Back on the Highway in the Golf

Over the long weekend, we took the family to Oishi Highland in search of cooler weather. It was our second visit, and we already knew the road there was narrow, so we decided to take our nimble Volkswagen Golf 7.

The open grassland at Oishi Highland was a welcome escape, and the kids had a great time. On the way home, I felt like driving for a while, so my husband and I switched places at a highway service area. We were stuck in heavy traffic for a while, but once we got through it, things began moving fairly smoothly. With so many cars on the road for the holiday weekend, though, plenty of drivers were using the passing lane.

And then it happened.

A Mercedes-Benz ML(or maybe a GLE) came charging up behind us at an incredible speed. Traffic was backed up ahead of us, too, so I thought, “There’s nothing I can do just because you’ve caught up with me.” But the gap kept shrinking, and in no time the ML was right on our bumper.

“Come on, tailgating me won’t get you anywhere. There’s a whole line of cars ahead.”

I kept driving, but with the ML glued to my rear bumper and edging over to the left to pressure me, I was getting pretty annoyed. At that point, I decided to be stubborn. If I let the ML bully me into tailgating the car in front, I’d be playing right into its hands.

I’m keeping a safe following distance from the car ahead, no matter what!

I told myself, and carried on driving as calmly as I could. (What exactly was I trying to prove? lol)

That Never Happens in the Panamera

A little while later, when the left lane finally opened up, the ML immediately changed lanes, cut sharply in front of me, and then drove off into the distance—tailgating the car ahead like crazy.

It left a bad taste in my mouth…but there was no point getting worked up over it. Still unable to hide my irritation, I said to my husband, “What was that ML’s problem? That was so dangerous! And I’ve never been tailgated like that when I’m driving the Panamera!” He replied simply:

Well, of course. No one’s going to mess with a car like that.

I mean…when you put it that way, he had a point.

But it’s wrong to change how you drive depending on what kind of car is in front of you. People like that are probably the type who suck up to the boss at work but give their subordinates a hard time… ( -_-)

I carried on grumbling, while my husband gently reminded me not to get so worked up, and we made it home safely.

The Panamera Sets the Standard

It got me thinking: on the highway especially, I want to be the kind of driver who’s courteous and considerate. If I were in the other driver’s shoes, I wouldn’t want a Panamera tailgating me, either. I make a point of leaving a reasonable following distance, and unless there’s a very good reason, I won’t pull into the left lane only to come back out and pass the same car again just because it’s moving slowly.(Or maybe I just don’t need to tailgate because the car ahead usually moves over for me…)

A Panamera is at its best when driven with confidence and composure. I also believe the way we drive reflects who we are, so these days I’m reminded to learn from other people’s behavior—and make sure I don’t do the same.