Change for the sake of….
I was recently in Halifax on business and as I was being driven to my hotel from the airport, I realized that some people forget they have passengers. The driver of my hotel bus took risks that put us all in danger. Do you change the way you drive when you have passengers, or does it matter?
To most drivers, the task of driving from point A to point B is pretty mundane. They often just want to get to their destination. Are you this type of driver? Do you ever think about what your passengers think about your driving while they are riding in your vehicle? Do they feel threatened or do they feel relaxed by your driving? Have you ever asked them? Maybe you should.
The driver who took me to my hotel followed the traffic ahead a bit too closely and blocked other drivers in their lane from changing lanes. They were speeding quite often as well. The added problem here was that I was on a bus with no seatbelts for the passengers. Inertia would move my body across the cabin if we suddenly swerved or had to stop quickly. I didn’t feel comfortable. Remember, I’ve been a driving instructor for so long and have had a number of people in my vehicle that had no driving skills whatsoever, that I’m used to rough braking, acceleration and steering. To make me feel uncomfortable would take a lot!
I wasn’t the only person who felt this way. I heard other passengers on this ride make comments like, “We’re going too fast for the road conditions.” And “Didn’t we take that corner too fast?” I think the audience can be commended here. If your passengers constantly comment on your driving, maybe they’re right! Respecting their rights is an important issue here. Don’t you want to have confidence in the driver if you’re the passenger? I’m sure you do, so why not give your passengers a comfortable feeling, just like you would if you were in their shoes.
I was also recently in Vancouver and when I had to return to the airport, I took a taxi. When the driver started to chat about what I did for a living, he actually sat up straight in his seat and drove better than the first five minutes of our commute. I asked him why he changed his driving techniques, and he said it was because of where I worked. I asked him why that would matter and shouldn’t the other passengers enjoy the same type of safe driving. He agreed.
It comes down to respecting the needs of you and your passengers and driving in an adult state of mind. In an adult state, you act logically and responsibly to the driving situations. Part of that means realizing you have passengers that are relying on you to get to your destination. If you don’t respect you and your needs, at least respect their needs. I say this with all due respect!