Randomness

[JadziaKathryn]

I don't know who decided, arbitrarily, that 16 means you're ready to drive. I surely wasn't. Actually, I've read some things on the effects of hormones at that age and it seems like a bad time to put a large moving weapon in a person's control...

In any case I'm glad your daughter and her friend who wasn't supposed to be in the car weren't hurt more severely.

[CX]

Whose kid? I must've missed something.

Anyway, it mostly depends on the kid, but I imagine the age 16 limit came from the traditional age of consent in most states, or maybe from the age they can drop out of school. My dad taught me at 14 or 15 in his old orange beast of a pickup, which was fortunately very forgiving for a manual. Did I mention it had manual steering too? Anyway, I drove that truck for years, and I only ever had a few foul-ups with it. Once I took the passenger side mirror off while backing up to a trailer because I wasn't watching how close I was to the cornerpost that was there. I put it in the ditch twice - once because of a porcupine, and the other because of an extremely icy road (I was doing 30 in a 70, mind). There was no permanent damage. I've never been in any other accidents, I've been pulled over a grand total of 2 times, and both times I was let off with a warning, and I have never gotten so much as a parking ticket. Impressive, no? Too bad the insurance company doesn't seem to think so.

[JadziaKathryn]

Distracted's daughter was in an accident.

That is a pretty good driving record, CX. Icy roads can get the best of drivers, too. I wasn't ready to drive, really, until I was almost 19. But then due to several problems (particularly the facts that my mother's minivan was too big and unwieldy and no sane person would want my father to teach them to drive) I didn't actually get my license until a week after I turned 22. On the plus side, I think the examiner gave me more leeway because I was older than most people taking the road test, and my insurance cost a little less. I've only had one little mishap where I scraped the side of my car on a low cement pole. Ever since I've been avoiding drive-thrus.

Not that I've been driving lately, mind you. Although recently I had a dream where I was back home driving my car, except the driver's side was on the right. Note to self: give it a few days before driving again when I get home.

[Escriba]

You deserve the award for "Most patient Mother in History", enterprikayak. I know my father would drown me before doing all that

And thanks your daughter is alright, Dis, even if it's espensive

[Asso]

You deserve the award for "Most patient Mother in History", enterprikayak. I know my father would drown me before doing all that

And thanks your daughter is alright, Dis, even if it's espensive

Exactly! For both things!

[Bether6074]

ummmm... I think I would've just sucked it up and gotten in line for the refund, but Alelou is right. You're some mommy. I wish I could say the same. I nearly killed my 16 year old today. Of course, this was AFTER she totaled the car we just bought her last week. She's fine, but one of the kids in the car with her (who wasn't supposed to be there because she'd been forbidden to give her friends rides) has a concussion, and two ambulances came for the kids in the other car, apparently...one broken arm and one head laceration requiring a neck brace. This is going to be expensive.

Oh no! I'm glad that she is okay.

Not sure what the rules are there for driving, but Josh turned 16 in March and needs 50 hours of practice with a licensed driver before he can go the next step. He is careful, but it is still very scary! The first time I took him out he almost went off the road when he pulled to the right as a car went by us. And I'm already prone to anxiety. Parenting is good for gray hairs. Lots of gray hairs.

We're all flying to Ohio tomorrow for my brother-in-law's wedding. Here's hoping that the airline allows my 12 year old (the one with the emotional issues) to carry her large stuffed Pikachu doll on the plane with her. She carries it with her everywhere...

I hate flying. It will be nice to see family members, though.

[Alelou]

Not that I've been driving lately, mind you. Although recently I had a dream where I was back home driving my car, except the driver's side was on the right. Note to self: give it a few days before driving again when I get home.

And stay vigilant. I'd been home from England a week or two when I suddenly realized I was driving down the wrong side of an empty road. And I didn't even drive while I was there. It's funny how stuff just soaks into your subconscious. Crossing the road as a pedestrian is the other big danger -- you get so used to checking the wrong direction.

