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Driving Profile: Nikki & Brooke
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NIKKI: That was like the first time I had like a full-on anxiety attack. And that actually was the very last time I ever drove out of the state of Maine.
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BHAVNEET: Welcome back to Drive With Us, a podcast where we bring on a new guest each episode to talk about the crazy things they’ve experienced 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 we’re joined by Nicki and Brooke, two best friends from Maine, who co-hosts my so-called whatever podcast
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BHAVNEET: Before we get started we just want to note that we are testing out new remote recording platforms and because of that the audio quality for our first couple of episodes may vary slightly. So we appreciate your patience as we are learning and figuring everything out. And now to the show.
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BHAVNEET: Thanks for joining us today, we’re excited to talk to you guys about all your crazy weird driving experiences. And to get to know exactly what kind of drivers you are. So welcome to the show.
BROOKE: Thank you so much for having us.
NIKKI: Yeah. thank you.
BHAVNEET: So let’s get started I guess with having you guys introduce yourselves to our listeners.
NIKKI: Sure. Do you want me to start Brooke? Or do you want?
BROOKE: Yeah, go for it. Okay, go for it.
NIKKI: All right. So I’m Nikki and that’s Brooke, and we are two girls from Bangor, Maine. We started a podcast about three years ago. It would be three years next week. It’s called My So Called Whatever. And we talk about 80s 90s stuff one week and then the next week we talk about New Kids on the Block because we are huge New Kids on the Block fans. So if you don’t like New Kids on the Block, you don’t have to stay for those episodes. But you can come for the 80s and 90s. And vice versa. But that’s about it.
BROOKE: Good job.
NIKKI: I should also say we have been best friends since the second grade, too. So a very long, long, long time.
BROOKE: That is like a lot of years.
NIKKI: Yes.
TARANJIT: Well, congratulations on almost three years. That’s awesome.
NIKKI: Oh, thank you so much.
BROOKE: Thank you.
TARANJIT: So as you guys know, the concept of our show is driving and we want to start off with this question, especially since we like to share the wild and crazy stories. So what kind of crazy things have you experienced while driving?
NIKKI: Oh,that’s a good question.
BROOKE: Nikki.
NIKKI: Oh no.
BROOKE: This one when I was going over this, I was like, I have to I have to mention it because this is this is probably the craziest thing I’ve witnessed.
NIKKI: Oh no.
BROOKE: You were there.
NIKKI: Okay. Okay, I’m here for it. What was it?
BROOKE: So we were driving down 95. 95 south.
NIKKI: Right.
BROOKE: And somewhere in Maine, like any town, Maine, USA, and
NIKKI: I know exactly what you’re gonna say. I know exactly what you are gonna say.
BROOKE: We were passing an 18 Wheeler. And you could clearly it was evening, but you could plaim as anything see in his side mirror, a reflection of the program that he was watching.
NIKKI: Right. And it was very inappropriate. Very inappropriate.
BROOKE: In the cab of his truck. It was it was inappropriate. It was inappropriate for not even just children’s eyes, any eyes.
NIKKI: Right. Any eyes whatsoever.
BROOKE: Any eyes.
NIKKI: And the scariest part of it was that he like, as we’re looking and as we’re passing him because we’re in the passing lane. Right? We were passing him?
BROOKE: We were passing him. Absolutely.
NIKKI: Right. And he looked down at us and smiled. And it was the creepiest smile. I was like, Brooke, let’s get out of here. We need to get out of here. And she just like floored it, and…
BROOKE: It was gross.
NIKKI: Yes.
BROOKE: It was so gross. But it was definitely memorable. Because that was many, many years ago. I’ll never forget it.
NIKKI: And every time I see an 18 Wheeler, I think about it. Which is like often. Uhh.
BHAVNEET: That that sounds like a very traumatizing experience.
NIKKI: It was.
BROOKE: It was it was gross. I mean.
NIKKI: And we were really young, too. We were really young, like, oh, my goodness, I…
BROOKE: Barely around 20 or so.
NIKKI: Yeah, late, late teens early 20s. Yeah, for sure.
BROOKE: It was definitely during NSYNC shenanigans. So definitely…
NIKKI: Right.
BROOKE: It was definitely that time.
NIKKI: Right. Right, right. So yeah. That was definitely one that we think about, I think about often. And I’m just like, oh my goodness, like why?
TARANJIT: That’s crazy now that you associate 18 wheelers with that. And that’s not a pretty picture to have in mind.
NIKKI: No,absolutely not. I don’t even dare look at their mirrors. Like, I don’t, I don’t dare look anymore. And my husband, we were just actually talking about this the other day, because we passed an 18 Wheeler and I was like, remember that story I told you. And he’s like, Yeah, I just don’t understand how you could see it. And I was like, Listen, it definitely happened. He had his mirror like tilted a certain way. And it just, we could see it, we could see everything going on and it just was not something that we should have seen.
TARANJIT: That’s crazy.
BHAVNEET: So speaking of NSYNC, I believe Nikki, you had mentioned an experience of driving in Boston.
NIKKI: Yes.
