Driving Trainigs

Deep Thoughts

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">If God lives inside us, like some people say, I sure hope he likes enchiladas because that's what he's getting. </span></span></blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_818038598">-</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.deepthoughtsbyjackhandey.com/">Jack Handy</a></span></span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;">This past week, my mind has been elsewhere. In the quiet moments all of my thoughts and feelings have turned to the intense emotions that envelop the bereaved. Until my son died, I didn't understand Grief. Now that we are well acquainted, we have become friends of sorts. We do <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">everything </span>together...laugh...cry...and long for what should have been. And just when I think I totally get it, Grief hits me upside the head in an unanticipated move.</div><br />On Friday, April 16th, Shea, the 5 year old grandson of one of our driving instructors, ran in back of his father's vehicle as it was backing out of the driveway. It struck him and he died. I have never met Shea, yet all of the emotions that surround my own son's death creep to the surface and I relive the pain of my own circumstance. I am devastated for Shea's family. Especially, his father.<br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1625468917"><br /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://sheamomemorial.blogspot.com/"><img alt="My Photo" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nNkhsMOufoZEKgJWwWzPSlTXv71nUNJRfQ6prPCJ-6ghDDX4nVIr5ZQ06GudDLjoNqb95a8CSOEOvuC3R80IbYW_qw33PKSBYGGuYC6Hwc2WgyLoxFqJWuu23s4PtSFGfQIQXpeg1oWV/s220/sheamo.jpg" /></a></div><br />What can we do <i>to go back in time</i> and change something? The short answer is we can't. Our intelligence tells us what's done is done. But the heart longs for a different outcome. Reconciling the heart and mind takes time and divine help. The questions of "why?" start flooding in and are met with "how?" Our brains don't get it. When we <b><i>never</i></b> wanted to hurt anyone and <b><i>were</i></b> attentive to the driving task, how could we not <i><b>control</b></i> the outcome? How can I, as a driver's ed instructor, teach my students what they must do to become collision-free for life when I <b><i>know</i></b> that sometimes <i><b>in spite of all precaution </b></i>Grief knocks on unsuspecting doors every day and tragedies happen? But it's not fair! True, it's not. But that's not the point. The point is that we do our best and turn the rest over to our Creator. Simple? Yes. Easy? Not a chance.<br /><br />Sweet Angel Shea, you are missed. I hope you're playing Rock Band in heaven and loving it. Say hi to my boy. He's the little guy always grinning as he unplugs your power supply.

Deep Thoughts

If God lives inside us, like some people say, I sure hope he likes enchiladas because that's what he's getting. - Jack Handy This pa...

And The Winner Is...

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Amber! We will be in touch.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">I placed each one of your names on an excel spreadsheet with what you did for that entry. This morning, I asked my 3 and 5 year old boys to pick a number. They picked number 10, which was Amber's for becoming a Facebook Fan. Then thinking that maybe that wasn't random enough, I went to www.random.org and popped in the numbers. It came back with 5, which was Amber's from writing a blog post about this giveaway. So any way you slice it or dice it, Amber is the winner. Congratulations!!! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;"><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 100%; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div id="true-random-integer-generator" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 255); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 255); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 255); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: #777777; font-family: verdana, sans; font-size: 9pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 148px;"><span id="true-random-integer-generator-title" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ccccff; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: -6px; margin-right: -6px; margin-top: -6px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 1px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">True Random Number Generator</span><span id="true-random-integer-generator-min-span" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><label for="true-random-integer-generator-min" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #777777; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Min:</label> <input id="true-random-integer-generator-min" maxlength="9" name="true-random-integer-generator-min" style="margin-left: 10px; width: 77px;" type="text" value="1" /></span><span id="true-random-integer-generator-max-span" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><label for="true-random-integer-generator-max" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #777777; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Max:</label> <input id="true-random-integer-generator-max" maxlength="9" name="true-random-integer-generator-max" style="margin-left: 6px; width: 77px;" type="text" value="100" /></span><span id="true-random-integer-generator-max-button-span" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><input id="true-random-integer-generator-button" name="true-random-integer-generator-button" style="display: block;" type="button" value="Generate" /></span><label for="true-random-integer-generator-result" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Result:</label><span id="true-random-integer-generator-result" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ccccff; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; display: block; font-size: 11pt; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; padding-top: 2px; vertical-align: baseline;">5</span><span id="true-random-integer-generator-credits" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-size: 6pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 1px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;">Powered by <a href="http://www.random.org/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #777777; font-size: 8px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">RANDOM.ORG</a></span></div></div></span></span></span></div>

And The Winner Is...

