General Tech The Story of New Drivers

Both a sad and happy day today. The twins turned 16 and got their drivers licenses this afternoon. They were 12 when we had fun taking pictures with the Triumph, and they both learned to drive a stick with it this last year. That's the happy news. The sad news is that I had been saving My wife's old VW and my ancient Range Rover for them to drive, so when those cars came out of the shed, the TR3 got stored indefinitely. Real bummer, but we don't have the room at the house for it anymore. It'll go from getting driven every day to only once a month to keep it from deteriorating.

Although the loss of the Triumph for a while is bad, I'm really writing to convey how bad the state of Texas has gotten for teen drivers. Nearly traumatic!

I got my license at age 15, and it was a non-issue. The only concern in the 1970's was getting a job to pay the $140 per year for my insurance. Adding 2 kids to the policy today will now cost $300 per month.

Gulp!

But, it gets worse. Since my wife is disabled, and I work out of town a couple weeks a month, we tried to get the twins their "hardship" licenses at age 15-1/2 last summer. Note that the driving age in Texas has gone from 15 in the '70's to age 16 today. Sat in line at the DMV for 5 hours to find that the license would only be good for school and back, and they would revoke my wife's license if the twins got theirs. Say what?!? Give up a full license for some half @$$ hybrid license. No thanks....day of my life wasted.

Skip forward to last Friday.

My biggest fear at the DMV is getting there, waiting 4 hours in line only to find we're missing one form that kicks us back out, only to start over in line when we found the missing document. It's not an unreasonable fear, as it has happened to me several times over the years! So, On Friday I started compiling all the unending documents for 2 kids. For our older kids (I have trained 4 of my own and 2 nieces), at age 16 they showed up, took a written test, and the driving test was always waved. As I worked, I noted that the wording about waving the driving test has changed...very ambiguous now. So I call the DMV. 15 minutes of phone tree and 2 hours of elevator music later, I get through.

I find that, now, the driving road test is mandatory. "No Problem!, says I, "schedule us in for Tuesday". The response??? "Uh, hold the phone, Chuck, we are currently making reservations for May."

WTF???!!!! MAY!!!!

Well. That one phone call sent my life between Friday and today into a frenzy. I spent all day Friday and Monday trying to find a location in Texas, simply to schedule a driving exam for 2 kids. At least 20 hours on the phone later, I had called every DMV office within 300 miles to try to schedule tests, to absolute and utter no avail! Most of the numbers re-direct you right back to Austin to the main phone tree, but that is not obvious until after an hour or so on hold to talk to someone...anyone.

It, miraculously came together, somehow. We had to get the kids out of school at noon and drive 1-1/2 hours past Dallas to a school that was both certified, able, and willing to do last minute road tests...at $100 apiece (Heck, I would give road tests for $100 apiece!). The twins had to watch a 2 hour mandatory drunk driving video, in the car enroute...because the video website was down for 4 days and they couldn't do it until today. Thank God for data plans! We arrived just in time to get the twins tested before the school closed for the day. Now, I mean no offense to any of you from Chicago, but I do need to point out that some parts of Dallas make the South Side look like Beverly Hills. This school is in one of those areas (I'm sure that's how we were able to schedule last minute!) Paperwork, money, 2 quick road tests, more paperwork, more money....and we back track to downtown Fort Worth (2 hours in rush hour) to the DMV for processing. As we walked into the DMV, they slammed and locked the door behind us, as it was closing time. Had to block the door with my foot to keep security from locking us out. Even then, we sat for 1 hour....only to find....we were waiting in the wrong line!

Fortunately, and very out of character for a government worker, who normally seem to enjoy seeing grave human suffering, the receptionist switched our que...even giving us credit for our 1 hour sitting. (I think it was only due to the fact I was turning pale and on the verge of a major cardiac event...which would have undoubtably generated massive paperwork for her at closing time).

In the end.

Well after dark.

The twins are finally licensed drivers.

Hooyah!

For the first time in 4 days I will sleep well tonight...so long as I can force myself not to think about how badly this could have gone if one or both had failed the parallel parking.

