Driving lessons

Driving school is almost over. Riley will continue to have in the car sessions until all six of the behind the wheel sessions are completed. He has up to three months. He is to schedule his fourth session behind the wheel. I put it off a week when I found out it was freeway driving for the fourth session. I wanted him to have a little more time to get comfortable.

We have done a couple of street drives to the store and back and put in some drive about the neighborhood to give Riley experience behind the wheel. Every week he improves more and more. He doesn't drift nearly as much. I don't have to clutch the door handle to hide my fear nearly as often.

He did stop at a stop sign only to pull out in front of an on coming car he hadn't seen, but we survived. No more dents to the cars, so far. He has a couple more hours under his belt now.

I decided he was ready for the freeway. We started by first driving up a nearby highway so he could get a little feel for speed. He was good at paying attention to the speed signs . I have warned him, as has his teacher, that he is screwed if he gets a ticket. We come to the on ramp of the freeway and I ask if he is ready. He turns onto the freeway.

Luckily we live out away from major freeways. It is Sunday so traffic is light. He slowly gets the feel for speed. We stay in the slow lane. 55 becomes 65 then 70. Cars still pass us. Riley asks me what the true speed limit is and I tell him 70.He laughs. He does say that getting the feel for this speed is more difficult.

When we get off the free way the first time he says it is hard to give up going fast. He sees now why people get speeding tickets. The next loop on the freeway, even though we are in the slow lane, he forgets to signal as he merges. He doesn't even look really for on coming traffic as he concentrates on just getting on the freeway and up to speed. I flinch as another car passes us in the lane we want to be in. Riley doesn't even notice. There is just too much to absorb all at once for him to catch everything.

I am very impressed though, with his progress. A couple more hours behind the wheel and we will be ready for heavy traffic. At the moment I have chosen times and locations that keep the public safe and Riley safe from the public. The roads have been light of traffic. He has done night driving with his instructor. He complained about having a hard time seeing the lines on the road. I enjoyed hearing that because I always thought that was a sign of my age and failing eyes, not a real physical issue of faint paint jobs.

My car is not happy. I need to take it in for an oil change. It is as if the car can tell someone else it at the wheel. The breaks stick at first when I am driving again, The gear doesn't want to change when we start with Riley at the wheel. It may be a matter of getting the feel for the car, but learning to drive is hard on the engine. Starting the engine when the engine is already going is one of my favorites. The other is talking to me and not noticing the light change. He is so not used to being in the driver's seat. He would talk all the way through the light if someone didn't point it out to him.

I think I will take Riley with me this week when I go for the oil change. He will need to see that process. I need to give the car a little loving treatment so it survives this abuse. Over all though I am pleased with Riley's progress. Another week and he graduates from drivers Ed and will be ready for the road. I think he is ready. We will be tackling traffic next.