Being a Car Guy

I’m a “car guy.” But I don’t fix them, even though I took a basic automotive class in my sophomore year. And I don’t even own one, yet.

But I love them. I can tell you the make, model, year and probably the horsepower of cars passing on the opposite side of the highway. I know what they cost and where you can find the best used models. My mom asked for my help when she bought her dream car, and I’m always trying to talk my dad into the models he should shop for. My favorite show is Top Gear, with the car experts from England who love to go fast.

Because I have always loved cars, I’ve also always been aware of good and bad driving. While some of my peers have waited to complete driver’s education and get their license, I signed up as soon as I was allowed. Dad took me over to the high school parking lot often to get comfortable behind the wheel and I got confident quickly.

You might think that being such a car fanatic would mean that I’m a fast or reckless driver. I admit that it’s tempting sometimes — I love my mom’s Dodge Challenger more than my dad’s Toyota Prius — but I avoid it. My driver’s education teacher gets a lot of credit for that.

Mr. Studelska took the responsibility of driving very seriously, and I feel like it was a good first impression for me and for the other drivers who took his class. We had to signal when moving to the side on a wider road, and then signal again when we wanted to turn. He was incredibly strict about speed limits, even on the highway. He demanded we check our blind spots in an obvious way, instead of just glancing. It all seemed like too much, but in looking back, I think if more driver’s education teachers were strict like Mr. Studelska, young drivers would have a good foundation for safe driving.

Then, when drivers become more independent, they can help reduce deaths on the road by embracing the art of driving. Instead of just treating driving as a way to get from Point A to Point B, they should see driving as something to be great at. That means matching the flow of highway traffic instead of driving too fast (or too slow). Use the left lane only to pass. Don’t be aggressive behind the wheel, but know when you have to be assertive and take the available space. Distracted driving is obviously bad and people shouldn’t use their phones, but I think that if people see driving as something they get to do instead of something they have to do, they might be less likely to be on their devices.

Being great at the art of driving also means knowing your limitations, as well as the limitations of your car. If you’re tired, or if the conditions are poor, or if you don’t have front-wheel drive, know that your job is to get off the road until you can be your best driver.

I think this attitude has helped me avoid accidents or tickets in my first two years of driving. While I don’t know anyone who has been in a serious accident, I definitely know people who are irresponsible behind the wheel. One of my friends is such a terrible driver that the first time I rode with him was the last time. Another one has crashed twice and speeds regularly. However, most of my friends are responsible drivers — and because a lot of them had the same driver’s education teacher, I think that has something to do with it.

Over the next few years, I will probably drive a lot less without a car at college. Being a car guy, however, hopefully I can get back to it sooner rather than later. When I do, I plan to continue setting the best possible example when I’m behind the wheel. I also don’t have any interest in riding with people who are irresponsible or immature. Hopefully, if I let people know why I don’t want to get into their car, they’ll think twice about how they manage themselves on the road.

It’s my dream to own and drive a high-performance car someday — OK, it’s my dream to own and drive a lot of them. But I expect to be the kind of driver who sets an example for smart and safe driving even with a lot of horsepower under the hood.