Improving My Driving Skills... Or Not!

I'm all for learning! So recently I volunteered to participate in a university study on aging drivers... (It appears that those over 65 are a growing part of the driving public.) Should we be on the road? Can anything be done to improve our driving skills?!

I drove over to the university  to find out.

It was interesting to be back. I used to know the campus well, having taught English as a Second Language  here part-time when my children were young-

Many of the buildings I knew had been updated. I barely recognized some.

Many new ones had been built...

(Here's the building where I taught my first class in the summer of 1981...)

After taking a drive in my car - with two in-car cameras filming my every move, I went into the driving lab to learn how to use the simulator that is supposed to correct my driving flaws and improve my skills. (I didn't take any pictures in the lab, as I assume this research project is confidential, at least until the study is over and results are published...)

But in the lab I discovered a major problem - and it wasn't with my driving!

I've never played video games - so I'm not used to them. The whole simulator thing made me very nauseous! (Using a simulator to teach anything to seniors - who never played video games - may end up being a real problem!!)

Did you ever get nauseous when playing video games? I later asked my son, who has probably played every game ever created.

No, but there are complaints about a recently-released car racing program that makes some people nauseous on the fast curves, he replied. But with practice you get over it.

I went home and rested, returning a week later for a longer training session. But I had to stop before it was halfway through. I was feeling sicker by the minute...

But I'll remember the trainer's repeated comment: Look left. Maybe I do need to be more aware of what is happening on my left as I drive, especially coming to intersections. I'll try to pay more attention to that.