STOP, STOP, STOP

Sunday March 20th - first driving experience! Started out with coasting and turning then with a small amount of speed. Something I started with Miss Daisy #1 is what I call "Stop, Stop, Stop." Since I have no way of stopping the car in case of an error on Miss Daisy's side, I use this technique to TRY and keep us out of trouble. I explain when I say it, I want Miss Daisy to STOMP on the brake and do it unexpectedly throughout the driving training. I actually used it riding with Miss Daisy #1 this week. We were passing Pearland Parkway heading east on Broadway when an SUV in the left turn lane decided they wanted to go straight as we were approaching the intersection. I noticed it's front wheels turn right as they started to pull into our lane and shouted the "Stop, Stop, Stop" out of habit. We were able to stop in time barely missing the collision! YES IT WORKS!

So I've uploaded a small - 10min - video of the first lesson to YouTube and can be viewed here. Not much to see but listen around 2:25 as I explain the "Stop, Stop, Stop" procedure.

Saturday March 19th - First "behind the wheel" training. Gas pedal, BRAKE pedal, gear shift, turn signals, lights, wipers, parking brake, radio? - no training needed there!

Early morning at the DPS in Webster. THOUGHT we would be early at 7:30! Fortunatly someone came out and split us in two lines... we were number 4 in the short line! Document check AGAIN, eye test, thumb prints, and a mug shot... License to learn!!

Off we go to the local DPS office with two document checklists, all necessary documents to prove Identity, Citizenship, and Residency included and filled out correctly. Get a number and hurry up and wait! After a long hour and half our number is called! Within 1 minute we are told that the VOE form is out of date... it is good for ONLY 30 days. WISH someone had told us that! All other paperwork is ckecked and good to go - just need a new VOE today or tomorrow... Spring Break is next week and no one available at the school!!!

Moral - just when you think you have this process figured out, a new rule will jump up and bite you in the ass!

So after a LONG delay, Miss Daisy passed her online written exam! YES an eighty percent is passing!

Something to think about.... IF your child will be taking EITHER the Written OR Driving Test during the summer or other times that school is not in session, you will need to obtain the VOE ahead of time. What is a VOE? And YES you need one for each test...

Verification of School Enrollment and Attendance (VOE). The VOE must be obtained from the school and be signed by the school administrator or his/her designee. It is valid for ONLY 30 DAYS!

Something to think about...

ACCEPTABLE IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS

Texas Drivers License (thought this course was about getting one?) or valid US Passport.

If not, at least original or certified copy of a birth certificate or birth record issued by the appropriate State Bureau of Vital Statistics WITH embossed seal, and 2 supporting documents.