|
Return to
Current IPS Features
Return
to Catalogue
IPS
Features Staff
International
Press Service
|
|
Mother of teenage
drivers
I
am now the mother of not one, but two drivers. This brings up numerous
concerns, not the least of which is: HOW IN THE HECK CAN I BE OLD ENOUGH
TO BE THE MOTHER OF TWO DRIVERS?! The second question is (and this is a
doozy) How in God's name will we ever afford the insurance??!!! The
final and most aggravating question is: How will I survive the angst of
being a mother of two teenage drivers?
Okay, those of you who do NOT have two teenage boys on your insurance
policies may not laugh. Because I am here to tell you: this is no
laughing matter. The insurance company kind of eases you into it (the
frightenly high bill) by raising your insurance an alarming amount when
your son gets his permit. In our case, with our first son, both my
husband and myself thought that the substantial additional costs
were all we had to look forward to paying. Ah, but non, mon frere, non.
When the aforementioned boy became sixteen and got his real bonafide
'alone on the road with no mom or dad in the passenger's seat' license,
that's when our insurance company dropped the financial A-bomb on us.
"This can't be right!" My husband bellowed, when I numbly
handed him the bill. He quickly called our insurance company which is
reputed for being one of the most economical companies, with whom we had
been loyal members for 25 years. An agent assured him that not only was
the number correct; but if he would look closely he would be
pleased- our son had money subtracted for being a good student. The
"good student discount" was something like $60 a year off- not
to sneeze at $60; but when your insurance is being doubled- well, $60 a
year doesn't seem like a whoop-de-doo amount to celebrate.
Today I took our middle son to get HIS learner's permit. The deal in
this neck of the woods is that they (the state of Alabama) make it very
nearly impossible to secure a permit. The test is given in this county
two days a week, for only one hour in the morning and one hour in the
afternoon. HOWEVER, as we found out; just because you are in attendance
on the required day and hour, doesn't guarantee a chance to take the
test. You need to be there early (the earlier the better because in the
one hour window they can only test like 6 potential drivers and it is
first come, first serve); you need to have money in exact change (no
checks accepted); a birth certificate, a certificate of enrollment in
school, birth certificate, Social Security card- and even all of this
won't secure a slot for test taking. One day we drove over to find
the hall strangely empty- "The computer is down." the trooper
dead panned, "No tests today." Another time we arrived at
exactly the testing hour, only to find the sign up sheet gone.
"We're full today." My watch read one minute past the
beginning time the test was offered. So today, when I not so lovingly
told my son, "If you don't pass that test and I have to come back
here again!" People in the hallway laughed. They thought I was
kidding. I was not. Not even remotely. So I imagine it was with great
fear and trepidation that my son entered the room to take the
test.
On
one hand, if he received his permit, he'd have to start driving the car
while his father critiqued him like a Marine sergeant. On the other, if
he failed the test and he had to tell me about it; he was in fear for
his very life. I am sure it was a quandary but he opted for facing Daddy
marine driving camp in lieu of telling me (his raging maniac
mother) that he had not passed the test and I was going to have to try
to squeak into the window of opportunity for him to be tested again.
It is a bittersweet day for all of us. My need to not go to the
Department of Motor Vehicles is tempered by the fear of the increased
insurance bill; sure to increase by another huge increment in a year. My
husband is faced with taking another clue less teenager and turning him
into a responsible, safe driver who is able to keep himself and others
out of danger on the road. My son is pleased to have passed, but
frightened of the aforementioned process which is sure to include big
yelling in his direction if he messes up during the next year. I am
still wondering how it is possible that time has managed to sneak up on
me so hard and fast; replacing the young and vital me with this husk of
a mother- old enough to have two teenaged drivers.
|
