“Driving is so easy!”

Random memory time!!

I was about 12, and feeling overly precocious, apparently. I started complaining to my dad while we were on the highway about not seeing the point in having to wait until 16 to get my license. “Driving is so easy, you just point the car and go!”

he chuckled. “you think it’s easy, then, huh?”

“Well, yeah, you and mom do it all the time, and you can talk to people and everything! it’s not like you’re super focused on it!”

“ok, then, you do it, if it’s that easy.” he dropped his hands into his lap.

i freaked, and reached for the steering wheel, terrified when i realized how little movement would actually change the car’s direction. my white knuckle grip did nothing to calm the panic in my head as i tried to see everything i possibly could, but in reality, seeing not much more than the roadside speeding past me.

this went on for a minute or so, and as i got dangerously close to tears, my dad took the wheel again. i sat there quietly, just looking at the dashboard, feeling guilty and embarrassed.

“Sometimes, you gotta trust that your old man knows better than you do. Driving is a lot more complicated than it looks…”

I know now that muscle memory, predictive brain models and practice all come into play. i also know that my dad would never have done something that would endanger me, but damn, what a lesson!