future generations will just have to charge it like we did

Girlfriend is learning to drive. I can tell that it will be a quick learning curve for her, which I think is a relief to us both. But she is just beginning, and she has problems with left turns. So today she kind of edges up to a green light, not sure what to do, and I realize that there's not enough time to say anything but "go" when she's asking what she should do. The driver behind us is honking, which throws her even more. But it's too late. Her hesitation leaves us right in the middle of the crosswalk at a red light. Our follower refuses to back up and give her room to back out of the intersection (I understand you're not really supposed to do this, but to me it's one of those grey areas - if it's possible to do it safely, I kind of expect it as a courtesy), so we're stuck.

Then this crony old woman glares at us and mutters something about bad driving as she crosses in front of us. For the first time, my girlfriend is on the other side of the driver-pedestrian standoff. I feel badly for her, so I roll down my window and yell, "Did you ever learn to drive?", which basically makes things worse since I'm now creating an even bigger scene at a busy intersection downtown, calling attention to her goof-up. But I honestly felt like hopping out of the car and grabbing the old carp by her hair and swinging her around for twenty minutes, so I feel like this comment, together with my calling her an old battle axe as we found our opportunity to exit, to be a fine display of restraint.

Driving is a culture of anger. It is all about entitlement and hurt feelings, personal boundaries and competitive melodramas. Consider: If I can just get in front of this car, I'll get to where I need to be faster than they will and I'll be that much further ahead of them in life! If I can keep pace with this coupe de teenage shitheads, I'll make sure they can't change lanes to pass the car in front of them, and that will teach those zitty little fuckers a valuable life lesson! I am a good person who deserves respect, so why is there not a parking spot for me?

Being a pedestrian is also a very confrontational choice. Every step off the curb is a promulgation of burning moral clarity - I have the right to be here! Who says I do not? Reclaim the streets! End the tyranny of the automotive age! I am here, and I am walking, dammit!

To which the standard motorist will respond: You are walking because you are not in a hurry to get where you are going! I am driving, ergo, I need to get to my destination in due haste! Get the fuck out of my fucking way, you self-righteous, pot-smoking, walking enthusiast hippie!

It's a real boar's nest.

And once she gets good enough that she feels comfortable, and not nervous or freaked out, and she'll even be able to react appropriately if something unforeseen happens, the fear of death will subside. But it's the whole driving culture thing that will last. She's going to experience that side of modern life. I feel a little guilty, in fact, for enabling it.