We don’t do much highway driving at night. However, recently my husband and I were on our way home from Charlottetown, the capital of Prince Edward Island, after a long day waiting with a friend at the hospital. We were tired as it was and the drizzle driven by the wind made for terrible driving conditions too.
The highway had never been so black and wet. The lines in the centre of the road all but disappeared and the lights of the on-coming traffic blinded us. We couldn’t see the edge of the road either. We slowed down but vehicles sped past us. We were concerned about being a hazard due to our speed so we couldn’t drive too slowly. When we finally arrived home, we were exhausted. Should we ever be in a similar situation again, we’d stay overnight rather than drive under those conditions. These old eyes can’t take those wet black roads at night any more.
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What is going on with many of our children today? Rather, what is going on with their parents? My husband and I have spent time in public spaces the last few months and there are many parents who appear to have abdicated their responsibility to correct or discipline their children. In a waiting room, where parents did not speak to a child who was misbehaving, the other adults there had to change what they were doing because of the misbehaving child. At a hotel pool, children splashed other people on the deck while their own parents sat nearby chatting and ignoring the behaviour.
Gone are the days of children being seen and not heard. That is good. However, now the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction. If children can do what they want when their parents are present, what are those children like in a classroom? How does any teacher handle a classroom full of many such children? Teaching today is a tremendously difficult profession.
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There is a spam letter I’ve received twice on my blog now about death to baby boomers. What kind of minds put such vitriol out into the world? I’ll never understand such behaviour. I feel sorry for them.
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Finally, migraines are a curse I’ve suffered through for a number of years now. My most recent attack occurred after a busy few days which I didn’t even recognize as stressful. Driving away from the situation, the feeling started in my head and progressed to nausea and everything it entails with a dizzy headache. Sleep was impossible and an endless night gave way to a day of recovery and finally rest. It is amazing how our bodies react to events which we don’t realize affect us. How many more circumstances in our lives result in physical effects we know nothing about until some major health issue assails us?
P.S. Thanks to David, I have corrected the improper capitol to capital! Thank you!
25 comments:
I am the same about driving when it's dark and wet. At this time of the year, the sun is setting not long after 4:00 so I don't drive if I can help it then. And I hear you about rude children and parents not doing anything about it. I hope you have a wonderful week ahead in any event.
Gosh that drive home sounds like a nightmare Marie! Yes I agree children these days do seem to run amok, it's a shame really because the parents think they are doing the right thing by letting their offspring 'express' themselves, however most people look at them and just find them annoying. Spammers are a curse! I go through periods where I have quite a few, then lovely times when there aren't any at all, I prefer the latter 😉
I've often thought the same thing about kids in public these days. Yet I've seen other kids who are perfectly well behaved, even under circumstances that are very trying for the young (for example, long classical concerts). It does all come down to parenting in the end.
I noticed years ago that driving in rain at night was dangerous and got new glasses which only helped for a short time. I stay at home and let everyone else have the fun I used to have. I am sorry about a hospital visit at this time of year, but I am sure they were reassured by your concern.
I have a couple of friends that suffer terribly. I just heard a NPR episode that talked of treating them with green light. I only heard the tail end but it was interesting for sure.
While migraine are not funny, it was kind of funny when I thought you roe that migrants are a curse.
Oddly enough we drove to an out-of-town hospital this morning in the pitch black and were astounded by the myriad of cars coming the other way. It did make it hard to se the road, but cars passed us as soon as there was a clearing in the traffic.
Migraines are a beast. I found that I needed a recovery day afterwards too. Knock on wood since I gave up meat I now have two or three a year rather than the two or three each week I was having. I don't think it was the meat precisely but the things we do to it, and organic meat was not available at the time.
And a big yes to some parents rescinding their childminding responsibilities. We all suffer and the children will suffer too. Later.
i can't drive marie...i am the passenger who can not see anything at night. i often share this with my husband, he is able to see all the things i can't, thank goodness!!
sad to read about the children of today. i have some limited interaction with misbehaving children, some have parents who discipline them, i guess a lot don't. i am not around the little ones too much!!
i have migraines maries, i treat them with medication. i have had great results and suffer much less!!
Glad you made it home safely, very stressful on top of an all ready stressful day. You are right about staying somewhere overnight. I did that last summer when I realized the heat and my very late start was making me unsafe on the road. Called my sister and let her know I wouldn't be there until morning. Sorry about the migraine.
I used to hate driving at night especially if it was raining. Sorry to hear about the migraines. My wife used to suffer from them then she changed her diet, no more red meat and she no longer gets them. Spammers, I check my comments and banish them as soon as I see them. They need a life that is better than that. They are sad and pathetic.
Knock on wood, I have never had migraines. I know several people who suffer from them and it really sounds terrible. I have not tried night driving of any distance since I had my cataracts removed. Seriously, my surgery made such a difference in both the glare from other cars and my peripheral vision in seeing the curbs. However, under the conditions you described, I'm not sure the surgery would have helped my vision much. I think we often get into situations like this that we should have just hunkered in and waited for things to get better. I'm glad you made it safely and this is a good lesson for all of us to remember in the upcoming winter weather.
