Driving

This blog post is overall about driving but here are some of the more specific things i'm going to blog about.

1. Getting my license
2. Elderly people and driving

So to start the story of me getting my license I'll go all the way back to tuesday night, before I took the road test. My mom dropped me off at The Urban Plains Center  The Scheels Arena, for my hockey game, in the big red van I've been driving in since I got my permit. My dad met my mom at the rink and they decided to go to the store because there were still two hours before the game.

This is getting boring right? Well just wait.

As my parents were driving someone ran a stop sign and slammed right into the side of the big red van that I needed the following morning to take my driver's test. Now the only vehicle that I could use on the test that I've driven before was totalled. So my parents were okay, my dad who was in the passenger seat (the side that got hit) said he hurt a little bit but overall was fine even though 911 was called and both vehicles were totalled, everyone was okay.

So what am I supposed to do for my test? Sure we have this truck but who knows when this thing will fall apart? We also have my brother's car but the only car i've driven was manual transmission. Oh and we have this other little crappy manual transmission car that I can't drive very well.

Lucky for me when my hockey team's parents heard what happened the Blevins offered up their big red van. It was very different but still big and red which helped a lot. So the first time I ever drove it, I got my license. Now I get to drive that truck "that no one knows when it will just fall apart" to school! So a happy ending but I was seriously not happy on Tuesday night.

I know people like to be independent and everything but when i'm older I hope my family realizes they should just take the keys away. This thought has been in my head for quite sometime. I know some elderly people are excellent drivers. Careful, they don't take unessecary chances. Considerate, they let you pull in front of them. Barely ever in a hurry and you never see them speeding. Why then do I want at least some of them off the roads?

Well.

(This is in general and isn't to offend anyone)

1. They go too slow sometimes. Even for me and I'm a patient driver.

2. They don't notice as much

3. They have slower reactions

4. They don't know how to use a cell phone...

My mom was driving when we saw this elderly lady start to switch lanes. Not a problem if it wasn't for the big blue truck right next to her. Not in a blind spot, just seriously right next to her. If she'd have even turned her head half an inch she would have seen this thing.

I've seen a few stop where there wasn't a stop sign.

They are more likely to get into an accident because of their slower reactions and, though it seems unimportant, they can't use a cell phone to call for help.

Just the other day we saw an elderly lady leaning all the way forward in her seat to look into the mirror for about thirty seconds she just leaned forward and squinted into the mirror. If your eyes are that bad...

Remember this is in general. My grandma, though it takes a while, can use a cell phone pretty well. All of my grandparents are good drivers, and I trust them on the roads. So there are a few that I don't think should stop driving, but some... Seriously... I just had to put that out there.

I'm not saying teenagers should have their license either, like the elderly someone needs to know when to take them away.

So keep your eye out for a big green truck and no that wasn't a warning!

Jessi