Ride. Especially on road trips. Or at night. Or in the rain (of which we have a lot in the Seattle area). DH was temporarily unable to drive (injury) for a couple weeks, so I had to drive everywhere, and hated it. So relieved when he could take over. I am also a good passenger. I purposed, many years ago, to not be a back-seat driver, or give him advise on how he SHOULD be doing things, or which exit was better, or which lane to be in. I always figure that if I weren’t next to him, he’d figure it out anyway. Nagging wives are unattractive!
My husband refuses to let anyone drive him (and hates the way I drive), so I'm always the passenger with him. Tbh I think I prefer to ride shotgun, especially in town and on long drives - but then I think about lovely spring days with the windows down, the music loud, and my lead foot doing its thing. That's a feeling that can't be matched.
During the day we take turns driving as I don't mind driving or being the passenger. If I drive, I pick the radio station which is good for me. But if I am the passenger I can play on my phone as we drive or read my book on my iPhone, so that's good for me too. So either way, I'm ok. At night though, if I'm not familiar with where I am going then I prefer my hubs to drive. I hate the lights shining in my eyes and if it's raining, I hate it even more. But I will drive at night when I need to.
I have always had to be the driver and haven't minded it at all. I've actually taken some long road trips by myself and have thoroughly enjoyed them. My parents were adamant that I never depend on anyone else to drive me around and I was even allowed to take a car to college with me my 2nd year which is where I learned to drive in a city. A city of almost 400,000 in population is much different than a town of 9,000! That is also when I got used to interstate driving since both places are located on I-75. I never used to mind night driving but as I've gotten older and the eyes are aging, I really don't like night driving especially in an area I don't know. I am slowly getting used to being the passenger though. My cousin and I are going places (all local at this time) together and take turns driving. Well, if it is Sam's Club, she drives since she has the bigger vehicle!I My parents also taught me to read a map so even in the era of GPS devices (I do have one which I like to use for the estimated time of arrival feature) I look things up on google maps before I even leave the house just to have an idea where I'm going.
If the weather is nice and it's an area we know I'll happily drive. I hate driving in places/neighbourhoods I don't know or not familiar with. That being said we take a 2 day drive every year to Florida, I'll drive for 3-4 hours then it's hubby's turn. Come night time, it's my job as a passenger to make sure he's not getting too tired, if so then we stop.
I'm always the passenger. I only drive around our little neighborhood. When we travel, I'm the navigator. I plug in my WAZE, and it tells us how to get there. Then I can read or scrap. I stay awake to keep the husband company, so I guess I'm a good passenger. I make sure we get out and walk every 2 hours or so.
My husband hates to ride, so he drives and I knit. But his driving scares me a lot. He speeds, tails people, etc. That's why me knitting is a good thing because I don't "see" it. The funny thing is that I'm a more cautious driver than him but my driving scares him. lol!
DH drives when it's just us. I actually don't really like to drive, so if there's anyone else with me, they drive my car. I can, on the other hand, get in my car and drive for two days alone to go see my sister. Go figure.
If I'm the passenger, I can scrap while we drive! Years ago, before that was possible, I always read or slept on road trips. I don't mind being the driver, and often it's just me and the kids in the car so I have to be, but whenever DH is with us he drives. He hates just sitting there, so it works better that way.
You would absolutely hate my week! Monday morning I drove to the airport through snow and ice (let's just say Seattle isn't equipped to handle any amount of snow and it was a white-knuckle, slippery experience) ... I flew to Boston after 6+ hours of delay and then tomorrow I'm taking a train from Boston to NYC and then flying from JFK to Seattle on Friday evening, lol. Sigh. Planes, trains and automobiles ... but not in that order
And the forecast is crazy for this coming weekend- even over on that side too! Safe travels & driving home from the airport! Btw- you are SO right about the west side in general ill prepared for snow- when I moved over here to spokane for college I was amazed that I had to go to school when it dumped snow! lol No snow days around here!
Thank you! I’m worried about getting to the airport from Manhattan and driving home from the airport once I’m back in the Seattle area. If my flight gets in on time, it will be approaching midnight, but realistically I know it will be later. And yes, totally agree, the east side operates as business as usual!
I don't mind either way, though as a passenger I can't really do anything but admire the view. I have always, ever since I was a kid, had this stupid travel sick thing where if I read, I need to read from the very start to the finish of the ride. I'd I look around during the ride I will start feeling queasy and it won't stop until we do. But I have been told I am a great passenger, especially for keeping the driver awake. I one talk for 4 hours straight (except a 10 minute rest stop) to my Mum, to help keep her mind active. Haha! MyvoiMy was non-existent the next day. And it made me very aware of how much I talk, like right now. I just don't stop! Haha!!
I used to prefer to be the passenger and really it started when like @Tree City I would wrangle the kids while my hubby drove. Then I just kept doing it that way so I could crochet or read on long trips. Now I just got a new fancy car and I am LOVING driving, so even when we go an hour away to my son's swim meets, I drive. More often than not though I'm the one who is doing the chauffeur services for the kids because I work 6:30am-3:00 just so I can get them to all their places. And I do like doing that. Like @michelepixels said, it's great to have them trapped in the car and have good conversations with them.
I'm definitely the driver and my husband is perfectly happy to be the passenger especially if we're driving on a road trip vacation! I've driven WI to FL, WI to AL, WI to TX, WI to AZ by myself many times. If my husband is along with me, I will have him drive for an hour or so if I get tired but only then. When we drive 90 minutes to go visit our daughter, I will make him drive there during the day so I can read my book, but then I drive back at night while he naps.
Driver. DH is a much better navigator than myself. I also feel sorry for my oldest who has her temps 'cause I'm a yeller. "What do you think I mean when I say STOP!" Poor kid.
I'm always up for having someone else drive, especially since I still don't really know my way around the greater KC area. That being said, I can't wait until I can be a passenger in my 14yr. old grandson's car. He's forever offering me his "I don't even have a license yet" advice, lol!