Wednesday, November 13, 2013

The Car Cabin Is Not A Democracy


JV: What do you live with Jason?

Jason: Um I just... sometimes I get in the car...well, all the time I get in the car and I know where I’m going but my wife seems to think she knows a better way to go. When, in fact, being a Sydneysider and her a Melbournite, I figure I’ve got one up on her. It doesn’t matter where we’re going. I’ve been driving around this fair city for the better part of 35 years now and it’s just hilarious. Even when we’re going the same way to the same place, as we often do travelling around with kids, ‘why you going this way?’ ‘Why you going this way?’ ‘Why don’t you go that way?’

JV: Right.

Jason: ‘This is the worst way to go. It’s the slowest way to go.’

JV: How long has she been here Jason?

Jason: Not long enough clearly.

JV: Not long enough...and does she drive around much?

Jason: Ah yes as much as I do, if not more, but I’ve gotten to the stage now where I just laugh. I say ‘enjoy the ride honey, don’t worry we’ll get there.’

JV: Yeah, look I think I’ve lived with something similar over the years and my approach has been...look, I’d like to say that I’ve pulled the car over and said ‘okay you drive then,’ but I haven’t quite got that far. I’ve more or less hinted at that.

Jason: I think you need to take my approach mate and just smile and keep going, y’know, enjoy the ride.

JV: Well I’ve got to the point of going ‘you know what? How about we just never have this discussion again?’

Jason: That won’t work. I put it to you, that that will not work.

JV: (Laughs) Well I tried to get to a rule that the driver will determine these things – you know – the route choice, whether we’re changing lanes or not, that sort of stuff – and the passenger will have no input into these things whatsoever.

Jason: You’re assuming that the cabin of the car is a democracy.

JV: No, no, I’m actually pointing out that you’ve got to decide these things at some point because otherwise you go nuts. See mine would do the ‘why don’t you change lanes? That lane’s empty,’ and you go ‘well, I’m driving the car.’

Jason: But that would take a rational conversation.

JV: (laughs) Yeah Jason, I can see there’s an issue here.

Jason: I’ve put some work into it, don’t you worry. I’m not getting anywhere so now I just laugh. I smile and I laugh.

JV: Yeah, yeah.

Jason: I figure that’s the best approach to a lot of things these days.
 
JV: No, very good Jason you’re settling into marriage well. I think it’s going very well.

No comments:

Post a Comment