Lesson: If you live in West Chester Ohio, where teen fatalities by car crashes are about as frequent as order out pizza, and if you drive 69 in a 40 in the middle of the night, and then do so in front of a cop with his new lazer toy, you can be sure that your license will be GONE for 30 days by court order and you will be forced to drag your mother with you to CarTeens driver's training for one night.
This all sounded like such a good idea a year ago when I read about it in the newspaper. Yes! Curb teen fatalities by cracking down on teen speeding. Take their licenses! Make their parents pay! Driver's training for all teen driving criminals. I probably would have supported a big scarlet letter "S" on their chests for "schmuck" who drove too fast.
And then it happened to my baby yesterday... looming before me as I read the likely license suspension: the month of dress rehearsals downtown, the week I leave town and thought said teen could pitch in with the driving. No license. Wow. That really does sink in.
We were greeted by the court stenographer and the very white, older judge with half glasses in a windowless room. We sat down facing a wall. He sat to our northeast. Strange how position can instantly render one humble.
"Where were you driving?"
Noah explained.
"Over on that stretch near the new sub-division after the two hills with Route 4 beyond you?"
Noah nodded.
"Well, there haven't been any speed related fatalities there, though one man crashed due to a heart attack five years ago. You don't forget those." He elaborated on speed related fatalities.
I was impressed with what he knew about car accidents in our county.
"I'm taking your license. But I give you some credit for making it almost to your 18th birthday without a ticket. Still, I'm glad you got caught, son. 69 means you were only one mph away from a 4.0 violation which would really have cost you and it would have gone on your permanent record. Slow down. You've got to. Who's paying for this ticket?"
I assured him Noah would be paying. We left.
Noah remarked, "I'd love to get to know that guy. He's so great!"
It was odd. Quiet force, thorough knowledge of the situation, no condescension, consequences that mattered. Maybe parenting classes ought to be conducted in traffic court...
3 comments:
As the father of 17 year old twin boys, I read this anecdote with rapt attentiveness, Julie. They are about three months shy of their 18th, with the summer months to get through... Interesting story, and I hope it gives Noah some good food for thought. I wrecked a car pretty badly (fell asleep at the wheel despite trying to sleep off a few beers after a weekend party) when I was 22 and it was a life-changing learning experience for me. I don't wish that kind of a close call on any of our sons! So I hope this gets the point across to your boy easier and safer than the lesson I had to learn.
that's cool, julie - i think you're right. he'd make a great parent counselor.
ooh - and happy mom's day!
Post a Comment