What's The Worst Experience You Had As A Passenger?

Photo: Kathleen Finlay (Getty Images)

Sadly, we can’t drive ourselves all the time. You’re heading out to an event, alcohol will definitely be present and you’re going to drown yourself in beverages. Being a responsible adult, you ask a friend to be a designated driver, call for a taxi or get a ride on a rideshare app. However, the drive itself isn’t always pleasantly uneventful.

Forget Autonomy, Drivers Still Want Control

Today, I want to know the worst experience you’ve ever had as a passenger. Did the vehicle smell like an animal’s corpse was decaying under one of the seats? Was the car’s engine making a sound like a bunch of wrenches rattling inside a metal bucket? Did you spend the entire drive fearing the person behind the wheel didn’t know what side of the double-yellow line to be on?

I don’t want to call out anyone in my life directly, but distracted driving is my biggest red flag. I’m talking about holding a phone in your hand and staring at the screen as you’re hurtling down the interstate over the speed limit. I don’t care how qualified and experienced a driver is. If they aren’t looking at the road, all that ability is worth absolutely nothing. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, 3,522 people were killed in crashes involving distracted driving in 2021.

Please share your worst passenger experiences in the comments below. I want to know what you have endured while sitting away from the controls, with no way to respond other than complaining or getting out.