If even one member of my family successfully passes an approved online driving course, the entire family is eligible for a 10% savings on their auto liability policy for three years. Sweet deal, I promptly added it to my “to do” list.
About a week ago, a flash went off in my brain -- the driving course – oh, no. I somehow recall hubby assigning the task to daughter who was now conveniently vacationing with friends on spring break. I locate the original email and realize that I had just days to complete the six hour class, pass the exam and get the certificate to my agent. Guess who’s taking the course? Later that day, I grabbed my computer and worked for about two hours refreshing my knowledge of the rules of the road.
Time Check: Happy Saturday morning, large coffee in hand, I proceed to “git ‘er done.” Let me share one of the more “handy” tidbits of knowledge acquired during my instruction:
Did you know if your vehicle stalls or you experience engine failure while on railroad tracks and a train is heading straight for your vehicle, the recommended procedure is as follows:
A) Everyone should evacuate the vehicle, run 50 feet away from the tracks, then turn 90 degrees and continue to run from the vehicle. The driving course preparers decide to illustrate the seriousness of this situation via a cartoon video with a train impacting the vehicle just moments after everyone escapes. The video concludes with the driver and passengers standing safely by as their vehicle explodes into a huge cartoon fireball. I guess they weren’t able to get any real people/actors for that dangerous scenario.
Time check: 4.5 course hours and only just more than halfway finished. Ugggg! Why is youngest daughter always away on some fabulous vacation when I need her? Following the train wreck, it’s time to take a computer break, but not before yet another revelation: Remember good old, “10 and 2” position for hands on the steering wheel? Well that’s history, baby! The new hand placement is “8 and 4”, partially due to injuries (and I’m guessing lawsuits) which have resulted to arms and hands when airbags deploy. I must’ve missed the DMV’s memo on that one. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to flash these facts on the info screen at the DMV instead of names of bail bondsmen and lawyers?
Time check: 7:45 PM – back to computer driving course. What better way to spend Saturday evening? The Final chapters consist of vehicle maintenance, road courtesy and trip planning. I want to skip these because they really have nothing to do with my driving ability, but the program won’t let me. My reasoning --
Vehicle maintenance: not my department, talk to my husband.
Road courtesy: yes, please. Thank you.
Trip planning: unless it’s on an airplane to some exotic location and they’re footing the bill, I’m not interested.
Time check: 9:15 PM – The Final Exam – 25 questions. I figure it’ll take about 20 minutes, maybe 30 if I take my time. At this very un-perfect moment, hubby who has witnessed my torture all day, enters the study chuckling aloud and asks if he can help me “cheat” on the final exam. Not being in the mood for jokes, I kick him out of the room. It’s totally “go” time.
Time check: 10 PM – Success! Final exam passed, certificate on its way, I sashay into the kitchen for my reward – A celebratory glass of wine. How was your weekend? I hope it was so much better than this!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.