OK, there may have been a lot of times in my life when I have been accused of being a bad driver.
For the record – I have never been in a major accident, never had any points deducted from my license, and I actually haven’t gotten any tickets at all in almost 6 years.
Knock on wood.
I also drove on California highways for 3 years without incident, and drove myself from San Diego to Alaska in 4 days without a single problem.
Not to mention, I think I have adjusted pretty well to driving in icy conditions over the last few years.
But… I have also been known to lose concentration at inopportune moments. Now, don’t get me wrong – I am not the girl making reckless moves while speeding precariously through traffic and only narrowly avoiding other drivers.
In fact, nothing about my driving style would ever be considered aggressive at all.
I am instead the girl who might get so caught up in her head that she ends up dipping 10 miles below the speed limit without noticing, or the one who in the midst of a conversation fails to realize how close she is to the edge of the garage as she’s pulling in.
I’m a responsible driver (more or less) when it comes to the rules of the road, but… I lack focus.
Which is why all of my driving mishaps are typically little things that are completely avoidable.
The kind of errors that give my friends plenty of ammunition when the subject of my driving comes up.
Friends who, for the record, have always been more than happy to let me be the driver on any of the many road trips we’ve taken over the years. They just also like being able to give me a hard time.
And in turn, it would appear that I enjoy providing them with loads of material.
I stranded my car today. This is now my third winter in Alaska, and for the first time ever I managed to get myself stuck in the snow.
No easy feat when you have a 4WD vehicle.
But I promise you, I made it look simple.
I was pulling into a parking lot on my lunch break, and for reasons I can’t even fully explain – I completely bypassed the cleared driveway in favor instead of the sidewalk area that all the snow had been pushed aside to.
Now, it doesn’t look like much snow, but let me tell you what – I was almost immediately stuck. As soon as my front tires made it over the hump, I knew I was in trouble.
Actually, that was the first point when I realized that I had done anything wrong at all, but that’s really beside the point.
My back tires simply were not going anywhere. I tried everything. Accelerating forward. Putting it into reverse. Rocking back and forth.
Nothing worked.
And, there were people watching me. No doubt wondering what the heck I had been thinking.
I mean, there was a perfectly cleared drive just 5 feet away from where I had chosen to pull in.
Meanwhile, I was humiliated. So embarrassed I could barely breathe. Wondering to myself how it was that I was going to get out of this mess.
Sure only of one thing; I did not have it in me to ask any of these random strangers for help. I was far too horrified for that.
So instead, I started calling friends. Hopeful that someone (anyone) would have some advice for me. But as I was going through the numbers, there was a knock on my window. And on the other side stood a man asking if I needed any help.
I got out of the car and explained how stupid I felt. How I should have known better.
And you know what? He could not have been nicer! Kept telling me that this is what happens in Alaska. That it's something everyone has done once or twice at least.
A fact which I have a hard time believing, but I wasn't about to argue.
Shortly after, 2 more guys walked over to offer their services. I kept explaining that I was from California (neglecting to mention how long I had been up here - because really, once you realize this isn't my first winter; all excuses go out the window) as they literally pulled out shovels and started digging me out. I offered to help, but they each insisted I get back in the car and stay warm.
It was 30 degrees out. Not cold enough for me to have to retreat to my car. I could have stood out there for hours. But I got in the car as instructed, because I simply did not know what else to do.
After they had me push down the gas a few more times, the decision was made that I would simply need to be towed out. And low and behold, one of the guys had a rope in his car. So they rigged me up to one of their trucks, and within minutes I was out of the snow. My car actually drivable again.
I got out and thanked these men profusely. Offered to buy them lunch. To thank them in whatever way I could. But none of them would even consider this. They shook my hand and each took off in separate directions before I could even get their names. Leaving me in awe of the people in this world who are so incredibly kind while expecting absolutely nothing in return.
Meanwhile, my pride was a little bruised over my less than stellar driving skills. As I turned around and realized how many people had been watching this little endeavor, I am fairly sure I turned a few different shades of red.
There is nothing quite so embarrassing as making a truly stupid move, and having to face the fact that there were more than a few strangers around to witness it.
It was bound to happen sometime though. And as I told a friend of mine tonight, I’m still living, breathing, and loving.
So really, what do I have to complain about?
I just won't be going back to that particular eating establishment anytime soon.