BROOKE: Oh my gosh.
NIKKI: So Brooke and I not only are we New Kids on the Block fans, but we’re also NSYNC fans. And I had a car with a with a vanity plate that said NSYNC5. I was so proud of it. I was so proud of this car.
BROOKE: It was awesome.
NIKKI: And my friend Alberto, he worked with me. I worked at the airport. He was an incredible artist. So he decided before Brooke and I were going to go to this big concert in Boston, he was going to decorate our car with like, glass art, like, I guess that’s what you would call it. Like it’s like those glass painting things. So we painted my car and all the windows with NSYNC stuff. Like the big fire symbol and everything. It was like all out. We were all out. So this was during and I probably you have to be familiar with Boston to know what the Big Dig was. But it was this big construction project that lasted for a number of years and I believe it was towards the end of the Big Dig. Right Brooke?
BROOKE: It was. Yeah. Yeah.
NIKKI: I had always been comfortable driving. I’m never had any problems driving whatsoever. I drove to Boston and which this is the reason why I’m like hesitating is because this like forever changed my life. And we got stuck in traffic in the Big Dig. To the point like nobody would let me in and nobody, everybody was honking at us and giving us the finger because we had NSYNC all over our car. And obviously they didn’t like NSYNC I guess.
BROOKE: Which was just rude. Let’s…
NIKKI: It was.
BROOKE: Put that out there.
NIKKI: But it was constant and like it it it really, really caused a lot of anxiety. And I, I think like that was like the first time I had like a full on anxiety attack and I, we got out of the car, like I got in the car and Brooke swapped and ended up going in the driver’s seat. And that actually was the very last time I ever drove out of the state of Maine. Was that time. It was…
BHAVNEET: I’ve heard that, like, drivers in Boston are very aggressive, but like, to that extent, wow.
NIKKI: Yeah. Yeah, it was. We were almost late to the concert. Um, and we have plenty of time we had, we had left like plant with plenty of time. We were hours, hours in that, like traffic jams. Only because people wouldn’t let us out. And not only were the people like, not only were we upset but the people in back of us were upset and they were passing us. So they were like going past us and getting into traffic and we’re just like, like staying there. Like I get nervous talking about. It was traumatizing and yeah, I I haven’t even driven, oh my gosh, Brooke I don’t think that I’ve even driven outside of Bangor really that much since then. Would you say?
BROOKE: Yeah, I don’t think you really have.
NIKKI: No because it it really affected me. I mean, I had to drive because of work. Like I so I had to drive myself to work but I still like, I never had anxiety about driving ever, ever, ever. And then after that, and I know you drove back like I didn’t drive back. You drove back.
BROOKE: I know I drove back.
NIKKI: Yeah. So, but I mean, we always joke because I’m such a slow driver. But that day I don’t think I was. I think we were we were fine.. We’re making good time and I remember it very well, like, because it was the last time I did it.
BROOKE: But what stands out to me, Less than like people honking and stuff was seeing that guy I had a crush on in traffic.
NIKKI: Oh my gosh, of all the people, like it’s such a small world. Brooke had a crush on this guy.
BROOKE. We live four hours north. We live four hours north of Boston.
NIKKI: Right.
BROOKE: And I worked with this guy at the mall. And he was like, so cute, I thought. And anyway, I had a crush on him. And who did we happen to see in the traffic in during this whole time? Is him with the NSYNC car.
NIKKI: Yep. Yup. And you were like trying to…
BROOKE: And it was weird.
NIKKI: you were trying to hide. You were like trying to like slouch down. And he was like Brooke is that you?
BHAVNEET: He even recognized you?
NIKKI: Because he was like in a jeep. Right.
BROOKE: Right. Right.
NIKKI: Yeah. But I think it was him that let us in.
BROOKE: Probably. Because he was a really nice guy.
NIKKI: I think it was him that eventually led us in and let us get in front of him and then we were fine after that. But I mean, we if you can just imagine sitting at the same point, I would say for hours I want to say it felt like hours while other people are waving around you and you’re just like, they’re like, learn how to drive and
BROOKE: It’s like you’re clueless.
NIKKI: Yeah. Yeah, it’s exactly like you’re clueless.
BHAVNEET: I like I, I have not had an experience like that. I mean, we, Maryland drivers are very crazy. So I guess we’re used to that. But like, I can only imagine going from probably Maine doesn’t have I feel like doesn’t have that much traffic, right?
NIKKI: No, no, not at all.
BROOKE: I mean, no.
NIKKI: I mean we do because we only have two lanes on 95 north of like, I can’t even think of right now. But we only have two lanes with a passing lane and a regular lane. And so sometimes it gets a little congested, but not like that. Not like that.
BROOKE: Well, right, we only have two lanes, so no one’s really weaving in and out.
NIKKI: Right. Right.
BROOKE: It’s just you’re either going like one speed or another speed.
NIKKI: Mm hmm. Exactly.
BHAVNEET: it’s like a vast difference between your 95 and our 95.
NIKKI: Yeah, very different. Very different. Yeah.
