Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms around the world, we literally would not be here without you. Funny how some parental roles have switched over time. The trend now seems to be that more and more mothers are teaching their teens how to drive. It was typically dads who did the teaching when I was a kid. Most kids when asked why their father didn’t teach them to drive will say it’s because their dad is way too impatient. Apparently that role has changed as well, because my mom was the impatient parent when I was a kid. We called her (and still do) “Old Yeller.” My dad was just a laid-back alcoholic, an inebriated role model who taught us how to drive. I was taught to drive by a drunk driver and I learned how to weave and drift across three lanes. He’d put his beer can in the middle of the dashboard and say “Line up this can with the side of the road (to get your perspective then, one would typically use the pointed part of the hood or the hood ornament).” Then he’d climb over the seat and pass out. That was back in the 70’s though, in Illinois where there was nothing but cornfields and liquor stores (and liquor made out of corn). Now, you go to jail for allowing your child to drive you home from the bar. But kids are much more important now than when I was a kid. My dad got his only DWI when he was in his mid 70’s. His license was suspended and he was not allowed to drive, which was ironic, because he would often say “Your mother drives me to drink.” And then after his license was suspended, she had to drive him to drink.
I, too, was one of those mothers that taught my daughter how to drive. Her father had no part, whatsoever, in teaching her about driving a car (Ha! As if I even know who her dad is). Since I am a Defensive Driving Instructor, she is a very careful and cautious driver. And, not to be hypercritical, one can often be too cautious. And I have also noticed lately that many young women have driving anxiety because of higher speed limits that they are not comfortable with, dealing with angry and impatient drivers and/or they’ve had an accident. Doing a little research on driving anxiety, I found this nifty seven question quiz to determine one’s level of driving anxiety. https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety-test
Being too cautious and driving too slowly (not keeping up with the flow of traffic) can also cause accidents or road rage. If you have extreme driving anxiety, it can be dangerous for you and for others around you. Perhaps seeing a therapist for driving anxiety may be the best choice. Not everyone likes to drive, I know that I don’t. Now, with many inexpensive ways to commute, perhaps driving less or not putting yourself on a high speed roadway may save your life and the life of others.
Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
Happy Mother’s Day – Comedy Defensive Driving