Car pooling

Since I started working in Albany last November, I have been carpooling with a coworker of mine who lives in my neighborhood. ‘L’ is in many ways a perfect carpool companion; she does not travel for work, meaning I can count on her for rides; she lives in my neighborhood and is willing to pick me up and drop me off every day; she is not someone I feel I have to engage in conversation the entire ride. I am able to read the New Yorker in peace, or listen to NPR (yes, she even lets me choose the radio station) on my ride in. In turn, I pay a share of the gas fees. However, this seemingly ideal arrangement does come at a small psychological price.


‘L’ is a little older than me (let’s just say she has broken her hip a few years back). This also is reflected in her driving style. She drives at or below the speed limit for the duration of the 12-mile commute. She also prefers to drive in the passing lane of the highway. This inevitably results in some very angry drivers during the morning commuting hour. I am often uncomfortably aware of the antsy cars tailgating us for awhile before blowing by us with an angry glare. I always lean back and shrink down a little so I can avoid meeting their glare.

‘L’ is seemingly completely oblivious to all of this, or maybe she simply doesn’t care. She stares straight ahead, clutching the steering wheel at the textbook recommended 10 and 2 o’clock positions white knuckled, her foot gently spurring on her Honda at the very sensible speed of 60 MPH.

I am often tempted to ask her why she insists on driving in the passing lane since when I get stuck behind an elderly driver trudging along slowly in the passing lane and wish I could pose this question to them. Is it a fear of switching lanes? Certainly this is always an adventure with ‘L’. She glances in the rear view mirror briefly before swerving nervously into the next lane with one jerky motion. Or is it simply an indifference to the road rage of the less patient drivers sharing the road with her, and if she prefers the left (passing, as it turns out) lane then they will simply have to accommodate her? Either way, I don’t wish to jeopardize what is a very convenient commuting arrangement, so my burning question remains unanswered.