BHAVNEET: Speaking of different states and drivers, there’s typically stereotypes that are associated with drivers of different areas. So like here in Maryland, Maryland, drivers have a very particular opinion about Pennsylvania drivers and Pennsylvania drivers have an opinion about Maryland drivers. So what would you say like are there any stereotypes about drivers in your area?
NIKKI: Yes. Only Massachusetts people, only people from Massachusetts. Should we say, we because it’s it’s a clean podcast, so we can’t swear. But.
BROOKE: Right.
NIKKI: We call them Mass something. Like.
BROOKE. Right. So like, Mass fill in the blank.
NIKKI: Right.
BROOKE:: Or, or
NIKKI: Yeah.
BROOKE: Or, you know eh. And then and then and then whatever, like a rabbit goes in.
NIKKI: Yeah.
BROOKE: But here’s the thing, I don’t think. I don’t think that there’s stereotypes about Maine drivers though.
NIKKI: No, I don’t think so.
BROOKE: The one thing that I can say…
NIKKI: I think that for us, it’s like, we’re like, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Like, you know.
BROOKE: I mean, some people here’s the thing, we can tell people that are from this area or not. When I’m driving around Bangor, I know if that driver next to me or in front of me is from Bangor, or if they’re from somewhere else. Either the county or the state.
NIKKI: Right. Even if they have a Maine plate.
BROOKE: …the country or the state.
NIKKI: Even if they have a Maine plate. Like.
BROOKE: Right. Because our roads are terrible. The lines are never painted. So you know you don’t know what lane if you’re not from here and you don’t know the roads, you don’t know what lane you need to be in to turn where…
NIKKI: Right.
BROOKE: …necessarily.
NIKKI: Right.
BROOKE: That’s how I can always tell like, they’re not from here. That’s it. Like I don’t hold it against them.
NIKKI: No.
BROOKE: It’s annoying.
NIKKI: No.
BROOKE: But that’s my problem, not theirs.
NIKKI: I get mad when they get mad at me. Like…
BROOKE: Yes.
NIKKI: That’s when I get mad. I’m like, Look, I didn’t get mad at you for cutting me off. But now you’re mad at me like don’t glare at me as you cut me off like don’t do that. Because I’ll lay on my horn.
BROOKE: You know what they probably are? You know what they probably are?
NIKKI: What’s that?
BROOKE: They’re probably a Mass thing. that rabbit goes down.
NIKKI: Yes. Yes, yes, yes.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. So we we definitely have a feeling where like, if we’re driving down the road, we can easily be like, Oh my God, that has to be a Pennsylvania driver and then you see their license plate and you’re like, Yup called it.
NIKKI: That’s too funny.
BROOKE: I love it.
TARANJIT: Now that we’ve heard your crazy stories, let’s get to know what kind of driver you are. And I know Nikki, you. I feel like I know the answer to this question for you based on your story, but here it is. For both of you, are you the type of person who would prefer driving or be the passenger?
NIKKI: Passenger for me.
BROOKE: I would always, under most circumstances, I would always prefer to be the driver. The only time I wouldn’t is if I’m with my husband or my father.
NIKKI: Mm hmm.
BROOKE: But other than that, I will I always want to be behind the steering wheel.
BHAVNEET: Is it because they prefer to drive or is it
BROOKE: I, I like to drive like, I am a confident driver and I think I’m a good driver.
NIKKI: Very much. You’re an excellent driver.
BROOKE: And I can get myself out of sticky situations and I can like park well. Some people can park and some people can’t park and it’s just a thing. I can usually park pretty much anywhere. Like I can get get in. And I like I was taught by my dad, so I’m comfortable like with him his driving, I don’t ever like I trust him. It sounds like I don’t trust anybody but my dad and my husband. But that’s not it. Like I just think like of my friends and like even like, like family members. They’re good with me driving. So I just prefer to drive.
NIKKI: Mm hmm.
BROOKE: And I know like with my husband or my Dad, I’m really good with them driving, I trust their driving. And so I’m comfortable.
BHAVNEET: So like you kind of touched on this. So you kind of feel like I guess you’d say you feel like you’re a good driver. You know what you’re doing. How would your family and friends describe your driving the same way?
BROOKE: I think so Nikki, I mean what do you think?
NIKKI: Oh yeah. I actually feel more comfortable driving with you than I do my own husband.
BROOKE: Oh, really?
NIKKI: Yeah, I get a little anxiety with him and I don’t with you. I am like free. I feel so good when we drive because I have no worries. Like, I just feel like you go at a good speed. And, you know, I feel like you can get us out of like certain situations like the only time I can’t remember when we were where we were. You were getting a little like stressed out about like finding a place to park or something. And I can’t remember where that was. But that that was the only time I really got like anxious. Because like I was anxious for you like trying to find a place to park.
BROOKE: I get really upset when I can’t find a parking spot. Especially when I feel like there should be one and I know exactly where you’re talking Nikki.
NIKKI: Mm hmm.
BROOKE: It was when we went we were down in Massachusetts. We weren’t in Boston. We were outside going to Wahlburgers.
