I had a very long conversation with Rin and Mac tonight after we left the Book Club Meetup and went to Tapanga. Elephant Cafe closed at 10.30 p.m. (on a Saturday night!!) so we adjourned to Tapanga where some rather thought provoking issues were discussed and a lot of angst was revealed and explained, especially to Rin.

Well, I did wonder if any of us would return home from that and blog about some of the conversation we had. However, while driving home at almost 2 in the morning, I came across some pretty erratic drivers. A thought came to mine, part of which was discussed tonight as well. A lot of people here drink and pretend to be very drunk because 1) they can have an excuse to be very loud, 2) by being loud, they can get attention therefore revealing their attention whore tendencies and 3) they think it's so cool to be drunk because they don't want to feel left out and they lack the self-esteem to admit that being able to hold your liquor and not be a lightweight can be just as cool. OMG....!!

Anyway, I digressed for a moment but the issues are connected. I was willing to bet 80% of the people on the road tonight were lightweights who were really drunk or pretenders who wanted an excuse to drive really fast and show-off their vroom vroom engines! (I sound like that engineer in that ad on tv. But hey, I'm no engineer so I have a legitimate excuse for using the vroom vroom expression! Since I don't know the correct term!)

My point is I know people who have driven home while being very, very, I-don't-know-how-I-made-it-home drunk. And you know what they all say? Someone who knows they are really that drunk will drive slower than they usually do, take less risks and they always, always use the routes they are most familiar with. So what do I say about the wannabes? Get a life, dude and stop being posers!

I admit that I drive fast a lot of times. But I only do that after I get to know my car very well, I know its limitations and I know what I can and cannot do with it. I also have to know the routes very well, I'm careful to stop at intersections, I'm aware of my surroundings (where the other vehicles are in relation to my car) and most of all, I only ever drive really fast when I'm alone in the car. I take risks only when I am the only life at stake. So if I get in an accident, I know I'll be the only one involved in it and I hope I die straight away so that my parents won't have to take care of my vegetable self for the rest of my miserable life. Above all else, I remember that my parents drive the old school way which requires intense concentration and a constant awareness of anything and everything around them. They know how to avoid accidents and they actually do know how to take evasive action while behind the wheel. I learn from them by watching them. And I listen to them with the knowledge that they lecture because they want to make sure I know what I'm doing on the road. Best part is, I must be pretty good by their standards because they hardly ever lecture me when I'm driving.

How many newbie drivers nowadays can say the same without lying through their teeth?


P.S. A lot of my driving skills also come from Shook. He drives old school style too. Scarily so. But hey, I'm still alive, aren't I?

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