When it comes to gender roles in a marriage, many people expect the guy to be the aggressor while tabbing the girl as more of the passive personality. Sure, this stereotype plays out in some ways for Sidney and I. However, there is no denying one behavior that Sidney performs with much more fearlessness than me:

Driving.

When it comes to getting behind the wheel, I am a little bit of a grandma. Although I have received a couple speeding tickets in my lifetime, most of the time I am very cognizant of the speed limit. I also follow all other road regulations, I let people cut in front of me, and I slow down instead of speed up for yellow lights. It isn’t that I just refrain from making low risk moves, I sometimes yield toward caution in such an extreme way that I probably put myself and others in danger.

Sidney is the exact opposite. She will tell you that she is a crazy driver. Heck, what do you expect after years of driving in Myrtle Beach? She is a speed demon. Not wanting to let oblivious tourists mess with her plans, Sid will do what she feels necessary to get the upper hand on the road.

So, you might be asking, what is it like when the two of us drive together?

I must be honest, Sidney is a much better backseat driver than I am. If I extend a 10 minute drive into a 15 minute drive, she doesn’t say much. If I drive contently in the right lane for a little too long, she will usually just let me be. If I neglect to turn out onto a road because I feel a certain break in traffic doesn’t give me ample time to do so (even though it does), she won’t give me a hard time.

On the other hand………….

Although I don’t necessarily try to, I am much more of a nag as a passenger. Don’t call me a backseat driver, call me a backseat babysitter. My foot is constantly on the imaginary brake, I clutch the interior handle, and I brace myself when she starts to decelerate. If Sid is on her phone, I will subconsciously shoot glances her way. Usually she puts up with my nervous habits but at times it can drive her nuts. Unfortunately, my tense mannerisms have just gotten worse since Sloan was born.

We have our distinctive driving habits for sure. I could probably speed up a bit behind the wheel. When it comes to Sid, based on her driving record (it is pretty good), I can’t really argue with her style that much. My question is this: Am I the only guy in a marriage who is the more timid driver? Or do other dudes out there have spouses who put them to shame? Asking for a friend. Don’t Blink.