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Driving Profile: Tamika Thomas
(sneak peek)
TAMIKA: One day, me and my kids, we were driving home and all of a sudden the car malfunctioned. LIke the computer in the car. So everytime I pressed the brakes, the car accelerated.
(intro music)
BHAVNEET: Welcome back to Drive With Us, a podcast where we bring on a new guest every episode to talk about the crazy things they experience on the road, who they are as drivers and how they became the driver they are today. I’m Bhavneet.
TARANJIT: And I’m Taranjit And today’s driver is Tamika Thomas, a transparent author, speaker, life coach and podcaster who is the host of Tuesday With Tamika podcast. And she has taken all her life experiences, turned them into treasures to show others how to overcome the most difficult time in your life. And today she shared with us a crazy but lesson-able I don’t know if that’s the word. She did…
BHAVNEET: Lesson-able?
TARANJIT: A lesson able.
BHAVNEET: An able lesson.
TARANJIT: Yeah. She was able to make a lesson out of it. I don’t know.
BHAVNEET: A teachable?
TARANJIT: Yeah. Teachable! That’s the word.
BHAVNEET: Lesson-able. A lesson-able.
TARANJIT: That’s the word. Yeah. She shared with us a story about when her car malfunctioned causing her brakes to act as the gas pedal.
BHAVNEET: But going back. A lesson in a bowl.
TARANJIT: Yeah. A lesson in a bowl.
BHAVNEET: That’s what we got.
TARANJIT: We able to lesson here.
BHAVNEET: Let’s get no no. Let’s get them a lesson in a bowl from her story.
(transition music)
BHAVNEET: Welcome Tamika to Drive With Us. Thanks so much for joining us today.
TAMIKA: Thank you so much for having me. I count it an honor and a privilege.
TARANJIT: We feel honored that you chose to join us today. One of the first things we love starting off our show with is sharing the crazy and wild stories. So what would you say is one of your most craziest driving stories?
TAMIKA: Yeah. So I mean, I have so many crazy driving stories. I just believe that sometimes driving is like a metaphor for kind of like how our life is going. So, I believe one of my craziest craziest stories if I had to pick out of a hat of all the crazy stories I’ve experienced is I had this this car and I’m not going to say the name because I don’t just in case someone else has that car, I don’t want to freak them out. But it was, you know, on the outside, it was like amazing. You know, it was beautiful. It was everything that I ever wanted. But one day, me and my kids so I have three biological children, and one day we were driving home and we were going through kind of a rough period in our lives. Like kind of like a transition. And all of a sudden literally the the car malfunctioned. Like the computer in the car. And so every time I pressed the brake, it the car accelerated. So instead of it stopping, it would do the opposite. Like there was a malfunction in the computer. So me and my kids at the time my boys were like 14 and 12 and then I think my daughter was like five or six or something. She was really young. So they think that I’m like initially they think like I’m trying to like be like a racecar driver. They are like, wooo. And I’m like, no. The car is not stopping. So we’re going down like service streets in like a residential area and I’m like, oh my God. This car is not stopping. And so I realize like every time I I put on the brake, it actually accelerated. So I took my foot off the brake and I’m like, you know we’re believers in God, so I was just like,, pray. Pray. So, you know, all my kids are frightened and I’m like, oh my God. I finally I was like, okay, I have to get this car to stop some kind of way. So I realized once I stopped pressing the brake, it started to slow down but we were going kind of down like a steep incline decline. So it was we were going probably about 40 miles per hours. So, I turn down the street really quickly. And then I turned on another street. And I realized that I have to hit a curb. I have to do something to get this car to stop. And so I hit the curb and the engine like starts revving like crazy and I tell my kids, get out. I don’t know what I was thinking. I don’t know why I just didn’t get out, but I’m like, get out. Get out. And so my oldest son in all of his like selfishness and and he’s like, okay. So he like jumps out and he shoots down the street. And my two younger ones are like, no mommy. We’re not going to leave you. And I’m like, get out the car. So then finally all of us got out the car. The neighbors like the whole neighborhood came out and like the car was smoking. It was it was nuts. Like it was you know, and it might like looking back, it probably wasn’t as bad as it was. But going through it, I felt like oh my God, like we’re going to die. Like I felt like this was going to be like the end. And I say, you know, sometimes our life is representative of what we’re going through because we were going through so much. And it felt like every time I tried to press the brakes on something it just like life accelerated but in a negative way. Like it seemed like nothing was working and that is how I felt in that in that moment with that car. So needless to say we’re all okay, and we, you know, we made it out okay. And we got rid of that car. And then we also got rid of the crazy experiences that we were going through at that time. So that was just one of the ones that really stood out to me.