Congratulations John - I know you are very proud of your new twin drivers. They look like sharp kids. Too bad it took the same perseverance to get their licenses as you needed in beating those TR2 panels into submission!

What's troubling is if the bureaucracy has gotten that bad in the Republic of Texas, we're all in trouble...

Jeff

TRopic6 said:

.... What's troubling is if the bureaucracy has gotten that bad in the Republic of Texas, we're all in trouble...

Jeff

Click to expand...

Having grown up out there (I know where the DPS facility pictured is located on Brentwood Stair Rd), I don't think that it is purely a matter of bureaucracy having gotten that bad as it is one of 1) funding cuts for certain government functions and B) a lack of infrastructure to keep up with growing demand as the population has been increasing in the area along with III) increased documentation required (the bureaucratic component) in order for a license to be issued. When I initially got my Texas drivers license, it wasn't like you drove up, someone was waiting to jump in the car with you for the driving test and they handed you your license when they got out of the car, but it was close to that. Those days seem to be long gone.

There are similar sorts of stuff is going on in this area as well and I really dread the next time I have to renew my drivers license since they have turned what should be a relatively simple process into one that is a pain somewhat removed from the neck.

Just for a perspective...

The last child that I trained and licensed was my niece that moved in with us. I took her to the DMV in Granbury TX at 8AM on the morning of her 16th birthday. We were out the door and she drove herself to school with 10 minutes to spare before the 8:30 bell.

That was just 9 years ago.

When we got in the "electronic" line at the "Mega Center" yesterday, (and yes, Tybalt, you're right about Brentwood stair!) there were 117 customers ahead of us. So, when I say we waited an hour in the wrong line, that could very well have been a disaster if the DPS agent hadn't taken pitty on us.

But, today is a new day! The twins drove themselves. Between school, cheer, diving, and other shuttling...I will now save at least 3-1/2 hours of ME driving taxi service every day. Time to kick back and pop that beer.

Oh, wait, Jeff reminded me that there is an old TR2 that needs my attention. No rest for the weary...I can nap when I'm dead!

John,
that story made my head hurt. I believe you could have driven to ALA, got them DLs here and back in less time.
whew! I won't be moving to TX

Marv

John, your nightmare isn't that uncommon. Here in Kansas the state decided to change the computer software that was used by the DMV; which included driver licenses and tags. The software was real buggy and the whole system was going down on a daily basis. People were waiting in lines for several hours and then the computers would go down and they were told that whey were closed for the day. This went on for weeks. It wasn't uncommon for over 300 people to be waiting in the lines. They had to increase the security at the locations because people were more then upset. Another government operation and we pay for it.

John,
Here in Utah we have a new DMV system that is actually fantastic and that is really unusual for any government entity especially DMV. Never waited more than 20 minutes. Could be that all of Utah has only half the number of people as Houston! I really like the grille you have on your TR3. Where did you get it or have it made?

John

As James Whitcomb Riley said, "ain't God good to Indiana".

Crankshaft said:

As James Whitcomb Riley said, "ain't God good to Indiana".

Click to expand...

Actually, it was William Herschell: https://www.ingenweb.org/intippecanoe/IndPoem.html

Is this not the same agency to which people must go to get ID for voter registration?
Bob

Good job, Dad. Don't know if I'm happy or sad my 16 YO daughter has been behind the wheel exactly once, puttering around a parking lot.

Maybe self driving cars will be here in the next two years, and spare her the indignity. I know she has zero interest in driving the TR3...

Great news John and the first thought I had was is he going to let those beautiful children drive a tr3? Not because of the valve of the car; it is the occupants. I sometimes get those thoughts on how dangerous a tr3 is. It is really frightening if I dwell on just where my shoulder and head are when I go through an intersection. Keep up the good work John.

Thanks for the support!

Yesterday it became worth it. I didn't realize it, but it seems we were far from the first family to get caught by the new mandatory road test. Each twin has 3 or 4 friends who got caught by the 3 month delay for a road test and are STILL waiting to get their licenses several months after their birthdays. They drove to school and bragged about how hard I had to work to get them in on their birthday. Parenting is normally so thankless...nice to get that occasional hint of gratitude. Of course, I bet those other parents got an earful of the opposite last night!