Friday, June 25, 2010

Maybe I Should Get a Bicycle

Some people enjoy driving rental cars.

They like the opportunity to drive something different - like an extended test drive. Some like having a car they don't really care about.

Me?

It makes me incredibly nervous.

The blind spots are all in the wrong places, I'm unfamiliar with the buttons and dials I take for granted in my own car, I worry about parking it somewhere and having someone park too close and ding it in some way. The action and the size are different so parallel parking becomes a challenge...no small challenge when I live in a neighborhood that requires parallel parking always.

I just don't like it.

Add to that the fact that, since the car accident, I find I'm on the defense nearly all the time, continually on alert for another driver to unthinkingly come into my lane, and I'm a big ball 'o anxiety behind the wheel.

I'm an excellent driver.

I was fortunate to take driver's ed when I was 15, learning to drive (and parallel park) a standard in the process. I got a hardship license1 shortly thereafter.

I'm not an aggressive driver nor am I a timid driver. I drive with confidence balancing between offensive and defensive techniques. I've had one speeding ticket 20 years ago. I've never caused an accident. I'd never been in an accident until now.

But now, now that I'm in this rental car and am nervous about that anyway, being afraid that someone is going to side swipe me again has me wishing I didn't ever have to drive again.

I was hoping my car would be finished and ready to be picked up today. I know I'll feel better when I'm in my own auto element.

It's not.

It's still in paint so I won't get it back until Tuesday morning. *sigh*

I wish I hadn't lost my bus pass.




1: A hardship license is a special license available in Wyoming to teens under the age of 16 who can prove a hardship in accessing school and/or work transportation.

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