TARANJIT: That must have been really scary. Like I can’t imagine being in that situation, especially with your kids in the car. And then your car just keeps picking up speed and trying to stop.
TAMIKA: Oh. It was it was literally terrifying and my kids like now, you know, they laugh about it. And they’re like, Mom. You were putting extras on. And I’m like, well it sure didn’t feel like it in that moment. Like it was scary.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. And kudos to you for like having that clarity of mind to be like, all right. I need to hit a curb to stop this car. And the fact that the curb was enough to stop it. Because I feel like a car can just really just jump the curb. Oh my God. That’s crazy.
TAMIKA: Yeah. It was. And the neighbors came out and like I said, the car was just steaming. And going it was really making like this horrible horrible noise. And so luckily the neighbors had like a fire extinguisher and they were able to put the car out. My oldest son was like way down the street. My two little ones were like there by me. And it was just it was really really scary. But I use that moment to then kind of when I started teaching my children how to drive. I kind of use it as a lesson to help them learning how to drive.
TARANJIT: Well I am glad that you were safe out of the situation and nothing happened to you guys.
TAMIKA: Yeah. Thank God.
TARANJIT: So are your kids older now? Was this like a while back?
TAMIKA: Yeah. So this was about, oh geez. Maybe like 7-8 years ago. So since then which is why I started by saying I have3 biological children. Since then I’ve remarried and I have a total of 8 kids. So me and my husband, we’re a blended family. And the three that were with me there are now 21, 19, and 14. And so I now have 5 other bonus children and I have had the privilege to teach all of them how to drive. The youngest is8. So he’s not quite there yet, but all the ones that are teenagers and that they are learning to drive, I’ve I’ve been kind of like the driving instructor to teach them how to drive.
TARANJIT: Has this experience for the ones that have or are ike currently driving, has this experience affected them when they’re driving?
TAMIKA: I think so. My oldest, like I said, he thought it was like great. Like he thought he he I think in another life he was probably a racecar driver. So he was like he thought it was just like exhilarating because I was literally like, you know curving through cars because I didn’t want to hit anybody. And then I was speeding down the turning down streets to try to slow the vehicle down. And he now like he he’s actually in the military where he drives for a living. That’s what he does. So I think it it’s it was like exhilarating for him. The other ones. I do think that it caused a little bit of fear, especially my daughter. She was only like 5 or 6. So it did cause her to be kind of hypersensitive whenever she um I pushed on the brakes or anything. And then my son that’s 19 didn’t really have an effect on him, but that’s just kind of his personality. Not much affects him
TARANJIT: Yeah. I had a similar situation, which was the opposite of yours. I would my car’s I think computer system. had an issue too where I would hit the gas but the car would just brake. Which I feel like I’d rather it stops than accelerate like in your case.
TAMIKA: For sure. That it’s so crazy how you know in in our everyday life we depend on computer systems so much but how often they malfunction. And I don’t think that we really realize until we have something like that happen. Where like cuz I don’t even know a car had a computer. Like when everyone was telling me, Oh, it was the computer. I was like, what?! Since when did they put computers in cars?
TARANJIT: I can only imagine what will happen once driverless cars are on the road.
TAMIKA: Oh goodness. And here, I’m in the United States, and we have a lot ofTeslas. You know where they have the drivers in the vehicle, but they the car drives itself. And every time I see that it just kind of freaks me out. Like oh my God. Like what if. You know, I think of all the what ifs. I’m that Mom or that person that thinks of all the what ifs. And so far I haven’t heard of anything too, you know, crazy or scary, but I’m sure that there are going to be issues of those drivers driverless cars.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. I’m with you. I am also like what what if this happens? I I don’t think I would ever get behind or in a car that was like self-drive.
TAMIKA: Yeah. Me either.
BHAVNEET: So you did mention that you taught most of your kids how to drive. How was that experience? Was it very different?
