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Long time no blog update right? Sorry. Just nothing to tell. My trainer's schedule is usually busy. One day we had tentatively set, we both forgot by the time it arrived. The next week Jennifer took vacation. All of this and a lot of rain have led to it being a month between lessons. So we finally agreed on last Tuesday, 03/30/10. Before I even met her that day trouble tried to inch its way into my plans.
I was at work, engulfed in my research, yet thinking I wanted to have things better prepared so I did not waste a moments time driving today. I made sure my bioptics were in working order and clean of dust. I kept looking at the clock consistently making sure to try and get downstairs a little earlier then my 12:00 appointment. I made sure to put my contacts on, instead of wearing eye glasses. I looked at my phone to ensure it was charged and checked for missed calls. Despite all these efforts a sudden streak of terror ran through my mind. I realized I left my wallet at home with my drivers permit in it. I couldn't drive today. I thought about just not telling Jennifer I left my permit at home. The repercussions of that lie far outweighed the benefits. If I wrecked that car with no permit on my person, I may never have a chance to drive again. I couldn't believe this. I was going to have to call Jennifer 30 minutes before my oh so belated appointment and tell her that I couldn't go today because of my carelessness! I sat thinking about calling her and suddenly remembered something. The day before, I put my wallet in my lunchbox because my pants pockets were so small and shallow. Could it still be in there? I swirled my rolling chair around to my lunchbox as fast as I could. Like a mad man looking for treasure I snatched my lunchbox up off my desk. Then I glanced into the side zipper pocket. There sat my wallet with my permit and everything else in tact. Whew...I did not have to cancel after all. Shortly thereafter Jennifer called and said she was outside. She still beat her own appointment time, so I wasn't downstairs yet. I wanted to do this during my lunch break today so I did not have to take time off work.
Jennifer jumped out of the car after she saw me and got in the passenger seat. I was a little shocked she was going to make me drive downtown again at the beginning of this trip. Today, unlike my first drive, was a extremely bright sunny day. Translation: it was hellacious for me to see outside. However with the red filters. things really were better, just not as good as a cloudy day would have provided. I hopped in and remembered to put my seatbelt on, to turn the mirrors so I could see and to put the dark blanket on the dash. I had memorized the gear order. I put my left foot back so I would not be tempted to use it at all. Jennifer was not satisfied with my right leg angle to the break and gas pedals. She watched me move up closer to the wheel till she was satisfied. According to the wikiHow website your leg should be at a 120 degree angle when driving. After Jennifer got done texting, I shifted gears to roll out to the main street. I had to ask her which way to go.
As soon as I had that out of my mouth she reminded me to turn my blinker on. I did it wrong. Those poor confused drivers behind me. lol I struggled with remembering if pushing it up was for the left or down was for the right or the opposite. I need a rhyme to remember them by or something stupid that will stick. If you have any suggestions please let me know. We hit the main road and she reminded me of the one way streets. I made the turn but Jenn held the wheel some to ensure I would not turn into anyone else's lane. I was doing good seeing the red lights for the most part. Seeing the stop signs with the red filters proved to be a challenge. Lucky for me, this particular road showed the word "STOP" painted on the ground which proved most helpful. Regardless, I was still very observant before crossing ANY street. Jennifer ended up telling me she was training 5 people. I''m sitting here wondering how in the world that utilized all of her day unless they are doing much more training then I am. Anyways, before I knew it we were.....well....'Where are we?" I laughed out loud. I was SO busy concentrating on staying in my lane, seeing red and green lights, doing lane changes, turning on the correct blinker, hitting the gas very lightly, and listening to Jennifer's instructions....that I had NO CLUE where we were. After she told me, I began to pay attention to my surroundings more and figured it out. We came the back way to my house. This involved some extremely curvy streets. I was so excited. I told her one thing I was thinking. It seemed much easier for me to stay in my lane then I ever thought it would be. That was a big difference from what I assumed while observing others drive and actually driving myself. I always thought it looked so daunting to have to keep moving that wheel left and right. But it became no biggie for me personally. Jennifer immediately exclaimed she was glad I was so good at it because she recently had a nightmare about one of her other pupils who veers into other lanes much too often. Can you imagine how many nightmares you'd have about driving if you took legally blind people out on the road daily? She's definitely got nerves of steel. Maybe her keen ability to listen to PRM radio nonstop enhanced that gift.