NIKKI: Yes. Yup.
BROOKE: And there should have been parking and there wasn’t parking. And I was irritated but then we parked like out back and it was fine.
NIKKI: And we were tired. We were tired too.
TARANJIT: Yeah.being tired adds to the frustration sometimes.
NIKKI: Definitely. Oh, definitely. Yeah, we’ve driven tired Well, I haven’t driven tired but Brooke has driven tired. Well, you and I have driven tired actually before and we have like stories about that. Yeah.
TARANJIT: I hope you guys ended up safe when you drive tired.
BROOKE: We did. Yeah.
NIKKI: We ended up Yes. We just we were very young. We are very inexperienced drivers. And we should have pulled over and stayed the night somewhere and we didn’t and we will forever know like, even if we come close to that we’re like, nope, we’re staying and now like when we go to concerts and stuff, we stay the night. I think it was the same NSYNC concert actually.
BROOKE: It probably was.
NIKKI: Driving home.
BROOKE: We would just drive home.
NIKKI: Yeah. And then like through the night, because we were too young really to. We were young.
BROOKE: We didn’t want to spend the money on it and that we would just drive home and then we would like see things on the side of the road.
NIKKI: Yes.
BROOKE: Gosh. We survived.
NIKKI: We have to be really here in Maine. We have a lot of animals like a ton of animals. So we always have to be careful of deer and moose. So
BROOKE: Deer and moose. Definitely. Scary.
BHAVNEET: Do moose tend to come out as often as deer?
NIKKI: Yes.
BROOKE: I mean, it depends on where you are.
NIKKI: I mean if you don’t just keep you don’t want to swerve. Like I’ve always been told. I don’t know if this is the case with you, Brooke, but I’ve always been told like never swerve with an animal. But I know a friend who went through a moose like went through it and like it she barely survived.
BROOKE: Yeah, I had a friend maybe it’s the same friend.
NIKKI: It was Shayla.
BROOKE: Oh no. She had a moose and she was picking like, it was like a like two weeks later and she like she was getting in her purse and she picked out like moose hair.
NIKKI: Oh my gosh. Ew gross. Yuck.
BROOKE: She was she was fine. She walked away without a scratch. But the moose landed on top of her car. I don’t know how she wasn’t hurt.
TARANJIT: The hair of the moose got inside the car.
BROOKE: Yeah, smashed the windshield. So she had like, glass. She had glass and moose hair, like all through her own hair. And like all through the car. The car was totaled by this moose and it was just like it killed the moose.
NIKKI: For sure.
BROOKE: And it just, it just the there was just moose hair. It was gross. Like I couldn’t I didn’t. I didn’t like I saw the moose hair out of her purse. I didn’t see her right after but
NIKKI: Because sometimes you’ll have people drive by the accident and if it’s like an okay accident. Like people were okay. They’ll ask to take the moose.
BHAVNEET: What?
NIKKI: Yes.
BROOKE: Which is I mean to each their own, I guess a lot of
NIKKI: To each their own.
BROOKE: Yeah. To each their own. Yeah, no thank you.
NIKKI: Even dear too. I’ve heard people say, Hey, are you gonna take the deer and you’re like, no. And they’re like, Can I take it? They put it in their pickup truck.
BHAVNEET: We did once see a guy on the side of the road just like staring at the deer like I want to take it. But then he was like looking around. Oh, the cars driving by like, should I take it? I don’t know.
TARANJIT: Have you guys encountered animals yourselves? Or have you only heard the stories of your friends encountering them?
NIKKI: I have. Have you Brooke?
BROOKE: I clipped a deer once. Just like the, like the back of it. And it didn’t do anything to my car and it didn’t appear to do anything to the deer. But it definitely like kind of it flipped it around a little bit and it kind of looked at me and ran away. I was horrified. But we were all fine. Knock on wood. Everything was good, but um, but that’s it for me. for animals, luckily.
NIKKI: Yeah. I had a couple. The first time was when I was in Driver’s Ed. I ran over a squirrel and I was horrified. I was so upset. I was I was like crying on the way to school because I was I did the I did my driving like during school hours and came back to school. It was like during a study hall and I was just like, all right, because I I saw the squirrel go under and then I looked and I could see it just like, like, still on the, on the street. And then I hit a family of, of skunks when I was coming off the interstate and like I said, my, my parents would always tell me my father would always tell me, you know, never swerve on the interstate for an animal because you’ll cause a worse accident or you’ll end up you know, hitting the guardrail and really hurting yourself. So I just went through it. And when I did, I mean it was everywhere. The car smelled for weeks. We like even took it through the car wash a couple times, and it was it’s still wreaked of skunk. So that was that was it. Those were those two. That was enough for me, I would say.
BHAVNEET: Yeah. h my God, hitting a skunk. .
TARANJIT: So this next question comes from more personal experience for us. We’ve been in a lot of situations where we felt like we should have honked at the other driver for something they did, but we didn’t. Have you ever had a situation where you had to honk at someone?
