Passenger...

I have always been a good passenger. I think it may be one of my strengths. Not a lot of people can be a good co-pilot, companion, attentive and considerate of the driver and feel comfortable.

I don't get much "wheel-time" in the course of my job other than my 17 - 20 spots that "may be" a destination some days right here in Brockton. I rarely drive out of town and don't relish it when called upon to do so, but end up enjoying it when I do. (Which is rare.)

But, I am a good passenger.

I think I was the best with Michael Willard. Man, did he like to "head out" for hours-long drives. (Of course, we eventually went for the ultimate drive across the US and lasted 3/4ths of the way.) But he was a relaxed, confident and skilled driver. He was a pleasure to ride with.

Rode shotgun with Colleen today doing "test drives" out on Rte 1, Norwood area. That means getting into strange cars with Colleen driving on fairly fast roads while she and I are punching buttons, she's figuring out so-called "Intelligent Shifting", (only once did we scram to the shoulder from the fast lane when one of the cars seemed to be either crapping out on us or stuck in "Intelligent Neutral",) and making rapid judgement statements like; "That was some goooood cornering!" "Kinda whiney", "Nice pickup!" "Good handling", "Little wobbly", etc... you get the picture.

I also recently rode shotgun with Bobbi from SF out to Modesto, about 2 hrs or so. She had printed out the mapquest and I was the navigator. She changed lanes often, fast, and in heavy and diverse traffic. From crammed, short and hard city-negotiating to long, flat, truck-laden, fair and lazy-fast freeway lanes.
I had absolutely no qualms about being her passenger. She was superbly in control and I was impressed.
I even learned the mapquest-miles trick from her. Using the actual miles that the mapquest printout noted between changes, Bobbi either re-set or noted her mileage. We knew when to look for certain off-ramp #'s and how far down some little right or left might be. Much like a computerized GPS system does, but she had me! All in all, we made one last wrong turn within the neighborhood of the destination and course corrected within 2 blocks.

I remember when Bobbi got her first SF vehicle and we would drive north up the winding coast roads. The most viewful, tricky-turned (as in hairpin!) cliff-edged roads worth driving. When Mom road up there with Bobbi once, she practically kissed the ground when she emerged from the vehicle intact. I had no such fears what-so-ever.

Imagine that? Me with no anxiety? I can almost remember that time.

Today, driving with Colleen, I was a great passenger.

But then again, it takes a great driver to make a great passenger.

Nice ridin' wichya, C
K8