{"items": [{"author": "Todd", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/112947709146257842066", "anchor": "gp-1345176117309", "service": "gp", "text": "I do this a lot too, though I don't know that I've ever really stopped and thought about why, nor have I ever noted any acknowledgement or reaction from the driver (save in instances where the driver's view is obstructed and they ask for my help).\n
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\nActually, I think I do it more often with turns than lane changes.", "timestamp": 1345176117}, {"author": "Danni", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/335989746495258?comment_id=336015446492688", "anchor": "fb-336015446492688", "service": "fb", "text": "I'm pretty sure I do it out of instinct/habit, not out of any inherent lack of \"trust\" in the driver. But as for the question, \"Why don't I trust [my friend] to drive carefully?\"...well, I don't really trust anyone to drive carefully. It doesn't matter how much I like someone, or how well they demonstrate kind, thoughful behavior outside of a car. Most people who drive don't always drive 100% carefully, and sometimes even the best of drivers makes a mistake!", "timestamp": "1345182167"}, {"author": "Darren", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/335989746495258?comment_id=336119153148984", "anchor": "fb-336119153148984", "service": "fb", "text": "To follow Oliver: moreover, it's not that I don't trust the driver of the vehicle I'm in, but you can't always trust that other drivers on the road won't do something unpredictable. It's always good to have an extra pair of eyes.
If this bothers your driver, simply explain your reasoning, and I bet most people will be very pleased that you're looking out for them.", "timestamp": "1345208848"}, {"author": "Josh", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/118273920476267337216", "anchor": "gp-1345213159700", "service": "gp", "text": "I think the big problem is that if the driver is actually aware of the situation, and a passenger shouts at them, it can be very distracting, to the point of causing problems. As a driver, I've definitely had the experience of passengers shouting \"look out!\" at me about something that I was already aware of and in the process of avoiding, and I then had to stop doing \nthat\n and spend half a second figuring out what I needed to do. Never to the point of a collision, but definitely in ways that made my driving less safe.\n
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\nI think \"don't shout at the driver\" is a good general rule. :^p\n
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\n...except, obviously, when it isn't. Hard.", "timestamp": 1345213159}, {"author": "Robert", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/117732328885787456164", "anchor": "gp-1345217668347", "service": "gp", "text": "I suspect that this becomes a habit of people who also drive regularly. John and I frequently drive a few blocks on Franklin St. (Cambridge),and I've noticed that, as a passenger, there's a strong inclination to look to the right at River St. to see if there's a sufficient gap in the traffic so it's safe to cross. But then I noticed, as a driver, that if the passenger leans forward to look down River St. he obscures the driver's view. So I asked John not to do that, and I try to remember not to do it myself.", "timestamp": 1345217668}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103013777355236494008", "anchor": "gp-1345222370782", "service": "gp", "text": "@Josh\n\u00a0I try pretty hard to only alert the driver if I'm sure they not already aware of it, but I do mess up sometimes.\n
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\n(When people have complained to me it's not for overalerting but for my checking indicating a lack of confidence.)", "timestamp": 1345222370}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103013777355236494008", "anchor": "gp-1345222410955", "service": "gp", "text": "@Robert\n\u00a0Leaning forward is different. \u00a0But there's a lot you can do with a casual look and no torso movement. \u00a0Though it might depend on\u00a0flexibility.", "timestamp": 1345222410}, {"author": "S.", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/113757148057552366706", "anchor": "gp-1345302041138", "service": "gp", "text": "(background: I went to high school with Julia and I've been silently following things you both say on giving, so, of course, the post I feel compelled to say something about is about driving.)\n
\nI'm short (5'2\") and drive in LA rush hour more often than anyone should.\u00a0 Pretty much any movement on the part of my passengers means I have to change positions to maintain a clear view, so I \nhate\n it when people do this, especially if it's at a critical juncture.\u00a0 If I have to do a particularly challenging merge, I will often ask the passenger to help look, but then I can prepare for them moving around.", "timestamp": 1345302041}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103013777355236494008", "anchor": "gp-1345468732478", "service": "gp", "text": "@Sarah\n\u00a0That makes sense. \u00a0When I look over my shoulder I'm careful not to lean forward at all. \u00a0I just rotate my head at my neck.", "timestamp": 1345468732}]}