Thinking About Being in Control

I miss driving. I never thought I'd feel this way, but I do.

Every day I get picked up at my apartment building by a special private school mini-bus. The first time I was transported to school I thought the driver was crazy. The next day I just thought his driving was crazy. I've had more time to observe his driving habits and I'm impressed. He has the skills of a race-car driver.

I think he has a set of rules about driving like one too. He doesn't stop at stop signs unless someone is coming. (he must consider them "yield" signs) He doesn't cut anyone off he just swirves at just the right angle next to the car in front of him so no one can get in. (left or right side doesn't matter, he watches the space available to him). He's very conservative about shifting gears. He'd rather honk and get the person in front of him to edge over so he can continue (and they often do move over).

I think school buses probably have some type of priority over other vehicles here in Istanbul. Otherwise, I don't think people would tolerate his aggressive habits. I'm not sure about the rules of the road.

When we get in more congested areas where there are shoppers and general rush hour people crowding the streets, he lets them know he's coming and will not wait for them to cross the road. So, they often run, stop crossing, wait or panic a little. He does make the exception for old ladies and old men, though. I've noticed that a few times.
And he does give them the "honk" ahead so they can see him coming. No one seems annoyed by this driving, it appears to be the norm---Don't get in the way or you will get hit.

I've noticed he doesn't like to hit pot-holes or speed bumps either. He goes around them and knows where they are way ahead of time. He doesn't use the brakes very often and that tells me he predicts well.

Another part of his driving that fascinates me is he seems to be racing the other mini-buses that are in the fleet from the private school. He checks side-roads to see if there's any traffic when he sees a red-light ahead. If he's behind some of the buses he rushes down an empty side road to get ahead of them before the light turns for them to go. I'm hoping they have bets on the first three buses to arrive at the front gate. I like speculating abut things that don't really matter, it keeps life interesting.

I miss driving because a person gets a talent from being on the road a lot. And I miss that feeling of being in control. When I was commuting 90 minutes a day, (in good weather) I acquired a different kind of expertise than this bus driver. I watched way ahead for deer, elk, skunks and other animals. I was always scanning the sides of the road for any last minute "jumping out" that could happen.

I knew all the blind spots, all the tricky corners (with names like "Suicide Corner" and "Dead Man's Curve" and "Lewiston Hill") Snow, rain and ice increased the level of difficulty. And that doesn't mean day to day, but every ten miles the weather could vary and I had to focus.

I don't miss it enough to wish myself doing it again. I just get an aching for the wheel. Being a passenger is definitely different than being the driver. But, I can find the adventure in it.