7. Epic Fail

There are certain abilities that I think are very sacred. They are abilities that you cultivate very carefully because failing while doing them could be at best embarrassing and at worst deadly, especially when other people are involved.

Driving is by far a person's most sacred ability. I judge a person's character pretty heavily on how they drive: too slow, too fast, just generally unobservant of other people ... I think all of these driving styles can say a lot about a person!

I fancy myself a good driver. I'm careful yet aggressive when I need to be, and can have a pretty colorful vocabulary when people around me aren't driving in a manner I find appropriate. I've never been in a serious accident (a couple fender benders, apparently I have issues with right turn ramps) and never gotten a ticket. Sure I've had my share of "run-ins" with inanimate objects other than cars (I prefer brightly colored objects like fire hydrants and poles in parking structures). It takes a lot to unnerve me when I'm driving by myself. But for whatever reason when I am hauling others I get all nervous and make small but stupid mistakes.

I guess I'm OK with failing in private, or at least not in front of people I know. But if I were to ever get into an accident, get pulled over, or hit an inanimate or animate object with someone else in my car, I would absolutely die of embarrassment.

That is a pretty bold statement because it takes A LOT to embarrass me. I can trip and fall in public, jump back up, drop a witty remark, and keep walking like nothing happened! I willingly divulge embarrassing facts about myself in everyday conversation! Don't believe me? My bedroom was so messy growing up that my sister and brother once found a petrified piece of cheese under my bed. Howdya like me now? :-)

Luckily I've never had to find out just how embarrassed I would be if I made a major mistake while driving with other people in my car. But it begs a deeper question: why can't I just accept the fact that I'm human and I'm going to make mistakes at everything I do? I don't mind screwing up other stuff like walking and basic cleanliness. Why is driving so different?