How to Drive With Jalopnik’s Kristen Lee
Everyone seems to think they’re great drivers, but your worn bumper might disagree. How can we learn to improve our driving in an age of endless distractions? Do you even need to have a car these days? We talk with the writer of the magazine Jalopnik Kristen Lee about cars in the city more safe driving and the merits of the mechanical box of transfers.
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Discussion this week
Driving in the 21st century is no longer what it used to be. Many of us in the city don’t even own a car and instead rely on apps like Uber and Lyft when we need a ride, or Zipcar for longer errands. Kristen admits that even though she’s a car freak, many of us don’t really need her. (Of course, this is a very different conversation depending on where you live.)
But for those of us who really drive, how the hell can we get better? A lot of it comes down to just attention. Pay attention to where everyone else on the road intends to go, and pay attention to how your own actions will be interpreted by the drivers around you. Kristen recommends that you look the driver in the eye, as his gaze will tell you which direction he intends to move, regardless of his flasher (or lack thereof). Modern cars are replete with sensors and cameras, but they don’t really believe in their ability to warn you. A nerve robot isn’t always the best co-pilot.
Listen to the show to learn about how Kristen became interested in cars herself, the future of self-driving vehicles, and my emotional confession that she never learned to drive. (It’s okay. Okay, if I don’t want to travel around Europe.)
Our weekly updates
Every week we like to wrap up the show with small improvements we’ve made to our lives. This week we’re talking about shame, comfort, and toys.
- Kristen : Kristen learned that shame is a great motivator to go to the gym. Kristen! Shame is not the most pleasant life hack with motivation, but she’s her own bad boss.
- Melissa : Melissa has rediscovered the wonders of the hot water bottle. A heating pad can relieve both the mind and the body from all sores and adversities. Maybe not in your mind, but it’s definitely convenient. Kristen recommends sitting on it like a chicken sitting on a nest – if the nest warms the chicken. Essentially a reverse chicken.
- Andy : I treated myself to a model kit. I don’t really care about the final product; it is a process that relaxes me , the careful, methodical assembly of an intricate object. My current project is the Strandbeest Model Kit .
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Try to keep your questions as short as possible. That means 3-5 sentences for emails and 30-60 seconds for calls and videos. Your questions may be specific, but broader questions are generally better because they apply to more people. In any case, we look forward to hearing from you.