NIKKI: Oh, all the time. I mean, I my husband is not a honker, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve reached over and honked the horn. And he gets so mad. He gets so mad. He’s like, stop doing that. You don’t know crazy people are. But like, especially if it’s like, like I said, these, a lot of people will like glare at you when it’s them that like, did something wrong. And so like if they try to do something, I’ll be like, meeer, or, you know, if somebody just like cut cut me off, I’ll honk the horn. I’m yeah, I’m a honker.
BROOKE: I am not a honker. I the only time I honk is if I’m behind somebody in a light and it turns green, and they’re not going and then I give them a minute.
NIKKI: I just did that, like not like just a couple months ago with Bren and Brody in the car and the guy flipped me off.
BROOKE: So, I’ve had that happen before and it’s like, buddy, what are you gonna do? So they’re at a green light. Oh my gosh, we sat there forever, and I was being very nice. I’m like, I’m not gonna honk the horn. And he still wasn’t moving because he was on his phone. And so I went beep just like a light little beep and he put his hand out the window.
BHAVNEET: Oh my god.
BROOKE: My kids were like, Whoa, he’s mad at you.
TARANJIT: Yeah, I’ve had a situation where I was behind someone who wasn’t moving and the light turned green and I was about to honk the horn but then two both the people behind me honked instead. So I was like, I guess that’s plenty.
NIKKI: Which is just as worse because you’re just like, they don’t know if you honked the horn or if they honed the and you’re like
TARANJIT: Yeah.
BHAVNEET: Well, like she even has a problem where like, she tries to honk the horn but I guess she doesn’t push it hard enough that it doesn’t honk. She’s like I should have honked. But her car has a very like the most babyish honk ever. What
NIKKI: What kind of car do you drive?
TARANJIT: I have a Toyota Corolla.
NIKKI: Oh. Okay.
BROOKE: I had one of those ones for a loaner. I liked it.
NIKKI: Yeah.
TARANJIT: So speaking of honking and annoying drivers, what is your biggest driving pet peeve?
NIKKI:I think for me, it’s when people go too slow on the interstate like on the on ramp. Our on ramps are very short. They are very, very, very short. And when there is traffic, like some people will go still like 35 like to get on the interstate. I guess it’s more or less like people driving dangerously slow on the interstate. That’s my biggest pet peeve. Because, you know, just like driving too fast driving too slow could like, hurt somebody.
BROOKE: Yes, you’re right. That is not my pet peeve, but I agree with you on that. My biggest pet peeve driving pet peeve is when someone is taking a right turn, but they turn like really wide like they go way over to the left to turn right.
NIKKI: Mm hmm.
BROOKE: That that just makes me so I boil inside. It’s like why why do you need to go left to go right?
BHAVNEET: Exactly. Especially if it’s a car too.
BROOKE: Oh my gosh, it’s it’s just it’s like, I don’t know. Like why do you have to take up two lanes to turn? It doesn’t make sense. Especially when I’m trying to get around you.
TARANJIT: It’s like as if they have like an 18 Wheeler trying to make a wide turn, but they’re in like a little car and you’re like, Why?
NIKKI: Right,.
BROOKE: Exactly. Exactly.
NIKKI: I agree with you 100% on this one.
BROOKE: Like your Mazda 3 can turn that little turn. No problem. Right?
NIKKI: Right.
BHAVNEET: So this seems like the perfect scenario, but have you ever experienced road rage? Whether it was you who was who had the road rage or someone who was having road rage, like around you?
NIKKI: I can answer this. I do. I have it all the time. Like, I am the worst. I am the worst. Yeah, I especially if I’m having a bad day like I get yeah. And like I said, my husband isn’t the exact opposite of me. And he’s always like, you’re gonna get like, you need to like chill out, you need to just chill out and I don’t know what it is. I just want to get behind the wheel. I’m just somebody different. I think it’s that big day coming back at me, you know?
BROOKE: I’ve had it, but it’s not too bad. I just think I’m pretty. I’m pretty easygoing. Like behind the wheel or just in life generally, just generally, I’m pretty easygoing, and I don’t really I don’t let what other people do really bother me too, too much. I’m one of those people. Like if I’ll never flip somebody off, like driving.
NIKKI: No, I would never do that either.
BROOKE: I fell like that would gives them what they want.
NIKKI: Right.
BROOKE: If someone flips me off, I’ll just smile and wave because I feel like that’s worse. But I did. This was a couple of years ago, someone cut me off, and I was not too far from my house. And it’s just this spot that people do it all the time. They speed up to get past all the traffic in a turning lane. And then they go zip right in front of you and it you know, it just makes me angry.
NIKKI: I know exactly what you’re talking about.
BROOKE: Yeah, right by the high school.
NIKKI: Right.
BROOKE: So I had somebody do that to me. And she, like I am shocked. She was able to get her huge SUV in between like me and the car in front of me. And she cut me off. So I got mad, like really mad. And I I just I stayed right on her bumper. I she sped up, I sped up, she’s slow down. I obviously had to slow down. But I was on her bumper and then I realized oh, she’s putting the blinker on to go into my neighborhood.
BHAVNEET: Oh no.
