I have recently noticed a disturbing trend during road trips with my wife of more than 30 years.
As we visit our college-age children at their campus, we regularly face car rides of three hours or more. I willingly drive, and that’s my wife’s preference as well, although she would take a shift without issue.
After a short time, she will retreat to her phone. I will try to continue a conversation, but I will get short answers and no attempt at real participation. We have a great marriage, and communication is not an issue, nor is phone use a problem during other moments. I get that she is trying to make a boring car ride go quickly; and I don’t need help staying awake, navigating or maintaining concentration on the road. I will inevitably put on a podcast or music and life goes on. However, I find myself annoyed and think the behavior is slightly rude. I feel there is an unwritten rule that if you ride “shotgun”, your role is to engage with the driver. Am I off base here?Ah, shotgun. The vice president of the car.
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