Amber! We will be in touch. I placed each one of your names on an excel spreadsheet with what you did for that entry. This morning, I asked ...

Giveaway

<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Motivation is a funny thing. Because of <a href="http://defensivedrivinghabits.blogspot.com/2010/04/new-rule.html">yesterday's post</a>, I went to the fabric store this morning and spent 45 minutes trying to decide which one would make the cutest litter bags for my car. I'm having so much fun with them that I want to share one with someone super lucky (and diligent). And don't make any comments about the mess in my car. These litter bags are hot off the press.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-FObcN2iPmU/S8f9uuioSzI/AAAAAAAACeQ/q-knqfITiec/s1600/Car+litter+bags+019.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-FObcN2iPmU/S8f9uuioSzI/AAAAAAAACeQ/q-knqfITiec/s320/Car+litter+bags+019.JPG" /></a></div><br />Here's the skinny on how to win this giveaway:</div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Leave me a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">comment</span> telling me, as the winner, which pattern you like best (photo above) or if you'd like a different color scheme that better suits you.</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Get another <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">two</span> entries for each of the following you do:</div><ul><li style="text-align: left;">Become a follower of this blog.</li><li style="text-align: left;">Follow me on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/TeachDefensive">http://twitter.com/TeachDefensive</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">Become a Facebook fan of Defensive Driving School <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Defensive-Driving-School/357474976996?ref=ts">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Defensive-Driving-School/357474976996?ref=ts</a></li></ul><div style="text-align: left;">3. Get <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">five</span> more chances to win if you blog about this giveaway and link it back to this post.</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Leave me a comment telling me how many chances to win you earned.</div></div>5. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Deadline!</span> You have until Thursday, April 22, 2010 to enter. Winner will be announced on Friday, April 23rd.

Giveaway

Motivation is a funny thing. Because of yesterday's post , I went to the fabric store this morning and spent 45 minutes trying to decide...

The New Rule

When we took our stuff out of our old family car last summer, we didn't bother to shovel out the cracker crumbs or black banana peels. We just left it in all it's glory at the dealership and drove home in our very first brand new car. It was spotless. And to keep it that way, we created a new rule: no eating in the car. It seemed simple enough that even my boys (ages 5, 4, and 3 at the time) could follow it. My youngest child however, little Jocelyn, at one year of age had different plans. She was the single most contributing factor that led to the demise <br /><a name='more'></a>of the new rule. When she was hungry, she let everyone know it. Loudly. It started out innocently enough. I gave her one cracker. Sometimes, I would sneak one in for me. It wasn't really a problem until the boys started demanding to eat whatever Jocelyn had. Sometimes, they even caught me. They promised to be good. No mess. They'd pack out their own garbage. Ha ha ha.<br /><br />The problem continued escalate. My boys would get in the car after school and dump out everything in their back packs. I just found several St. Patrick's day projects...and it's the middle of April. What I don't get is the wrappers! How did they get so much candy? Was this from Easter? Birthday parties? Valentine's Day? Seriously. Yesterday, I pulled out 7 socks and 2 pair of underwear. Uh, guys? Didn't you notice a breeze? Today I removed 3 blankets and the same number of curdled milk sippy cups.<br /><br />So when a blogger friend Andrea posted about making this garbage bag for her car (<a href="http://makeitandloveit.blogspot.com/2009/04/trash-bag.html">instructions here</a>), I got excited and decided that I need to make some, too. I'm pretty sure this would help curb our trash woes. Notice the opening is always open. Eh hem. Boys, there will be no excuses for littering anymore. This little bag is ready and willing to eat all of your garbage. And I don't think litter bags can get any more stylish.<br /><br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-FObcN2iPmU/S8alN-CeoUI/AAAAAAAACd4/RIWVKzAhAHo/s1600/car+garbage+bag.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-FObcN2iPmU/S8alN-CeoUI/AAAAAAAACd4/RIWVKzAhAHo/s320/car+garbage+bag.JPG" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: CENTER;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>

The New Rule

When we took our stuff out of our old family car last summer, we didn't bother to shovel out the cracker crumbs or black banana peels. W...