[justTripn]

YIKES, D! I'm so sorry to hear that. Wow . . . No cars for my kids. I mean they can borrow my car, but I will never buy them a car. Neither me or my husband ever got a free car from our parental units, so we are NOT OBLIGATED. The best I can do for them: when I bought my current (used) car, they came with me and helped me pick it out. I knew it would eventually be the car they learn to drive on, so I let them pick it out. They got a Pontiac Grand Prix. It is a horrible car in the sense that everything is computerized and the computer is nuts. Right now it won't release the key to me until some random period of time between a few seconds to 15 minutes after I turn off the car. Earlier it was windsheild wipers that won't go off. Oh and I never turn on the airconditioning/heat because the computer has to decide which of those I need and it thinks it's 40 degrees out in the summer so it gives me heat. I was apologizing to the boys about this purchase the other day, and they said, NO, it's a cool car. Our friends think it's a cool car.

Again, sorry Distracted! Everyone's all right . . . whew . . .

[Linda]

Geez, I forgot how much a kid has to learn before they become a good driver. I am so sorry for your experience and hope all the kids heal okay. You too. You must be frightened for your daughter and the other kids along side being angry with them.

[CX]

Wow, yeah, I'm glad to hear that your daughter is ok Dis. If nothing else, maybe this will make her a more cautious driver in the future since she's seen first hand what can happen (sometimes talking to friends can be a little too distracting). Hope the kid has a job though, because the insurance is going to go up now because of the accident.

Heh, bought her a car, eh? Well, technically my dad bought my current vehicle so I wouldn't have to drive his old work truck anymore, but then I bought him a new(er) 3/4 pickup a couple summers ago because his old one was starting to develop some serious problems he couldn't fix, and with parts I'd say I've more than bought my truck from him.

[Navigator]

YIKES, D! I'm so sorry to hear that. Wow . . . No cars for my kids. I mean they can borrow my car, but I will never buy them a car. Neither me or my husband ever got a free car from our parental units, so we are NOT OBLIGATED. The best I can do for them: when I bought my current (used) car, they came with me and helped me pick it out. I knew it would eventually be the car they learn to drive on, so I let them pick it out. They got a Pontiac Grand Prix. It is a horrible car in the sense that everything is computerized and the computer is nuts. Right now it won't release the key to me until some random period of time between a few seconds to 15 minutes after I turn off the car. Earlier it was windsheild wipers that won't go off. Oh and I never turn on the airconditioning/heat because the computer has to decide which of those I need and it thinks it's 40 degrees out in the summer so it gives me heat. I was apologizing to the boys about this purchase the other day, and they said, NO, it's a cool car. Our friends think it's a cool car.

Not to get into your business, but have you tried disconnecting the battery for a few minutes. No car today is really "OFF" anymore, and the only way to make them "OFF" is to pull the plug. I had one computer problem that miraculously went away when I did that. It's sort of the Microsoft solution for car repair.

I was looking lovingly at a restored Mack Diesel truck from the early 1960's a while back, a B-73 in case anyone is interested, and there was nothing electric or electronic on it except the lights, the radio and the heater fan motor. It was started by a compressed air powered motor and the fuel injection was strictly mechanical. Pollutes like heck, but totally impervious to EMP. So when Klaatu shut down everything, this would still be running. Ah well.

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Oh my, sorry to hear about your daughters accident, Dis, but thankfully she's OK.

I've never had an accident, or even gotten a ticket, since I got my driving licence. But then again, I haven't driven much since and only bought myself a car last year.

[Bether6074]

That hurricane sure looks scary.

[Asso]

I saw!
I keep my fingers crossed!

[justTripn]

I hate to talk about trivial matters with the storm looming, but isn't that what "randomness" is all about? One of my friends is a newly minted Enterprise fan. He is like 10 years older than me. He is the President of our astronomy club. Remember, last winter I told you that I was out to each with some astronomy friends when one spontanously annouced, "I'm addicted to Star Trek Enterprise." He has just discovered in on the sci-fi network. He's been trying to watch them ever since, but of course he doesn't see them in order, so I loaned him my DVDs, Seasons 1, 3, and 4 (which was all I had at the moment). He watched them all in two weeks! So last night he goes. "Oh, Ann. I have to tell you. Enterprise has it ALL OVER, the original series, the next Generation, and all the rest. It's awesome. It is way better than those Deep Space Nine or Voyager."

I said, "So you'll join our cult?" He goes, "Oh yeah, I'll join this cult," by which he means the Enterprise cult, not Trip 'n T'Pol per se.

He knows I'm involved with an Enterprise website, but I didn't actually give out any links or screennames. He'll think (or know) I'm nuts.