TAMIKA: Yeah. It was. So my oldest son, he’s just a natural. Like anything he kind of touches, he excels at. So he was very easy, but I waited until like to take them on the freeway or the highway for like kind of a significant moment. My kids are always like, why does everything have to be a life lesson? But that’s just, I think that’s just parenting and that’s definitely my personality. So with my oldest son before I took him on the freeway, here was an incident where he played sports and he was very very good. And he decided not to go to a sports camp because his friends didn’t go. So I was like, okay like I was waiting for like the right moment to take him on the freeway and do like his freeway driving lessons. And so he was terrified. He was terrified about going on the freeway. And he was you know, surface streets he would drive fine, but then once we got on the freeway, he was really scared. And so once he got on, he was like nervous and he wanted to jump right back off really quickly. And I’m like, no. And I took him like, you know, maybe like 4 or 5 miles on the freeway before I let him get off. And so when we got back home, I told him you know, that’s how I felt when you were being a follower when you. So I use that experience as a life lesson about how scared he was is how scared I was that he was going to kind of like mess up his life or you know, make bad decisions. And so from there I said, oh this is perfect. Every kid that I teach how to drive, it has to be like a significant moment. Cuz I’m not one of those parents that does a lot of yelling or I definitely don’t believe in hitting my kids, but I do believe in teaching them. So when each of them when it was time for them to learn how to drive on the freeway i used a moment where I was kind of upset at them about a decision and then I used that to teach them how driving can be it can be freeing you know liberating. It can have all these positive effects, but it’s also very important that while we are driving that we use caution and that we use wisdom. So, you know, I’m that Mom that turns everything into a life lesson.
TARANJIT: I feel like I usually hear stories of when parents are teaching their kids that they caused a lot of anxiety, but it seems like your kids had it a little bit easier in the sense that they’re just getting life lessons, but it was for the good.
TAMIKA: Yeah. For sure. Like my husband, he tried to teach the kids, but he’s like one of those drivers that always has his foot on the brake in the passenger seat, you know on your it like freaks you out more. And so the kids were just had way too much anxiety while driving with him. Where me, like I definitely had the fear but I I just think I I hide it very well. So I would just be real calm and collected, and kind of you know, just I’m just a teacher by nature. So I would use every experience as a teaching moment.
BHAVNEET: Well that’s really good. I mean that’s a very unique way of teaching and I think more people should do it that way. Less anxiety while driving.You did say you’re in the US.. So there’s typically stereotypes are associated with drivers that are in different areas, even in different regions of the U.S. Would you say that there are certain stereotypes about drivers in your area?
TAMIKA: Oh my goodness. Yes. So I live in a definitely city, but it’s a lot slower than you know, whenever I say like United States and then people want to narrow it down and then when I say California, the first thing they think about is LA ,right? And so I’m about 2 hours from LA and I’m 2 hours from San Diego. Which are two like major cities. But LA drivers are crazy. You have to be able to move a very quickly be able to navigate. And I’m sure they think you know that people that are not from LA that we’re too slow or we don’t you know, were not as quick. But I definitely know that LA freeways are hard to navigate and you have to be like there is no brake. Like you have to it’s all gas. It’s all gas. And everyone’s going like 80-90 miles per hour and you have to be able to know how to change the different freeways very quickly. So I’ve gotten better. My husband is originally from that area, so we go out there a lot. But it is definitely hard. And then Southern California where I live compared to Northern California, like they really don’t like the way we drive. There’s lots of stereotypes there because they’re a little bit more country and they’re slower. And we’re so when I do go to Northern California or up north, it’s like, move people. Like come on. Let’s go. If you guys you know going 75, even though that’s the speed limit, I want them to go a little bit faster.
TARANJIT: I would never I feel like I would never survive in LA with the speeds in the way you’re describing the driving. That’s not for me.
TAMIKA: Right. You can always tell when someone’s like a foreigner like to the United States as well because we are like, what are you doing? Like come on. Move. people.
TARANJIT: That’s hilarious.
BHAVNEET: What’s really interesting is that we had someone say that they’ve driven in LA but then they came and drove in DC cuz we’re we’re in Maryland and they said that DC was way crazier than LA And I was shocked because I thought LA would be like 10 times worse.
