Flashback Friday–Driving Record

I recently applied for a different job at work and one of the qualifications was to have a clean driving record.  It got me thinking about my record.  If you remember, awhile back, I created this in reference to my oldest daughter who was now driving.

She’s had multiple things happen to her car, all while parked, according to her.  Maybe she’s not lying, but I remember my driving when I was her age.  My car was unlucky too, if it works for her, I’m using too.  Although now that I think about it, I recall getting rear ended in the high school parking lot (not my fault), I was the victim of road rage outside Indianapolis (not my fault), you also may remember this (not my fault.)  I even got rear ended at a stop light by work (not my fault) but I left the scene because I didn’t have insurance (my fault).

My BMV has a nice little feature online where you can actually view your record.  The bad news is, it only goes back to 1991.  I started driving in 1989, and those first few years were rough ones.  I know at one point I had 5 or 6 tickets, but I only got them half the time I got pulled over.  They were all for speeding (which was my one negative mark in driving school as well, go figure).

But let’s take a look from 1991 to current.

• Feb. 1991 – Speeding
• Sep. 1991 – Speeding (55 mph in a 30 mph)
• Dec. 1991 – Speeding (43 mph in a 25 mph)
• Nov. 1992 – Speeding (56 mph in a 30 mph)
• Sep. 1993 – Speeding (50 mph in a 30 mph)

I’m thinking if they would just raise all the speed limits over 30, I’d probably be ok.  30 is just too slow.  Now you’ll notice a 3 year gap between the last one above and the first one below.  That would be because of the 2nd violation listed below.

• Apr. 1996 – Speeding (58 mph in a 40 mph)
• Apr. 1996 – Failure to show insurance.
• Jul. 1996 – License suspended

Yeah, I didn’t have insurance for a lot of years.  It’s amazing how much better you drive when your driving illegally.  I certainly don’t condone what I did, it is what it is.

• Nov. 1996 – Driving while suspended.
• May 1997 – License suspended, failure to pay.
• Jan. 1999 – License suspended, failure to prove insurance.
• Jan. 2006 – Expired license plate.

You’ll notice a 7 year difference between the last 2, that’s because I pretty much drove without insurance most of that time.  The good news is, that 2006 pull over was the last time I’ve received a ticket.  Not because I don’t have insurance, I’ve grown up since then.  I’ve had insurance for quite awhile now.

Have I really become a better driver?  Yes.  Do I still speed a lot?  Oh yes.  Difference is, I pay a lot more attention to what is around me.  Not only watching for cops, but also, watching other drivers.  I tried to teach that to Skyler when I was teaching her how to drive.  The greatest thing you can do is drive defensively, always expect that car to pull out in front of you, always be aware of what is around you.  There has been multiple times when I was sitting at a light, it turns green, and I sit there while someone runs the red light.  I look both ways before crossing at a green light and it has prevented me from getting hit.

A lot of it has that I’ve matured as well, I’ll wait till your done laughing.  I don’t gun it at red lights, or race others.  When someone is riding my ass, I just let go of the gas till they pass, even if I end up doing 10 mph.  I didn’t say I still wasn’t an asshole.

I try to remember all the stupid things I’ve done in a car (drove out on a highway with a friend on the hood, drove under the influence, steal my mom’s car when I was 15) when dealing with my daughter and her stupid driving.  I try, it doesn’t always work out.  I guess that makes me a hypocrite, but we all want our children to be better than we were.  You hope they would learn from their mistakes.  I have trouble remembering that they have to make their own mistakes in order for them to learn.

I just hope she learns A LOT quicker than I did.  I was a dumb ass.