When I was learning to drive, the test centre was in a rather scabby bit of town and the local kids would play chicken with the learner drivers. Which struck me as more than normally stupid, learners are more likely to accidentally (or "accidentally") stomp on the accelerator when they go for the brakes and then where would they be. (My emergency stops were flawless by the time I sat my test though.)

I haven't seen Maleficent yet, but just reading that I would completely agree that its meant to be a metaphor. It is always weird to catch yourself talking about that sort of thing in the pub, I do have some rl friends I can talk to about that sort of thing (being an ex film student does have its advantages), but most of them there's a definite 'crossing the streams' affect...