Tuesday, March 11, 2014

A driving compulsion

Before I got my driving licence, I was the ultimate passenger, uncaring of my surroundings and blissfully unaware of anything that was relevant to the person in the driving seat. 

Then I got my licence... and now, when I'm the passenger instead of the driver, I find it utterly impossible to be my former careless, unheeding self. For instance, at T-junctions when we're waiting to turn right, I simply can NOT stop myself from looking left to see if there are any approaching vehicles, and then to the right again - in textbook fashion, exactly as stipulated in the Highway Code. Except, of course, I'm not driving, so it doesn't matter a jot what I do. 

I've tried to deliberately not bother to see what's coming, to leave it to my chauffeur (usually Pete) to watch out for traffic - but no, my head turns automatically to the left. It's like synchronised swimming, only in my case I guess you can call it synchronised looking! That instinct is just too strong to ignore, and I guess I have my driving instructor to thank for it. So, nearly 10 years on, here's to you, Mr John Thornton. You were the best.