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
(aka, buy a smart car to get you around, not a flashy car that is bad on gas and high on emissions)

6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
(again, there’s good underlying advice here–be a parent, not a friend. Not everyone is ready to drive at 16 years old.)

7. Support the families of accident victims.
(I like this one–give help where you can, when you can.)

8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
(this seems like a commandment for a judge, not for the everyday person. I think it would be better to call for the guilty to seek forgiveness and the victim to work toward forgiving)

9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
(I guess that means be respectful toward a car if you’re a 18-wheeler…which makes total sense!)

10. Feel responsible toward others.
(the best advice–if we all feel a little responsible for other all the time, there would be less stupid mistakes and more happy people in the world!)

Ten Commandments, Ten Commandments of Drivers, Driver’s Ten Commandments, Vatican