Because I Can… the random thoughts of Marc Scott

When you turn 16 there is one thing, and one thing only, on your mind.  Your drivers license – who said sex?  Good grief!!!  What’s wrong with you???  (Please understand that I am based in Southern Ontario and thus am writing from the perspective of a person from Southern Ontario, where we have to wait until age 16 to drive).

There is great freedom, and great responsibility to be found this chapter of life.  The freedom of escape.  The freedom of that random trip to McDonald’s simply because you can.  The freedom of a drive along the lake to just get away from it all and clear your head.  Then there is the responsibility!  That is not nearly as much fun.

When I got my license I had to pay for my own fuel.  I had to pay for my own insurance (don’t even get me started on the insurance industry).  I also paid for my first car (and my second, third, fourth, fifth… more money than brains as a youth, what can I say).

One thing my parents did pay for was Drivers Education.  This experience, though it taught me little about driving, did ultimately save me money on my insurance, and for that I was grateful.  But there is something about Driver’s Ed that has always bothered me.

As someone who has now been on the road for 14 years, whenever I see a Driver’s Ed vehicle I cringe.  They can’t turn, they can’t signal, they drive to slow, they stop to soon… be honest with yourself.  When you see a student driver I dare you to say you’ve never suddenly become an expert of all things driving and they’ve become everything wrong with licensed drivers!

As I question how such an individual could possibly be allowed to share in this freedom giving privilege of driving, I have to stop and remind myself that once upon a time, not so long ago, I was that individual.  Then I smile, renew my patience, and carry on my way.

Student drivers rank somewhere around 90 year old drivers on the list of the most disliked, most frowned upon, most verbally abused drivers on the road.  All student drivers are aware of this as well!  Sadly, this does little to boost their confidence when it comes to developing their driving skills.

Now consider this.  Already knowing, and agreeing, that student drivers have it rough, to make matters worse, they are forced into the most ridiculous cars that the automobile industry has to offer!  Have you ever noticed this?  Around here I am forever seeing these teenagers cruising the streets in hatchback cars little larger than your average Hot Wheels toy.  I’m sorry, but that is humiliating!

If we ever hope to develop better, more confident, more capable drivers, we need to look for ways to build them up.  A Hyundai Accent Hatchback is not going to do this!  It’s bad enough knowing every single driver on the road wants nothing more than to see you off the road and out of there way!  But putting you in car that I could sneeze out of the way, that’s just cruel!

Call me crazy, but if my drivers education lessons took place in a Dodge Charger, I would’ve felt a whole lot better about being on the road, and I dare say I would’ve had more respect from the other drivers out there sharing that road with me!  Rather than being focused on how embarrassing a ride I was in, and hoping nobody I know would see me behind the wheel of it, I’d be focused on actually learning to drive because the cool factor was already under control!

Instead of the government passing legislation to change the legal driving age, or making alterations to the graduated licensing rules, I think they need to pass legislation about what kind of vehicles students are forced to learn to drive in!  Maybe it’s wishful thinking, or perhaps the mindless ramblings of a lunatic - arguments could no doubt be made for both.  I still say it would go a long way to making the learning experience a more valuable and appreciated one!

Oh, and one final thought.  For those thinking, but what if the student driver really can’t drive and they wreck such a nice vehicle?  Well don’t worry… we’re all getting screwed by the insurance industry, so it wouldn’t hurt them to have to pay out from time to time!!!