TAMIKA: You know what’s funny. I say that my second home is Atlanta. I love love Atlanta, Georgia. Like, I’ve been there a few times and I I just I love the way it feels except for the traffic. Like it is 10 times worse than LA. So when I was there I was like, okay, I’m not going to complain because traffic in Atlanta was by far the worst that I’ve ever seen.
TARANJIT: That’s what I’ve heard. I guess we just lucked out when we went to Atlanta because we were like, wow. There’s like no traffic here. And everyone’s telling us like, that’s not the case usually.
TAMIKA: Yeah.
BHAVNEET: They’re like, where did you go? I was like, I guess everyone in Atlanta went on vacation, too.
TAMIKA: For sure you guys lucked out.
TARANJIT: Now that we’ve heard some of your crazy stories, let’s go into what kind of driver you are. If you were given the option, would you rather be the driver or the passenger?
TAMIKA: Definitely the driver. I think if everybody drove like me, this world would be a better place. I I cannot. When my husband drives, I’m like I get anxious, and I am not a great driver. Like let me just say that for the record. I just prefer my driving over anybody else’s.
BHAVNEET: It’s good that you own it though.
TAMIKA: Yes. I am, you know when I tease my son about being a race car driver, but I was definitely the race car driver in my former life.It was definitely me.
TARANJIT: Well that’s probably where he got it from.
TAMIKA: Yes. Exactly.
TARANJIT: Have you ever been in a car where you were the passenger and you were like, oh this was a bad idea?
TAMIKA: Yes. With my husband. I love him dearly. He’s an amazing soul. But he is a terrible driver. And he’d you know, he drives, you know, he’s a construction worker, so he drives for a living. So he does a lot of lot of driving, but I just do not like you know, he he says that he doesn’t fall asleep, but I feel like he like legit falls asleep sometimes. And I like, hello. Open your eyes. And he’s like I’m just. And I’m like no no no, no, no. No, so whenever we’re together, I’m definitely always the designated driver.
TARANJIT: Well maybe because he drives so much, he’s over it.
TAMIKA: I I think so. I think that’s what it is.
BHAVNEET: So you mentioned that you were probably a race car driver in your former life. Would you say that your family and friends describe your driving in the same way?
TAMIKA: Oh totally. So I’ve slowed down a lot, you know, as far as going out and doing those types of things since I am a mama mommy and all that good stuff. But when I did, all of my friends would want me to be the driver because like I said LAs about an hour and a half two hours from where I live, but I can get us there in about 45 minutes on a good day. So always they say when we’re running late, they are like, Tamika. You drive. You are the driver. And most of them would just fall asleep because they preferred not to be scared. So or at least they pretend to fall asleep. They close their eyes and they just let me do my thing.
BHAVNEET: So were they asleep or were they just closing it out of fright?
TAMIKA: Probably closing their eyes of fright and praying the whole way.
TARANJIT: This just makes me not want to get in the car with you.
TAMIKA: I promise you I have a clean driving record.
TARANJIT: You’re safe in a I guess safe with speed.
TAMIKA: Yeah.
TARANJIT: We’ve heard so many stories of some cities being known for honking a lot and other cities don’t honk as much, would you consider yourself someone who tends to honk?
TAMIKA: So that’s funny. That’s a funny question that you asked because I to me that is one of the most disrespectful things. So I do not like honkers. Like I I will intentionally if someone honks at me because you know in California everything’s on this like fast-paced I don’t know where everyone’s going all the time, but we feel like everything has to be like right here right now. But whenever someone honks at me, I will intentionally go slower, you know, because I I just do not I think that it’s the rudest thing that you can do. So I am not a honker unless it’s like someone sitting at the light for like 30 seconds like and that doesn’t even seem like that long, right? But if it’s like they’re on their phone or they’re doing something but then I’ll do like a toot. Toot. I don’t do the haarng. You know, I do the friendly like, hey friend. Keep it Movin. Lets go.
TARANJIT: Yeah. I am similar in the way that you said that when someone honks you tend to go slower. I feel like when someone is tailgating me and they want to like make me go faster, I tend to go slower.
TAMIKA: For sure. I just think, you know, there’s etiquette. And like I said, if everyone just drove like me, we would be this would be a better world.
