Driving through puddles
The other day I hit a puddle as I rolled to a stop at a red light. Thankfully, my window was up. As spray went all over my window, it reminded me of something that happened when I was a teen.
We were all learning how to drive. Learners' permits were like rare jewels. We were cautioned against "joy riding", but we did it anyway.
I was always one of those people that saw the worth of a seat belt from the start. I can recall cars that did not come equipped with belts. Dad's 1973 Chevy Nova was our first car with factory installed seat belts. We used them. Maybe not "religiously", but I was taught to always put on my safety belt and I almost always did.
So one fine, warm day I found myself out on a joyride with Nanette. Nanette was older and therefore used every opportunity to rub our noses in the fact that she had had her learner's permit longer than the rest of us. In fact, her parents had signed the paperwork for her to get a "restricted" license. Nanette could drive without an adult over 21 in the vehicle. Oh, the joy.
Nanette did not see a reason to wear a seat belt. As usual, I had my belt on. We were, as I said, joyriding through our subdivision when Nanette hit a puddle. It was a deep puddle. This sprayed water all over the driver's side of the car. Water shot inside the car because, it being a warm day, Nanette had her window down.
Nanette decided this was a good time to get away from the spraying water. How, you might ask? By attempting to crawl into my lap! While Nanette was still shrieking from the surprise of becoming suddenly wet, she slid across the seat towards me. I shrieked back, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING???"
"I got wet!" she squealed, as if this answered everything.
"But you are driving!" I screamed as I shoved her back across the seat. My side of the car was not a good position to work the controls! We were still doing 35 MPH down the road, if not faster.
*Sigh*. At least we lived through these things.
This incident proves the benefit of "having your vehicle firmly strapped to your ass", as I heard a pilot say on the Neal Boortz show. Belted into the driver's seat you are always in a better position to ACTUALLY CONTROL YOUR VEHICLE IN AN ACCIDENT. Imagine.
As the water dripped down my side glass and I clicked on the front wipers, Youngest squealed from his safety seat in the back, "Do it again, Mommy! That was fun."
You have no idea, son. None at all.
We were all learning how to drive. Learners' permits were like rare jewels. We were cautioned against "joy riding", but we did it anyway.
I was always one of those people that saw the worth of a seat belt from the start. I can recall cars that did not come equipped with belts. Dad's 1973 Chevy Nova was our first car with factory installed seat belts. We used them. Maybe not "religiously", but I was taught to always put on my safety belt and I almost always did.
So one fine, warm day I found myself out on a joyride with Nanette. Nanette was older and therefore used every opportunity to rub our noses in the fact that she had had her learner's permit longer than the rest of us. In fact, her parents had signed the paperwork for her to get a "restricted" license. Nanette could drive without an adult over 21 in the vehicle. Oh, the joy.
Nanette did not see a reason to wear a seat belt. As usual, I had my belt on. We were, as I said, joyriding through our subdivision when Nanette hit a puddle. It was a deep puddle. This sprayed water all over the driver's side of the car. Water shot inside the car because, it being a warm day, Nanette had her window down.
Nanette decided this was a good time to get away from the spraying water. How, you might ask? By attempting to crawl into my lap! While Nanette was still shrieking from the surprise of becoming suddenly wet, she slid across the seat towards me. I shrieked back, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING???"
"I got wet!" she squealed, as if this answered everything.
"But you are driving!" I screamed as I shoved her back across the seat. My side of the car was not a good position to work the controls! We were still doing 35 MPH down the road, if not faster.
*Sigh*. At least we lived through these things.
This incident proves the benefit of "having your vehicle firmly strapped to your ass", as I heard a pilot say on the Neal Boortz show. Belted into the driver's seat you are always in a better position to ACTUALLY CONTROL YOUR VEHICLE IN AN ACCIDENT. Imagine.
As the water dripped down my side glass and I clicked on the front wipers, Youngest squealed from his safety seat in the back, "Do it again, Mommy! That was fun."
You have no idea, son. None at all.
Labels: Youngest
posted by Janie B @ 9:20 PM
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