It’s pretty brief, but for some context: my family has two cars, a newish one, and one from like 2014/2015. The old one doesnt have the bells and whistles most cars have nowadays and the new one does, like lane adjusting.
Now for the story
My sister (F17) doesn’t really drive the old car while I (M19) do. She was taught how to drive in the new car, which means she’s very used to the lane adjusting and better brakes than I was when I was taught with the older car.
It was a rare thing that she was driving me home instead of me driving her (she usually likes to drive, but most the time we drive separately), and, as the anxious man I am, will point out if she’s drifting out of the lane a bit, even if there aren’t any cars around (you’ll get in a car crash with the car you don’t see, after all). I own the car in all but name, paying most if not all the expenses and maintaining it. It’s also very crucial since having that car means I can easily go to and from work to home or wherever I need to go.
This happened this morning. We were driving home and the road was curved a bit to the left. Without the lane adjust, my sister started drifting out of her lane a bit. I say "Hey, you’re drifting a bit…" and she gets really mad. I don’t remember what she said exactly, but it was something about having no cars around and then she jerkily swerved into the other lane to prove her point.
It honestly really freaked me out. She gets angry or frustrated really easily, and as someone who isn’t made for confrontation, I don’t argue back. The best I could say was a quiet "You get into accidents with the cars you don’t see." to which she just told me to shut up because she’s been driving for about two years at this point.
I really don’t know why she was mad. Maybe it’s because I’m doubting her skill? I’m just trying to make sure she doesn’t accidently get into a wreck, and cause the family to only have one car.
AITA?
NTA. She’s drifting into the other lanes. That makes her a hazard on the road. She’s too used to all the tech correcting her poor driving. She has no right to get angry when she’s the one being reckless. The swerving thing was particularly dangerous. You should consider talking to your parents about her poor driving and how she’s acting after being told she’s drifting which is already hazardous to do.
NTA. She seems really defensive about her driving, but let’s not forget she’s really young, you both are, and you’re trying to help her become a better driver for her own safety.
Ultimately, absolutely NTA
Getting too comfortable makes it so when the things you’re comfortable with go away, you’re left without skills to fill the void. Not to mention, you’re her older brother, even if by a little bit, and it’s your job to make sure she’s okay. Personally, correcting poor driving even once would disqualify a person from ever driving me anywhere again.
I don’t recommend that extreme of a measure, but please do sit and talk with her, that her behavior isn’t okay when you were simply helping fill a skill void. That’s potentially lifesaving advice, especially in a car; pay attention to the road and where you are in it, even if the car’s devices tell you you’re fine.
Lane adjust is dangerous and should never have become an option.
I wonder about this. The safety features are great but what if a driver depends on them without learning how to do without?
Try giving a cyclist 3 feet of space or someone walking a dog.
NTA
It’s a good thing that you are telling your sister about the drifting because she could seriously get herself or someone else hurt on the road if more people were on the street during the drifting part. You are being her older brother and making sure that she doesn’t get into a wreck in the future.
NTA. She sounds like she has a huge chip on her shoulder. If she can’t maintain her lane, she shouldn’t be driving.
NTA and tell your parents what happened
NTA….. You were looking out for your safety and the car you pay for, while your sister showed dangerous over reliance on technology. Her retaliatory swerve was an immature and unsafe reaction to a valid safety concern.
NTA
This is something worth snitching about. *Especially* the way she intentionally jerked into the other lane in response. You need your parents, not Reddit. Between negligence and road rage, she’s going to get herself and others hurt.
NTA, your sister isn’t mature enough to be in control of a vehicle with the capacity to kill people
While I don’t usually condone back seat driving, in this case it was a safety issue that needed to be said. Your comment that”You get into accidents with the cars you don’t see,” is spot on.
INFO:
“Maybe it’s because I’m doubting her skill?”
What’s the history with you two here? And with your family. If she regularly gets talked down to because she’s younger and female, I could see her snapping at you. Doesn’t make her swerving right, and hopefully she will reflect later and realize it’s something she should watch out for. But maybe you might want to also reflect on how you treat her and if her reaction is just about this one incident, or something more?