My son just turned 16, and you know what that means. Yup, he got his driving permit, took and passed his written driving test (dammit) in spite of next to no studying, completed the 6 hours of driving instruction with a driving school that the state of New Jersey requires, and was ready to hit the road!
I, on the other hand, was reluctant to even get in the car with him at the wheel, but I did. He got in, adjusted his mirrors, put the car in drive, and off we went down the street. Very, very slowly. Which gave me plenty of time to notice that we were passing within, I'd say, 1/36th of an inch of the parked cars on our right. I said, "You're too close to these cars," and when he didn't instantly swing left, I repeated, "Too close, too close, too close!" in a voice that rose in pitch to a shreik.
"Mom, you don't have to yell," he said.
That was only the beginning. In the week that he's been driving, I've noticed some unfortunate tendencies on his part:
- He accelerates through turns.
- He zooms up to stop signs and slams on the brakes.
- Then he doesn't pull out far enough to see if it's safe to proceed before proceeding.
- He drives with only one hand on the wheel.
And I've had pointed out some equally unfortunate tendencies on my part:
- I scream the same thing over and over (Stop! Stop!! STOP!!!)
- I clutch the armrest on my door like it's going to save me.
- I strictly enforce the speed limit, even when the drivers behind us are honking.
- I may have mentioned more than once that we don't have enough alcohol in the house for me to go driving with him every day.
I realize that things are bound to get better with time. With experience, he'll become a better driver. And I'll calm down. In fact, once the tremor in my hands subsides and I can get my fingernails out of the armrest, I'm sure everything will be just fine
Carol! This is an terrific publication. I knew you had a great sense of humor from our many days lifting weights and sharing body odors at the Flow Studios, but your Lighter Side is hilarous!
Posted by: Barbara Azzoli | November 23, 2006 at 10:31 AM