I awoke to a mild November cloud covered day, where uncertainty filled my every thought. Just days before Thanksgiving and I get to reach for one of my dreams I once thought untouchable. But God had others plans. So here we are, 3 long years from the time you and I started to travel this journey together. I'm so grateful for all I've learned and all your unwavering support of me. I'd not take a second of it back. So what happened? It was not what I expected. Then again, I had no idea what to expect anyways.
I got off work at lunch calling my trainer at every possible number I can find. I had not heard from her since last week and wanted to ensure she had not forgot about our appointment. Usually I get a text message, a voicemail, or a email confirming she's coming, but not today. Total silence. All these thoughts filled my mind about what could have happened. To make it worse, her brand new secretary was not answering the phone. Probably because it was lunch time. I sent a text, a voicemail, and finally after about 30 agonizing minutes the secretary called me and told me Jennifer was on her way. What a relief. I could now study my test notes.
Jennifer arrived early, which was great, so we had a little practice time before the test. I was already more jittery then usual because I scraped my hands pretty severely in a freak accident earlier this week. I was hoping my wounds did not draw the attention of the DMV officer. I had been working feverishly to make sure they heal as quickly as possible. They are remarkably better since Thursday, but still painful. I was so happy the clouds hung in for my test. After about 30 minutes of practice we went to the DMV. Once inside, I was directed to a second room with a long reception desk. The lady up front was very polite, but quickly said she wanted all my required documents. After a quick squabble with Jennifer about her registration receipt, I was given a small piece of paper and told to go between the blue tarps (photo backdrops) and wait. I waited for the gentleman in front of me to finish being questioned and was then asked to approach the table. They had a chair, but I was never told to please take a seat. They seem so rigid down there, it's ridiculous. But the woman behind the counter managed to smile, even though her job had to be so agonizingly repetitious I don't know how she did it, but the grace of God. After looking at my paperwork and confirming my info was the same, she asked me about organ donation, and a laundry list of health related questions. Then the first shocker came.
She told me I had to take the eye test! I was like. What? She said to look though the machine so she could get my eye test results. I explained that I was a bioptic driver and my eye test was already done with my eye care physician. She then calmly told me I STILL had to take it there. I was so shocked by this, but did as she said. She asked me to read line 6. There was a small illuminated box in the machines peephole. It was divided in 4 sections. I told her I couldn't read any line in it. I was worried now about how she would respond to this. She just made notes and told me to stand in front of the screen for my photo to be taken. After that she handed me back all the paperwork and license. I was told to have my driver move the car to the test area and await the officer.
It was then I realized that I never had the car keys, which had worried me momentarily earlier. Now I knew it was not time for me to have them anyways, because I was not allowed to move the car. My trainer had to move the car. There was already one person parked outside in the road test driver line in front of me. So i went outside and got hot quickly since the car had to be off while I waited. My bioptics started to fog up, not wanting to turn on the car until instructed, I rolled the windows down and waited...... and waited.
After what seemed like forever, the same lady that I first met who took my paperwork appeared outside and asked me if anyone had taken my paperwork. I told her yes. I assumed she meant the officer that asked me the questions and took my photo. After a second my trainer ran out to the car window and made it clear to me that this woman and I were not communicating effectively. She was really asking if anyone OUTSIDE had taken my paperwork. The answer to that was NO. I had already made a mistake. Wow, I felt dumb. I just waited more. About 7 minutes later a male officer approached me and asked who I was. It was funny because he didn't get that I was the one taking the road test, even though I had the bioptics on. The bioptics should have been as apparent a giveaway as a robot leading a orchestra. I guess because I was supposed to be in the car he got confused. Based on my trainers instructions I got out and stood outside the car after the miscommunication. The officer asked my name, and for my documents. What was he talking about? Well, he wanted to see my tiny paper (pictured below) and my learners permit. I was so worried because the DMV took my permission paperwork from the Department of Public Safety and did not give it back. I have yet to know if this was an accident or on purpose. Luckily the DMV officer did not ask to see that. So now my driving test began.
He asked me to turn the left blinker, right blinker, and brake lights on, in that order. I got in the car without him and exactly what I was told. I was thinking.... I hope these brake lights come on all by themselves, because my foot is on the break, but I've never been specifically told to turn my break lights on. After the officer stood behind the vehicle and monitored my responses, he walked to the front of the vehicle and motioned. WHAT WAS THIS? He had his middle and ring finger extended pointing to the right with all over fingers bent back. He starting rolling the two extended fingers in a circle. I'm no baseball fan, so I guess I didn't get the memo. I rolled the window down and asked if he'd like me to pull forward, and he just mouthed something, which I don't read, and kept motioning. Probably seeing my distress he finally said he wanted me to turn my left blinker on. FRIENDS.....this is NOT in any handbook. I don't know where he got this, but I did as I was told. Then with his other hand he made the same motion for me to turn my right blinker on. After he assessed my responses, while standing in the front of my vehicle, the guesswork was done.
