Year End

How Covid Changed the Way I Drive

The pandemic wrecked havoc on our health, our economy, and our social skills, but it also brought our car critic a surprising gift.

Illustration: Klaus Kremmerz

 

Coronavirus taught me about space. Well, let me rephrase that—coronavirus changed the way I drive, and that taught me about space.

Space, I have come to understand with crystal clarity, is important for safety. “Please stay six feet apart,” and “maintain social distancing” were the mantras pounded into our heads through most of 2020. I got used to having calls with my editors on Nexi (Bloomberg’s own, proprietary Zoom), and conversations with friends through the rolled-down windows of our passing cars. Distant, indeed.