Embrace Life

I believe this is the most beautiful video I have seen on seat belts. It changes the focus from blood and guts to love of life. It's bo...

Reflection in the Window

Yesterday, I took my kids on an all day outing. We left about 9:30 in the morning and ended up getting home at close to one in the morning. On the way home I was tired. Really tired. <br /><br />My Dad taught me years ago one of the most effective lessons ever on drowsy driving. If he was tired and rolling down the window or the radio wasn't helping, he would pull over and sleep somewhere for a while. When I was a child, the son of a close family friend was driving down a mountain pass and fell asleep at the wheel. He went off the road and was involved in a serious collision. He lost both of his legs. Another one of my parent's friends was driving on a road trip and fell asleep at the wheel. When the crash happened, her husband was ejected from the car and died. Seeing the example of my father when he is tired and knowing that crap happens when we least expect it has a way of working itself into the subconscious. I know it could happen to me.<br /><a name='more'></a><br />Last night when I was about 40 minutes from home and driving along the freeway, I fell asleep. My eyes didn't close. But my brain had checked out. I became aware of twinkling lights and was alert in an instant.  I thought a policeman had turned on his lights and wanted to pull me over.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC26RD6x_JGXzGzmgB-YAjsbmJ7Dg53TSmHPKVIafDgKW5i9ihoRiYgT-0qEhYooawA_Sn_DLoA-HRwudABp5Lu8nP-JZZKjdLquTVo8YkpEgJ7LF2w7TadDkSTRW3PJHgDGYR-_eDJH8/s1600/Star+Burst.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC26RD6x_JGXzGzmgB-YAjsbmJ7Dg53TSmHPKVIafDgKW5i9ihoRiYgT-0qEhYooawA_Sn_DLoA-HRwudABp5Lu8nP-JZZKjdLquTVo8YkpEgJ7LF2w7TadDkSTRW3PJHgDGYR-_eDJH8/s320/Star+Burst.jpg" /></a></div><br />I was relieved to find out that <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">no, I was not being pulled over</span>. It turned out that it was the star burst effect of the headlights on the other side of the freeway. And, I was freaked out to know that I had checked out and not even realized it. I committed to making it to the next rest stop. I knew one was coming up. In a few minutes, I pulled over. I think I slept for about an hour. It wasn't that comfortable. My neck had a kink in it. But I was awake. Just as I was putting the key in the ignition, my 6 year-old started struggling to unbuckle his seat belt. He was groggy. Out of it. I finally understood that he needed to use the restroom. I got him out of the car and pointed to the men's room. He couldn't move. Just stood there confused. I walked him to the men's room and pushed open the door. There were very few cars in the parking lot. I took that opportunity to use the women's restroom and was back in the car in less than 2 minutes.<br /><br />My son had not returned, yet, so I gave him a few more minutes. I started thinking about just pushing the restroom door open and calling out his name. My next thought was to ask a guy in the coffee booth to check to see if my son needed any help. As I was trying to decide what to do, I looked around the parking lot to gauge how many people/men may or may not be in the restroom. Then I noticed in the vehicle "next" to us (3 spaces over), <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">my son's reflection was in the window</span>. It took me a moment to realize that actually, I wasn't seeing a reflection. My son was not standing outside the car. He was in the car, looking out the window. Not understanding that he wasn't in our car.<br /><br />What's really funny is that when I went to get him out of the car (hoping that the car's owner wouldn't show up wondering why I was getting into their car), the car was full of random stuff. There was only one seat empty in the back, which was where my son sat. Never mind that he didn't have a booster seat or that there's no way his 3 siblings could have fit in it. I asked him what he was doing in someone else's car? He looked at me blankly. Then his eyes moved from the car he had been in to ours. Our Pilot seats 8 and this other seats 5...or 3 with cargo. They are both black. He told me they looked similar. And I suppose when it's very dark out (almost new moon time) that they do look similar. I got him buckled in the right car, double checked all of my children were with us, and I chuckled all the way home.<br /><br /><i>Really?!</i> My son wandered into a stranger's car? Ha ha ha. <i>Yes, he did</i>. Of all the things that could have happened with our full day and drowsy evening, I'm incredibly grateful that was the worst of it.

