Nervous Passengers and Driving

My boyfriend is a nervous passenger. However,because as well intentioned as they might be, it
he is not the only one. There are millions ofcan still cause you to get into an accident if you're
people all over the United States who can't seemnot careful.
to ride comfortably in a vehicle without worryingWhile I, myself, am not a nervous passenger
about what other drivers are doing or that theyordinarily, I have certainly had my share of
will get into an accident. But if you are themoments riding with people whose driving skills
passenger in someone else's vehicle and theirare absolutely atrocious. Unfortunately, I have
driving is making you nervous, how do you react?discovered that most of these people emanate
Do you say something or just leave it alone andfrom my own family! Why, I have an upcoming
shut your eyes? How do you know when and iftrip that I will be making with my aunt by car in
you are crossing the line into hurting that person'sorder to attend a family function. Since my aunt
feelings?lives near me, it only made sense that we would
While there is no cure to being a nervouscarpool. However, I insisted that we take my car
passenger, you can probably do yourself and theand that I drive. It is sad to say that my aunt's
driver of the vehicle a favor by keeping yourdriving makes me so incredibly nervous that I
comments to a minimum. There is a fine line, itsometimes have felt like I was having a panic
seems, between being a nervous passengerattack while riding with her. From following people
versus being a back seat driver. The two areso closely that I am almost sure we are touching
almost interchangeable at times. For example, Ithe back bumper of their car to speeding and
will sometimes have my boyfriend with me andsurging in traffic, the nightmare continues to live
we will go out to run errands. With him sitting inon in my memories, making me shudder.
the front passenger seat of my car, I will beIf you are a nervous passenger or if you simply
sitting at an intersection or a road waiting until it isdon't want to hurt someone's feelings because
safe to make a turn. However, when I try toyou feel as if you would not be able to control
bend my head forward to the right to check foryour commentary while riding with them, then
oncoming traffic, I will find that his body is blockingone option is to offer to drive your car as a sort
mine as he is also bending forward to check forof means to an end. I'm sure that the other
traffic. "You're good on this side." he will tell me.person won't mind it unless of course, you are a
However, you should never take someone's wordbad driver as well!
for it- even if it is someone you trust and love