Side Mirrors and Recycle Bins
When we were in high school, most kids took driver’s education the summer before we turned 16 years old. Chris took the class. He showed up every day and learned how to parallel park and change a flat tire.
I never took driver’s education. My family went to Europe that summer instead.
And Chris has never let me forget it.
It doesn’t matter what the driving infraction is – a rolling stop through a stop sign, a parallel parking spot that I pass up out of fear, a 3-point-turn that takes an extra few pivots. It doesn’t matter what it is, Chris blames all of my driving hang ups on the fact that I didn’t take driver’s education OVER TEN YEARS AGO.
He is particularly adamant about my backing up. I don’t use mirrors. I turn around and look as I back out. I have a reason for this though. I used to drive a Ford Explorer that had really bad blind spots and so I just got in the habit of turning around and checking for myself. It has absolutely nothing to do with driver’s education IN HIGH SCHOOL.
But Chris says the same thing every single time, “If you’d taken driver’s ed, you’d know how to use your mirrors.” Like a broken freaking record.
This morning as I was backing out of my driveway, I thought maybe it was time to try using my side mirrors. But first let me explain about my driveway. It has obstacles. First, its really narrow and its lined on one side by shrubs.
Then on the other side is this hose thingy that hangs off the house that I am always afraid I’m going to hit.
Moving on down the driveway, there is a utility pole at the bottom just as you turn onto our street.
So, its not exactly smooth sailing on normal days. And today was trash day, so we had trash cans complicating things even further. But I did it. I backed up using my mirrors just like they teach you in stupid driver’s ed. And in my rear view mirrors, I saw the two large trash cans at the end of our driveway. I saw them and I swerved a little to avoid hitting them.
What I didn’t see what the large recycling bin that the trashmen had thoughtlessly thrown in the middle of our driveway. Nope. Didn’t see that at all. That short, bright blue bin did not appear in my rear view mirrors. And so when I smashed into it and knocked it clear across the street and into my neighbor’s yard, I was stunned. What had gone wrong? I had used my mirrors just like I was supposed to and yet I still smashed into something.
I got out of the car and hauled the recycle bin back to the side of the road, as if nothing had happened. The last thing I needed was Chris pulling into the driveway when he got home from work, taking one look at our bin in the neighbor’s yard, and sighing, “She should have taken driver’s ed.” That’s all it would have taken for me to end his life.
(And between you and me, if I had been looking over my shoulder like I normally do, this wouldn’t have happened. So driver’s education can kiss my big, blue recycle bin!)
14 Comments
Emily
I know what you mean, mirrors confuse me. I have a hard time getting the image right in my head!! Seriously, my husband will have me back the boat into the water at the boat ramp and I will be so crooked it’s not funny because I can’t figure out that whole reverse wheel thing while trying to look in the mirrors…I do alot better just turning my head to look out the window – it makes the world a safer place! 🙂 Oh, and I didn’t take driver’s ed either!
Mindee@ourfrontdoor
A ha ha! that’s funny! I use my mirrors AND look over my shoulder and still hit things. And may I just say that if I had your driveway I think I’d have to park in the street?
You make a great case for not marrying your high school sweetheart. 😉
Sarah Barker
I did take driver’s ed that summer, I never use my mirrors, and I backed into our mailbox two months ago, so don’t feel too bad. 🙂
Liz
You know, I took Drivers Ed and they actually taught us that we were supposed to look over our shoulders!
Heather
Too funny…i think that’s going to be my new code word phrase…kiss my big blue recycle bin. will be funny to see the look on my husband’s face, probably help to defuse a sticky situtation. So, thanks! that’s too funny.
Miriam
I did take driver’s ed. And they thought us that we should be turning around and looking out the back window. Maybe its a Canadian method?
Laura
Yep, I took drivers ed and they told us that we should look over our shoulders too! They actually said it was better to do that since mirrors have blind spots… which you learned! 🙂
Kristin Westafer
I took driver’s ed that summer. I have hit a few things in my day and they were all when I was backing up. I once drug our trashcan to the neighbor’s driveway and DIDN’T EVEN NOTICE. Maybe the key is taking driver’s ed AND having a Y chromosome. Everyone knows the Y chromosome makes you “perfect.” hahaha
Sarah
I failed my driving test for not looking behind and for using only my mirrors…you can’t see anything under 3 feet if you use only your mirrors
Jeska
You’re not supposed to rely only on your mirrors!!! All cars have blindspots. His driver’s ed teacher should have taught him that!!! I took it, and they made it very clear that looking over your shoulder AND using your mirrors is the proper way because all cars have blindspots. Maybe Chris should just learn to turn his head and look because he had a bad teacher. 🙂
Maureen
how do you get a driver’s license without taking driver’s ed?
Laurel
Kate, I took drivers ed, in the summer, with Chris, in the same car, and I still turn around to back up. And to change lanes for that matter. If I remember correctly, Chris, Katie Poissot, and I each had to take turns sitting in the drivers seat while Coach Kostic stood in the blind spot so we could see just how big it was. To prove the point that we should always turn to look. So there. I applaud your turning. Plus, it stretches your neck muscles.
AnjieI
I took Driver’s Ed and my teacher (who was a retired police officer) taught me NOT to use my mirrors…at least at first. He said if you didn’t learn to do it without your mirrors you’d be in trouble and neglect your blind spots. So, I’m also a turn around driver! I think I mostly only use my side mirrors if I’m doing an initial check to see if I can change lanes on the highway. Anyway…
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