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LafayetteLady -> The Dreaded Driver's Permit (6/18/2010 4:47:39 PM)
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Life with my son has never been smooth, and as a teenager, I'm sure many of you share the pain of finding out how "stupid" you are, because of course, your teenager knows EVERYTHING now and your reign as the "Cool Mom" ends as your teen become embarassed by your clothes, walks 10' in front of you at the store, won't give you a hug or kiss in front of their friends, and finds spending time with their friends far more interesting than doing anything with you.
Anyway, the point of the above is that my "know it all" just turned 17. During the course of this just completed school year, he was in Driver's Education. We live in NJ and 17 is when you get your driver's license, 16 1/2 for the permit (after Driver's Ed and 6 hours of professional training). Well, my son determined that there was nothing his Driver's Ed teacher could teach him so he dropped the course. Naturally, he then proceeded to complain about how all of his friend's had permits (and were getting a good portion of the behind the wheel experience in my car) and he couldn't drive. The lesson of "natural consequences" in action.
Earlier this month my son turned 17. Today he woke me up at an unGodly hour to go take his written test which he had studied for all last night and this morning until he could wait no longer. Off we go to the DMV (now called the MVC for no logical reason). We all know how that works. Fill out this form, take it to that window, proceed to that desk, get a number, wait to be called, go to this window, move on to the next line, get your eyes checked, go to computer 2, touch the screen and hope for the best.
As my son is taking the test, I approach the one desk to ask the worker a question. Ok, I wanted to peer around the corner and see if I could tell how things were going. Oh boy, it's gonna be a bad day I think as I watch my son stupid slap himself in the head and vigorously shake his head back and forth in frustration over some question.
I step outside to have a smoke and pass the time. When I come back in, he is back at the last window talking with the worker. He sees me, and breaks out in a huge smile. He PASSED! By one point, but he passed. Most of his friends failed the first time, so he's on top of the world and of course begging for the keys, lol.
He drives us home, taking the long way of course and it isn't so bad, thank goodness. He had a IEP test to complete at school, so we go there even though he just wants to drive. He tells me he has plans later, and I tell him that's fine, whenever he wants to drive let me know.
Well, forget the plans, he calls after the test and wants to go highway driving. I had two girlfriends over, who both chose to come along for the ride.
Well, what a ride it was! Either he doesn't want to turn onto the street because the car 1/2 a mile away is coming, or he will risk it when there is a car right on top of us. As he turns his head one way, his hands turn the wheel the other way as if they are connected and can not move independently. He doesn't do TOO bad on the highway for a first day driver, but then he turns into the mall, so we can cut through and take the back roads home (rush hour is beginning).
I can say with complete certainty that we WILL NOT be working on his driving skills at the mall ever again! He is driving and a car up ahead is stopped. I'm waiting, waiting and waiting some more for him to either move to go around him on the right or slow down. Nothing. His eyes are on the road ahead, and must see this car in front and the bright brake lights. After all, I am blind as a bat and I could see them.
Finally I can't wait anymore, and I point out the car in front of him in a calm voice. Apparently, he was off somewhere else, because he didn't even respond. Then we move on to "car stop, stop! STOP, CAR!" as I reach over to grab the wheel in case I need to try and steer us around it at the last minute. At last he sees the car and swerves around, with barely any room to spare. My friends in the back and I are now laughing hysterically and making every joke we can think of about his driving and trying to kill us. Two of the three of us ladies have multiple injuries already and we don't need anymore!
Then there is the issue of coming to a stop. Apparently he seems to think that you wait until the last minute and rely on the brakes to bring you to a halt as close to the bumper of the car in front as possible. Let's not forget the turns in the road. Now most of us know you brake going into the turn and accelerate on the way out. Not him, he is doing it reversed, even though each an every time I nearly end up in his lap, I remind him.
The most fun of the day though was when we were trying to merge. I'm sure most of you have either seen, or played the game of who is going to merge where. You know, you don't leave room for someone to go in front of you, or you try to get in front of them. Well, my son, having seen me do it many times thinks he is ready to play. Of course, at 17 you are invincible and afraid of nothing and hell, it isn't his car anyway as he keeps trying to edge someone out on the right. My window and the other car's window is open. I've had more than enough for the day, my already painful back is in knots from the stress of my baby's first day on the road. So I turn to the man in the other car and politely tell him "This is my son's very first day driving, so you might want to reconsider trying to get in front of us for everyone's safety!" He smiles (he must be a father who has already suffered this fate) and let's us go.
Now my son was SURE I would be yelling at him at every turn. Throughout the day, the only time I yelled was with the stopped car, so I think I did really well. Honestly though, I don't know how I am going to do this for the next six months! I could feel my blood pressure rising each time I needed him to put on the brakes, lol.
I know our children must grow up. Mine has chosen to do so far too quickly. First he gets his girlfriend (who truly is no where near good enough for him) pregnant, and now he is driving.
So please everyone, pray to whoever you pray to that I survive the next six months and remain calm, cool and collected while my 17 year old learns that he is not trying to qualify for the Daytona 500 and it is the other people on the road that he must pay the most attention to.
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