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Behind the wheel
Feb. 5th, 2011 02:43 pmAs you may know, I do not like to drive. One of the themes I return to in my nightmares is being at the wheel of a car I can't control: either the car isn't responding, or I'm doing something crazy like trying to drive from the back seat. A few years ago I had one of those dreams, and the next day my power steering went out. I found out why 'ladies' did not drive when cars were a recent invention, since it actually takes a fair amount of upper body strength to turn a non-power steering wheel. In any case, I regard cars as a necessary evil, not something to enjoy.
Since I got the new car, I'm finding myself increasingly paranoid about driving. A large part of it is the snowbank issue. After three major storms in as many weeks, the snowbanks have reached a level where it is very difficult to see what's coming down the road when you're making a turn. Since this whole automotive drama began when I was clipped trying to pull out of my own driveway, this fear is not entirely unfounded. Plus, while the main roads have been plowed down to the pavement, many of the side streets still have some amount of snow/ice/slush on them. I'm still getting used to driving this car, and it's new and I really don't want to see it dented or scratched or otherwise damaged before I've had it for a month.
What it amounts to is that I'm getting ridiculously tense every time I have to drive, and I'm planning my routes around avoiding left turns and staying on major roads where there are traffic lights at the intersections. Even after I get home, I'm still tense.
I hate this. I miss living in the city where I could walk or take the subway everywhere. I wish I could just stay safely at home until spring. And I'm dreading the next storm.
Since I got the new car, I'm finding myself increasingly paranoid about driving. A large part of it is the snowbank issue. After three major storms in as many weeks, the snowbanks have reached a level where it is very difficult to see what's coming down the road when you're making a turn. Since this whole automotive drama began when I was clipped trying to pull out of my own driveway, this fear is not entirely unfounded. Plus, while the main roads have been plowed down to the pavement, many of the side streets still have some amount of snow/ice/slush on them. I'm still getting used to driving this car, and it's new and I really don't want to see it dented or scratched or otherwise damaged before I've had it for a month.
What it amounts to is that I'm getting ridiculously tense every time I have to drive, and I'm planning my routes around avoiding left turns and staying on major roads where there are traffic lights at the intersections. Even after I get home, I'm still tense.
I hate this. I miss living in the city where I could walk or take the subway everywhere. I wish I could just stay safely at home until spring. And I'm dreading the next storm.