Reflection in the Window

Yesterday, I took my kids on an all day outing. We left about 9:30 in the morning and ended up getting home at close to one in the morning. ...

Report

It's official. I have made it 3 days without using the phone while drivng. Yes!!! I can do this.

Distracted

Last week, I found out that April was <a href="http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/-house-passes-markey-resolution-naming-april-national-distracted-/2010/03/24/4691375.htm">National Distracted Driving Awareness Month</a> and once again, I have been struggling with what this means to me. I am constantly distracted while driving. It most often happens when my children wait until we're all loaded up to start poking their sibling and I am left as the mediator. Or when my morning routine hasn't gone as smoothly as I planned and I am left grabbing a bite to eat on the go. My favorite distraction is my cell phone. Luckily, I'm not driving a manual transmission. That would just prove to complicate things further.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLC4gAKjl1_SLJHfKx6Tpv9jhaBmarw1mRWMqHbazpEAFk2IPJmWzFehhp9eee_BURsYjJ9sfBtJ1wanXDXDTRllpuxWTiLGZAkW0S2eJ44hwUxYmfEcSbLtnTD54v7kfxhevZrFKrMqk/s1600/cell+phone+driver+cartoon.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" nt="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLC4gAKjl1_SLJHfKx6Tpv9jhaBmarw1mRWMqHbazpEAFk2IPJmWzFehhp9eee_BURsYjJ9sfBtJ1wanXDXDTRllpuxWTiLGZAkW0S2eJ44hwUxYmfEcSbLtnTD54v7kfxhevZrFKrMqk/s320/cell+phone+driver+cartoon.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><br />Driving starts out as a very labor intensive and mind engaging activity. Many students are nervous the first time they get behind the wheel. Theoretically, they know what to do <i>but in reality</i> it's overwhelming how many things there are to think about just getting the car out of the driveway and onto the road. Some students pick up on how to turn quickly. Others have difficulty with speed in and out, looking ahead, timing the turn or even hand positioning. Some get the dynamics of the car down well but are clueless as to other roadway users.<br /><br />I remember my first time I sat behind the wheel of a car. To me, it felt like I was in control of a 2000+ pound <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">"weapon"</span>. Reality came crashing into my brain and a very primal understanding developed. This was a powerful machine and if I messed up, I could kill someone or do some serious damage. I was speeding down the road and my instructor asked me to pick up the pace. I looked at my odometer...I was going 15 mph. Oh. But it felt <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">a lot</span> faster.<br /><br />My driving instructor trainer used to tell me that it takes the average driver 3-5 years to gain experience. That's why insurance rates for teens are so high. As an instructor, my goal is to help students obtain that experience at a faster rate than normal. If not, the average driver is involved in a collision every four years. Breaking that down, 25% of drivers are involved in a collision every year. That's a lot. Too much. And quite frankly, I don't want to have anything to do with that number.<br /><br />Acquiring any new skill is takes time. And luckily, with enough practice of the correct habits we can master anything. Many distractions have become like that for me. I've learned to effectively manage them...because I practice them a lot. I act without thinking. There's a new skill I'd like to have though. In honor of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, I'd like to learn to live more <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">in the present</span>. To be less distracted with things that don't matter and more involved with what does. For the rest of this month, <i>I will not use my phone while driving</i>. This isn't going to be easy for me. I reminded myself of this goal when I left the house this morning. And I didn't even make it out of my neighborhood before picking up my phone to make a call. I quickly remembered my goal when I opened my phone and immediately put it away. So, I know I can do this. I invite you to join me. Live in the present instead of with others on the other side of the airwaves.

Distracted

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