Chill Behind The Wheel

Sherrie just chillin

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love and have always loved driving. It began with those medal foot peddle cars in the 60's, then Big Wheels, skateboards and bicycles, and on to motorcycles and go-carts and then finally, the real deal... the automobile! Anyone who knows me well also knows that I have always had the "need for speed". I've raced all the above at some point in my life. Looking back, I can now admit that the insurance companies were justified to impose higher premiums for young men. I was a magnet for speeding tickets and I earned most of them without argument. At 16 years old, when Sherrie and I were first dating, I had lost my drivers license due to speeding tickets and she had to pick me up to even go on dates. I had already totaled my first car and my second major accident was just around the corner. I believe that I was a good driver, but I drove too fast and often made risky choices. Eventually, I found myself taking all this speed and risky driving to the track in a late model stock car where this driving behavior belonged. The track taught me so much!

Scott and his late model race car

So, you may be wondering where am I going with this blog? At age 57, I now find myself looking in the rear view mirror at cars and trucks impatiently riding 10 feet from my rear bumper. I'm passed more now than ever. I seem to have slowed down over the years, but not because I have lost my driving skills, but because I've gained some wisdom that I want to share with all of you. Now, I don't mean that I'm driving granny slow. I tend to cruise around 5mph over the speed limit and yet I'm still making drivers very angry. Horns, the middle finger, shouting, dirty looks are a common occurrence. This behavior begs the questions; "What's the hurry? Is our arrival time really worth the tension, anxiety, ugly behavior and risk of an accident?"

We've all had that moment while driving when someone pulls a stunt that leaves us losing our religion. Words fly, fingers are pointed and our blood pressure shoots to stratosphere. Most of the time we simmer down, arrive at our destination on time and our automobiles are not damaged. But we've also seen it go wrong, people got hurt, or in some instances road rage even took a life.

HOW TO STAY CHILL BEHIND THE WHEEL

My first and most important piece of advice is to allow the proper amount of time to travel to your destination. Most people do not allow enough time. Running late produces anxiety, impatience and risky driving behaviors. Do you know how to get to your destination? Will you need to allow for traffic? If you leave yourself some wiggle room then you can relax on your journey even if you find yourself behind a slow vehicle, or in traffic. You can even make a wrong turn and have plenty of time to navigate without panic. Remove the time factor from your trip and you will remove the anxious and tense driving experience.

Acknowledge that human beings are not perfect creatures. Mistakes can and will be made while operating a vehicle. You and I have made them. We are not perfect drivers all the time. Be patient with other drivers and especially to young drivers who are still learning and honing their driving skills. Older drivers often loose their vision, depth perception, and response reflexes. Give them grace and plenty of room.

Leave the high speeds for special controlled scenarios and the race track. Again, I enjoy driving at higher speeds, however, I must admit that slowing my vehicle slows my pulse. I can relax more when I'm not having to make driving decisions in milliseconds. I may still be skilled enough to maneuver my car through traffic at high speeds, but it's intense and exhausting. Then there's the traffic cop concern. It's no fun always worrying about getting a speeding ticket. Try leaving earlier, slowing down and relaxing on your drive. I think you're gonna like it.

Recognize this fact. All your stress, aggravation and risky driving usually earns you about a minute or two at best. Ask yourself if it's really worth it? I often see cars whip in and out of traffic, pass on double yellow lines and drive recklessly only to coast to a stop beside them at the next traffic light. I've been that impatient and risky driver. It's truly not worth it.

It's my desire that you can find ways to reduce stress in your life. By the looks of so many angry drivers recently, learning to chill behind the wheel might be a good start.