788 replies to this topic

[Macman]

Viking, she has a learner's permit which doesn't allow her to operate a vehicle alone, so that problem is solved. I'm glad of that, but I actually think she may turn out be a good driver. She said that the instructor seems very relaxed and not at all nervous with her. The learner's permit is good for 6 months, but if I know her, she will forge ahead at full throttle to get her regular license quickly. Last night, she said she wanted to thank me for allowing her to do things she never thought she could.

[viking675]

Macman,

things have a nature of solving itself .... seems you may have a natural born good driver in Angel ... as long as you feel comfortable and she is happy ... then all is okay isn't it ?

Enjoy Angel and PI ...

[Macman]

Yeah, it really is. Thanks, Viking.

[thailover57]

Mac, don't think my lack of responses equals lack of interest. I love the thread and look forward to all the updates. I remember teaching my daughter to dri!ve (at 16 - her not me). She took to it like she'd been doing it forever. Passed the test first time no problems. She's 27 now and I don't know where the time went.

[Macman]

Yeah, it sure does fly by, TL. I remember when my youngest was 15, I had taken him to hockey practice, and I was freezing my butt off. I waved him over to tell him that I was going to go for a quick ride in the car to warm up. He skated over and came off the ice to talk to me. As I was talking, I realized that I was craning my neck up to look at him. He was on skates, but still ... I remember thinking, "Oh my God, this is my baby, and he's almost grown up." He was just a kid a short time ago. It flew by.

Angel completed her training, and came home all excited. She wanted to celebrate by driving to the local coffee shop. I let her drive there, but told her I would drive home because it would be dark. She did pretty well. She's going to be fine. We'll practice a lot tomorrow until she gets used to the CRV.

[thailover57]

Good for you Mac. Hope all continues to go well.

[Macman]

Well, we practiced today. I'll tell you what; I'm not cut out for being with new drivers, especially in this crazy-ass place with no stop signs or traffic lights, and hundreds of trikes, motorbikes and nutty pedestrians. I'm way too much of a worry wart for it. What scares me a little is that Angel has no fear of it. A little fear is healthy, I think. At one point, on a highway of sorts, going fairly fast, Angel came really close to clipping a guy on a bicycle. When I told her that she came within about 4 inches of hitting his handlebars, she said, "That shows I made a good estimate." She wasn't joking either. I'm too old for this.

[thailover57]

Will that only embolden her? Sometimes luck is interpreted as skill. I wish you the best. I'm glad it's not me.

[Macman]

I don't think so, TL. I think I put a little fear into her with some lectures (I hope). Well, I have to give her a chance, so ...

[Macman]

Okay, now I know. They're all friggin' nuts. I know this is a Roman Catholic country. I know they're very religious. I know that sometimes in the department stores prayers are said over the loudspeakers. I know that radio stations interrupt music to say prayers. But this? 5:26 AM, right outside my place, a LOUD fife and drum band was warming up LOUDFUCKINGLY. Why? So they could march a few hundred meters up the street to kick off the "Run for Mama Mary" at 6:00 AM with LOUD fucking music. It's an event to raise money for the addition to the church, and is being held in September because that's the month in which the birthday of the Virgin Mary is celebrated. Okay, that's nice; good cause and all. But 5fucking30 in the morning. That coupled with the Christmas music that was being played over the loudspeakers in front of the church last night.

Excuse me for now. I'm going to go and pray that I get some sleep tonight.

[thailover57]

Thailand has its own style. One of the condo villages I stayed at in Phatum Thani a couple of years ago had loudspeakers on every street in the village and they played a Thai radio talk station at 6:00 AM every day. And just as you said F-LOUD!!! Never did get used to it.

[Macman]

I don't think I will either, TL. It's damn rude, and I hated that kind of rudeness even at home in NY, but that was never as blatant as this.