Pull over
Today’s expression is an easy one, but it’s one you need to know. That phrase is, “pull over.” What does it mean to pull over? It means to drive to the side of the road and come to a stop—or, to make someone else do that.
There are many ways to enjoy Yellowstone National Park. If you want, you can get off the main roads and explore the backcountry. But that might not be your style. Maybe you’d rather see some attractions close to the road. If that’s the case, you’re in luck. There are so many places to pull over and enjoy attractions or good views. When you “pull over,” you just stop on the side of the road.
At Yellowstone, there are a lot of areas where the roadway is just a bit wider than normal. There is only enough space for two or three cars to pull over and see a waterfall or an attraction. In other cases, you might find a larger parking lot. You can use “pull over” with either one. The important thing with “pull over” is that you’re moving to the side of the road and you’re continuing your journey. This is not a term that you use when you’re talking about your destination.
Here are a few more examples. I pulled over to get some gas. That means you stopped along the way to get gas. I got an important phone call, so I pulled over to take it. I didn’t want to talk while driving. You just move to the side of the road and stop. I pulled over to let the ambulance pass. They were in a hurry and I didn’t want to be in the way, so I pulled over to let the ambulance go by.
If you have mechanical trouble in your car, you should pull over as soon as it is safe to do so. In fact, before I took my long car trip to Yellowstone, I had my car checked out by a mechanic. Soon after leaving the shop, I noticed a problem. I pulled over immediately and had the repair shop come look at it.
There is another way to use “pull over.” When a police car makes you stop on the side of the road, we say that the police officer pulled you over. Have you ever been pulled over by the police? Have you ever been driving and seen those flashing lights behind you? It’s not a fun feeling, let me tell you. I was pulled over about two years ago. The police use radar guns to measure your speed. If you’re going too fast, they’ll pull you over and give you a ticket. The officer that pulled me over must have been in a good mood: he didn’t give me a ticket, but instead gave me a verbal warning.
Quote of the Week
During my recent trip to Yellowstone, I kept thinking how fortunate we are that our nation’s early leaders protected this area. At the time, there was no such thing as a “national park” and the ethics of western exploration were, shall we say, not enlightened. People used land for their immediate aims without thinking of the future. Almost as soon as the park was discovered, the US Army came in to administer and protect the area, and to this day it has been preserved for anyone to come see, for a modest entrance fee. In these days of dysfunctional and divisive politics, it’s nice to look back on a truly amazing accomplishment by the leaders of the day.
So with that in mind, here is a quote from a former US president, Theodore Roosevelt, who played a large part in the protection of public land and the establishment of our many national parks. Here’s what he said: “We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and each one must do his part if we wish to show that the nation is worthy of its good fortune.”
“We have fallen heirs”—meaning, we have inherited—this great public land, and, he said, we must all do our part to be worthy of such good fortune.
See you next time!
That’s all for today. I had such a nice time visiting Yellowstone, so I had to share it with all of you. If you ever have any interest in visiting, I say, do it. Coming up on Thursday, we’ll talk about what it’s like to stay in a hotel in the age of COVID.
And for those of you who are Plain English Plus+ members, I’ll release a bonus episode in your podcast feed about what I did at Yellowstone. If you’re a Plus member, you can find that right in the same place you listen to the fast version or via a link in the transcript. I’ll also post it in the forums. No transcript, no web site—just a little bonus content for you, since I had so much that I couldn’t fit into today’s lesson.
If you’re not yet a member of Plain English Plus+ , you can join very easily by visiting Plain English Plus+ . Plus members get access to a fast version of the program, interactive forums, video lessons, courses, and so much more. You can join by visiting PlainEnglish.com/Plus
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