My daughter is learning to drive. I think I’m more nervous than
she is. She’s not learning to drive like I did. When I was learning
to drive my dad would send me
”
to town
”
to get some ice cream. We had a blue ’70-something El
Camino.
My daughter is learning to drive. I think I’m more nervous than she is.
She’s not learning to drive like I did. When I was learning to drive my dad would send me “to town” to get some ice cream. We had a blue ’70-something El Camino. It was very easy to drive and I eagerly took the keys (at age 15), adjusted the seat and mirrors, set the radio station to KWSS 94.5 and made my way down Day Road to Morey Avenue (now Santa Teresa). The only two intersections I had to negotiate were the four-way stop sign at First Street and Santa Teresa, and the signal light at First Street and Westwood Drive where the old Nob Hill was.
It seemed harmless enough to send me out without a driver’s license. I mean how else are we to learn to drive? I had already had plenty of experience practicing on my quiet street and I was a parking expert because we always had to shuffle cars around on our small acre. I think I was helping to move cars when I was about 13. Maybe this is just how country kids grow up. I have no idea what the city kids’ experience was. I guess they could walk to get the ice cream.
The real fun began once I got my license. I remember how cool it was to go “cruising” down First Street. Before we had cell phones we’d call our friends from home and say, “meet me at Food Villa parking lot,” now the Canned Grocery Outlet. Then we’d drive three laps and circle around before we parked. Remember when there was an A&W on First Street in the Safeway parking lot? We’d meet there sometimes too. We got tons of driving and parking experience cruising up and down First Street and finding our friends. I love remembering those days, just hanging out by our cars and watching people drive by, waving down more friends to join us. I fixed my hair and reapplied eyeliner many times in my rear view mirror with the reflection of that brown and orange A&W sign behind me. Those days were innocent. We never worried about gangs or thought about dangerous predators. It was the ’80s. We just hung out and listened to music and watched each other cruise by. Nobody got their license revoked because they had another teen in the car. Nobody knew what “loitering” meant.
We put many miles on our odometers, checked out each other’s car stereos and took each other for rides in “cherry” cars. All of these things taught us how to be better drivers. I think it’s incredibly sad that cruising is illegal and my daughter won’t have that experience after she gets her driver’s license.
Instead of sending her to town for ice cream on a deserted country road in a classic El Camino, I have to send her to driving school. I have to admit I’m somewhat relieved that she isn’t beginning her driving career by pulling right out of my driveway because it is a busy road and people frequently speed. And, I’m a little disappointed that she doesn’t have to pay her dues and be seen in training in that ugly old school car either. Those were milestones for the ’80s kids and a rite of passage all 11th graders eventually faced.
So instead we’ll honor the specific requirements and her experience will be technical and practical. I guess it’s for the best. Today’s standards are a lot tougher and the consequences are really harsh if you get caught driving without a licensed adult 25 or older. I wouldn’t want to jeopardize her driver’s license by not being in compliance.
Looking back I realize what my Dad did was risky, but it sure seemed OK at the time, and I wouldn’t trade the memories for anything.
