*All names besides my own have been changed to allow others to keep their dignity.

     If being enrolled in Driver’s Ed at Bell Auto School has taught me anything, it’s that driving in Great Neck should be avoided at all costs. Accidents are a daily occurance: from people parking on the sidewalk and hitting street lights to others driving the wrong way down middle neck road and getting onto a head on collision at 30+mph. With great power comes great responsibility.

     When it all comes down to it though, driver’s ed has been a surprisingly informative crash course on how not to crash. Every week, you’re spending a total of three hours learning the do’s and don’ts of the road through twenty five minutes of driving per person along with an hour and a half in theory class. The driving portion of driver’s ed was some of the most idiotic and unorthodox ideas and driving techniques I’ve ever seen. To this day, certain people in the car still cannot manage to drive down Middle Neck Rd. without taking the side view mirrors off cars or accidentally merging into oncoming traffic. Some days it feels like I need to be in a firesuit and full faced racing helmet, but it’s not always like that. Occasionally, someone will have a good day driving and won’t force our instructor to drive with the hazard lights on. It’s on those days where you learn the most about actually driving, instead of where all the airbags are in the car.

Whether you’re running errands or just going out for a cruise down the expressway, driving is an incredibly relaxing time. Being behind the wheel forces you to forget about anything that was troubling you previously. I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of driving, but it’s never something I plan on giving up on.