Posted by Helen on: 10.27.2008 /
My son now has a driving permit!
He turned 15 1/2 last week. At that age his school provides paperwork allowing students enrolled in a future driver’s education course to get a permit.
He went to get the paperwork the day he turned 15 1/2 and asked if we could go to a driver’s license facility first thing Saturday. He spent his free time last week reading the Illinois Rules of the Road. In order to get a permit you have to pass a written test based on that book.
He was nervous about the written test but it turned out to be easy for him. By 9 a.m. Saturday he was the excited owner of a driving permit. As I expected, he was ready to find an empty parking lot on the way home and have his first driving experience. The weather wasn’t great - it was lightly raining - but he wasn’t going to let something like that put him off.
We found one and he drove around it for a while, nervous and thrilled at the same time. Then I drove back closer to home and he drove the last half mile or so on side streets.
An hour or so later he was going over to a friend’s house, so he drove there. In the afternoon we needed some groceries so he drove to the store and back.
Yesterday I took him out driving for an hour in the morning. We found another empty parking lot where he could practice going backwards. In the afternoon we wanted to go to an office supply store (our favorite family stores are office supply stores and bookstores) so he drove there and back.
I was surprised I wasn’t more nervous last week, knowing I’d be taking him out driving in a few days. I did wonder if I’d freak out after one driving experience on ‘real roads’. But it’s going ok. My daughter (13), who came grudgingly along on some of his driving expeditions because she wanted to go to the stores, probably would say I am quite nervous enough. But I thought it might be worse. I suppose it’s all relative :)
Today I’m planning to meet him in the car after school, a couple of blocks away, so he can drive home. I’d like him to get as much practice as he can before winter sets in and makes the roads much more difficult. Today’s weather is a reminder that winter is just around the corner: the high will only be in the low 40s (fahrenheit) with possible snow showers.
Comment by: Leo
1 10/27/08 6:45 AM | Comment Link |Helen, I will pray for you…it’s only just starting…
Soon, CD’s of bands you have never heard of will be found in the CD player of the “family” vehicle…
Magically, a new steering wheel cover will appear - in our case, one with Tinkerbell…because, Dad, your’s was “boring.” Sorry - Dad’s truck just doesn’t work with Tinkerbell on the steering wheel…
Then…classified adds left in obvious places, open to the used car pages. At first, it was dealership pages…then, it was the “for sale by owner” pages…then, some were highlighted…
New routes were discovered…strangely, they all seemed to pass places where cars with “for sale” signs on them were parked…
But worst of all…that dreaded phone call…the one we all are afraid of…the one that leaves us shaking…the INSURANCE company calls, to congratulate us on our new driver, and tell us the updated rates…
Truly, the scariest one for me was watching my little girl grow up before my eyes, take on new responsibility, and take her new car seriously. No games in her car…no stereo blasting (shocked her sister, who is our informant - she told a friend to turn it down while they were driving so it wouldn’t distract her…).
So, Helen - put on your seat belt - the fun is just starting!
Comment by: Helen
2 10/27/08 10:07 AM | Comment Link |Thanks for the heads-up and prayers Leo :)
Comment by: Jason Horton
3 10/28/08 2:25 AM | Comment Link |Eek! You drive young in America. By a strange coincidence I was talking about this just last night with Hil. We’ve concluded that teaching kids to drive years before they can buy alcohol is probably a good idea.
Comment by: Helen
4 10/29/08 4:06 AM | Comment Link |Jason, I’m mostly used to the young driving age, having lived here for 20 plus years.
There are restrictions on drivers under 18 who get licenses - they are not allowed to drive late at night or have more than one other under 18 year old in the car with them.
I like how driver’s education (which includes driving practice) is part of the school curriculum (it’s optional and there is a specific fee for the course but I think it’s worth it).
Comment by: gecko
5 10/29/08 12:57 PM | Comment Link |It’s astonishing how early youngsters in America get to drive! Here in Switzerland they can order a learners licence for the 18th birthday at the earliest. Then they have to have a minimum of ten lessons with a certified driving-teacher. When driving privately somebody who has had his driving-licence for at least three years has to sit in the other front-seat. Before anybody is allowed to do the final driving test, they have to do a theory-course and pass a theory-exam, which includes almost every possible tricky situation. A first-aid course (five evenings) is also obligatory. Then, finally, they are allowed to do THE driving-test, where an expert takes them into the thick of a city and tests them inside out. About half of all don’t pass the first time. All of this costs at least 2000 Swiss francs, for most of us it’s more. One driving lesson costs about 90 francs, dependent, where exactly you live. So here it’s a big deal to learn how to drive and many do extra jobs to have the money.
Comment by: Helen
6 10/29/08 1:20 PM | Comment Link |Yes, it’s different here. In England when I was learning to drive it was more like in Switzerland. You didn’t have to have professional lessons but the test was rigorous and so you did need instruction from someone who would teach you all the details they check for in the test.
I’m glad they at least have restrictions on teenage drivers here.
Comment by: Shelly Haggerty
7 10/29/08 5:45 PM | Comment Link |What’s everyone doing for safety precautions for Halloween? My husband came across an article (http://i-newswire.com/pr220892.html) with some info about background checking neighbors. I thought that may be a little overboard but it had some other good suggestions for some precautions I haven’t thought about. Last year my youngest son came down with a massive fever after Halloween. I almost thought about just taking the kids to our church’s fall festival this year instead of door-to-door to prevent that from happening again. I don’t know yet. What’s your advice? Am I over-reacted or just being a concerned mom?
Comment by: Helen
8 10/29/08 5:54 PM | Comment Link |Thanks for the question, Shelly. I’ve reposted it as a new post so people will see it.
If anyone has a response to Shelly please post it on the new post.
Comment by: gecko
9 10/31/08 12:50 PM | Comment Link |Hi Helen,
probably driving is more stressed and agressiv here than in America. I was in your beautiful country twice, and driving felt relaxing and peaceful in comparison. As our cities are mostly much older, the streets are narrower and less logical than in newer cities. Do you know how the tenth of a second is defined here in Zurich? It’s the time-slot between the traffic light goes green and the one behind you honks. And there’s something to it!