A Limited Rite Of Passage

Matthew joined the ranks of licensed drivers over a week ago. He was excited to hit the DMV to get his provisional driver’s license right after his birthday. But he was denied because you can’t actually get it just because you’re 16. You get it once the learner’s permit turns a year old.

Good grief! This state has certainly gone down the path of stupid, stupid bureaucracy. So, he had to wait a couple of days more until he gained some of his behind-the-wheel privileges. And what is this business that he cannot drive after 9 P.M.?

I’m not sure that I understand it. Their eyes, theoretically, should be sharper at night than those of us over the age of 50. Their reactions should be quicker. Is it because bureaucrats believe that even though the roads have less traffic past that time of the evening that provisional licensed drivers will be enticed to speed and drag race their friends? Do they envision teenagers out after 9 P.M. doing cartwheels with Hondas up and down the county roads? Are new drivers setting up ramps to drive through neighborhoods in small sedans on two wheels? Do new drivers suffer from some kind of “Gremlins” disease that causes them to lose their minds if they drive after 9 P.M.?

I remember the day when folks turned sixteen, got their licenses on their birthdays, packed up a car, and drove to the beach. I wasn’t one of those types, but I recall several friends doing just that. Turning 16 and getting that plastic allowing one to drive a vehicle by themselves gave us a certain sense of freedom. Restrictions were governed only by wearing glasses and the types of vehicles one was allowed to drive. There were no after 9 clauses. It just seems stupid to me. And it seems overly protective.

But MP has been driving into town for the usual teenage fast food fixes. And he just left the house for his first day at school. I must admit that I’m a little nervous. There’s a lot of traffic on the way to school because everyone is headed to a central location. I know he’ll be fine, but the hike in the insurance is most likely my reason for worry.

Jamie has nearly flipped a lid over the insurance hike. She’s compared and pared down our coverage to save as much as we can. She even considered a switch in companies, but there were no real savings elsewhere. We’re stuck.

And so, to save even more money, I have to do something that has my guts churning. It’s something that I’ve wanted to investigate, but I have lacked the testicular fortitude to pull that trigger.

I’ll tell you more about it tomorrow.