Dos and don’ts when driving or riding shotgun

The car is like your house; it’s your personal space. Whether it’s a 10-minute or 10-hour drive, you surrender a glimpse of your personality to any person riding with you. They can see if you are neat (coins neatly stacked at the slot), untidy (remnants of last week’s drive-thru food is on the floor) or if you like Pokemon (Pikachu bobbing his head up and down on the dash). They say that your true character shows when nobody (or you think nobody) sees you doing it. A good example is the many times you had to stop yourself from picking your nose when stuck in a traffic jam only to realize that your tint is not dark enough.

Here are some basic courtesies that can endear you to get chauffeured around or show your best driver self to whoever gets the privilege of riding your vehicle.

As a rider

Wipe your shoes. Especially when you are walking on mud, try to wipe your shoe on the pavement before entering and try to shake out the debris.  Car lovers tend to be very OC (obsessive-compulsive) with cleanliness in their car so be considerate.

Always wear your seatbelt. Sometimes when you are driving, people tend to get a little shy in asking you to wear your seatbelt because of the risk of looking uncool. Save them the agony by being disciplined yourself.

Don’t ever bring in food or something smelly. This is a big no-no! Some people will say this straight on, while some (especially when you’re still in the getting-to-know-you stage) will not.

Don’t wear studded back pocket jeans. If you know you are riding a really sensitive (read: maarte) car enthusiast’s vehicle, try to be wary of this. The leather interior of cars is very expensive and the studs on the back pocket can sometimes scratch the leather seats. Imagine your favorite bag being scratched by his dog. Not only would he need to look for a replacement but you will never hear the end of it even after ending your friendship.

Know where to go. If you are the navigator, make sure you come prepared.  It is very annoying for the driver not to know directions. Sudden gasps like “I mean right” just when you’re near the left corner is not only annoying. It is dangerous and can possibly earn you a ticket from the traffic guy.

Ask for directions if you are lost and don’t have a GPS. There is really nothing wrong in asking for directions. Since men can’t get this into their thick skull, save them the agony and do it for them.

Don’t touch his sound/entertainment system unless you are given explicit permission to do so. The driver is the DJ, he/she needs his/her grooves when driving, plus the fact that he might be a serious audiophile who had calibrated his bass and subwoofers into a certain level that will kill him if it goes one decibel higher.

Don’t be a backseat driver. Unless you’re a professional race car driver or a driving instructor, you have no right to criticize, comment on somebody else’s driving style. Zip it and keep those lips tight.

Don’t open the dome light at night to put your make up on. Not only does this irritate the driver, it is also dangerous. Opening the dome light at night makes it more difficult for the driver to see out the windscreens.  Also we want the guys to think that our made-up faces comes naturally, and putting your make up in front of them is like breaking the magician’s code…it’s just not cool.

As the driver

Ask if the temperature is comfortable. Men tend to set the air con at full blast not considering that their dates-dressed less than them-are freezing their bums off. In my experience, the best way to make men do what you want is to lead by example.

Don’t hog the air con. Even if you are hot flushing in the middle of December or your outfit easily shows sweat stains in very unflattering places, please be considerate to your passengers by sharing the vents.

Don’t be brake-pedal happy. Nothing can induce motion sickness or scream amateur if you are too attached to your brake pedal. It is better to maintain a slow consistent speed or gradual acceleration, which will make you brake less, drive smoothly and save on fuel consumption.

Don’t show off. I know we get a lot of pressure to prove we are better drivers, but sometimes we tend to overcompensate that we either look like a Neanderthal driving or trying hard. Relax and drive properly, leave the overcompensation to the men.

Follow road rules. Even if you get coaxed, peer-pressured or downright dared by your passengers to be reckless, try to remember it’s your car.  Not only are you responsible for their lives, but also it is your property that would get destroyed and they will just walk off with an apology. Since we are supposed to be more level-headed than our male counterpart, let’s drive the talk.

Don’t do the drama bit while driving. As much as the car being ultra-private and therefore conducive to melodrama, getting upset and doing the waterworks behind the wheel can be both costly and stupid. If you cannot stop yourself, park at a safe well-lit place and talk.

Clean up before you let people enter your car. I think this is self-explanatory. Nobody wants to be criticized to be driving a pigsty, so tow your dirty tissues, used clothes and extra shoes to the trunk; we also don’t want additional projectiles when something goes wrong.

Because of the traffic, people tend to spend more time in their vehicles so proper inside-car rules are a must. No one wants to get stuck with an annoying person in a close confined space that is very much an accessory to any murder. Manners are what really separate unbearable from bearable. A little will go a long way.

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