Pretty much that is it. Driving is a behavior with risks, but we take those risks and subject our children to them because of the benefits being much larger than the risks. Taking additional risk, even small ones, when driving for no added benefit? (To somehow punish the asshole?) Subjecting others (not only the child in the car) to that additional risk too, for no benefit to them? You’ll usually get away with it, but not everyone always does.
How many kids are killed by stray dogs in America each year? The wiki list for 2020 lists one that might have been a stray and the others mostly by the family dog. Still, if I was outside with a six year old under my care and there was an unknown stray nearby, I would stop the six year old from running up to try to pet the animal. Non-zero risk to no real benefit. But owning a dog had enough benefit, to me and my children, that I was willing to take the risks.
Hey! Who you calling enlightened?!
@DavidNRockies pretty sure he is aimed at me.
And I have no idea nor concern what many of the people posting in this thread have previously thought of me. Oh there are two or three who I respect enough (and you sir are one of them) that their reacting negatively to my posts in this thread would or do make me actually lose some respect for them. The rest? Nah. Don’t care. Either already think little of them or more so never think of them at all. My peak “reputation” here and $2.10 will get me a cup of coffee.
OTOH being a despicable contrarian has provided my life with great value since I was small. Unlike many here I am not and never have been “gifted”; I have done well intellectually and professionally by “habits of mind” instead. For me a key habit of mind is a pathological skepticism of any groupthink; i.e. considering the contrarian position seriously instead of jumping on wagons. That has always been how I learn, not by memorizing correct thoughts.
Posters in this thread fed a misogynistic troll by taking the bait, and are invested in defending drivers flipping off other drivers for perceived offenses as a risk-free harmless thing to do, despite the fact that road rage is a very real thing and that deaths from road rage episodes are not infrequent and are increasing dramatically over time. (Citation already provided.)
I’m sorry but those who would call me a “rape-enabler” based on this thread having a negative opinion of me is something I am fine with. Their respect I don’t want.