Jake controls how well he behaves, using image as a grand part of his motivation. First, the author portrays Jake's worries towards the bumpers of the car before thinking of the other people involved in the accident. After finding out that there is not an 'impressionable' scratch,"he perks up". Then, while talking to Mariana, "he straightened out his less than new but not "unhip" clothes," while he is attempting to straighten out the mess with the car accident. This description of imagery on himself depicts his lack of respect for others and conceit when it came to what is more important according to him.
Jake can be seen as vein and egotistical in his cause. Near the end of the story he gets back into the car and he "took a moment or two to feel both proud and sad about his performance". Making the reader believe that it means he is proud of getting away with such rambunctious behavior and attempting to court the Mariana all throughout the ordeal. With no such luck, in the end, his efforts are in vein and a distant dream and during the whole thing he is lying to her and himself
This story indicates that like all of the referenced drivers sitting in traffic, all people can be divided into two types: those who are like Jake, the irresponsible winner, and those who are like Mariana, the responsible loser. Good things do not happen to good people in the world of this story, and bad things do not happen to bad people. Even more, Jake behaves as though he is alone in an indifferent world. He shows no indication of fear of punishment for his actions and choices. Jake knows there will be no retribution. Rewards and punishments in this world are not given out in a way most people have come to realize as “fair,” and therein lies the situational irony.
The only love within this story is the love of self. More specifically, even after behaving despicably and irresponsibly toward Mariana, Jake thinks only of his own material comforts within the confines of his car. Jake is free from any of the conventions that tie him to the responsibility to make honorable or noble decisions. He is free to make any choice at all without punishment. To Jake, and those like him, there are no values to uphold and no morals. Making him very conceited, lazy, and irresponsible.