He got in the car and introduced himself and asked if I had any questions. I said no. lol Golden opportunity number 159 ruined. haha (I should know this from doing so many interviews, but my nervousness through logic right out the window.) He then told me turn on the vehicle and use the emergency break and then turn the car to Neutral. My mind rattled, .....PRND....PRND....PRND! No one ever told me to put the car in Neutral, but I did it right anyhow.
Shockingly, he never asked me where my lights were, but I already had them on. What they don't do is just amazing. They don't make you park between vehicles or see if you can park in between the lines correctly at all. They don't make you parallel park. They never took me to the first stop light. They don't take you on the freeway. I don't even recall doing a lane change. What he did do, was ask to see my bioptics. He explained he had never seen them before and wanted to look through them. This personal expression was one of the few made, other then that, it was all business. I told him how they worked and why I used contacts, carrier lens, bioptic, and red filters together. He handed them back with no comment or question. Then he started tapping like crazy on this clip board. It looked like it had nothing on it to me, just a solid black clipboard. I was staring at it thinking what in the world is he doing. This went on for two long minutes. Then he asked me to put my signature on his clipboard. When he slid clipboard my way, everything became clear. He actually was using an electronic pad! It was like a i-pad and he was tapping my information in it. It looked black at the angle, but when under your eyes, you could read everything on the pad. Who knew our state was so advanced. I had not dreamed they would have this kind of technology, given the sad looks of the decaying building they work out of. But come to think of it, the written drivers test I took was touch screen. You can read more about that day by clicking HERE.
The officer told me to follow all road rules as if he was not in the car with me. He then asked I drive to the stop sign up ahead and take a left. I did that perfectly. Next, he asked I park the car and do a three point turn. I did that perfectly. Next he asked I back up the car in a straight line. No problem, but there would have been if I had not practiced this weekend. Then he asked that I proceed to the next stop sign and make a left. I did so. This is where my first mistake was made. He later told me that my cars front end was past the stop sign. It didn't look like it to me, but he's the final authority. The stop sign was on a curb, so I suppose I misjudged it. There was no line on the ground to use as a guide, so had to depend on my own judgement. Next I was asked to travel along a long road and take the next right. We went further then I usually do down this very unfamiliar road. I struggled to discern the real road to turn on from the business entry, dirt road, real road, or repaved road. It was all a mess in that run down area of town. The roads down there are in horrible shape. After I found the road we got out and I took a right on a 3 lane highway, where he told me to increase my speed. After a few minutes, he asked me to take my second right. This is where I made a critical error.
I was traveling fast, not familiar with this road, and misjudged where it was at, almost passing it. I was able to curve the car into it barely, but I knew at this very second I had just failed for sure. It was a dangerous curve I took at too fast a speed. The safest thing to do would have been to pass it. But what was done, was done. My inner tension built, as he directed me to the next stop sign to take a left. Before I knew it, we arrived back at the parking lot. But this one trick still awaited.
I was able to successfully turn through this little arrowed obstacle course they have setup to get the trainees in line. You go around a very sharp curve, but must ensure you stay in the correct lane at all times. No problem there. With that he asked me to park the car. Once off, he told me I failed and politely explained the two reasons why: The front of my vehicle passing the stop sign and almost missing my turn going at too fast a speed. I was dismayed but not defeated. He then got out of the car and relayed my errors to my instructor. He did offer one more personal insight.
The officer said the mistakes I made were mistakes he's seen other new drivers make and he was confident it had nothing to do with me using a bioptic. That made me feel good. He kindly offered that I could again re-take the test anytime I feel ready. There is no required waiting period in my state. With that, my driving test was completed. The card they graded me on is shown below.
(DMV Form DL-2C grading sheet above was a tiny 5 x 5.5 inch piece of paper. Talk about government savings!)
So what do I think about my failing the test? I am dismayed, but overall, I'm glad to have the fear factor out of the way. I'm glad to know more about what I should and should not waste time training on. I'm glad that every DMV person I met today was polite and while not personable, they were very courteous to me. I'm giving thanks this Thanksgiving for this amazing journey and the possibilities that lie ahead. Isn't it great to get another chance? We all deserve another chance. God has given me more then I deserve, but through His grace, He finds a way to forgive us. Matthew 18:21-22 says to forgive 77 times. That's what I'm hoping to take with me from todays experience into this season of thanks. I'll update you when I setup a new test date. Until then, thanks for your payers, your letters and your encouragement. They won't be forgotten. Have a great Thanksgiving yaw!
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