Nervous Driver

On Monday morning Mee and I drove into town, which is approximately 2 kilometer away, not far at all. I needed to get a haircut and some pictures made for a new passport.

I drove up and we parked in a big field in front of the Ampur. This is good off the street parking and within walking distance of the places we needed to go.

On the way back, I asked Mee if she wanted to drive home and of course she did. Here is where the white knuckle tale begins and I will try and list the things in order as I remember them.

1. We are parked with a large truck on our left side. Mee gets in, adjusts her mirrors, fixes her seat, puts on her seat belt, starts the engine, releases the emergency brake, engages the gears and backs out of the space. Good right, well not exactly. She does not look left or right. She does not go slowly because the truck is blocking her vision on the left. Instead she uses her mirrors only and backs out with speed. This was my first use of an expletive. (When we lived in Bangkok I would walk around the streets in our condominium area, and I don't know how many times I was almost run over by people exiting their parking spots in exactly the same manner.) It must be ingrained or the way they are taught.

2. When we get to the exit of the parking area to where you enter the street she does not stop at the exit, which by the way is a blind corner, but rather pulls several feet past the exit then stops. Luckily, nothing is coming. However, we are now blocking traffic. Well not really for in Thailand if you are in someones way, they don't stop and let you go. No, they just swerve over in the other lane and go around you. Now we sit while she makes a decision as to what she should do next. She made this exact same maneuver at the next stop sign we encountered. She has not figured out how to stop behind a stop sign or to ease out at a corner looking carefully for on coming traffic.

3. Next we come to a red light where we have to make a right turn. It is a short timed light and there are about ten cars in front of us. When the light turns green, Mee proceeds, but after about six cars the light turns red again. As is common in Thailand everyone keeps going including Mee. I then in a raised tone, make a request that in the future please stop for red lights. At this point I see nothing but cars and motorcycles out of the the right and left side windows. She replies that she wasn't looking at the light but rather watching the cars in front of her go. I guess here it is okay to proceed as long as the car in front of you does so.

For the remainder of the ride home we had a discussion as to how I am too emotional and make her extremely nervous when she is driving. However, I made no mention of the coronary that I almost suffered as that would only further fan the flames.

I guess I shouldn't be too shocked, she drives just like everyone else here with the ME first mentality. But the driving sessions will continue and I will continue to brace my legs and hold on tightly to the sides of my seats. I just hope I can control my tongue but if you hear a scream in the distance, it may have been me.