BROOKE: The blinker on to go down my street or the street that my streets off of. And then she kept going past my road and I was like okay, so I went in my bare mind the just five houses on my road. It’s small. So I went home, and I got thinking about it and I’m like she lives in my neighborhood. Come to find out, I pieced it together and I took a drive around the block the next day. She is a mother that my daughter goes to school with her son and I saw her at the bus stop every morning. I just didn’t know what she drove for a vehicle.So she saw me in her rearview mirror I’m sure being completely ridiculous, but she also deserved it. And I I was horrified. Like I didn’t go to the bus stop for months, I would make my husband go.
NIKKI: That is so funny.
BROOKE: Or I would sit in my car if I absolutely had to. I wouldn’t get out. I was horrified. And now we’re fine. Like we’re Facebook friends now and everything’s fine. But I was so…
NIKKI: Facebook official.
BROOKE: Yeah, I was so embarrassed. So but it taught me a lesson. Don’t do that. Because you don’t know who that person is and it can come back to bite you.
NIKKI: You’re right, Brooke. You’re right.
TARANJIT: It seems like you guys tend to encounter people, you know, while you’re on the road without knowing it.
NIKKI: Yeah.
BROOKE: Yes. No, we do it. This is okay. So the one in Boston was weird because we were so far removed from home.
NIKKI: Right. Right.
BROOKE: But Bangor is not a huge town. I mean, it’s the third biggest city in Maine, but that doesn’t say much. Because Maine….
NIKKI: Right.
BROOKE: …the cities they are pretty small. You know, the cities are small. We have just over a million people in the entire state.
TARANJIT: So when you guys are driving, is there something you like to listen to? What’s typically on your playlist or do you like it quiet?
BROOKE: I switch it up between music and podcasts, but I always had something on. Always.
NIKKI: I don’t drive often. When I do. There’s usually somebody else in the car. But when I do, I’ll typically listen to 90s and 2000s hip hop. That’s probably my favorite.
BROOKE: I’ve been listening to a lot of yacht rock lately. And…
NIKKI: Hey, that’s good, too. That’s good too. That’s good too.
BROOKE: And my current podcast that I’ve been listening I feel like I’ve been listening to the most probably because their episodes are really long is the office ladies.
NIKKI: Oh, I love that. I love that podcast.
BROOKE: It takes me a solid like two days of the car and like lunch break to listen to an episode. But I don’t have a long commute. My commute is like, seven minutes.
BHAVNEET: Okay, I was gonna say like,
BROOKE: No, I have a very I live 2.2 miles from my office. So it’s really, it’s really quick. It’s mostly like lunch break because when I listen to it.
NIKKI: Yeah, I don’t have a commute because I work from home. Which, like brings me to another thing I went two years without driving. Just thought I’d throw that out there. I went two whole years without driving because I started getting like an irrational fear about driving. And I made every excuse why I couldn’t drive and finally I my husband was like, let’s go pick out a car that you’re comfortable in. And so I found my love like I love this car so much. And it’s a Buick Encore. It’s the little tiny SUV and I feel confident and I started driving again. I just started driving again like last July.
TARANJIT: That’s exciting. Back on the road.
NIKKI: Yes. Yes.
BHAVNEET: I don’t know if I would be able to go that long without driving. I feel like I would have driving withdrawal.
BROOKE: Yes.
NIKKI: I definitely left the house like just so everybody knows. I left the house.
BROOKE: You were just not behind the wheel.
NIKKI: Right, exactly. Like either Brooke would drive or my husband would drive.
BROOKE: I had just as a side note, driving withdrawals. I broke my driving foot and…
NIKKI: Oh yeah.
BROOKE: … ankle last summer, and it was it was like five weeks before I was able to take my boot off and drive. And actually I did it early. I wasn’t supposed to do it when I did but I had to, I had to get out. Like time in my car alone is generally the only alone time I have and I was really craving it. So I drove to Target and did a curbside pickup. And I felt like I felt like I was like coming home. It felt so good. And also coincidentally, I my lease was up on my my love of my life car last year and instead of going with the same one because of Hello payments. I went with the new Encore as well. And it is not a bad little car. So Nikki and I have matching cars.
NIKKI: We are car twins.
BHAVNEET:
Now that we know what kind of drivers you are, let’s go back to the beginning. How would you describe your first time driving experience? And who was it with?
NIKKI: So…Oh, sorry, go ahead.
BROOKE: I was just gonna say my first time driving experience was great. I had no idea it was that easy. I thought it was gonna be a lot harder than it was and it was with my driver’s ed instructor. And I don’t remember his name.
NIKKI: Was it Randy?
BROOKE: It was not Randy. It was the other guy.
NIKKI: I I’m exactly the same. I was so excited to drive like I could not wait to get my license. I just couldn’t wait to get my license. And so the first time I drove, I was just so excited and then I hit that squirrel.
BHAVNEET: Poor squirrel.
NIKKI: But then I still loved driving.
TARANJIT: So did this, I guess go in when you went to take your driver’s test? Were you able to pass it easily?
