In the summer of 2007, I received two driving awards. That's what my brother in law Dan calls speeding tickets, and that term always makes me smile. Prior to that summer, my most recent ticket happened when K was 6 months old. Getting two speeding tickets within 2 months was surprising, and needless to say caused me to change some habits. S would ask, "Why don't you want to go to driving school, mommy?" I make it a habit to know what the speed limit is and to try to stay 5 miles under, just in case I lose my focus and my speed drifts up. On highways and interstates, I set the cruise right at the speed limit. After time I even moved to driving 2-5 miles under the speed limit on road trip. I discovered it is much less stressful to stay in the right lane most of the time rather than always worrying about passing. I think its likely safer as well. As I get more life experience, I worry more about unpredictable things happening on the road.
This summer my friend Marie and I saw an accident happen right before our eyes. We were driving down a highway when 1/4 mile ahead of us, a small car veered right into the path of a greyhound bus. The bus turned toward the ditch to avoid the car, probably saving the driver's life, but the force of the impact tipped the bus into a deep ravine. As we were the first on the scene, we stopped to help. The elderly man who caused the accident was alert, stable but confused. I am sure his medical status caused the accident. It reminded me vividly that we never know what is happening in those other cars on the road. I have forgotten many sad and disturbing sights, but for some reason this incident has stuck with me, fresh in my mind. I imagine as I get older, my driving will become more conservative.
As I heard my husband and a friend speak recently about their frustration with slow drivers, I realized that those speeding tickets changed the way I drive. Driving just a bit slower is less stressful, feels safer and saves gas as well. As I am also trying to be less focused on time, not worrying about arriving 6 minutes earlier in Iowa City seems like a good change.
Margie and Carl Gartner were lifelong friends of my maternal grandparents, second parents to my mom. I love this story about them. I dearly hope I live long enough and slow down enough to drive making only right turns.
1 comment:
I have a HUGE (I mean HUGE...much bigger than I ever let anyone really know) fear of what MIGHT happen on the road. It's on my mind every day as Scott commutes to and from work. I think about it as I go someplace out of town alone and wonder if my kids will have to grow up without a mother. If the girls and I take a trip alone, I worry if they will be cared for if something were to happen to us and I was unable to care for them until a family member was able to arrive on the scene. I also worry what it would do to Scott if suddenly his whole family were suddenly wiped off the face of the earth by a drowsy driver. With Lexi's upcoming field trip to Ames this week I worry about if their bus will be safe. I don't know that I'm strong enough to deal with the loss of a child. When I put it all down, it's amazing I can get in the car and go anywhere. But then again, not living life because of fear is no way to exist either. So I breath deep, and keep my eyes wide open on the road. I'm with you. I'll slow down a bit if it means I'm better ready to responded if the unexpected road happening happens!
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