Our $85 driving lessen. cute story

17 years ago

So my 15 y/o DS will be 16 in a month. In Georgia, 15 is the age for getting a learner's permit. But DS was in no hurry, he just got his last week. Being suburbanites, he has no experience driving anything like a tractor or riding lawn mower or even a car in wide open areas. Too congested here for that. Never been behind a wheel, well, except amusement park rides. ;o)

So I took him today for the first time. Went to the high school parking lot, it's big and really ideal for this sort of thing. He was nervous, but after 30 minutes was doing okay, following all my directions and starting to feel comfortable. Then I told him to take a right turn (proved to be hardest for him, judging where the passenger side is). He hit the curb on the passenger side so hard it just shook us, he even has a bruise where he bumped his knee. He stopped, sort of shook up, calmed down and tried again. I looked out the window at the van, but not too closely. As he started to drive again, we realized we had a flat tire! Hit the curb so hard it put a 2 inch slit in the rubber! It was completely flat! LOL.

At that point I started laughing so hard I was crying! Every time I looked back at the tire, I started laughing again! DS kept saying "Stop, mom, it's not funny!" I said "would you rather I yell at you?"

DS wanted so bad to redeem himself he insisted he would change the tire. I said, kid, even if you did, I wouldn't know if you were doing it right or be of any help to you. That's why we have AAA. So AAA came, changed the tire to the spare, and off to the service station we go. Couldn't repair it, had to replace it. That was our $85 driving lesson. I'm telling you b/c I'm sworn not to tell family and friends! LOL! Every time I look at the tire, I start to laugh again!

That's OK. We're going back tomorrow. I still think it was a good lesson... now DS has a bit of fear, which is a good thing in this case. And, oh boy, is this story going to get even funnier with time!!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

cynic
17 years ago
Reminds me of an uncle who wanted his kids to get into a minor accident soon after they got their licenses so they would understand they're not invincible. I think your lesson was a much better option.

But for his sake, forget that it happened for at least 2-3 years. I imagine he's going to be pretty nervous and reminders of it wouldn't help. He will never forget it anyway I'm sure.