BHAVNEET: How hard is it for you to slow down when someone honks at you cuz you enjoy driving fast?
TAMIKA: It it takes like severe self esteem. Or not self esteem, I’m sorry. Self control. And my kids always know like, uh oh. She’s mad. Like if I’m driving slow, like oh. She’s upset. So it does. It takes a lot for me to drive slower.
TARANJIT: That’s hilarious. I can just picture you right now.
BHAVNEET: Speaking of honking and annoying drivers, what would you say is your biggest driving pet peeve.?
TAMIKA: I would definitely say the honking is on the like top three. The other thing is just people on their phone. Like luckily. I have not had anybody close to me or I don’t know anybody personally that has been affected by like text drivers. But I feel like texting and driving or being on your phone and driving is is the same as like drunk driving because you know, were so just like mesmerized by our phones in our social media and things like that. So when you are not paying attention to the road, it’s just as if you’re intoxicated. So those those two the honkers and you know, I I wouldn’t say like honking is more makes me more upset than texting. I think texting is like my number one pet peeve where people just I legit was driving a few few days ago and someone I mean head fully down into his phone. Was not paying attention to anything. And I just thought like gosh, you know, it’s a split-second that something can happen. And then we would all be in very severe danger.
TARANJIT: Yeah. When I see people on their phones and stuff, I just I tend to get worried and be like I have to back away from them. But at the same time it’s like I worry that they’re going to go into someone and I have to witness that happening. It would just be so scary.
TAMIKA: Right. Exactly.
BHAVNEET: But I agree with you. I think the biggest thing here in Maryland is it’s kind of actually surprising if you don’t see someone on their phone. Which is scary.
TAMIKA: Wow.
BHAVNEET: But yeah, that’s that’s Maryland.
TARANJIT: Well staying on this pet peeve topic, have you ever had an instance where either you experienced road rage or someone had road rage towards you?
TAMIKA: Oh gosh. Yes. I’m so embarrassed to say, but I have definitely come a long way in my driving and just who I am as a person. And I, you know going back to honking, there was a oh this may have been maybe 10-11 years ago. So I’ve grown a lot. So listeners charge this to the old me, not the new me. I was at a a turn signal so like at a no, it was at a stop sign. And this car behind me, I believe there was somebody in the crosswalk like turning and so I’m waiting for that person to turn and this car behind me was honking. And it was actually a truck full of like 3 or 4 guys. And they’re honking. They’re honking. I like literally put my car in park and jumped out the car and was like ready to fight these guys. Like I was so upset that they were honking at me. Thank goodness my kids were in the car. So they were like, Mom. Like, what are you doing? And I was just so furious because I thought like, where are you going that you’re that it’s that important that you’re honking at me when you can clearly see I was waiting because someone was in the the crosswalk. So I think that was one of my very very embarrassing moments of me experiencing road rage. Now, there are plenty of times where people kind of try to give it to me but I don’t let it affect me anymore. And my kids laugh at me because I call everybody friend on the road. So I’m like, what are you doing friend or why are you doing that friend? Like when someones really upset and they like try to curse me or something. I’m like friend. Like let’s be nice. And that’s really just condescending of me being like, shut up.
TARANJIT: Do you think that there should be some kind of I guess not penalty but something like that if you over excessively honk for no reason?
TAMIKA: Yes. I think that there should be like honking meter or something where you can you know, there could be like the friendly honk. Like the okay. I’m in danger honk. Like there should be levels to the honking and I think if you use the wrong one at the wrong time, like your car should stop something. There should be I don’t know a lot about technology and how that would affect everyone, but something should definitely happen.
BHAVNEET: I saw this article once that they were testing this thing out in India in Mumbai because they honk like like crazy there where they had at the signal the sound thing so if the level of honking passed a certain level, the light would reset and you would have to sit there longer.
TAMIKA: Oh my gosh. That’s cool.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. I’m like, what if we? We need some of that over here.
TAMIKA: Yes. I agree.
BHAVNEET: Now that we’ve heard a little bit about what type of driver you are which it’s good to hear that you’ve gotten you come a long way from where you were. Let’s go back to your driving first. How would you describe your first time driving experience and who was it with?
