'Cause I Got Too Much Life, Running Though My Veins / Going to Waste

[ase]

I'm housesitting for the next three weeks, and have car privileges while the household is out of the country. On Tuesday I dropped an email about driving/route practice, got an 11:15 PM phone call, and shifted my flag Wednesday. This morning I ate my Thursday lunch for breakfast, because it's been that sort of week. I've been completely oblivious to monsoons, earthquakes, California marriage law and anything else in the news. So if anything other than driving without hitting things happened, I don't know about it.

Oh! I'm in that death zone where you think you know how to drive, and are totally living in a fantasy universe. Tell me stories of horrible near-misses (or not-misses) to scare me out of any illusions I'm ready for weekend Beltway traffic. (Lies. Lies, lies, lies. But I might try major state routes.)

Comments

[limnrix.livejournal.com]

During a particularly stressful week a few months after I barely got my driver's license, I had three fender benders. I also got t-boned trying to cross a major street without a light right after I got the license.

Cheers!

[ase.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh. You must have been so freaked out! My sympathies.

On second thought, maybe I'll stay off those big state routes.

[limnrix.livejournal.com]

I was kind of a slack driver. This was all L.A. city driving, not highway. I really learned to drive by going on long road trips. And to Boston. But don't go to Boston.

[ase.livejournal.com]

I'm going to Boston in July, but not with a car. I might rent one for a day and go to the beach, but no firm plans yet.

[ase.livejournal.com]

Wait. Are you putting me on?

[limnrix.livejournal.com]

No.I did most of my learning to drive after I got my license, and it was _agressive_ learning.

[ase.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a vicious and unhappy-making learning curve. Yay big NYC subway for all for transportation needs.

[cathydalek.livejournal.com]

The thing is, you do need to try the beltway/highway driving at some point. You could always try to get someone to go with you to say things like "you're pulling to the right!" "slow down" "Speed up" etc. I did my first highway driving with my dad in the passenger seat. He was a very patient man. I wasn't a very good driver and I needed the seat pulled all the way forward, which meant we were out driving for an hour or two with my dad sitting with his knees pulled all the way forward.

The first time after I got my license that my dad took me out on real streets as opposed to Randall's Island, we went on a Sunday morning so there would be much traffic. Mostly we were just driving around until I could find a place to practice parallel parking the land yacht. While making a right turn, I managed to get the sleeve of my pea coat caught on the gear shift and put the car in neutral, causing it to glide to a stop halfway through the turn. Fortunately there was no traffic, and as I sat there paralyzed convinced I'd managed to brake the car, my dad pointed out that i'd managed to shift out of drive and I probably wanted to fix that. And he didn't say anymore about it and continued with the driving lesson. Mind you, we were driving around together for about two months before he would let me take the car out by myself.

[ase.livejournal.com]

I absolutely need to do highway driving, but I need to do it with someone else in the car like you did. Two days into driving all by myself for the first time ever may not be the best moment to solo the Beltway. I'd rather do almost any other highway first. Or - hey! Do you have any Beltway-required errands coming up?

Today's new adventure will be Georgia Ave. That's enough adventure for one day.

[limnrix.livejournal.com]

Definitely bring along a passenger-seat driver. My dad was with me a lot, although he didn't like to be (anxiety, eventual nausea).

[mareklamo.livejournal.com]

I agree with all the other folks. You can't get better/ more comfortable without practice, practice, practice. My father, bless his frazzled nerves, made sure we all got our driving licenses and let us drive (with him cringing in the passenger seat) as much as possible. A long freeway drive is actually really helpful. Maybe get on, um, is it 270 north of G'burg and Germantown? I seem to recall it's not too crowded on weekends.

[ase.livejournal.com]

It's not finding the highway that's a problem - I found Sam Eig Highway completely by accident* - it's finding someone to baby me through the express/local lane merges while I adjust to the terrifying "(lower) speed limit: 55 (+10) mph" attitude so prevalent on DC highways. I might try to find someone who needs to be in Baltimore so I can try 95 and/or the B-W Parkway; I hate the thought of driving nowhere just for the practice when gas is reaching for $4 a gallon.

*Seriously, I thought I was getting on Key West.