1st Passenger Evaluation: 04/14/09

Guess what? My new long term driving instructor is named Jennifer! I can't believe I was transferred from one Jennifer to another. Let's see... what can I tell you about my first impressions of her. She seems so efficient and good at multi-tasking. I get the feeling she likes to hang with the guys more than the girls. There's nothing wrong with that. We all need friends. Anyways, she asked me some basic questions, and much like my Dr.'s visit, they were simple. We did a short term memory test, a few eye test, I had to spell backwards.....not so good at that......and I had to draw something she showed me. These simple action / reaction test, were concluded with her asking for my paperwork......you know.....the paperwork I keep complaining about that Montgomery DMV never sends me. She said she'd make a call for a status update on those for me later. Then she asked to look at my Bioptic Training Folder and I was in for a shock. It turns out there was a eye chart test, flash card test and a spotting test in that folder! I had never noticed them. They were just laying in the folder pocket, obviously unused. I could not believe I had not noticed or remembered the other Jennifer even giving me those. I had my driving diary done at least, but this lack of practice noticeably troubled Jenn.

Well, I already felt bad about this, and she dug for some temporary paperwork to take the place of the DMV's delays. After that she got her purse and keys and we hit the pavement. My passenger evaluation was underway. We went toward my employers office and we began with spotting techniques. I was making errors looking through the glasses too long. I corrected this. Jennifer would ask me to see stuff that seemed too far off to care about or notice for the sighted person, much less a visually impaired person. She then asked me to spot closer up stop lights. This was working better. I was having trouble with the red lights but didn't voice this concern, scared of what may come of my revelation. I played it off as much as possible. My light sensitivity was bothering me some. More importantly, it seemed when we came to a cluster of trees that silhouetted the red lights I'd not have any chance of seeing the red light. This was also something I tried as much as possible to keep to myself. Who can blame me? Never mind...I should not have asked. :) But I can't let my dreams go this easily, so I wasn't about to let my first day of road testing with the bioptic be my last. I know it really wasn't in my control, but I could and did control as much as possible.

When it was all said and done, Jennifer did what I thought. After her obvious concern of no chart or card spotting practice I was reprimanded to another week of practice before she'd consider passing me. She said to call her next week and setup another appointment. She was kind enough to drop me off at work and I went home feeling dismayed and a little defeated. I really thought everything would go well. I thought I did ALL I could possibly do to make the 1st passenger evaluation a success. For the sake of other drivers and myself I know it's in my best interest to be an exceptional driver. With that in mind, I can't wait to try it again sometimes next week. I guess I'll be sure to do my homework next round.