TAMIKA: So it was with my mom and it was not anything that I would recommend. Which maybe that’s’ why I’m kind of the teacher because my mom was my teacher. ut she literally so we had I don’t even think that they make these type of vehicles anymore. But we had one of those really big it was maybe like a 7 or 8 passenger van, but it was the ones where like the door like you know now, you see like the creepy white van, but families used to have those type of vans. But we had we had one of those vans and it was huge and clunky and just really hard to operate. And I think I was either 12 or 13 and she just had this like an epiphany that it’s time to teach her. So she was she pulled over and she said, okay. You’re going to drive and I was like what. Like I was totally unprepared and I was I was not I’ve never driven before prior to that And we lived in this complex that had like a little kind of like a gated community and it have little turns. And so for this big vehicle this little girl driving, you know into these small narrow streets, it was not a good idea. So I actually hit a wall. Thank God, it wasn’t like there wasn’t significant damage to the car or but there was significant damage to the wall. And it happened to be like the managers apart like their their house and I hit the wall to their house. It was like a little small house. So it didn’t affect their house. But yeah, my parents were in big trouble for that. So that was my first experience driving. So I think that’s kind of why I do it the way I do where I just tell my kids. Okay, it’s time. But I use a little bit more wisdom than my mom did
TARANJIT: Did your mom after that moment was like, alright. I should wait longer before I continue to teach you?
TAMIKA: No. She continued just to push me until I got it And I I remember her just allowing me to take the car. And she doesnt know this, so I hope she’s not listening, but there were many little fender benders that I had in that big old clunky van because she would just let me take it. And I remember one time going to the mall and I was trying to get into the turning lane and I thought I could squeeze through and I sideswiped someone..And I took off like I was in a high-speed chase. Thank God my little sister was with me. Thank God one, that no one got hurt and two, thank God that she never told on me because I probably wouldn’t be driving today.
TARANJIT: Wow. I don’t know what to say to that.
TAMIKA: I’ve gotten better. I’ve gotten a lot better.
TARANJIT: The fact that your mom just threw you into driving just like, here you go. Time to drive.
TAMIKA: Yeah, it was different times. Different times.
TARANJIT: And driving that big van as your first car. I had to drive a van as my first car, too but it wasn’t that big. I feel like driving on a car as a first car is a lot easier as opposed to having to do all like parallel parking and all the test requirements in a van is way harder.
TAMIKA: Yeah. I agree.
TARANJIT: Is that what you took your drivers test and how was your driving test experience?
TAMIKA: I actually took my driver’s test on a smaller little vehicle and the driving part was an ease. The hardest part for me was the the permit test. Like the written part. That was difficult. But the the driver part by then I was actually late in getting my license. So I didn’t get my license until I was 21. I have been driving since I was like 13 or 14, but I did not actually go to get my license. Which I don’t understand why because when I was in high school, we actually had drivers ed. So we took that as like a required course. So I had my permit. I had everything. I’m not sure why my parents didn’t take me to go like finish off the driver’s portion. So I was late getting my drivers license. I got it at 21 and I had like a little like a little bucket that I took it in and I passed it with flying colors
TARANJIT: Since you waited so long, doesn’t like the permit or I don’t know if like a drivers ed credit will expire or not, but like doesn’t the permit expire if you wait so long between taking the test and getting the permit?
TAMIKA: Yeah. I think it’s like a 6 month window or something like that. So I had got my permit in high school, but it had expired by the time I went to get my test. So with a my kids, you know, things are a lot different now. They have to do the I think it’s 6 hours behind-the-wheel. So we do the permit, the written part first and then you have to wait a month before you get the the behind-the-wheel with the driver instructor. So like them doing it with me doesn’t count. They actually have to have instructor that they do that with and then they’re able to take the driver’s test But it has to be done. I believe in the 6-month block.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, I think that’s how it is here, too. You have to do like a certain number hours by yourself or like with your parent or whoever and then you have to drive with an instructor also. Did you have to parallel park for your test?
TAMIKA: You know what, I didn’t. And thank God I didn’t because then I would not have passed.
BHAVNEET: Wow, that’s surprising like how many places aren’t requiring it. I know because it’s such I think everywhere you go in the country like you have to parallel park. So if you know, it’s interesting that they didn’t make me do it, but I’m grateful.
TARANJIT: Yeah. I feel like parallel parking is one of the big reasons people fail their tests.