Well before I knew it we were coming toward my apartments! Wow, I had driven myself home. She instructed me to park and I couldn't even see the lines at all. They desperately need repainting. Regardless, I was lucky enough to pull in to her satisfaction. Ok, now time to back out. I started backing out, but turned and looked first. I was starting to turn the wheel toward where I wanted the car to curve out, but she stopped me. I was told to pull out straight and then when almost all the way in the street to start to curve the car back. That seemed easy enough, but there were no cars around to hit either. I managed to shift the gears correctly back to drive. Now we were off to work again. Then the shocker came.
She told me to take the "expressway" back. OK I barely was comfortable going 30, taking the expressway.....was she crazy!??? It was good to get this experience because near my home there's this really crazy intersection where about 6 streets all meet in one location. Oh yes, I'm lucky enough to get to navigate that mess every day. First of all, the traffic was really busy and I had to get the guts up to dart out in front of traffic after being sure I had the all clear in both directions. There was no light at this juncture. I did dart out fast...too fast. Had she not grabbed the wheel I could have darted straight into the ditch. So onto the expressway we crept. I approached this huge curve where you merge into expressway traffic. My foot instinctively let off the gas as I turned the curve. She told me not to because I had to be moving fast on the freeway. Ok, be careful what you wish for.
Before I knew it she had grabbed the wheel acting as my eyes helping me change lanes. It did seem a little much and she said we'd focus on lane changes later, but for now she'd do all that. I was kind of in shock at this point because as I glanced to my right I could FEEL this 18 wheeler on the side of us and another car on the left. I was wedged in. This all seemed so unreal...even more unreal I WAS THE ONE driving! I tried my best to keep focused before someone honked because I was going so slow. We let one person around me. Then we found a quick route to work. We did a huge U turn by the hospital and went straight there. The traffic lights downtown are sideways. I never seem to see the ones hung sideways going home, just coming to work. I accidently told Jenn the wrong street my workplace was on. I keep getting it mixed up because we changed locations recently. So then some pedestrians cross in front of me. Crisis avoided, lucky fools. Then I noticed something else. The light was green, BUT if I did not stop I was going to hit the car in front of me who had his brake lights on. I don't know why he had them on. I think because traffic in front of him moved slowly through the green light. This made me think that it's more important to look at the car in front of you then the traffic light. After all the light won't kill you, the cars will.
We took a right on red and dodged a vendors truck before swerving into my workplace's drop-off area. I was running late and cut our appointment shorter than Jennifer planned. She hopped out and agreed to meet me in the coming weeks for more training. She seemed more comfortable this time. Hopefully we're building some trust in each other. My feet hurt after this. I think I didn't know how to properly rest them WHILE driving. If you have any tips on this please let me know. All in all, it was a great trip and as always I learned a lot. I'm going to need to improve on my blinker knowledge, backing up, and parking abilities before the next drive. Hopefully I can meet with my boss soon to iron out a driving schedule that can be consistent, yet work for all parties involved. I'll keep you posted on those developments.
Ok, so I may not be able to drive yet.... but it's fun to think this time next year I could be able to drive home for Christmas. Today I just wanted to share a few quick things with you. On 12/14/09 my actual learners permit arrived in the mail. So now I can destroy the paper one I got on the 3rd. It's crazy how it looks so much like a liscense. Jennifer took my bioptics a few weeks ago to fix the red filters and got them back to me 12/22/09 before I went home for Christmas. I can't wait to show them to my friends and family. My pawpaw tried them on today and was quick to tell me he likes his old ones just fine. Jennifer did a great job cutting the filters. Now I can see out of the bioptic with the filters on perfectly. Next year should be very exciting now that there's NOTHING keeping me from behnd the wheel. All the testing, purchasing, vision obstacles, kinks and learners permit is behind me! Now it's finally time for me to buckle up and hit the pavement!
Thanks to all of you who started reading and sharing my blog with friends. Your comments, sharing, suggestions, and support mean a lot. I really have so much to be thankful for this year. It's amazing how what seems impossible one day in your life can be made possible the next. That's God at work. Some days I just feel spolied. I have everything I need and lots of what I want. I think when it get's that way for us, that means it's time we give a little more back. So hopefully this coming year we can all do a little more for others and make the most of the time we have with our friends and family. That's my Christmas wish. I hope you have a Merry Christmas and pray you have a wonderful time with those you love.
