They Hear You But Are They Listening?

When I was very young and a passenger in a car, I remember listening to the driver explain things as he drove,

“Slow down for railroad tracks and check for trains even if the bar isn’t down,”

“Take turns a bit slower, even if you need to go slower than the recommended speed,”

“Rain makes oil rise to the surface, so roads are slippery after a rain,”

“Don’t drive too close to another car, there may not be time to brake if you need to,”

"Never assume you know what a young kid is going to do, they could fall into your path, or dart out after a ball,"

We’ve heard them all and more, we’ve even added our own. Driving is one of my favorite things to do and now that I have a teenage driver in the household, I realize it’s the scariest and most dangerous thing he’s ever done. I would rank this up there with how scary it was to watch him skateboard.  I was proud that he was courageous enough (stupid enough?) to drop into that cement bowl, but scared to death that we’d be making a trip soon to an emergency room with a broken bone or two.

I’ve been letting him drive around town since he acquired his learner’s permit and I admit, he’s an excellent driver. Of course, he still needs to give those curbs a little more respect,  learn that lines in a parking lot really are there for a reason and to SLOW DOWN!

The other day, we were headed to the State Trooper’s site to get his intermediate license. This involves the driving portion of the ceremonious event. I have heard several times over the last few months, “I’ve been waiting to do this MY ENTIRE LIFE,” and I have to laugh, he’s telling the truth!

He was driving well, signaling, going slowly and not driving too closely to those mailboxes that seem to loom into the lane if you’re seeing them as a passenger or mother of a teenage driver. My grip on the arm rest still tight and my “brake foot” still pressed firmly to the floorboard, I compliment his ability.

Stoplight. 

We’re first to go when the time comes. We will be going forward and the left turn lane on our side will get the green arrow first. Typically, the oncoming turn lane will get the same green arrow, so we will be waiting a bit longer. These are the thoughts we have without realizing them and I’ve been trying to tell my son this. There are so many things to think about while driving and we do it all the time without voicing them or even acknowledging them at times. This is why we shouldn’t talk on the phone, text, have the music up too loud, wear headphones, have distractions in the car like other teenagers or kids  playing with toys or other items that might roll under the driver’s feet. (That’s another story!) When mentioning these examples to a teenager, an eye roll or numb head nod is appropriate, we’ve all been there, but they don’t mean anything until you experience them for yourself. Experience.

Stoplight. 

Green arrow for the cars turning left and two solid green lights for our two lanes. That’s odd.

I have always said, “when a light turns green, wait a second, look again, there’s going to be some idiot not paying attention or thinking he can make it through the light,” eye roll, numb head nod.

My son indeed waited another second. Sure enough, the car in the oncoming turn lane assumed they had a green arrow and drove into the intersection, making its turn. The driver was talking with her hands to the other two passengers in her car.

He had been listening!