Driving Chronicles 11: For Most Intents and Purposes…
…I am legal on the roads! Five hundred fifteen dollars and ninety-five cents later…let me say that again $515.95 later with this breakdown,:
- $29.95 for the Virtual Driving Course
- $25 for the Temporary Instruction Permit
- $316 for driving lessons (four hour and a half lessons at $79 each)
- $105 to rent the student car for the test
- $40 for the road skills test
I passed the road test today, and I received my driving skills certificate. Now I just need to find a ride to the Secretary of State, and I will be a licensed driver!
Brief update: I decided last week that I needed to get this thing done, so I scheduled a lesson last week with the intention of getting as ready as possible to take the road test. Then, I would talk with my instructor about whether or not he thought that I needed another lesson or if he thought that I could pass the test without another lesson.
Well, the thing I love about this guy is that he was not trying to take my money. Even after my first and second lessons, he told me that I learned quickly to never really have driven and that I did not need much more lesson time to pass the road test. After our lesson last week, he said that he thought I could pass the test without another lesson, I scheduled another one anyway because it just made me feel more comfortable. I also scheduled the test for the next day so that I would still be in good practice. Who knows when I would have driven again if I had spaced them out.
Fast forward back to today and the road test. The test was shorter than I thought it would be. At least it seemed short. I expected a lot of feedback, but the tester said that the only advice he had was for me to look both ways at intersections, regardless of whether or not I had the right of way. He said other than that, I did great. It helped that my instructor gave me good practice with the parking part. I was almost a pro by the time of the test. It also helped that we ended up in some of the same places where I practiced for the test, too. I knew just where the “no right on red” sign/intersection was (my brother failed the first time, simply because of missing one of those).
Hello license (and red beans and rice). That should have been grocery money for the next couple of months. Nevertheless, I am glad to have another goal completed and to be able to check off some more boxes on my life, to-do list. I just wanted to get this done before another permit expired and before it got too cold and bad outside.
I had to put lessons off for a while after I learned I would take a pay cut. At the rate that I was going, I though that my niece, who recently finished segment I training, was going to get her license before I did. However, I prayed about it and made the decision to make the sacrifices to get it finished.
My life will not really change much. It will probably be a while before I get a vehicle. Right now, I spend about $24 a month on transportation. You are talking about multiplying that by ten at least, even if I still just go to the places I normally go. Still, this could open doors for me. Not having a license will no longer block me from certain jobs or even job related tasks at my current jobs. With the pay cut, a sister could use an additional gig.
Now I can focus on the next goal. Before that though, since it is my moment (Stay back Kanye. My name ain’t Taylor), I would like to thank:
- God for making a way, and helping me follow it,
- Mr. David Bowcock (Sears Driving School) for great instruction (I highly recommend this instructor to any locals),
- Mr. Bob Kinnie for being as patient and mild mannered during the test as my instructor always was, and, finally,
- That Playa Nick Dog for taking me out for the first time after I got this permit.
I’m out!—
Yay!!! Pimp Urs is official!