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driving

By: jackie4030
Mood: Disappointed
Date: Aug 20, 2008
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Yesterday I drove for the first time all summer.  I was hoping for a better experience my first time out...We picked my boys up from school and took them to get something to eat because we didn't have much time with them. When we were done we took my youngest son and his step brother to the boys' dad and took my oldest son to work. For some reason Jay got very sleepy and couldn't drive. He told me I would have to drive, so I didn't even hesitate, I got out of the car and into the driver's seat.  I had it in my head that I was going to do this. So, good so far, I wasn't freaking out. We got down to the light and Jay started saying he couldn't breathe because I was smoking. Well, I understand that because I only had the window cracked and he was in the back seat, so he mentioned it again and I finished up and rolled up the window. That irritated me, but in thinking about it I understand how he must have felt.  The drive through town was ok, I was a little nervous, but I was handling it ok. I was keeping up with the speed limit so I was doing pretty well. Then we got to one of the back roads going to our house and a police officer came barrelling up behind me, sirens blasting. I thought he was pulling me over so I pulled to the edge of the road. Thankfully he went past me. As I got on down the road a firetruck was right on my tail. You have to realize on these roads there is just enough room for two vehicles, one on either side. When the firetruck came up behind me, what is your first thought? Mine was to pull over and get out of it's way. Well, that's what i did and he went on past me. But the road has no really good spots to pull over so when I did, it scraped the underneath of the car. My husband said I should have hurried up in front of the firetruck!!! He said if there was a driveway I should have pulled in there. To a degree I understand what he was saying. But speed up in front of a firetruck?????!!!!! It was an emergency and he needed to get around me!! So Jay was in the back seat saying "son of a ..." I was already shaking because i thought the police was going to pull me over and then that happened and all Jay could do was make me feel even more nervous. He never once told me I was doing a good job for my first time out. We came home and had it out. A good psychiatrist friend of mine whom some of you may know here at the site, told me Jay was out of line. He told me to go to a building store and get a brick and take it with me in the car each time I picked up my keys. He said eventually Jay would ask what the brick was for and I would respond to him, every time you say something negative to me about how I drive I'm going to hit you upside the head with this brick! LOL Now we all know that part was a joke and my friend would never advise me to harm anyone. Jay made me feel awful my first time out driving. I cried when I got home. He never once praised me for doing a good job my first time out.  Knowing I had to be nervous. He never even apologized for how he treated me and never said he was sorry for making me cry. When I told him he hadn't said anything nice about my driving his response was, "you made it home". That was all he would say. Needless to say we argued until I went to bed. If it can be helped I will never drive with him in the car with me again except for bringing him home from his surgery and I'll dare him to say a word about my driving. He also told me after we got home that he was trying to figure out how it took him and my son 20 minutes to get home from town and it took me 30. Naturally I'm nervous and I'm very cautious when I drive, so he made me feel bad about that too. I'm still upset about it all. At one point we were talking about me driving and he mentioned that I was on the computer a lot and I needed to get my lazy butt up and do things with my kids, like driving them places when he knows I have a hard time driving. So that was my day. I'm upset at him and I'm not ready to not be mad. Just wondered what some of your responses would be to this. I think I was right to pull over when the firetruck was barrelling up on me. I did the best I could for my first time out and he ruined it.



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VIEWING 1 - 4 OUT OF 4 COMMENTS

August 20, 2008, 12:42 pm

More times than not my friend, when one criticises someone else, it's because they are compensating for nerves (maybe about his upcoming surgery,) or something else they feel that THEY are lacking.  Don't take it too hard or personal.  Jay may just have been in a snippy mood that day.  You did awesome and YES always pull to the side as quickly as possible for an emergency vehicle or a policeman/woman.  You did the right thing and you should always be cautious when driving and that differs for each individual.  Maybe you were a bit slower to arrive home...but that's what it took for YOU to be cautious.  Tell your husband there is a difference between him and you ...then point at him and say LOUDLY "YOU"   ...THEN POINT AT YOURSELF AND YELL "ME"....laugh and walk away....you love Jay and he loves you....this is a small argrument and I'm sorry you were crying and it made you upset.  But in the larger scheme of things hon...you've got a great husband and wonderful children...you've got the world by the ass.  I WISH I was you...lol.  Hugs, Laura



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From: Skwerl
August 20, 2008, 11:32 am

Congratulations on your success! And for the record, you absolutely did the right thing by pulling over IMMEDIATELY. It was a shame the car scraped, but that would have happened to anyone, and it's not like the car was seriously harmed in anyway.   It just happens. Keep up the good work. Maybe you should go out for a drive by yourself. That way you can build on what you've done, with out the distractions and anxiety of having others in the car with you. I think that would  be the easiest way to build confidence.  Best of luck!



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From: DPenn
August 20, 2008, 11:29 am

WOW!  congratulations on driving by yourself!  I am sorry your husband wasn't more supportive.  All I can say is this seems to me like one of those "God has a twisted sense of humor" things.  It's like you want to look up and say, "God, you know I have this problem and you have to put a police car and a fire truck in my path now?"  Don't give up.  Just keep on going.  You made it home and you drove!  I'm proud of you. 



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From: Ditto
August 20, 2008, 10:27 am

Men...I have to say that was not very nice of him.

Getting passed that,you have had this fear of driving for quite some time.You have to ask yourself"do I want to get over this fear".I know first hand what it is like to be afraid,I had agorophobia,and I could not do anything.I had to relearn how to drive,and it was very hard.But I told myself I did not want to be that way,and I worked real hard to get better.Exposure is the best thing,and the anxiety you get from it can be intense,but it will not kill you,believe me.I had constant panick attacks for a long time.Even if you just drive around the block everyday,then venture two blocks,then three,you will be proud of yourself for doing it.If you don't try you get more depressed with yourself.Then maybe you could be more able to take your kids places.

I am here for you if you need me..



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