I was driving to work this morning, bleary eyed, wearing sunglasses on a day that didn't demand it, when a thought struck me. Does the way you drive reflect the way you live your life?
Take yesterday, for example. Emma and I were involuntarily following a woman in an SUV. She was weaving between lanes, chatting with her passenger and gesticulating energetically. She failed to signal before her manouvers and eventually rolled through a red light. She seemed, we inferred, a woman who was inadvertently or deliberately selfish, easily distracted, directionless and possibly quite rude.
So this morning I tried applying the theory to Emma. Those who know her know that Emma drives fast. She drives fast, but she also anticipates very well. Emma also lives fast, but has a plan for everything she can conceivably plan. (See, she's an anticipator). On the downside, Emma's quite a determined driver (lots of horn beeping, very little tolerance for bad driving) which can sometimes, ahem, wind me up a bit. In life, Emma's determination is one of her great assets (see half-marathon post!) but her single-mindedness can, ahem, wind me up a bit too. I still love you honey but...is a theory forming here?
Testing my hazy hypothesis further, I turned my attention to...me! I think I drive reasonably safely. Not cautiously. And definitely not slowly, but I'm not a big anticipator either. I'll confess I occasionally get distracted and find myself stuck in an immobile lane of traffic. In essence, I like to put the peddle down to the metal, but I'm not big on planning and could look around a little more. Hey presto...me in real life! Plan next weekend? Pah...that's days away! Throw myself totally into whatever venture I'm pursuing? Yup. Occasionally drift off into a parallel dimension. Ah, yeah...
So, the question is...how do you drive?
David, you're using your words to describe Emma's driving, and then your words to describe your own. I think the real question is - what words would Emma use to describe your driving?
Posted by: Dushka | August 08, 2006 at 04:54 PM
I drive like Emma. Anu drives like you. My single-mindedness also "winds" Anu up a bit, though I will admit that his (sometimes) lack of anticipation drives me bonkers! Like waiting until the last minute to get into the lane he knows he needs to be in... or his natural ability to lose a parked car.
I'm sure there's a much deeper analysis and correlation here but I'm too tired to make one right now.
I expect a response from Anu to follow shortly. :)
Posted by: Steph | August 08, 2006 at 06:42 PM
Having experienced both protagonists driving, I concur. But I note that David has neglected to mention his personal habit of occassionally diving backwards into a strange bush.
Posted by: Ian | August 09, 2006 at 01:30 AM
I refute that allegation. I was actually driving forwards very quickly around a roundabout in the rain and ended up backwards in a bush. And it was more of a small tree really.
Both Emma and Anu seem awfully quiet!
Posted by: David | August 10, 2006 at 06:56 PM
I remember you borrowed my car several years ago and got a ticket for driving the wrong way down a one-way street. Does this mean you like to follow your own rules? Are you a James Dean character? Or simply retarded? :)
Posted by: Andrew W. | August 11, 2006 at 01:53 PM
I believe the ticket was actually for parking facing the wrong direction - one of the most ludicrous offences known to modern society. I refuse to accept that as grounds for bad driving!
Posted by: David | August 11, 2006 at 04:54 PM
No speeding fines, no parking tickets, no moving violations - though a cop tried to pin one on me and I showed him in court, well I showed UP in court ready to launch a hostile defence, he didn't show up, justice prevailed. Yes, I can make late manouvers but that is because I am allowing for idiots passing me in slower lanes whilst I am signalling to pull off. I also have an annoying habit of keeping my distance. That irritates 'someone' when people then pull in front of me to fill the space and I drop back. I will admit that my worst habit is coming to rather screeching halts at 'just about to turn red' traffic lights rather than speeding up to go through an amber. Especially since I would whizz through when solo. I am also directionally challenged.
So what does it all mean? Sticks to the rules, bit boring, more reckless when alone, leaves things to the last minute, thoughtful but linear. And I would contend that we change through the years. Suffice to say I was a speedster extraordinaire in my little Citroen GT.
Posted by: Anu | August 11, 2006 at 11:33 PM
Excellent use of the word 'cop', Anu. Very 'street'! And to discribe one's driving/lifestyle as "thoughtful but linear" illustrates a great mastery of the English language - even if I haven't a clue what it means!
Posted by: David | August 13, 2006 at 04:22 PM
I'm more interested in his comment about 'signalling to pull off.'
Mmm!
Posted by: Emma Wischhusen | August 14, 2006 at 03:46 PM
I always warn fellow road goers when attempting such a tricky maneuver (manoeuvre - sorry about prev spelling - caught in Transatlantia). I find it easier than pulling off to signal :)
Posted by: Anu | August 14, 2006 at 09:45 PM
I still remember a certain Mr D McCulloch who used drive a lot in London and never had a problem finding a parking spot for his Mazda MX-5. He adopted a technique of parking by sound and touch - not by using fancy reversing sensors. Just by finding a spot roughly the right size for his car and nudging the adjacent cars to make his car fit. I am sure it must be different Mr D McCulloch and not this fine upstanding member of the community. Apologies in advance.
Posted by: Ant | August 15, 2006 at 01:37 AM
Well, honestly. Why else would they call fenders 'bumpers' in the UK?
Posted by: David | August 15, 2006 at 07:49 AM
There was the other time the same Mr D McCulloch got banned from driving. Well actually it was a karting circuit, but it was quite impressive how much speed he picked up in his slingshot manoeuvre off the final bend. Unfortunately he completely lost control and was led from the track by the race marshalls. I think i have more of these stories....
Posted by: Ant | August 15, 2006 at 12:25 PM
Oh come on, you can't call that a ban! It was the last lap anyway, and I wasn in no fit state to drive anyway after the morning of drinking that preced....oh never mind.
Posted by: David | August 17, 2006 at 08:13 PM