We’ve all been on the passenger side of a terrible driver and had an internal battle in our head about what to do.

It’s always awkward, but sometimes it’s also literally a life or death decision.

Read this story to see OP’s primal instincts kicking in and making the decision for her. I’m grateful she did!

Failed Malicious Compliance

Background to this: my mother is a terrible driver, gets very distracted, has had many accidents.

I’d have been in my late teens when this happened. We took her weekly spin to the grandparents house, in a village about an hours drive outside the city. It had been a few years since I’d been in the car with her (I’d chosen to live with my Dad a few years prior) so my tolerance to her driving had dropped significantly.

Several times as we drove out of the city, she had either run red lights, turned from the wrong lane or stayed sitting at the lights after they had changed to green ’cause she wasn’t paying attention. After I said something/squeaked in fear 3 or 4 times I was firmly told to shut up and not to say another word about her driving.

So I gripped the sides of my seat cushion and gritted my teeth and tried to come to terms with my mortality.

Reckless driving is dangerous enough when there are no obstacles and you’re looking at the road. It’s even worse if you’re driving blind and into construction!

About 20ks out of town on a long straight road my mother has driven literally a thousand times before, there were some unexpected roadworks in the distance. Couple of km’s down the road. Full visibility. Minimal traffic. One tiny red car stopped at the lights which are red in the distance.

I glance over and she’s looking out the side window, communing with the clouds. Cos that’s what she does.

Not to worry. She’ll eventually have to look at the road right?!! Right?!?? 😂 you don’t know my mother.

Now we’re a km away. Lights are still red. Car is still there and not so tiny. 800m. 500m. She’s still looking out the side window thinking deep cloud related thoughts. Still doing 80. I’m frankly petrified at this point ’cause my desire for malicious compliance is warring with my desire to live and we are still doing 80 and the not very small at all red car is still stopped at the red light.

I wonder if OP’s life flashed before their eyes like it happens in the movies.

At about 200m out my will to live wins out and I SCREAM STOPPPPP.

She slams on the brakes and a split second of anger rolls off her before she wakes the efff up, and we skid. Sliding forwards helplessly, I feel like I could see the eyes of the guy in front, in his rear view mirror looking at us with horror. Some trauma bonding I am sure.

Our car comes to a stop with only the slightest of crunching sounds. I think we must have shaved years off his life.

We all deal with trauma in different ways. I hope OP’s laughter was from nerves and not twisted delight.

The aftermath was a LOT of screaming from him. Hysterical laughing from me. Which did not help AT ALL.

Now let’s see if other people would have handled this differently.

I kind of want to be friends with this commenter.

I don’t drive, so I’m not sure this would bother me. I do like to get a ride, though.

A powerful reminder from this person that speaking out is definitely the right move.

Some people have no internal pressure to keep silent. Good for her!

It’s cliche, but desperate times really do call for desperate measures. I’m glad lots of people aren’t shy about taking action!

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.