TAMIKA: Uh. Huh.
BHAVNEET: Do you think it’s something that should be required on the test?
TAMIKA: I think so. So trying to teach my kids has that has been one of the most challenging things. So I think once you once you do that, you’re a pretty proficient driver. So if you can parallel part, you can pretty much take on the road.
BHAVNEET: I agree. I think that is like one of the hardest things. If you can do that, you’re a good. Bonus question time.
TAMIKA: Yeah.
BHAVNEET: If you could make one new driving law, what would it be?
TAMIKA: Oh. Goodness. That is a good bonus question. I would definitely reduce the speed limits on like residential like right now, I think they’re like 45 and I think that that’s way too fast You know, I’m all to hear listen to me Miss Speed Demon. I want to reduce the speed limits and I know it’s because I have a lot of children now, but I think that that’s one thing. And then I also so in California, we have these things that are totally against the law that we call California stops. Like rolling stops.
TARANJIT: Yes. I have heard of those.
TAMIKA: We really don’t stop at stop signs. I think that that would be a great like thing. Like if there’s no one coming, you should just be able to go. Like you should not even have to pretend stop or anything. Just keep going.
BHAVNEET: Wow, you’re driving is so different from the east coast. I also want to point out that you said your residential speed limit are 40. 45?
TAMIKA: 40. Yeah. 40.
BHAVNEET: Over here it’s like 15-20.
TAMIKA: Wow.
BHAVNEET: And I’m like, woah. That’s like a regular road speed. What are you doing?
TAMIKA: I know. I think that they’re too fast. We need to reduce them.
TARANJIT: And how you were mentioning that if like you want to be able to not stop at a stop sign if no ones there. I feel like ever since the lockdown has been lifted people are already doing that and doing that red lights instead of at stop signs. So they’re just like whatever.
TAMIKA: That’s funny.
TARANJIT: So do you have any final thoughts or any tips or you would like to give other drivers ?
TAMIKA: Yeah. I think this is more a tip for parents that are teaching their kids to drive. I would just say like that is like such a rite of passage and kind of like a cultural thing where where you know, once you start driving you are giving more responsibility. So I would just say because because of such a huge responsibility that’s associated with driving, I think that we need to make sure that were doing it with grace and with ease and with as little anxiety for our children as possible. So that way they don’t have this fear because I think most accidents and most like traffic violations happen because of fear. You know, people are just really afraid once they get behind that vehicle and so they kind of freeze. But if you have an instructor or a parent that’s teaching you that it’s just another day, you know be careful, of course, but don’t be so stressed or full of so much anxiety. I think that it would lessen the amount of car accidents that we have.
TARANJIT: That’s a really great point I think parents are also scared when they’re getting behind the wheel or getting in the car when there’s a new driver trying to learn because it’s like you don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s they’re very first time. But then at the same time you want to be able to give them that reassurance that it will be okay and like you don’t have to be super stressed while you’re learning to drive.
TAMIKA: Absolutely.
TARANJIT: Well this was really fun listening to all your stories. Where can listeners find you?
TAMIKA: Thank you so much. So I am at Tamika_Thomas_ and that’s on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat all those places or TuesdayWithTamika on Instagram.
BHAVNEET: Thank you so much again for coming on and telling us about the LA driving style. It’s very shocking and I don’t know if I’ve ever wanna drive there.
TAMIKA: Well, if you do just get in contact with me and I’ll be your Uber.
BHAVNEET: Yes. I’m writing that down.
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BHAVNEET: Her story was also something that you would just feel like you would only see in a movie where her car’s computer malfunctioned. That’s also just a thing you see in movies where like, oh my God my or like Indian serials.
TARANJIT: Yes.
BHAVNEET: That’s something that you see. It’s like all the brakes are gone. Ahhh.
TARANJIT: But when she mentioned that, it reminded me of the situation I had where my car’s computer has some kind of glitch or something. I thought it was because I took it in for a recent recall and they had to like upgrade something in the computer and that caused it.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: Like they did something wrong because I’ve never had an issue before until after the moment. But I had the issue where I hit the gas and I would my car would stop. It was like the brake.
BHAVNEET: Well. I mean that’s better than hit the brake and it accelerates.