NIKKI: Yes, I shouldn’t have passed my test. So no real quick story, real quick story. Um, so we had to have drivers that and you have to drive so many hours with the driver’s ed person, yada yada. My parents are a lot older than my friend’s parents. And they didn’t really take me driving. I drove two or three times total after like after the driver’s ed instruction driving. Before I took my license before I took my test, and it was with my grandfather’s like Buick, like one of the long Buicks that like the 80s Buicks. No, or was it or was it an Oldsmobile? I think it was an Oldsmobile actually not a Buick, um, but you know, the big big cars and so he would try to tell take me, which only accounted for like three times. And then I went to take my test and my grandfather couldn’t take me to take my tests. So my uncle, I call my uncle, but he’s not really my uncle. That’s a whole other story. Took me to take my test, and he knew the guy that was giving my exam. And so it was like, Oh, hey, buddy, haven’t seen you in so long. So I roll back on the hill stop. I had to try twice to parallel park. They told me to take a left. I went straight. I still passed.
BHAVNEET: Wow.
NIKKI: Yeah, I should not have passed.
BHAVNEET: So are you saying that your states driving test is easier or you just got really, really lucky?
NIKKI: No. I just had a really good luck. Like really, really good luck. And I mean, here’s the thing. I don’t even think like, plus I, I was taking it and that same car that I told you guys about, like the big big car. So I was, I think the guy was like, props to you for parallel parking this car. So, you know, when I finally did get it and the hill stop. It was finicky. And I think he could tell because it was an older car. But I was so nervous about those two things. I thought I just failed. So when he told me to take a left, I didn’t even hear him. And I just went straight because I was going back to the DMV, the way I knew how to go, and I was like, I’m so sorry. I thought for sure I failed. And then when he told me I passed, I was like, really?
BHAVNEET: Like, are you sure?
NIKKI: And he was the one that everybody said, if you get him you’ll fail. So really lucky.
BHAVNEET: That’s a good thing your quote unquote uncle knew him.
NIKKI: Yes, Yeah, no kidding. Uncle Leo. Thank you.
BHAVNEET: So are you. Are you able to parallel park now? Like do you think…
NIKKI: No. Absolutely not. I’ve tried. I’ve tried even with a backup camera. I’m like, why am I so bad at this and I hit my car is so small. I think if I really tried though, and like there wasn’t any traffic coming and whatever, I could do it. It’s just like whenever I’ve tried to parallel park, it’s like downtown. And like, you feel like you’re holding up traffic and I get anxious. And then I’m just like, yeah, forget it.
BROOKE: I can still parallel park. I did it today for fun.
BHAVNEET: Ha. For fun
NIKKI: You’re so funny.
BROOKE: Well, I did it. So I did it in my own driveway. So it really was foolish, but it’s because anyway, long story short, I have a place where I park and my mom parked in front of me and I had to get out to go pick up groceries. And when I came back, I wanted to go back to my same spot so I don’t have to move my car later so my husband can park in his spot. Blah, blah, blah. So I had to park like parallel park behind my mom, but in front of my garage. So I did it. And I like to do stuff like that, because I feel like it keeps me like it keeps my skill. Because parallel parking is not something that we have to do very often here.
NIKKI: No, no.
TARANJIT: A lot of tests or driver’s tests are starting to get rid of parallel parking. Do you think it’s an important requirement? Or they should get rid of it?
NIKKI: I think it’s important to know how to do it. I really do. I don’t know. I don’t, I don’t know, necessarily. It needs to be on the driving test. But I think like in driving school, it definitely is something that should be practiced over and over and over again. I wish that every time we drove that we parallel parked. Cause I mean, practice makes perfect.
BROOKE: Right. That’s true. I think it’s important. And I also think it’s, I mean, why would we want to make the test easier? And I’m only saying I’m not saying that to be like mean, but I’m saying that like, driving a car is a huge responsibility.
NIKKI: It really is.
BROOKE: And if you if it’s just one more thing that you need to learn how to do before you can hold like a driver’s license. Well, I feel like you should have to be able to do that. It’s not my we’re not asking much people can parallel park. ou just have to learn how to do it the right way. And so I think it’s important that they keep it on I mean, I don’t know.
BHAVNEET: Yeah, I agree. When I heard that they were taking it away from atleast the Maryland test. I was like, but what about like when you go to like Baltimore or DC like how are you gonna park?
BROOKE: Right, right, exactly.
NIKKI: You have to know how to do it.
BROOKE: Absolutely. There is not a lot of parallel parking where we live, but there is still some parallel parking where we live. There are certain like restaurants and stuff just different things downtown, if you wanted to go to you need to know how to parallel park, or else you’re gonna park in the garage and you’re gonna walk, you know, five miles and that’s fine. Nothing wrong with walking. But I would much rather just be able to like park in front and pop in.
BHAVNEET: Exactly. So before we let you guys go, we have a final bonus question for you. If you could make one new driving law, what would it be?
BROOKE: Oh that is a really good question. I’m thinking.
