Hi.
I'm not the best driver. I do believe this has been acknowledged in previous emails :) However, I don't like to admit that I'm a bad driver - it's a total pride thing. Besides, I don't particularly have a lot of tickets or accidents that would serve as any sort of implications of bad driving.
But just between me and you...I'm a bad driver. I get lost a lot. Something I'll deny until my death. I like to claim that I'm really good at getting places; which, with perfect, to-the-mile marker directions, I'm great. My question is, what did everyone do before Mapquest and Yahoo Maps! I suppose buggies didn't fly by turns quite as fast as my little Bessie, the '93 Sentra, does. My dad can vouch for my incredibly innate lacking sense of direction... An all too familiar phone call from his lovely and dearest daughter sounds something like, "uh, hi, dad? Are you near a computer? I'm here…and I need to get...there!"
Moving on...not only do a get lost a lot, but I also sort of hmm, what's the word, zone out? Yeah, that's it, I zone out a lot. But ever since arriving back in Grand Haven I seem to zone out even more. Particularly at four-way stops. I've noticed that I don't take any notice at all to whom has arrived first, and then, instead of waiting, I just take off (assuming it's my turn). Too often other cars start - probably, because it actually is their turn - I speed up, all of a sudden confused once I snap back into it. And then leave the scene of the "zone out" completely and totally embarrassed and a wee bit sheepish feeling - and to be honest, incredibly thankful that I didn't get hit!
The other day I was driving in to town. Upon nearing a four-way stop, and much to my amazement, I actually looked to see if any other cars were coming up on the four-way. Holy Hannah! I thought, I actually paid attention. (I know, I got a lecture about using "holy" in front of words when I was a kid, but that's what I thought). I quickly gave myself a metaphorical "pat on the back," which was only followed by the realization that I didn't actually stop at the stop sign; moreover, I sort of rolled through it. I'm not good at that either - the actual stopping part of stop signs.
In fact, when I was in high school. I accidentally ran through a red light, sped my way through a residential area, came upon a four-way stop sign and blew through it, all the while commenting to my friend, "watch this!" Unfortunately there was a cop sitting at the four-way stop sign, who had the shear surprise of watching my reckless driving and the pure pleasure of pulling me over. Luckily, after a small side conversation about having two licenses (which is illegal, by the way) and not knowing which one to pass along to him, as I commented on the fact my hair was down in one, and that my hair looked better down; He came back and let me go mentioning something about the state not liking it when young drivers get tickets and the fact that yes, indeed, my hair did look better down!
All that to say, five or six years later and I'm still horrible at stop signs, plowing through them or rolling right on by. But as I said, the other week I may have rolled through the sign, but somehow I managed to take note of whether or not other cars were nearing. And a few blocks later I managed to not only look to see if other cars were at the stop sign, but I also stopped. In fact, I stopped so good I was actually able to let another car go who had arrived at the stop sign after me.
Okay, besides taking note to never ever ride with me in the car, please also note that my driving reflects life. Life is a process. Life is a journey. There are so many things in life that I just can't seem to do better at...I might have a few good days, but often not, more bad days. Days where I'm patient and days where I lose it all the time. Days where I'm thoughtful and days where I'm very self-centered. You get the picture, right? I share my driving with you as a precautionary notice and warning for those who do dare take the passenger seat with me, and to also remind you to keep on going...Today, you may make great strides, or you may flounder a bit. Tomorrow you may be head high with frustration or your may be surfing the waves of life. Either way, today is today, tomorrow is tomorrow. Keep on trying, keep on working at it.
As I said, I don't have a lot of things that would imply I'm a bad driver, but I know I could do better. And even though we may not always be called out on our struggles or issued a ticket when we "mess up" we all know we could be doing better, right?
It was really nice when I actually was truly aware of my surroundings...and it was even better when I gave myself the chance to waive the other lady on...
It's nice, when in life we're aware of what's going on, and it's even better when we're able to put others before us!
Cheering you on through driver's training :)
May you keep going through the tickets, traffic jams, stop signs, and even the fender benders of life!
Kaylee
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