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I had asked for about a 6:30 am pick up. The para-transit bus showed up at 7:03 am. Not bad. This morning some of my colleagues were on the bus. It was so funny because we ended up going to my workplace to drop them off, but thank God I didn't have to get off the bus there today! I remained on the bus, making sure my driver knew that work was not my destination today. She glanced down and said the DMV was on her paperwork. We arrived around 7:30ish. The entrance was being repaved, so I walked through the chilly air to a side door that led to another set of doors. Then something appeared before me that I thought impossible.
I peered around the corner of the second set of doors and only about 4 people, including one trooper/security officer, were inside! I have heard countless stories from friends, customers, colleagues, and everyone else about how awful going down there was. Surely this was just a Department of Motor Vehicles dream I was having. I approached the old fashioned blocky wooden desk the officer was at. In front of me was this old lady and a relative of hers. The lady had some birth certificate issues and the officer asked her to talk to the supervisor with her issue because there is nothing more he could do to help her. After some coaching and sincere compassion on his part, the officer finally got her out of his hair. I approached the desk and told him I was there to get my learners permit. He said that I'd have to show him some ID, including my social security card. No problem. He looked at them, wrote a few things down, and handed me a tiny piece of paper and asked I sit in the adjacent room to wait. I purposely didn't tell him I was a bioptic driver. I guess I just wanted to get a little further before I alarmed anyone with the news. That could of been a mistake, but in my case it was not at this stage. Well, I knew this room the officer sent me to was where the crowd I had missed seeing early on, must be sitting. I walked further and further to only see the old lady talking to the supervisor and the other person in front of me seated patiently. This alone was amazing to me. What was really odd though, was no one but this supervisor was at the desk to the left side of me.
I thought to myself, why didn't I ask if they'd call my number or if I needed to hand it to someone. Surely that was how it's done....? right? I didn't know. I waited a little longer and looked around contemplating how sad it was that this place looked like a old outdated dump. Even the sparse Christmas decorations were sickly looking. Soon a different employee walked in the room and sat at the desk directly in front of my seating area. I sat patiently holding my ticket out within easy visibility. Finally she got done sitting up shop and asked me to step to the desk. Her demeanor was not friendly nor unfriendly. I later found out she had a cold she was suffering with that likely attributed to her behavior. I told her I was there to get my learners permit. I think the first question out of her mouth was if I was a organ donor. I guess its like credit cards, some things must be pushed by all employees. For my job, we had to push use of our website. So I didn't hold it against her.
As the lady officer took my ID's I told her that I was a bioptic driver. Once this atomic bomb was dropped all bets were off. She then asked if I had my paperwork. I said yes. Even though I was told I would not need it, I brought it anyways. She glanced at it a little confused and then told me I'd have to have a seat over there until she got some other family out of the way because my processing would take longer then theirs. So now the DMV nightmare begins right? Wrong. I sat thinking the worst because my paperwork was not fully filled out, but I handed her what page was fully filled out hoping for the best. Well it's about 8 am now and I'm waiting. I noticed the office traffic is picking up fast. After the family left her desk, she motioned me back up. I sat down this time and she began typing while asking me all these questions that they are forced to ask. She asked things like if I used drugs, had been convicted of a crime or felony, etc etc. She still looked puzzled by my paperwork. After confirming my address she told me she'd have to make a phone call. Well, I heard her talk to her supervisor and the medical office she was trying to reach was unavailable. With that, I was told to please sit over to the side and she'd be with me just as soon as she reached this medical contact for assistance with my paperwork. Wow.....now I was really worried.
