Road Test 2: It Doesn't Get Any Greener: 12/07/11

I know, I know, I never told you about road test number 2.  Well honestly there's not much to tell.  You're probably relieved it will be a short blog.  It was a cloudy Wednesday afternoon, which meant I'd be able to see well.  The lady working the reception desk recognized me, after all it's hard to forget a bioptic driver because they see so few of us.  The DMV staff made me go through questioning, a new photo, and the pointless eye test again.  When I told the lady I could not see anything in the viewer, she asked me to look again as if I was not trying hard enough.  I see no reason why they ask you to do any eye test at the DMV, because as a bioptic driver, you've already been tested by your eye care professional using special rules and approved practices.  She said she understood I was a bioptic driver, but had to do it anyways.   I did not want to make waves so did as I was told.  Soon it was time for the road test. 

It was bitter cold when officer Brown approached my vehicle.  She did the pre-trip routine with me, and also asked me a surprise question.  How do you test that your vehicle's emergency break works?  I remember from the first test officer Jones asked me to put the vehicle in neutral.  So I told her I would test the emergency break by putting the car in neutral.  She found that acceptable.  However my research says, you should be on a slight incline, put the car in neutral, let your foot off the regular break.  Then when the car starts to move down the incline put your emergency break with the car in neutral.  So, lessons learned there. 

I practiced with my friends and my cousin a lot over the past two weekends on the actual test course.  I was feeling good about my second road test.  Everything I practiced, I nailed perfectly during my second test.  So what went wrong?  We practiced on one of the wrong connecting roads,  I did not realize I should have practiced on a road with a red light.  I mocked the first test due to lack of real challenges...even though I failed it.  lol  On my 2nd road test day, I turned into a road I had not practiced on.  I saw only a big 18 wheeler in front of me.  When the 18 wheeler turned, I did not follow because I was looking around the whole intersection before proceeding.  However, I finally saw the green light in front of me, but not fast enough for my road test officer.  She said that because I hesitated too long at a green light, she failed me. 

Even more alarming, she did not tell me anything else when the test was over.  She did not give me my score card.  She didn't say when I could take it again, she didn't bother talking to my trainer.  She jumped out of the car.  She didn't even say have a nice day sir.  Whats up with her?  Well, Mrs. Brown came out in a toboggan, gloves, and a heavy jacket.  So my best guess is she really hated doing her job out in the cold that day and may not have been at her best.  We all have bad days though.  Since the staff inside have always been pretty nice to me, I can overlook it.  After all, I should have noticed the light was green as soon as the 18 wheeler got out of my way.  The fact is I didn't see the green light as soon as I should have which can disrupt the flow of traffic.  So I walked out of the DMV shocked I failed it because of one little error, but even more determined that I would get it right the next round.  Then the bad news came.

My trainer told me she had NO opening's until after Christmas and she was about to be off for two weeks vacation so she'd be doing good to get what was already on her plate done.  I was dismayed, because I would love to have this done with by Christmas, but I guess it was not meant to be.  My trainer was disappointed I failed again and I came home rather somber, but by not means defeated.