I saw this story in the Daily Mail today.
Girls with their eyes on the rearview mirror and one hand clutching the mascara or lipstick are to blame for nearly half a million accidents a year, it was revealed yesterday.
I’ve seen quite a few doing this, particularly first thing in the morning. Women often don’t seem to be able to accept that the car isn’t an extension of their homes, and behave behind the wheel as they would in their kitchens or bathrooms. Selfishly.
When I’m with pupils, people-watching can be fun. When a female driver stops at lights, the first thing she often does – even before putting the handbrake on – is lean over and toussle her hair! Or that thing women do, where they appear to be rubbing in face cream with their middle fingers just below their eyes. Or turn completely around to do or say something to the baby in the back seat (that one scares me: they often have a kid in back, and yet appear to be oblivious to the world outside). Or lean over and duck below seat level to do something in the glovebox or on the floor – and miss the lights changing.
One thing you see a lot of: badly adjusted mirrors! If you can’t see the side of their heads or their eyes in that rearview mirror, then they can’ see you. And it’s because they have it adjusted so they can see themselves!