Children are an expression of the adults they see - and when you see some of the current crop of 'adults', their behaviour is easy to explain.
Or
Children have always behaved like this, its just that we now have enough time to see them doing what they have always done.
Who knows.
Cheers - Stewart M - Paris, France
So sorry to hear of your migraines. I have a friend who has a vintage car that he recently took to a car show. With the parents of a small child right there, the child "CLIMBED" on to the vintage car!!!!! The parents never said a word! No respect for anything or anyone.
I try never to drive in the dark and especially if it's raining. Just too hard to see.
I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas. xo
May I point out, with great respect, that you left the capital of Prince Edward Island, not the capitol. Capitol refers to a building, and is almost exclusively an American term.
Hello,
My hubby and I both do not like driving at night. The rain makes driving at night even worse, I agree it is best to spend the night some where. I suffer from migraines some times, I can only lay down in a dark room and wish my head would feel better. I take pill to help me sleep, if not I would be awake all night. I hope you feel better, take care. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! Enjoy your day, have a good week ahead.
My hubs hates driving in those conditions! I'm thankful you got home safely.
I agree about children and their parents. My kids are not the most well-behaved in the world but they know how to act in public. And I am very quick with a word or action that makes them rethink any type of unacceptable behavior. Then, I get the shocked looks from the younger parents. But, it is the older people who tell me how well-behaved my kids are.
I used to get migraines frequently. As I control my anxiety and stress levels, they have decreased, but like annoying sprites, tend to pop up at the most inconvenient times!
Moonless rainy nights are terrible for driving, aren't they? And so many drivers don't reduce their speed at all, making it harder still for those who do slow down for conditions. I'm glad you made it safely home.
I had a friend whose migraines were triggered by chocolate. I always felt sorry for her that she couldn't eat chocolate, and now I am the same, although for me the reason is IBS rather than migraines. It's amazing how diet can affect our bodies. And, as you said, how stress affects us even when we don't necessarily feel stressed.
I find driving on a dark night is an absolute nightmare, especially when it is wet and with oncoming traffic glare. I am so glad you made it home safely.
Many children are full of high spirits and mischief, but when parents let them run amok disturbing other people I find it very hard not to say something. And those spammers, well, they are just a pain in the neck!
Very sorry to hear you suffer migraines. I suffered for years from hormonal related migraines so you have my sympathy. Hopefully you are feeling much better now. Mxx
I received comments about "death to baby boomers" frequently during a month long blog event I participated in and my topic for the event was "Aging." You are right. What is wrong with people now-a-days? Thankfully I haven't seen it recently but I deleted it consistently.
I don't drive at night much any more either. And my roads are well marked and lighted.
I too am so sorry about your migraines. Thankfully I don't have them but know some friends that do and I wouldn't wish them on anybody.
Glad you made it home safely. We dislike driving at night and especially on the wet roads...the old eyeballs just aren't what they used to be.
On the topic of little ones today..I whole-heartedly agree.
Kids are definitely a reflection on their parents behavior and instruction.
I notice it in restaurants a lot. Shreiking for what they want and using what I used to call, "Their Outside Voices"..
Oh don't get me started...
Sue
I hate driving at night these days and if the weather is bad, yes rather stopover.
I agree about children in 'many places' being a nuisance to others, and parents not taking the slightest bit of notice. On the other hand, here in the country, in France, I comment regularly on how well behaved children of all ages are. Even the youngest will walk into a waiting room, say bonjour to all and sit quietly. In restaurants, I am always amazed how good the children are. Even when we have been in bigger towns here I find mostly very well behaved children. Cheers Diane
P.S. I used to get migraines so I feel for you. Finger crossed it is some years since I have had one.
For many, many reasons, I would have made a lousy father. I have absolutely no patience with children, and that sort of situation would bring out the worst in me.
I haven't seen that spammer. Yet.
I've never had issues with migraines. Occasionally a sinus headache, but migraines are worse.
sorry about bad driving experience dear Marie
glad you were safe , so true that parents are not concerned anymore what their children do or learn ,which is so sad indeed ,i believe that world need good and responsible parents who can raise healthy generations for this world and for their own good
i am so sorry for return of the migraine my friend! these are horrible indeed ,i used to have for few years back when i was young and with my parents
i agree that doctors of this era don't care for headaches until one is on the edge of grave (observations)
wishing you all the peace and happiness in your days ahead my friend !
I agree with your comments on children, but there are many that are well behaved too. I dislike driving at night and the rain certainly makes driving very difficult. I used to get migraines and the doctor would take my blood pressure to make sure it was ok and it always was, but after a particularly bad migraine on a holiday, I went back and he found my BP was very high so I was put on medication and I have not had a migraine since. I think BP medication is now used by some doctors to treat migraines. Hope you are feeling better. Have a great Christmas.
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