I was scolded by my instructor twice today. Once was because he wanted me to give way to someone coming from the left (English River, from the Orion Mall junction) and the second time was when a tourist decides to jump on the pelican crossing right AFTER it turned green. I told him “how can I continue driving when someone just jumped in front of me?” He asked me if I would rather kill myself than kill the person on the road. It was rhetorical but I replied anyway, and said “you know what to be honest I probably would rather kill myself than bump someone.” He told me that today was my worst driving ever.
At this point, I no longer care about his crap. I’m only going to try to pass that darn test to get my lesson and then I’ll be done following orders. I’m now completely convinced that the worst drivers are not the people inside the learner cars but the people who have their license. I mean, who in the world gives way to people coming from the left? This is Seychelles, this is not America.
I am 40 and have been driving since I was 16. I couldnt count the number of times I have had to yield to people coming from the left, people entering the freeway, people coming into my lane, and many other instances where I had the right of way but would have been struck or it would be more dangerous to say “I have the right of way so yield or else.” So when you ask “who yields to someone from the leff,” I say good defensive drivers do. Nothing is worth getting into an accident over. After 24 years with no accident or tickets, in heavy LA traffic, I think it really is the way to go. Maybe your instructor saw something you didnt or felt it wasnt worth the conflict when there are multi-thousand pound cars involved. Now I dont know the whole story, and maybe he made a mistake, but saying stuff like once you get your license, you are done taking orders makes me have more faith in his skills than yours. It just makes you sound like a whiny teen ager with a horrible attitude that acts too childish to get the privilege to drive. immaturity and inexperience is a dangerous combination. You will have to follow orders (laws) your entire life and breaking them has a lot worse consequences than being grounded for a few days. There are a lot of young adults in prison that accidentally killed someone while driving (vehicular manslaughter). I should know, I am a prison guard. Even after they get out, they have to live with the fact that they killed someone. One kid killed an entire family (mom, dad, 7 year old girl, 4 year old boy) when he struck their car while he was speeding and driving recklessly. He was 18 when he did it. He was 23 when I met him and he was still a complete mess that would sob some nights. He started acting more normal so he could be moved to general population at 25. A few days later he strangled himself with his blanket during the night. His note said he could no longer deal with the guilt of killing those people. He didnt mean to do it, but that doesnt change anything. Sorry doesnt bring him back. If you think your instructor is bad, get another one. If you just think the instructor is strict and cautious, maybe it is for a reason.
Thanks for your comment Eric. It’s been quite a while since I posted that. I had been taking lessons almost daily, and I suppose the almost-daily scolding I had to endure from my instructor had started to frustrate me. I have my license now, and I am as careful as it gets when I’m on the road. There are all kinds of people in this world, and all kinds of instructors. Shouting and scolding might work for some, but others (including me) find it annoying and not constructive. It was only after I had received my license did I find out that many people felt the same way about this instructor.