that’s exactly what it felt like as I got a bit daring this morning and got on the on beltway for an excursion to IKEA. since I’m still without a car as the accident has tied up everything, this deathtrap, I mean, car I’ve been driving only solidified my fears. The washington DC beltway (aka 495) is a pretty fast paced loop around the city, and normally, I’d keep up with the flow of traffic, usually a bit above speed limit, and let the idiots zip in and out of lanes.
The last two weeks, I’ve basically been driving cautiously, and understandably so. However, today’s drive, at first liberating to be on the open road, my soundtrack a throw back to my college days: Archers of Loaf-Icky Mettle, turned into fear and stress. why? While driving on the beltway, I remained either of the right two lanes of 4+ lanes, since I was driving on the slower side compared to others. I fluctuated between 55-60mph. That wasn’t much of an issue for me. Neither were the cars changing lanes on a busy Sunday morning in DC metro area. That’s all rather standard fare. What got me back on the fear and stress of driving, was the fact that typically in this driving environment with cars quickly changing lanes to get to their exits, which can either be on the left OR the right side of the highway, you have to tap the brakes or occasionally brake hard. Fair enough. What I had a problem with is the fact that the car shook so much when trying to brake at any speed above 40mph.
I think I’ll be going to the rental company on tuesday and taking the deathtrap back.