It is all very well to blame traffic congestion, the cost of petrol and the hectic pace of modern life, but manners on the roads are becoming deplorable. Everybody knows that the nicest men become monsters behind the wheel. It is all very well, again, to have a tiger in the tank, but to have one in the driver's seat is another kettle of fish altogether. You might tolerate the old road hog, but nowadays the well-mannered motorist is the exception to the rule. Perhaps the situation calls for a 'Be Kind to Other Drivers' campaign, otherwise it may get completely out of hand. Road courtesy is not only good manners, but good sense too. It takes the most level-headed and goodtempered drivers to resist the temptation to retaliate when subjected to uncivilized behavior. On the other hand, a little courtesy goes a long way towards relieving the tensions and frustrations of motoring. A friendly nod or a wave of acknowledgement in response to an act of courtesy helps to create an atmosphere of good will and tolerance so necessary in modern traffic conditions. But such acknowledgements of courtesy are all too rare today. Many drivers nowadays don't even seem able to recognize courtesy when they see it. Contrary to general opinion, young drivers (especially sports'car owners, who take pride in their driving) have better manners than their seniors. But this attitude is short-lived in the world of modern driving where many drivers neither expect nor give any quarter. This may be a commendable trait on the battlefield but is out place on the roads. Lorry drivers say they have almost abandoned the practice of signalling cars to overtake when the road is clear, because many of the cars took too long to pass. Their drivers couldn't be bothered to select a lower gear. Others, after overtaking, slowed down again and hogged the road. Again, a motoring magazine has recently drawn attention to the increasing number of drivers who never wait for gaps. 'They manufacture them by force, using their direction indicators as a threat rather than a warning. ' Slanging matches and even punch-ups are quite common. It can't be long before we hear of pistols and knives being used: we can then call our dual carriageways and solve a spelling problem in the process. Driving is essentially a state of mind. However technically skilled a driver may be, he can't be an advanced motorist if he is always arrogant and aggressive. Ironically, misplaced courtesy can also be dangerous and selfish. Typical examples are the driver who brakes violently to allow a lone ear to emerge from a side street at some hazard to following traffic, when a few seconds later the road would be clear anyway; or the man who waves a child across a pedestrian crossing into the path of oncoming vehicles that may be unable to stop in time. The same goes for encouraging old ladies to cross the road wherever and whenever they care to. It always amazes me that the highways are not littered with the corpses of these grannies. A veteran driver, whose manners are Impeccable, told me it would help if motorists learnt to filter correctly into traffic streams one at a time without causing the total blockages that provoke bad temper and frustration. Unfortunately, modern motorists can even learn to drive, let alone master the subtler aspects of car manoeuvring and roadsmanship. Years ago the experts warned us that the car-ownership explosion would demand a lot of more give-and-take from all road users. It is high time for all of us to take this message to heart. Discourtesy on the roads is caused primarily by