Bring an ancient Roman to the present day and they wouldn’t be able to conceptualize the change. Not only the language itself, or the pixels, but the way people travel. No longer are there carts led by horses along beaten paths and roads made of stone but instead roaring steel beasts that flow as boats along pavement. All catered to individual tastes, whether good or bad, and made for the set purpose of distance. The introduction of automobiles has changed society and to many is considered a right of passage. Instead of donning a toga to signify adulthood, a piece of cloth that was worn with pride, as of now many young men and women are given keys that unfortunately can open their own personalized casket. Despite the glamour of this invention it can be damaging when young minds that haven’t fully developed grab the reins of thousand pound vehicles with all the modern conveniences of an ipad. Distractions are numerous and many struggle to identify when it is an opportune time to glance at their phones versus the road. The danger comes from judgement as an individual without their highschool diploma makes many minute choices on the road that could result in travesty and loss. But this danger can be avoided with the inclusion of education, by teaching people at a young age how to not only properly handle their aluminum horses but also how to act within the social sphere of the road so the risk of collision is reduced.
I donned my Toga the summer directly before my junior year, but I had trained for the event for two years beforehand. While I currently consider myself a decent driver who isn’t prone to distraction, I know I couldn't have gotten to this point without my instructors. I was a wreck the first time I started a car, not just due to the capacity at which many lives would be in my hands from then on, even during training, but also because I am an incredibly anxious individual. The moment I got on the road I almost went into the other lane which, while empty, wasn’t a good start and my instructor made that clear. While fear motivated my mistakes and altered my judgement at times it was always the calmness of my instructor that allowed me to think. As he provided directions I felt that I could focus on the little things until I gathered my footing. When I got my permit I continued for roughly a year to then listen to my parents and grandparents as they took time to instruct me on the bigger things, allotting me more control until I could prove myself worthy of a license. That absence of distraction and complete attention is what allowed me to become the driver I am today. I continue to limit interference, such as my phone, music, or other people in the car, so I can not only keep myself safe but other drivers as well. I attempt to ride the high road, a way in which my path is forged by precaution and not negligence. That’s the way I believe that education has helped me, and many others, fully learn how to be responsible patrons of the road and continue these practices later on. By doing this people may ensure that the risk of mortality is lowered and, in the case of an accident, it doesn’t result in utter devastation. Something that my peers may ignore in the face of a good time.
The Romans loved to party, often the elite would hold banquets and gorge themselves upon practically everything in sight, especially wine. While chariot racing would’ve been frowned upon under intoxication seeing as the risk of danger is increased(from a modern lens), someone under the influence driving a modern chariot could create results that are exponentially worse. It was around my first “High school” party while still stuck in my middle school building that I found this to be quite clear. A group of young girls had gotten into a car and, after managing to drink alcohol, had ended up crashing into the fence of a church while participating in the revelry of doing donuts. Luckily no one had gotten hurt in that instance and only property damage had been enacted. However, these girls still managed to put people in danger, not just themselves but anyone that could’ve been around the scene that night. They could’ve played it smarter that night, not just with the drinking but the act of driving in itself. Instead of going out and acting as jesters they could’ve played it safe and called someone to take them home. Safety comes not only in the understanding of the road but the understanding of one’s own limits. By not heeding the warning of the body it ended in damage. But there are outcomes that may have been worse. A few years before that my uncle had gotten into a wreck with a semi-truck, he was driving his motorcycle and the truck was unable to stop their acceleration. My uncle lived but at the cost of his freedom, no longer did he maintain mobility and instead was stuck on life support and later hospice for the last few years of his life. This devastating event towards my family while we were all on the way towards a campground provided a morbid lesson as well. My uncle at the time wasn’t fit to drive, especially not a motorcycle. Old age was catching up to him and this was destined to be his last ride, one final run instead of quitting while he was ahead. Either way it truly was his last ride as he couldn’t come to terms with his actual limits. While these tales of warning may seem sad in a distant sort of way it becomes a completely different experience when you're the one in the driver's seat.
I got in a minor accident not even a week ago. The scene was exactly this, It was me and a friend, someone younger than me, driving to a volunteering event. I hadn’t managed to travel into the correct lane and instead took it upon myself to enact a U-turn on a separate road. Except, I didn’t make a U-turn, the music blared, we continued to chat and my foot persisted on the gas until I went over a curb and a rock. All I could hear was the crashing, my friend screaming my name in terror, and the confusion in my own ears going wild. I stopped the car, parked, and turned everything off, immediately exiting the vehicle to see what I had done. Fortunately, I had only popped a tire, not only that but the only property damage would’ve been the dirt I moved along my path. Despite how grateful I was in the moment, and still am right now, to not have hurt anyone it doesn’t fix the fact that it happened. My negligence and arrogance put people in danger, not only myself but my friend and other cars on the road as well. I’m still scared to drive after the incident, I now won’t start the car until I know for certain that I can properly transfer my weight from the gas to the brake seamlessly. Not only that but I’ve begun to practice my old lessons, the ones that gave me faith I could properly execute any move necessary. Checking my mirrors more than necessary, pulling over if I feel anxious, even going so far as to tell other people in the car to hush if I feel I’m not fully focused. Just as it takes me time to practice and hone in my skills as a confident driver again it took the Romans years to build their famous city. Many phases in their evolution, along with troughs and peaks to their success in the form of Republics and Empires alike.
There’s an inherent sense of responsibility in the act of taking on the driver's seat. Everyone is counting on you alone, looking forward to your safe journeys but always quietly worried that something may go wrong. While most days someone can drive perfectly normal it’s when we forget those key lessons that everything goes wrong in the blink of an eye. One wrong turn, one continued push, and suddenly Rome crumbles. It’s because of this that I continue to travel the high road, not only do I take precautions with myself, now more than ever, but I warn others as well. Driving can be terrifying but when we allow fear to rule our actions it makes everything worse. To be safe on the road I remind myself of where I started, better to be a nervous wreck than in an actual wreck. Since without education, accidents happen, and without the continued reassurance of that education accidents will persist. Even if someone is close to 60 or just got their permit last week they must understand that the responsibility will always reside in themselves. If someone from today went to ancient Rome, they wouldn’t understand a single thing but the persisting understanding that even then, and continuing now as we develop our connections through interstate and local, we must learn to take responsibility.