I'd rather run there
Or bike. Or hell, even swim. I'd rather do anything but that which I did today... drive!
Okay, to be fair, I like driving itself. I really don't mind it. Up at my cottage, where the roads are clear and I can cruise the highway for miles? No problemo.
But put me in a big honkin' minivan (my family's one and only car) in the middle of Toronto traffic, and my legs start to turn into jelly. Make me find a parking spot, and parallel park in the midst of crazy downtown, and you might as well just shoot me now, it would be less painful.
Despite the near heart attack, I did manage to do all of the above today without causing bodily harm to myself, anyone else, or any vehicles, but it wasn't pretty. It did involve being coached into a parking spot by a friendly guy standing by. Good thing I was wearing a cute dress. I gotta play up the ditz when I'm driving. It's the only way I get away with being on the road.
But I decided, as I turned safely into my driveway and heaved a huge sigh of relief, that while I know driving in traffic is a necessary skill and I need to learn to deal with it, I would really rather just run to wherever I need to go. If I could do that, my life would be so much more productive: gotta commute? Run!
Too bad there are such things as insurmountable distances and heavy objects to carry. Otherwise, I'd be all over this plan.
Okay, to be fair, I like driving itself. I really don't mind it. Up at my cottage, where the roads are clear and I can cruise the highway for miles? No problemo.
But put me in a big honkin' minivan (my family's one and only car) in the middle of Toronto traffic, and my legs start to turn into jelly. Make me find a parking spot, and parallel park in the midst of crazy downtown, and you might as well just shoot me now, it would be less painful.
Despite the near heart attack, I did manage to do all of the above today without causing bodily harm to myself, anyone else, or any vehicles, but it wasn't pretty. It did involve being coached into a parking spot by a friendly guy standing by. Good thing I was wearing a cute dress. I gotta play up the ditz when I'm driving. It's the only way I get away with being on the road.
But I decided, as I turned safely into my driveway and heaved a huge sigh of relief, that while I know driving in traffic is a necessary skill and I need to learn to deal with it, I would really rather just run to wherever I need to go. If I could do that, my life would be so much more productive: gotta commute? Run!
Too bad there are such things as insurmountable distances and heavy objects to carry. Otherwise, I'd be all over this plan.
posted by Liv @ 12:18 a.m.
9 Comments:
At 3:44 a.m.,
Jack said…
One of my goals for this year was to try to walk, run, bike or take public transportation to as many places as possible that I used to drive to. I bought some saddlebags for my bike, so can take care of a lot of the routine shopping with my bike (3K to store). We just got streetcar (tram) access to out town so my wife and I both take the streetcar to work. The result: we just sold one of our cars, we don't need two anymore! It also helps keep me fit!
At 11:54 a.m.,
Backofpack said…
I feel your pain. Parallel park? Are you kidding? Maybe if there are three empty spaces in a row so I can just sorta pull in. I've been coached by bystanders as well. I've gotten better at the city driving, but still can't park worth beans!
At 12:34 p.m.,
Brooke said…
Ugh-- I hate parallel parking.
A mini van?? You go girl.
At 1:05 p.m.,
Joe said…
I hear you. Sometimes I wish we could go back to the early days of civilization, long before the car, the plane, the cell phone, the computer, etc.
At 1:14 p.m.,
Hilda said…
I just read about your Garmin!! Hope it is better, I just wonder what would I do if that happens to me... pretty scary, I´d be just so lost :P
Thanks to your post I just realized how much I depend on G, that´s not safe!
At 3:37 p.m.,
Lance Notstrong said…
I agree with pinaypower, I might ride my bike to work if they had showers. Are your distances too far to ride Liv?
At 3:42 p.m.,
onepinkfuzzy said…
i use my own two legs to commute. it's awesome!
At 7:48 p.m.,
MNFirefly said…
I would LOVE to just walk to work. It would be a great goal to have, but it will have to until the weather is NOT so unpredictable.
At 8:43 p.m.,
Liv said…
Lance, the truth is I often bike to where I have to go, especially if it's downtown, and sometimes I'm even faster than the traffic! I love that. But when my errand is to go buy a big heavy thing that won't fit in my backpack, I'm S.O.L. Normally, I would take public transit... but I thought I needed car practice. Turns out, I thought right ;)
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