We live in a world full of road rage and car accidents. In this world, many people get accused of being a bad driver without reason. This is not the case for me. In almost every aspect of driving, I am what you could call "not good." I have improved since I was seventeen and first learning, but an improvement from terrible is still bad. Whether you're measuring bad driving by the ability to park or the number of times I've hit a curb, I do not possess the talent that so-called 'good drivers' seem to. The fact that I have never been pulled over and never been in an accident astounds me, and I attribute this to pure luck. It should have happened by now, and I'm knocking on wood in the hopes that I haven't jinxed myself by saying this.

People who drive with me regularly could tell you stories of mishaps and adventures that have happened with me at the wheel, such as the two times I've entered a drive through the wrong way (yes: not once, but twice). I could continue giving examples, but we are not here to debate whether I am a bad driver. This is an objective fact. What I'm here to say is what I wish the friends driving with me knew, and what I'm sure other bad drivers want their passengers to know.

The main thing bad drivers want you all to know is that we, in fact, recognize we are bad. We don't need you to come along and tell us how dangerous that U-turn was, or how unpleasant our braking is. We know this, we drive with ourselves way more than you do. We have already come to this conclusion on our own, so while we sometimes appreciate warnings and tips given nicely, we don't need someone to diagnose us as being bad drivers. Especially when this person is someone we're driving around for free. A good rule of thumb for being a passenger to a bad driver is if they are not charging you gas money, you have no business criticizing them unless you're in real danger.

One struggle of bad drivers, especially for those who are directionally challenged, is being given directions in the cardinal directions of the compass. Let me make a blanket statement: it is never appropriate to assume I know which way east, west, south, or north is. It is never appropriate to give me directions like "Go south on the I-17 until you hit Dunlap." The only situation it is acceptable to give your bad driver friend cardinal directions is if they ask for them. Believe me, when I know which way something is in terms of the compass, I am proud of it and will let you know. Otherwise, never tell me to go west. Just say left.

The good drivers reading this are now thinking "If I'm getting in someone's car, I have a right to make sure I'm safe and so I am going to say something." I'm telling you right now that you are part of the problem. Nothing makes a bad driver worse than being nervous, and nothing makes a driver nervous faster than having their mistakes endlessly and viciously pointed out. There is a polite and kind way to redirect bad drivers, which we will appreciate. But screaming "CURB, CURB, CURB," without warning is the opposite of helpful.

In conclusion, I hope you think about this the next time your friend who isn't necessarily the best driver offers to drive, and you start to get nervous. Think about this the next time your friend is going the wrong way on a one-direction road in downtown Phoenix at 2 am (true story, but this one wasn't me). Just remember that we also don't want to be doing what we're doing, and your screams are not helping. Cut us a little slack, because we are just as scared as you are.