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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think that when you are driving...

38 replies

lemonyone · 22/04/2015 17:27

...you don't keep constantly turning your head to look at the passenger next to you?
I had a lift from a friend yesterday and she kept facing me when I we were chatting. It really freaked me out. I finally reminded her we weren't in an episode of Starsky & Hutch and to keep her eyes on the traffic.
She thinks it's normal to drive like that. As does my FIL.
It's not normal, is it?!

OP posts:
tomatodizzymum · 22/04/2015 17:30

It's not normal. I had a friend that did this. Used to freak the crap out of me!

SoupDragon · 22/04/2015 17:31

I physically can't take my eyes off the road for more than a glance - it's as if my head is locked in the forward position. It's just so wrong to do otherwise!

avocadotoast · 22/04/2015 17:32

Oh god no not normal. Eyes on the road!!

scarletforya · 22/04/2015 17:34

No way! Sounds a bit scary.

TedAndLola · 22/04/2015 17:34

Not normal!

Cleo22 · 22/04/2015 17:34

Not normal but far too common

Original poster
lemonyone · 22/04/2015 17:37

Glad it's not just me then!
Her response was "but we're having a conversation. Of course I'm going to look at you"!!! And she kept changing the songs on her iPhone, which meant more distractions. I might add, she's a work colleague/friend and only 23. Is this a youngsters thing? I gave her a very boring lecture about stopping distances in a jokey way. But really... I meant every word.

OP posts:
FenellaFellorick · 22/04/2015 17:43

That would have scared me. It only takes a second for something to happen. You have to be attentive to the road at all times. You can talk to someone without gazing into their eyes, what's she on about?!

My husband was driving us once and he commented how green it all was (fields all round). I squeaked that he shouldn't be seeing green, he should be seeing grey and I back seat drove for the rest of the trip Grin

I would have stopped chatting with her, tbh.

Scholes34 · 22/04/2015 17:44

Don't look at her either, keep your eyes on the road. She might then get the message if there's a lack of eye contact.

Spermysextowel · 22/04/2015 17:48

Just don't get in her car again.

pudcat · 22/04/2015 17:51

Drivers like this scare me to death. I hate the TV programmes where a driver is talking and keeps turning their head to look at the camera. This should be stopped.

TedAndLola · 22/04/2015 17:52

I might add, she's a work colleague/friend and only 23. Is this a youngsters thing?

No, I'm 25 and know this is totally wrong.

Original poster
lemonyone · 22/04/2015 17:52

Definitely never going with her again!! She wanted to show off her new sporty car, but all I could see was a death trap!

Because I have quite a motherly relationship with her I was able to nag at her (and hope some would go in).
She was adamant that her iPod antics were not as bad as texting. (Cue new boring lecture from me)
FIL does it too but I don't feel like I can nag him.
My eyes are clamped to the road at all times, especially when someone else is driving.

OP posts:
WitchUsername · 22/04/2015 17:54

YANBU. I have a friend who drives like that. He once got me to accompany him and his cat to the vets. It was thick fog and he was driving too close to the car in front and kept looking round at me and the cat in the back seat!Shock I don't get in his car anymore!

Jbck · 22/04/2015 17:55

I rant at people in front of me if they keep doing that when driving. Lady today did her hair and lipstick today!

RedButtonhole · 22/04/2015 17:57

Not a youngsters thing, I'm 25, passed my test when I was 23 and have never done this.

Andrewofgg · 22/04/2015 17:58

Keep your mind on the driving, keep your hands on the wheel, and keep your beady eyes on the road ahead . . .

notnowbono · 22/04/2015 18:30

Andrew I've just had a huge flashback to my mum singing that when I was little!

YANBU. I also hate it when someone rings me, and embarks on a rambling conversation punctuated with, 'Oh, FFS, GET OUT OF THE MIDDLE LANE!' and the sound of hooting. Even if they think they're absolutely fine to negotiate the M25 and talk at the same time, I get too anxious about what might happen next to carry on.

notnowbono · 22/04/2015 18:30

And obvs it's illegal. Hmm

Gottagetmoving · 22/04/2015 18:35

Your friend is a danger to herself and others. I hate it when parents turn round to look at their children in the back seats or even those who look in their rear view mirror to look at them, all the time!

Shakey1500 · 22/04/2015 18:41

Friend of mine (sadly deceased) used to do this. I remember screaming "KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE FUCKING ROAD!!!" once.

Theoretician · 22/04/2015 18:43

I shout at fictional characters on TV when they do this, telling them to keep their fucking eyes on the road. It really stresses me.

If someone did it in real life I think I'd ask them to pull over, so I could beat them to death.

MrsTedCrilly · 22/04/2015 18:56

A taxi driver did this once, and he was tailgating people at the same time, at speed, on a motorway. It was terrifying! He kept trying to get me to look at him while chatting but my eyes stayed solidly on the road. Ended up having a go at him!

mangoespadrille · 22/04/2015 18:57

MIL drives like this. She likes to literally point at places of interest and give you a detailed explanation of when she went there and what it was like, eg "Ooh look, there's that restaurant I went for lunch that time with Barbara, I think I had the chicken salad, it was nice but they didn't have Coke, just Pepsi...and there's the new Tesco Express, it used to be a bakers, they did lovely ham salad ciabattas" etc. whist I try not to scream.

She is lovely though, just a terrifying driver.

mangoespadrille · 22/04/2015 18:58

MrsT, that reminds me, a taxi driver in Rome turned round to us in the back to offer us a mint whilst overtaking everyone on the outside lane of the motorway.

We got the train on the way back.