TARANJIT: Oh, yeah, and but she was also sounded like in a residential area
like not going that fast.
BHAVNEET: But
TARANJIT: I was on a 55 mph road. So if I had that happen. Going downhill. Imagine if that happened going downhill.
BHAVNEET: But it’s also scary like she had the state of mind to be like, all right, how do I stop it? How do I stop it? But also she was saying that one of her laws would be that you would reduce the speed in residential areas. So she was already going pretty fast for a residential area comparatively here where residential areas are like 10-15.
TARANJIT: I know and hers was 40-45.
BHAVNEET: 40!
TARANJIT: Yeah. When she said that I was like, that’s our…
BHAVNEET: I’m like, what kind of residential area are you in?
TARANJIT: But when we went to Georgia, they were also…
BHAVNEET: Oh yeah.
TARANJIT: …like that in the like I felt like neighborhood areas.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.And like okay. So here it’s like you’re on a road and you’re like, hmm. What’s this road? Oh this feels like a 35 mph road and you’re like you’re usually close. You’re good. I can gauge what the speed should be by being on the road. You know?
TARANJIT: Yeah. Exactly.
BHAVNEET: And then down there I’m like, oh wow. This feels like a 30 mph and it’s like 40. I’m like, hh my God. We’re not going to make that turn at 40. You better slow down.
TARANJIT: Yeah, so that law makes sense. But then her other law when I heard…
BHAVNEET: Oh my god.
TARANJIT: It is like the complete opposite.
BHAVNEET: Well okay. When she first started saying it I was like, oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Wait what?
TARANJIT: Yeah. As I was like, oh yeah. That’s a good one. Wait, what? She’s like, oh. The California rolling stop shouldn’t be a thing. I was like, oh, yeah, that’s true.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
BOTH: You should stop.
TARANJIT: And then she was like, you shouldn’t even have to stop at stop signs. And I’m like, what?
BHAVNEET: Uh. Say what now? But now we know.
TARANJIT: I feel like people do that though. Here now. Especially again, I keep mentioning after coming out of lockdown. People have seriously become worse drivers after the lockdown has started to lift and you can like go out more.
BHAVNEET: Yeah.
TARANJIT: People are not obeying the rules at all. Like red lights mean nothing anymore. Stop signs mean nothing anymore. So I guess her law is kind of coming into effect.
BHAVNEET: But like we’ve heard a lot this season about LA drivers. And it’s like the one thing that like really just astounds me is that LA just like it’s all gas. No brakes.
TARANJIT: Yeah.
BHAVNEET: It’s just like, what?
TARANJIT: I feel like here it’s like brake gas brake gas.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. And like you would think with LA that’s such a big city and like, you know all the traffic you always hear about like, how are you all gas? You know?
TARANJIT: But at the same time it’s more open there, so I guess…
BHAVNEET: But still with all that traffic like how is it physically possible that you can be all gas?
TARANJIT: True.
BHAVNEET: But we know now that if we are ever down there, we have our own Uber driver. We know who to call.
TARANJIT: Yeah. Exactly. Cuz I would never be able to drive there.
BHAVNEET: You know what that just reminded me of? Kim Possible. You know who to call. Kim Possible.
TARANJIT: Tamika Thomas. I don’t know how to make that work.
BHAVNEET: What’s the cinch? Uh? LA traffic. Thanks.
TARANJIT: Who do you call?
BHAVNEET: Tamika Thomas.
TARANJIT: Yeah. Exactly. We gotta work on that.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, you got your own a little…
TARANJIT: Jingle.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. Well that was Tamika’s stories. We hope you enjoyed listening to her crazy LA driving and her stories.
TARANJIT: And her stories.
BHAVNEET: Yes. That, too. And if you have any crazy or interesting stories or know someone who has any crazy interesting stories and would love to come on as a guest. Be sure to fill out the interest form on our website at drivewithuspodcast.com.
TARANJIT: And stay tuned until the end for a sneak peek of next week’s episode where we are joined by Rinat. And she shares with us driving in the U.S. and Canada versus driving in Israel.
(outro music)
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(next week’s sneak peek)
RINAT: After getting used to living in Canada and the U.S., last time we visited Israel, we were approaching the crosswalk. We were not even at the crosswalk and we had a driver coming fast to the crosswalk.