I sat to the side watching people getting their photo's taken wondering just how long this would end up taking. Well soon no customers appeared at her desk and she got up to tell me that I was not forgotten. That was very nice of her. Now I was warming up to her. She walked into yet another different side room and I could hear her talking to colleagues. A few minutes later I thought I heard my last name...but very unsure. I walked into the room anyways grasping at hope. The lady officer motioned for me to come sit at yet another desk with her. It had this very dated looking thing you look through to do the eye test. In actuality, I think it was hooked to a computer. I then noticed a small box on the desk where you electronically write your name if you pay for anything. This was weird how they had modern technology but the facility looked like it had been pummeled by a heard of cattle. She then she got on the phone and asked for Katie. Bingo.....this had to be "my Katie" from the Montgomery DMV. Sure enough it was, I could hear her voice over the phone. I was elated Katie was at work before 9 am. I knew things would be okay with my paperwork now. I asked why Katie told me I needed no paperwork yet I was asked for paperwork. The lady officer replied the paperwork I had was not helpful anyways and Katie must have been contacted regardless. Ok, well one mystery solved. Next she told me that she needed 5 bucks from me to take the learners permit test. I happily handed it over. After that was out of the way, she told me to go back into the next room, approach Number 2 Machine, and take my test. Easy enough. They were clearly marked kiosk with numbers. Each kiosk had a little stool in front. The stool was not at the right height. Standing wasn't working well either, so I crouched over to see the touch screen machine while partially seated. Then some commotion started happening behind me.
Perfect timing right? This woman with a thick English accent who was obviously not originally from the US, began arguing with the officers about her vision problems. She gave them excuses, she gave them sob stories, everything she could pull out of her hat. The answer was the same for her: take yourself to the eye doctor and then come back with some vision aids or glasses. She finally surrendered. I was so glad because I could now concentrate more with her gone. This touch screen kiosk provided us with a sample test option. I took it. The first question shows a photo of a horse. It gives me multiple choices. Question 1: "Please identify the object in the photo. Is it: A: Dog, B: Horse, C: Donkey?" I pressed B and moved along to my next challenge.....ID a football. lol This is insane right? No wonder such idiots are on the roads! But this was just the sample test. Since the sample test was obviously designed to get one used to the format and not the subject matter, I selected the option to begin my 30 question test.
The test did show some of the harder road signs to discern. The bridge one I did not think would be on the test, was. There was a question about the point system they use to annotate your driving record and I had to just guess at that one. There was obvious ones about use of drugs and alcohol mixed. We had one about changing lanes at intersections, riding behind bicyclist and motorcycles. There was other give away questions, like identifying stop signs and hand signals. Sadly, I got confused with the questionable illustration and likely messed up the hand signal question. There was one about weather seat belts should "fit snugly" around your abdomen or around your hips. This seemed like a trick. When I got home and looked in my manual it NEVER specified the answer to this question. I researched online and found out it was hips and not abdomen. If you put your seatbelt around your abdomen you risk damage to internal organs in the event of a accident. There was also questions on what to do during headlight failure and how to treat a bus that is stopped. Within no time I was done with this much anticipated test. The touch screen kiosk even has an option to enlarge the photo used on each test question. Too bad they didn't let you enlarge the font size. When I completed the last question the machine immediately told me that I passed the test and could report back to the officer for further instructions.
I was happy that the test was so easy! It never gave me a precise score. I guess that is for them to know. The curious side of me now wishes I would have asked. I zoomed back over to the office and the lady officer asked me how I did. I cheerfully told her I passed. She jokingly replied that I was "cheesin." Which means I was wearing a huge smile. I just laughed and told her she was right. She then asked me to take a photo. You would know, I did not anticipate this at all. Who knew learners permits required a photo? I didn't. Nor did I recall reading that fact. Oh yeah, it cost $23.00 here in AL for the learners permit. I happily had her debit my account. I wore a hat that morning and had a bad case of hat hair. Well, nothing I could do about it. After the photo, she started printing out my temporary learners permit and said I'd get the real one in the mail in about two weeks. She said that was it. I glanced at my watch and it was only about 8:30 am. Amazing! I thanked her for her trouble and told her she had made my day. I then called a cab to take me back home. On the way home the driver got nosy and asked what I was doing at the DMV. I told him I just got my learners permit. Imagine his surprise. He wasn't brave enough to ask why. :)
So i can't believe it, I finally got everything accomplished this year that I set out to do. Jennifer is making some tweaks to my filter cutting, so again I'm waiting on them to be returned. I discovered during Thanksgiving that no amount of adjusting was allowing me to see through my bioptic fully. This should be a relatively easy fix. I'll update you with changes.
In the meantime. I hope you enjoy my special Christmas blog and music. I'm sure I'll be updating you at least once more before Christmas. Please stay tuned because things are just getting started.
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