NIKKI: You know what it would be. I think that people get too used to their backup cameras now and almost every car has it. So like, well, it’s not really a law. So Nevermind. Um, yeah, I was gonna say because I rely too much on my backup camera and like, I really should be checking my mirrors and everything. That’s not a law. Um, I’m not really sure what do you think Brooke?
BROOKE: I have and maybe this is more pet peeve than there needs to be a law. But I feel like or maybe these people need to be held more accountable. But does yield mean nothing anymore?
NIKKI: Oh my god. Yes, yes. Yes. Brooke.
BROOKE: Does yield mean nothing anymore? I cannot stand when I am on the highway and there’s somebody coming on and I can’t move over to let them in. I shouldn’t have to throw my brakes on.
NIKKI: Especially that cloverleaf. That cloverleaf. You know?
BROOKE: Yes, I know exactly what you’re talking about. Yes. So I feel like like, things like that need to be paid more attention to and before I would create a new law, I would say, let’s pay attention to the signs and ticket people that can’t. Put a little camera on there. And if they’re, if a car has to put their brakes on to let somebody on the on the highway, Take a picture of their license plate and send them a ticket.They’d make so much money.
BHAVNEET: They would.
BROOKE: They would make so much money. They would just roll it in.
TARANJIT: I completely agree with you on the whole. I feel like people also confuse yielding and merging and they just treat it as the same or the opposite.
BROOKE: Yes. Agreed.
NIKKI: Yes.
TARANJIT: So do you guys have any final thoughts or any tips for other drivers that are listening?
NIKKI: My thoughts are Oh, sorry. Go ahead.
BROOKE: I was just gonna say don’t make wide right turns and always yield. Thank you.
NIKKI: I would say that if something traumatizing happens to you, do it like make sure you like put yourself in that situation again, like right away, like get right back on the horse. Because you don’t want to end up like me. You want to be able to drive.
TARANJIT: Those are great tips. So before we wrap this up where can listeners find you if they want to check out your show?
NIKKI: So the you can find us on Twitter @socalledwhatev. You can find us on Instagram @mysocalledwhatever. Youcan find us on Facebook @mysocalledwhatever. We have a Facebook group and you can go to our website, mysocalledwhatever.com.
BROOKE: And you can find us wherever you listen to your podcasts.
NIKKI: That is right.
TARANJIT: Well thanks for joining us today. We really enjoyed listening to all your stories. You guys had some really wild ones.
BROOKE: Thank you so much for having us.
NIKKI: Yeah, thanks for having us.
(transition music)
TARANJIT: They had some I feel like a very scarring and very traumatizing experiences. Like the creepy semi-truck driver and then their drive to the NSYNC concert. So the creepy semi-truck driver. I feel like one. wouldn’t you expect that you are on a public space and you have like clear windows that everyone can see into, wouldn’t you think that people can see what you’re doing?
BHAVNEET: Obviously not. I don’t know. Its like this is my space. I live here.
TARANJIT: I feel like when you’re like on a wrong a long road trip, the only thing that you can do is watch other people in their cars as creepy as that may sound. But like you know, like you’re always liked looking at people’s license plates or like…
BHAVNEET: That’s your entertainment.
TARANJIT: Yeah. Or you like catch them doing something in their car that they didn’t expect you to others to see. Cuz they’re like you kind of feel like you’re in your private space. Even though…
BHAVNEET: You creepy window like car stalker.
TARANJIT: Nooo. I’m just saying like you catch people when you look over and see the other cars on the road and you’re like, Woah. What is that person doing?
BHAVNEET: Awkward eye contact. All that stuff.
TARANJIT: Yeah. So I feel like I mean when I’m in my car, I do also kind of feel like I’m in my private space, but then I don’t think about it that everyone can see.
BHAVNEET: Clearly. They can see it like the person in front of you can easily look in their rearview and see everything you’re doing.
TARANJIT: Yeah. Exactly. Not just that, but If you’re like on a multi-lane road, the person next to you can clearly look inside and be like, Woah. What are they doing?
BHAVNEET: Now I’m never going to look at it the same. Because like every time I drive I, yeah. I look in my rearview mirror and then like if I see something funny the person do it like is behind me. It’s like, wow, don’t you realize that I can see you. But I never also really process that the person in front of me could be doing the same thing.
TARANJIT: Yeah. Exactly. And now I feel like I’m going to be more self-conscious in the car.
BHAVNEET: This episode was a really good reminder that driving it’s not always just fun and games and there can be some more like traumatic experiences and it’s very serious business. And that’s all for this week’s episode. If you have any interesting driving stories and would like to be a guest on the show. Fill out the interest form on our website at drivewithuspodcast.com.
TARANJIT: And stay tuned until the end for sneak peek of next week’s episode where we are joined by Harmony and Maggie from The Rebel Girls Book Club podcast where we talked about getting stuck in a lot of sticky situations and the difference in driving between different states like Massachusetts, New York and Washington. Thanks for driving with us.
(outro music)
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(next week’s sneak peek)
HARMONY: The GPS tried to take me on this like weird not road. That suddenly like I slide a little bit and then my car is like half off the road and almost ready to topple into a ditch.