Bring him up here this winter. We'll take him out on some nice icy roads and give him some REAL lessons! :D
dotmom
17 years ago
He sounds like a great kid. Pat yourself on the back. I agree with our friend, Cynic, wait a while before relating the story, funny as it is. Let his bruised ego heal a bit. Dottie
Related Discussions
Raccoon Story (real life)
Q
Comments (19)
I would have helped the babies as well. After all, it was interference with the Momma that put them in that predicament. We have skunks, racoons (VERY few), foxes, hawks (more than one kind), people's dogs & cats, and others. The worst attack on our chickens was a dog. The racoon got in the chicken coop one night, but our Roo stood up to him, and called us: we had no casualties. The fox got hit on the nearby main road, and frankly I was saddened & relieved at the same time. I was sad for the loss of a beautiful creature, but I was relieved for our chickens. I have helped wild birds and animals. I have a decent success rate. I have taken in lost dogs and and cats/kittens, and either reunited them with their owners or found homes for all or them--without euthanasia being a part of it. This story saddens me because all of the wildlife rehabs were unavailable in one way or another--even for just some information. I prefer Victoria's approach: action out of caring. I am sure she did not incite a population explosion in raccoons by helping here. I am sure many more than 4 will be run over this summer in her area by cars. We cannot micromanage nature. We can only do what we believe is right based on the information (or lack of) that we have at the time. As far as the ants being effected, what if one of the raccoons doesn't make it, becomes extra food for ants, causes a population explosion in ants, which means extra food for birds, the owlets get fed along with starlings who carry disease to humans. I personally know 2 people were seriously ill because of this. I still have no problem with starlings coming in my yard. What I am trying to say is that there is no way to know what happens. it is not quite the same as placing a fox in a hen house. At least the raccoons and their new surrounding s have a chance to seek what nature will deal them. As far as I can tell, nature prefers equilibrium. I like animals and will help again in the future. I like that everyone can put their opinions down here. It is always good to consider ideas other than your own. You go, Victoria. Robin
...See More
Preventative Measures - A Success Story
Q
Comments (9)
I absolutely second wwwonderwhiskers advice! And, if your digital camera will take videos as well, shoot very methodical videos of each room starting in one corner and working your way around the room in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Then take your overlapping still photographs immediately after taking the video. It is often much easier to figure out what is what in a video. But still photographs will be sharper and show more details. With a combination of videos and still photos taken on the same date, you can use the video to help you orient your still photos and figure out what you are looking at...especially if you take the time to tape numbered squares of paper up around the room before making videos and shooting photos. Our "open wall" photos have saved us a couple of enormous repair bills as well. And, when we got ready to hang our TV, it was nice to be able to look at the photos and see right where the studs and extra bracing were located. It is also nice when you start to hang a picture on the wall, to KNOW, that you're not fixing to accidentally drive a nail into a hidden pipe. Oh, especially if you're going to have a slab foundation, don't forget to photograph where all the pipes and stuff run UNDER the slab before the concrete gets poured. And don't forget to take pictures of the outside of your house before the sheathing is put on. If your house has more than one floor, be sure you have pictures of everything that runs thru the space between the two floors as well. Water from a leaking pipe or waterline can often travel along joists quite a way before dripping through the ceiling sheet rock and showing up as a wet spot. Rather then unnecessarily tearing out a bunch of sheet rock, It helps to know where the water COULD be coming from.
...See More
Part 2 Adventures of Gomer & Margie (Story Using TV Shows)
Q
Comments (3)
Haahahahaa! Karen this is SO funny. I'm bursting into laughter reading these posts again, and remembering writing and reading them at the time. Well done! And my favourite part about Martha Stewart dropping in with her dish towel parachute!!! WAY too funny!
...See More
Our funniest heirloom story
Q
Comments (11)
When my kids were young, I took loads of photos. I put many in albums and labelled them. Example: "Baby Lucy's First Year" "1989 to June 1990". I wrote names on the backs of photos before putting them in albums. I think my glorious system stopped about 1995. Since then, unfortunately, I've just jammed photos and negatives in a box, hoping "someday" I'll have time to really organize them. I would never wtrite "Just me" on a photo. I'm trying not to leave the next generation a mess after I die. By the way, I plan on living forever. It's working so far. . .
...See More
stephanie_in_ga
Original Author
17 years ago
Wow. Scary sometimes to read my posts later and see how many spelling/typo mistakes I made. Starting with "lesson." Proofread!

I didn't even tell his younger siblings the whole story. I just told them we got a flat tire, no details. Same to the AAA driver and the mechanic replacing the tire. DS was right there with me, so I just said with a perfectly straight face, "I hit something in the road, got a flat."

DS is laughing at himself, too. This morning when I ran errands he piped out, "I'll drive!" with a big grin.

The hard part will be our trip to visit family later this week. When someone innocently asks, "How's the driving going?" Or my dad, who is likely to notice that just that one tire is brand new and want to know why. I am practicing my straight face.

Cynic, I learned to drive in the winter in northern Ohio. Got my license in January on a snow day from school! City streets were clear and they kept my appointment. We lived in flat farm land. One evening I hit ice on the road and spun farther out into a snow covered field than I would have thought possible. No cell phone to call from the warm car, either. That was a hike to get help! I totaled 2 cars when I was 17, one my own and one my aunt's.

I think we probably all have funny stories, and scary ones, about learning to drive. I'll tell ya, sitting in the passenger seat with your teenager in the driver's seat really makes a parent wonder "Where am I and how did I get here so fast?"

He IS a good kid. I like him more every day! Not just love him, I like who he is and who he is becoming.
lindyluwho
17 years ago
When I was learning to drive my Daddy took me out. At one point he was hanging out the window to see how close I was to the edge of the (narrow, curvy) road. He was whistling "King of the Road". When we got home I told him I wasn't driving with him again. Mama ended up having to teach me to drive.

Good luck with the lessons and try to keep the tire damage to a minimum.

Linda
kim_okla
17 years ago
I remember my first lesson. Turned right, jumped a curb and ran up on a sidewalk. I just kept turning.

Our $85 driving lessen. cute story

Comments (5)

cynic

dotmom

Related Discussions

stephanie_in_ga
Original Author

lindyluwho

kim_okla

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Our $85 driving lessen. cute story

Comments (5)

cynic

dotmom

Related Discussions

stephanie_in_gaOriginal Author

lindyluwho

kim_okla

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

stephanie_in_ga
Original Author