Backseat Drivers

When I was learning to drive, my dad was the worst person to have riding along with me. It wasn't that he was a bad driver - rather, he was a very good driver but quite picky. I recall one of his gripes in particular was that I wouldn't start braking soon enough. I didn't see what the problem was - I knew that we were going to be able to stop in time. Fast forward 20 years, when I recently had a teenager driving me around in my own car, and I got a good feel for how it felt to wonder if you were going to plow into the car in front!

Now as I'm driving, I'm continually reminded of all the habits and techniques I learned from my father, and I really appreciate what he shared with me. I think I'm a better driver for them. That doesn't mean that he knew everything, or that he never got a speeding ticket himself (though I don't think he ever did). I may have even gone on to become a better driver than he was for all I know. But I do know that his guidance helped keep me from learning a lot of things the hard way.

I am reminded of my teenage driving when I think of our board of directors. No one likes a back seat driver. We've all at one time or another gone into something thinking we know everything we need, and oftentimes suggestions come across as criticism and lack of confidence in the driver. It's not easy to stomach - and it's not always right. But there's something to be said to listening to what others who have gone through it have to say. It may just be important in preventing a collision or getting pulled over for an infraction of the law.

I remember thinking many times, "Fine, if you can drive better, I'll pull over and let you take the wheel!" And we similarly need to remember that our board members are all volunteers who have taken on a responsibility that few others were willing to do. Having them behind the wheel lets us nap during the drive or frees us up to watch the scenery pass by - and for that we owe them a debt of gratitude. But community service, like driving, is a privilege and carries responsibilities, among which is the duty to understand the rules of the road. And if someone has driven down a road before and returned to say that the road is washed out, then it's worth considering whether it's a good idea to take the car down it, even though the driver has every right to do so.