One day, I was driving home after a long day at work. My wife was in the backseat. She started backseat driving right away. 'Watch out for that car!' she yelled. I calmly told her I saw it. But she continued, 'You're going too fast in this neighborhood.' I tried to explain that I was within the speed limit. However, she just couldn't stop giving me 'advice' all the way home. It was a bit annoying but also kind of funny in a way.
It could be that in the 'wife after party drive home story', she picked up a hitchhiker on the way home. She was kind - hearted and wanted to help the person out. They had an interesting conversation during the drive which made her drive home seem shorter.
The wife in the backseat on the drive home could also be using the time to plan the rest of the evening. Maybe she's thinking about what to wear for a dinner party later, or what groceries she needs to pick up on the way home for tomorrow's breakfast.
On the drive home, the wife in the backseat could have been occupied with some work she brought home. Maybe she was reading through some important documents, making notes on her tablet. Or she might have been on a call, discussing some urgent matters with a colleague, all while being on the way back home.
She might have been tired after the party. So when she started driving home, she was looking forward to getting into her warm bed. She drove slowly and carefully, enjoying the quiet of the night.
You can communicate with her calmly. Let her know that her constant comments make you a bit distracted while driving. For example, say something like 'Honey, I understand you're concerned, but your comments are making it hard for me to focus.'
There could be a situation where the wife was quiet in the backseat because she had an argument with her husband before getting in the car. She didn't want to continue the argument in the presence of others, like their kids if they were in the car. So she sat in the backseat quietly, waiting for the right moment to either resolve the issue or just let it pass.
Perhaps it's a story where the wife is 'ridden' with emotions or stress during the drive home. For example, she might be worried about something at home or work, and that's weighing on her during the journey.
One consequence could be that the husband becomes resentful. If he constantly has no say during the drive home, he might start to feel like his opinions don't matter in other aspects of the relationship too.