At last! Our long family nightmare is over. Grant has his driver's permit from the Texas Department of Public Safety as of 4:59 PM, Friday, August 27.
An article in the Dallas Morning News some months back cited the trend of High Schoolers obtaining their Driving permits/licenses later in life. The author & sociologist speculated that the rite of passage that was once embodied in the DL, has lost some of its potency with the rise of Facebook, texting and cell phone communication, facilitating a sense of independence that was once reserved for physically driving away from the parent's home. All sociology is suspect in my estimation, but maybe sometimes they are correct. The trend of late licensing certainly has resonance with our experience with Grant. He has never shown much interest to- head out on the highway, heavy metal thunder, born to be wi-ild! Content to stay in touch with friends via computer and cell phone.
A proto-driver is eligible to begin the licensing process at age 15. Late in his 15th year, after some prodding, Grant got the mandatory form (VOE) from the school office to verify that he was not a drop out on the road to alcohol; because the state insists that you be 18 before you drive our highways like and angry drunk. I think we citizens would be served just as well if we dropped the suggestive name highway and referred to our major thoroughfares as "sane and sober-ways". A name change, preferably with a hyphen, will fix everything. On this my canine-American companion is in complete agreement with me. We printed the application online, filled it out and mailed it and $20 to Austin to get the "Parent-taught Instruction Manual and Education Log". Grant's job was to slog through the Texas Driver's Manual (included) and then go online to answer questions at the end of the chapters. Did you know that it is illegal to drive drunk now? Also, the mixture of drugs and driving is punishable by law? Motivation flagged for this informative online process, and then the 3 month window for the VOE expired.
Grant turned 16, but seemed to be mostly OK without a license.
Grant turned 17, but seemed to be mostly OK without a license.
A new state law passes, and the online "Parent-taught Driver Course" is no longer valid. You must now buy a state approved computer course with online testing capabilities and will be issued a Certificate of Completion once the student passes. It is still illegal to drive drunk and punishable by law to be stoned and behind the wheel. We opt to buy the cheapest computer course at $109, thus saving $150 over the "fun and entertaining" instruction kit. With some prodding, Grant slogs through this course and receives his certificate. But his VOE has once again expired.
His sister returns home for the Summer and harangues her brother for his slackerness. But, too late, one can not get a new VOE until school opens, unless you come to the District Office. Inga drives Grant to get his new VOE from the District. Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect VOE; they do not issue those forms on Fridays. More Slackerness in the face of bureaucracy.
School starts, and the Office issues another VOE. Two days later, Grant gathers School photo ID, passport, Social Security Card, Certificate of Completion for Parent-taught Drivers Instruction and study log and application form and headed to the DPS with Mom. Whoops! Application form must be notarized and signed by Officially designated Driving Instructor, Dad. Mom calls and says they need my notarized signature and will come by my office with the form. There is a bank on the first floor of my building with notaries. I sign the form, get a notary stamp and the two weary travelers return to the DPS, leaving the bank at 4:10. They present the forms, and Selma (or was it Patty) looks everything over and then requests her supervisor to rule on whether Grant can apply for his permit with his mother, rather than his father who is the Official Driving Instructor? The supervisor says that the answer would be no, but since we have my notarized signature, he will allow Grant to take the test.
Grant begins answering the 24 multiple-choice question: What is the stopping distance of a 2300 pound car traveling at a speed of 50 MPH? What is the average flight velocity of a European Swallow? Is it legal to be drunk and operate a car weighting 2300 pounds? What is the legal distance you must leave between a parked car and a fire hydrant? What is your favorite color? The provision is that the DPS Office closes at 5:00 PM - sharp. If you have not finished your exam by 5 PM, you will be given a failing grade, and must return to retake the exam (I am not making this one up). With the state employees keeping one eye on Grant and one eye on the clock, Grant submits his exam for grading. He passes, It is 4:59 PM.
Permit in hand. Our 2 1/2 year effort bears fruit. Now I will soon have to insure a second teenage driver. Maybe I can drag out the instruction process until he is 26.
No comments:
Post a Comment