What happens when your car breaks down on the motorway

The cars were going by so fast, they created little pulses of air that buffeted my car. It looked almost bullied. As if they were boys in a secondary school corridor and my little car has just dropped all its study notes on the ground. Just looking for an understanding glance from another pupil.

But there is no understanding. Just people giving a fleeting glance that says “I’m glad it’s not me” It was me. Broken down on the side of the motorway.

Broken down is a familiar experience from childhood days. Our Fiat Mirifiori were fine lumps of cars in some ways but they would sometimes break down, chiefly on the way to the seaside. Sometimes a push would sort you out, sometimes not. The pushing of a car locks pusher and pushee in an interesting dynamic. For the average – especially male – human, getting a car moving is a triumph of strength. It’s proof that not all muscles have atrophied since you’ve been tamed behind a desk. But there comes a question how long to push for. You blame the driver for not being able to start the car “after you did all you could for them”. For the pushee, there comes a moment where you just want the helper to go away because you’re progressively being pushed into a more dangerous position.