Health & Fitness
The Road to Getting on the Road
Finally! I am able to post for two consecutive months! Gotta keep this up. I figure if I set a specific day each month to post, I will feel more obligated to stay on schedule. So, I will make every to post a new blog on the 19th of every month.
This month, I really wanted to discuss driving. Some people wonder if I am able to drive and, if so, what it is like. When I first began to experiment driving, my own mother was too nervous to drive with me. My courageous dad took the big step and began practicing with me. Eventually, I took Adaptive Driving lessons with a certified instructor. Yes, I cannot lie. I drove over a few curbs, but really nothing different than most new drivers. My driving lessons were filled with a crazy amount of education that went well beyond how to drive a car. My driving instructor was perhaps the most knowledgeable person I have ever met. I got a full lesson on every animal, road, building, car and practically anything and everything else we saw while on the road. I probably will be getting a better SAT score thanks to her! She took me on every driving test route there was so by the end of our sessions, I had memorized everything I needed to know for the test. I felt like there was nothing that could trip me up and for once I felt I could clearly see the future. The closer I was to my driving test date, the more confident I felt.
Finally, late last August, I took my first crack at the driving test. Unfortunately, this was just after we had experienced tremendous downpours. The roads were a mess and debris was everywhere. I thought nothing of it at the time. After the typical extensive wait at the DMV, the driving examiner stepped in the car and got settled. I analyzed him as he began speaking. I noticed that his words were slow and that each syllable was exaggerated. It was almost as if he was talking in slow motion. I seem to go through what I call a certain cycle with many people I meet. Understandably, due to my speech and physical appearance, my cognitive ability is questioned. People often underestimate what I have to offer and, as a result, take unnecessary measures such as speaking louder and more slowly than they normally would. The upside to this is that I get to observe their reaction of surprise as I begin to talk and become more familiar with the person. Although during the test I wanted to talk, I could not. I felt this was just like any other exam so, naturally, I kept my mouth shut. Things were going smoothly at first. The examiner inquired about a speed limit sign and, surprisingly, I answered correctly. The tension in the car began to loosen up. The examiner then had me take a right into the neighborhood where I would be performing my three-point turn and back up test. Out of the blue, he asked me to take the first right rather than the second right. Wait, this was not the route I had practiced with my instructor! He then explained there had been some problems with the normal driving test route. At this point, I was not quite sure what he was going to throw at me. Sure enough, we turned down a road that was more than half the width of the typical testing road I was used to. Luckily, it happened to be a dead end. I then realized the examiner had no real idea of where we were going. He asked me to turn into a driveway, back out and turn around. I had backed out perfectly but before I turned around I had a sudden urge to go back just a bit further. DINK! The car’s bumper came in slight contact with a guard rail. I forgot I was driving my instructor’s Crown Victoria and not my Volvo Wagon. I was quickly told to pull over and get out of the car. After inspection, I calmed down once I realized not a scratch was on the car as it barely tapped the rail. Yet, the examiner called it in and described it as a crash. After a shameful drive back, I was told of my results. I had failed. Days later, I was sent a notice that stated my permit was suspended. The examiner concluded I was a hazard and posed a risk to the road because of my “perception incapabilities.” Put another way, I don’t think he felt I was physically or mentally capable. I could not decide whether to be disappointed, angry or both.
Gratefully, after a few calls to the DMV, my permit was reinstated. I jumped back on the road and began to continue to practice. After a few months of mandatory wait time, I started the process once again. I actually ended up having the same road examiner for the second attempt. However, this time, I knew what I had to do. I was excited because I knew this was my chance of redemption. I felt like this was how I could “complete the cycle.” This time, I made sure to use my car rather than my instructor's car just to be safe. Most importantly, I knew I had to strike up a conversation right away so the examiner would understand my cognitive abilities. Luckily, the World Series was going on so I was able to use baseball talk as a common ground. Surprisingly, I found the more I talked to him, the more comfortable I became. Even better, I was able to focus less on the fact that I was taking a test and focus more on my driving. There were no surprises this time and we had a nice smooth ride.
I finally had passed my driver’s test and proved myself to the examiner. That day, I experienced the most intense feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment I have ever felt in my life. It was one huge step towards independence and normalcy. The only restriction I have with my license is that I drive with a knob adaptation on the steering wheel, since it is easier for me to use one hand to steer. Now, I am working on driving without the knob adaptation on the wheel. I plan on retaking the road test without the adaptation, so I can have the restriction removed from my license. After that, I will have reached my goal and finally be considered a normal driver without any restrictions!
As always, I really appreciate hearing feedback. Please do not feel hesitant about asking questions. I will do my best to answer them. The next post will be on June 19th. I will hold myself to it!
Michael