Rules for the sake of rules

Some rules are necessary. For example, driving on the right (or left) side of the road, or driving at a certain speed. I think that in general, most rules promote safety and encourage an orderly and efficient society.

Other rules, however, are just there because we've always done it that way. For a guy to be dressed in "business attire" requires wearing a tie. Why is that? The tie is purely for adornment, it's true purpose lost in antiquity. We have to do it just because we've always done it.

Actually, the purpose of the tie is not lost in antiquity. In the sixteenth century, tobacco in the form of snuff was finely powdered and snorted much like cocaine. This of course caused the nose to run. The handkerchief was required so often that it became convenient to tie it about one's neck. Soon, non-snuffers were emulating this fashion, using lacy and elaborate cravats. Gradually, the necktie evolved from a snot rag to a purely decorative noose. Today, nice ties can easily cost half a day's wages and you don't dare blow your nose on them. And in some workplaces, you don't dare show up without one.

Most meaningless rules - like "you must wear a tie" - once had a purpose. Some rules never had such a purpose; they were implemented simply as a means of controlling other people. Rules like "Do not wear white after Labor Day" and "Keep your elbows off the table" are fine examples of micro-management in action; there is no universal physical law that enforces these behaviors.

At least traffic laws have a point: Keeping people alive. Some people can yammer on a cell phone and still pay attention to the road - others simply cannot. Some people have fast reaction times, others have slow reaction times. So what is safe driving for one driver is dangerous for another. The purpose of traffic rules is to provide a "lowest common denominator" approach to public safety. Set the speed limit where there is enough time for the slow-reaction-time drivers to still miss the rear end of the fast-reaction-time stoppers, and you have prevented an accident.

Speaking of driving, have you ever wondered why the driver that you are tailgating slows down when you get close to his back bumper? For me, the problem is vision. I cannot see the road ahead clearly when my rear-view mirrors are glaring with your headlights, so I slow down to the speed where I can drive safely with limited vision. If you back off a bit, I can see better and feel safe driving faster. Of course, if you honk, I'll slow down an extra 20 miles per hour just out of spite. After all, I'm doing the best I can in an uncomfortable situation. If that's not good enough, go around.

Meanwhile, my rule for the day is "hang up the cell phone and drive." If you have good reaction time, talking on the phone reduces that to mediocre reaction time. And if you are mediocre to begin with, yammering causes your reaction time to degrade further. And very few people increase their following distance to accommodate this degradation.

So hang up and drive. It's not just a rule for the sake of making rules.