They'er All Alike

I've been a passenger in many a car and all the drivers have one thing in common.  They yell at and complain about other drivers on the road.  From Beazle to Andrea and everybody in between all have something to say about their fellow drivers.  If you think the other drivers are scary, the drivers of the cars I've riden in can be even more so. 

Beazle would honk at "fools" or say, "man!" 

Merritt called idiot drivers, I'll use the 1990's substitute, "Richard heads."  She also informed some drivers, "You don't need to stop to turn!  Just turn"! 

Utah drivers accused each other of speeding up when it snows.

Edwin simply said most people don't know how to drive.

Andrea, driven only a few times adds her cents worth to the chorus already, "It's called a signal, use it."  I've heard the no signal use from so many drivers in so many states.  Mormon Missionaries accuse Arkansas drivers of not using the turn signals.  I've heard Edwin complain about drivers not signaling across the country. 

As a passenger I've seen drivers do all kinds of things behind the wheel. 

Beazle can eat anything while driving.  Befor it was outlawed she could talk a blue streak on her phone while eating and driving.

Edwin's lane changes at the drip of a hat, cheese cutting, and speeding scared even a teenaged boy. 

Holiday likes to relax while she drives.  When we went to Savanna she layed her seat as far back as it would go to drive. I'd heard about that being done on the Autobon in Germany but that was the first time I'd seen it done. 

When Merritt was learning to drive she slowed for nothing, and I mean nothing.  She'd speak a warning, "railroad tracks".  That meant hold on because you were in for a bumpy ride.  I learned what G force felt like when we were on a particularly windy off ramp.  To her credit she has learned to slow down at bumps and curves. 

I didn't know what to think when Andrea was driving and our neighbor was supervising.  We were on a crowded four lane highway and Andrea reaches in the overhead bin for her sunglasses.  This was her third time driving in traffic.  I want both her hands on the wheel.  I also want her to be able to see.  The sun goes behind a cloud and she takes the sun glasses off and puts them away.  I'm in the same quandary. 

While on this same four lane highway our neighbor says, "sometimes you've go to take your lane."  We keep driving in the same lane a bit longer.  He repeats, "sometimes you have to take your lane."  Later Andrea said she put on her blinker, put the tire on the line, and someone let her it.  Then she said, "Thank you". 

This on parent said she and her daughter drives around their neighborhood.  They will do that until she, the parent, feels confortable before the get on the road.  On the surface that sounds good but I'll never feel comfortable.  Let me explain; the thought of Andrea driving in the neighborhood was scary.  The thought of her on the road is less scary than it was.  Every time I think of the next step I'm not comfortable, I have to screw up my courage and let it happen; with her instructor or our neighbor. 

I truly believe men are more relaxed in these things.  Her driving instructor said, "we can't just drive around the neighborhood, that's not driving.  You've got to get on the road".  I'll never forget when Edwin let Merritt drive to church when she was fourteen.  We took mostly back roads the first couple times then he let her take a busy street and next the freeway.  Beazle was still at the Merritt's driving scares me stage. 

I'm looking forward to June 20, 2014.  Andrea can take her road test then.