Driving
File it under…Doesn’t everyone say this…
I am a very good driver.
I would like to say great but I’m not really sure what the criteria are for being a “great” driver and…well there have been a few issues. Let’s see…
Tickets:
During my 37 years of driving I have only gotten 5 tickets and they were all for speeding…but never really fast.
(Actually somehow this qualifier doesn’t make it sound that much better)
Car accidents:
(the mere fact that I have this category suggests that I might have used the wrong adjective to describe my driving abilities):
I have been in a three of these. None of them were my fault. Of course everybody says that…but it is true. Ask my sister. She was in one of them with me. I chalk it up to one of the hazards of driving in Los Angeles.
Great! Really?
Despite these “incidents” I really do think I am a driver that is safe to have on the road. I don’t tailgate or ever cut people off. Drinking and driving is a non-issue. Equally off the table is reading or putting on make-up while behind the wheel. I used to live in San Francisco and have seen people doing both(thankfully not at the same time). Also, my cellphone is a (gasp!) flip-phone that barely works. Consequently talking while driving is rarely an issue. Sometimes I do eat while driving. But I try to stick to a shake or finger food. Once I saw someone eating a submarine sandwich while on the freeway. He was holding the wheel with his elbows! Yikes! Yes, San Francisco again.
I have been driving for a long time. So as long as my reactions are good then I feel like all of these years add up to practice and experience.
The sixth sense of driving.
Anyone who has been driving for a long time can attest to the fact that you develop a sixth sense where other drivers are concerned. You can tell that “x” driver is about to consider the stop sign optional. Or you see “y” driver ahead of you pulling away from the curb without looking. And don’t forget driver “z” who is clearly about to pass you despite the oncoming 18-wheeler in the other lane. You just get used to the fact that anything that can happen could happen. So better to be aware and ready.
For a period of time my dad drove a taxi in New York. Perhaps for that reason or maybe the LA drivers, he taught me to drive “defensively”. However, I always thought that seemed so combative. Unfortunately, the longer I have been driving the more I’ve come to learn that he was right.
There are worse drivers than me.
Just two nights ago I was stopped at a light with a few other cars. It was evening and no one seemed to be in a particular rush…thankfully. So when the light turned green for us we edged out slowly. Literally out of nowhere a speeding car ran the red light just barely missing the front two cars. I cannot believe that the driver didn’t see the red light because it had been red for at least 10 seconds. And what about the yellow light before that! He didn’t even bother beeping to warn us.
What possible reason could there have been for such blatant disregard for others?
Yet I would like to try and give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe someone was sick or dying at home. Maybe someone was breaking into his house. Maybe…no. Can’t do it. Nothing was ok about it. Because there are lapses in judgement and then…there is just being a selfish.
I am not sure what is scarier? The fact that this guy(yep it was a guy) didn’t give a #@!* or how we all just continued on our way as if nothing had happened. As I mentioned, I have been in a car accident or two and I can tell you the speed he was going meant that any impact would probably have had a horrific outcome for most involved.
Ok. Enough ranting about my almost accident(which also would not have been my fault). I’m just thankful that the drivers in front of us had a sixth sense about something and started slowly. That allowed all of us to get home that night.
Does that story make me seem like a better driver?
I think that we can all agree that the man in my story is not a great or even good driver. And, with his careless attitude, should probably not be on the road at all. But does that make my various driving indiscretions seem a little less bad. I am going to go with yes. Does that make me a great driver? I would have to say no.
Yes, we all make mistakes when driving. You can only hope that they cause problems just for us and not other people. It is not my tickets or “un-caused” accidents that keep me from being an amazing driver. What does is the fact that ultimately…
I prefer being a passenger.
I like seeing what is outside of the car. There is just so much going on out there and you miss most of it when you are the driver. Because sightseeing is not a safe pastime for a driver.
What does this have to do with walking?
Ultimately all of this driving stuff is the reason that I prefer walking. I can’t always be the passenger. Errands, work, the kids’ stuff all require that I am often a driver. Sure I can still see things but it all goes by so quickly when you need to keep your eyes on the road in front of you. Hard to follow the flock of geese flying in a giant “v” in the sky. Or find where the glorious rainbow actually ends.
When you walk you can take it all in. You can stop when you find something particularly interesting or quickly change directions if you see that they are laying down manure. When I walk I can gaze at a leaf on a tree or watch a cat cross the road. Similarly, during a walk I can actually look at the cool markings on a cow. If I am in town I can check out the cool turtles in the pet store window or the items in the artisan products shop.
Don’t get me wrong. Driving has a lot of benefits: getting things done, traveling to see stuff, etc. In fact, the benefits far outweigh the fear of bad drivers.
But don’t forget that there are many cities where people manage quite well without a vehicle.
Look, I certainly have no plans to give up my car anytime soon. But of one thing I am certain…
One day I will have to give up driving…
And if all goes well my legs will be working and I will still be able to go out and see stuff.
