Every Sunday Charlene’s immediate family would go for a Sunday drive.

Charlene grew up in the city of San Francisco.  She had a mother and father and one older sister.  Every Sunday they would all go to church then go for a Sunday drive.  They had this tradition as far back as she can remember and it lasted until she and her sister were in their early teens.   They would go to different places like visiting their father’s office, going to Fisherman’s Warf, or even just driving around the city.

Taking a Sunday drive is a very common tradition, whether it is with family or friends.  Sunday has often been thought of as a day to relax, stemming from the bible when god took the seventh day off.  Driving around can often be a very relaxing activity, especially in a beautiful place like San Francisco. By making the Sunday drive a family activity, Charlene’s family was actually combining two traditions, Sunday driving and family time.  Many families have a specific time when they spend time together and share about their lives.  They would drive around the city and talk, go on adventures, or even visit their father’s office so they could see what was going on first hand.

Driving was an activity it’s self because not many people drove places of even had cars in San Francisco.  Charlene’s family had a car but they often took public transportation, as did most people in the city.  Charlene did not even get her license until she was 18 and moved away because the public transportation was so good in San Francisco.

Taking a Sunday drive is a common tradition and can be very relaxing.  When I first got my license, my friends and I would often just drive around, especially down the coast of California.  This often happened on Sundays because we did not have school.  We would go to church, then get in my car, put the top down, and drive down Pacific Coast Highway, sometimes stopping at the beach.  This became a tradition between my friends and I long before I knew my mother had the same tradition with her family.

The Sunday drive has taken on a negative connotation over the years.  People going for a Sunday drive often take their time.  In today’s world people are often rushing to get places, even on Sundays.  This creates a problem when one person is trying to rush somewhere and the car in front of them is taking their time.  I have even heard my dad say on several occasions, “Oh great, we’re stuck behind a Sunday driver,” implying that the person driving was taking their time.