Red's Wrap
Happiness. It's relative.
Driving Lessons
“The car will go where you’re looking.”
This was fundamental lesson in my dad’s driver’s education class. He probably had other sayings, but I don’t remember them. The whole experience – however long it took, months maybe, years, I don’t know – centered on mastering the whole manual transmission extravaganza.
Put in the clutch. Shift. Ease off the clutch. Don’t pop the clutch! When the engine starts whining like that, you need to get it into second gear or third gear. When you’re struggling up a hill, downshift, just put in the clutch, downshift, and ease off the clutch, give her some gas, and then at the top of the hill, you know, put in the clutch, shift to second or third and so it went.
I ended up shifting like a boss. A guy once told me and I’ve cherished this comment ever since, despite having spent many, many years as a pretty serious feminist, he said, “You drive like a man.” I was driving a VW bug up a circular ramp in a parking garage at the time. I even remember the color of the car. Yellow.
But back to the advice. The car will go where you’re looking is true in driving and in many other areas of life. It can be an actual safety tip or a life tip or both. My dad was like that.
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Snow Door | wisconsinacademy.org
Listen to Jan read her essay “Billy” presented on WUWM’s Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “At the Breakfast Bar” on WUWM Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “The Parish Hall,” on WUWM Lake Effect
“Fury Cannot Touch Me,” Modern Love, NYT, 9/29/11
I still drive a stick shift! There’s not many of us left any more. A college boyfriend taught me how to drive in a small, dark blue 1974 four-door Fiat I received a similar comment from the tester when I took my road test… something along the lines of driving like a trucker. I assumed that was because of the down shifting. haha
My father’s advice was often of the same ilk. On the surface it was about something technical, practical, but underneath it was a life philosophy.
I still employee this tip from my driver’s ed class. The other tip was about staying in the middle of your lane by lining up your hood ornament with the painted center road line. Only most cars don’t have hood ornaments or even obvious centers to them.
That is exactly what my riding instructor said. “The horse will go where you point him. You have to STEER.”
Someone imparted that same wisdom to me when I was young- “the car will go where you’re looking” and it is so true! I sort of miss manual transmissions, and old trucks, and that thrill involved in doing it all correctly with a nice bit of finesse once you really have the hang of it.