Drivin' Down the Road...

 

  (With apologies)

The time has come the mother said, to talk about many things, of driving tests and teenagers, and licenses and things.

Get the idea?  It's winter in New England and the time is running out on Abe's learner's permit.  Driving has never been a huge motivator for him, even though he is 18 now, but with his Dad not driving, I really need to have another driver in the house.

And with Abe away at boarding school most of the time, getting a driving test scheduled is pretty tight.  We (I) weren't able to book it so that Abe took his test through the driving school that he had used, so he had to go over with his Dad.  Oops.  One additional problem, testing is required to be performed in a car that has at least an emergency brake in the center console.  Quick- think about your car.  Where is the emergency brake?  It's probably a foot pedal on the floor.  Brrapp!  Wrong answer, as far as the Registry is concerned.  So Abe could NOT take the test in the car that he was most familiar with; we had to borrow a car from a friend.

The long and short story was that Abe failed the raod test the first time that he took it, primarily because the borrowed car was a lot more sensitive on the gas pedal than the family car.

Dad did not explode but I told him to go back into the registry and renew Abe's learner's permit.  Another oops.  In between the time that Abe got his permit and now, the rules of the game were changed to be more stringent.  So they would have to get Abe a brand new permit under the new rules and he'd have to go to driver's ed AGAIN, but even longer.  That isn't going to happen. 

So now it's try to schedule the test again within one month.  This time, we were able to schedule it to go with the driving school (much moola, though). And we hope for the best.

Up bright and early to try again.

Deep sigh.  He failed again.  Now I have to figure out when he's going to re-take it AGAIN.  After the test, he spent several hours driving me around.  If only, I can get him to take the test in the driving school car, but after several hours of driving me around.  Hmmmm.

Abe may not have been anxious to get his license, but let me tell you, little sister Rosie certainly is.  She has it all mapped out.  She'll take the 1 week class during next year's school vacation week in February and then right after that, she'll be 16 and eligible for her permit. Zoom, zoom and she's off!

(In her dreams!)

Comments

[Ilona]

I have a similar dynamic with my younger two. Adam (19) still doesn't have his license, and Rebekah (15) is counting the days till she can get her learner's permit! Though recently (and likely because of a prolongued bus strike in our city), Adam has talked of buying his own car.

Guess that means he'll be learning to drive? :-)

[Indigo]

My daughter was taught to drive our truck with a cab in the back. We figured if she could drive the truck, she could drive anything. Wrong. Every car she tested with was smaller and way too easy to manuever. So after the 4th time. She crossed borders and went into PA instead of NY. Wouldn't you know she passed (strangeness there). I do have to admit Paul (my other half) taught her to drive. I don't know how many times he came home mumbling, white as a sheet and locked himself in his music room.

Today the kid drives in all kinds of weather. Good thing she lives out in the booney's in the mtns. of PA. (Hugs)Indigo

[songbird]

My daughter Jen took the road test 3 times before she passed it. Around here you can getr your license at 16 1/2 but she didn't get hers until she was 17 1/2. my younger daughter Becca is 16 1/2 and has per permit, and will take a 5-month driver's ed class in school starting in february, with plans to get her license in May.

[songbird]

and Ora,

if you have the time, I've tagged you on my blog:

http://songbirdscrazyworld.blogspot.com/2009/01/thanks-suzannei-think-honest-scrap.html

[the planet of janet]

none of my kids except my stepdaughter drove before the age of 18.

and z-man (19)? still doesn't.

roo, however, is counting the minutes. shoot me.

[Zayna]

I personally didn't get my own driver's license until I was in my late 20's...and a mother of two.

Son, 20, still doesn't have his despite living on his own and having a good job that could afford him a car.

Daughter, 13, has already stated that she can't wait to learn.

Anyone else think it strange that our Daughters seem more interested than our Sons?

Growing up, it was always the boys who were more keen to get their licenses...what's changed?

[Ora]

WE've booked it one more time with the driving school. Hopefully I'll be able to get a time for a lesson also so he;ll be able to get used to the car. Not this coming weekend, but the next one. Keep praying.

[Daisy]

Wishing you and Abe luck! La Petite (now 22) did a lot of driving with me. Her father was and still is too much of a backseat driver to do the teaching part of it. Amigo? He's blind. For better or for worse, driving won't be one of his tests.