My mom taught me how to drive when I was 15 years old. And this year, she came in clutch and got me my first car. It was such a blessing and I couldn’t have been more excited that day. When I first set out to drive it, I had such a good time, and for the first half hour, traffic was light and the drive was relaxing. Then, I went on the interstate. Big mistake. And I was going the speed limit. Bigger mistake. A tiny Volkswagen Beetle flew by me, going 80 mph and cutting me off, using no turn signal whatsoever.
I must confess that before this year, I'd never driven on an interstate myself before. Judge me, if you will, but I had good reason. After sitting in the passenger seat and witnessing the lack of driving etiquette for years, I avoided the interstate like the plague. But I am a college student who lives in the always bustling city of Louisville, Kentucky. So I have finally been through it firsthand, and I have to say, it sucks.
I follow the speed limit, I always use my turn indicators, I don’t cut people off, I’m pretty great at parking, and I never pick up my phone when I’m driving. All that said, I like to think I’m a pretty good driver. Yet other people seemed to have missed or totally ignored these simple lessons of driving.
The other good drivers of the world can attest to the fact that it is really hard to be what feels like the only person following the rules of the road, but this is something we all have to deal with. People will break almost every driving law they can to get where they’re going with a complete lack of respect to everyone else on the road, and there’s nothing that anyone can do about that, since it seems like the police are never around when they’re going 20 over the speed limit. Funny how they’re there the one time you go five over.
Driving is even worse in the city. The roads are so compact and these huge trucks take up all of their lane and some of yours. There’s also endless traffic, and impatient drivers show their true colors, because they keep weaving in and out of lanes like that’s going to make a difference. It definitely won’t, but they don’t know that, so they try it anyway. All the while, the good drivers sit in their vehicles, desperately wishing they could throw a copy of the driving manual at pretty much everyone.
I won’t say I’ve never done something bad on the road, because I definitely have. I ran a stop sign once just because I wasn’t paying attention and didn’t see it. But hey, I’m not perfect. However, I never blatantly drive my car like I’m the next great NASCAR driver (which is a dream of mine, but that’s beside the point). All I want is for people to understand how dangerous driving can be if we aren’t careful and to maybe, just maybe, stop cutting me off on i-65.
