I hate my inability to drive…
I’m essentially chained to my apartment for 5/6 of this upcoming holiday (Martin Luther King Day) weekend.
Only the very limited weekend city buses are running on Saturday— once an hour, with the last bus arriving at my apartment at about 6:30.
And no buses whatsoever are running on Sunday or Monday. No campus buses; no city buses; nothing.
This, of course, wouldn’t be so bad if there were anything in reasonable walking distance of my apartment. There are the restaurants and stores of Five Points about a mile away… on a road with no sidewalks. I guess I could try braving walking on the shoulder of the road… And the north side of campus is about 2 miles away.
I really need to learn to ride a bike. Or something.
Why do you not drive? Do you choose not to drive? You were generous of your time to give me some links that might give me some contact with older adults. Most seniors (and I’m not talking college senior) HAVE to give up driving because of physical impairment..and some live in metro areas like NYC where a car can be a detriment. People ask me often why I don’t drive…I have a number of theories that – if I could scrape up the $s to consult with a psychiatrist or psychologist and could prove or disprove. One of my biggest problems is having a very good friend who can provide me with a ride almost any time I really need one…but I do NOT like to ask for rides…and when I get a ride I feel it only right to put the friendship on a ledger…”your giving me a ride means I need to get your lunch, or buy the gas, or…whatever. That is not friendship… but I feel so idiotic not driving.
Comment by perri — 14-Apr-2006 @ 1:49 pm
Hi there :- I read your posts on the FOD group on yahoo – I can completely empathize – it feels liie I was never meant to drive. I am a trainer and have no fear standing in front of a group of 200 strangers and speaking extempore but even the thought of driving would make my heart thump violently.
This last month I decided to change all that and I rented a car (on my International Driver’s License) and a very good friend taught me step by step what I should be doing. I still can’t drive on the interstate and I panic that I wont see the signals and barrel headlong into another car and kill someone. I guess it’s only practive gradually moving from deserted streets to mid-morning traffic to heavy traffic that will help.
I think for me its more of an irrational phobia than anything else. I keep telling myself – all these seemingly regular een average ppl can do it – why cant I ?
There seems to be a problem with the text box when you try and leave you a comment.
Comment by CC — 22-Jun-2006 @ 4:39 pm