Off the Bus

A few years ago, I was wrapping up a lesson with a teen on a dark and stormy night when my phone started to buzz.

(And keep in mind...there are few things I fear more than a phone call. 😅 I'd rather be able to see the person for some blunt nonverbal social cues.)

"Safe Pass Driving School! This is Max! How can I help?"

The person on the other end and I connected right away. She had done some research on Safe Pass and knew a bit about our reputation and the population of folx who tend to reach out to us intentionally.

She shared her experience of taking public transportation everyday...how unsafe she felt...the disgusting, derogatory things men would say to her and in her direction...the sounds they would make...the stares they would give.

Imagine that (and considering that you're reading this, it probably isn't tough for you to do!)...you're just trying to live your life, to do your thing, to get to work, to visit a friend, to contribute to society...and you find yourself harassed by others simply for existing as you.

"Max...I need to get off the fucking bus."

She registered for lessons that day. She was on my schedule within less than 24 hours. A month and a half later, she passed her road test and got her license.

She bought a car.

She got off the bus.

Did her license solve everything? Of course not. But the benefits to her mental and physical health will ripple throughout the rest of her life, and some of them were immediate.

Safety above all else. And that's exactly what we do here, each and everyday (Ok...not on Sundays. We sleep in late on Sundays.). We're honored to help the folx who need us most achieve a sense of safety and independence that, perhaps, they've never known.

With that mission in mind, we keep moving forward.

Stay safe in whatever ways you can, friends. The SP community is here to help with that. All our love 💚

🌺 Max