Mason turned 16 on December 12, and got his license less than a week later.

I'm not sure if he still lives here or not. I haven't seen him or the car in a couple of days.

Being out of work and what not, the $23.50 is a bit out of my price range right now, so the drivers license is on hold (plus the fact I have no one to actually teach me to drive - girlfriend's mother backed out (hahaha) pretty fast out of her offer to teach me.

I'm just chalking this up to another milestone I'll probably never reach.

[quote="RetroRomper"][quote="FlyingCarp"]Where's the first place you're going to go with your newfound freedom?[/quote]

This driving thing is more "just getting it because the one off job asks for it" and "how did I get this old without one?" So I'll likely end up putting in a few hours behind the wheel, take the test, then simply exchange my ID card for a license with no fan fare and nowhere to really go.[/quote]

In California, when you get a license if you had an ID then you surrender it and the license uses the same number. A few years later they changed the rules and you could have both a drivers' license [i]and[/i] an identification card. I don't know of any other place that does.

[quote="pinback"]The first place I ever went was a 7-11.

I had a Slurpee.

Then I came home.

This has been PINBACK'S FIRST DRIVING EXPERIENCE.[/quote]

I was writing the above about ID cards to give me time to think. Since I was 17 when I got my license that's about 39 years ago. And I don't think I can for the life of me remember where I went the first time I owned a car and could go anywhere I wanted. (I have been able to ride a bike since I was 12 or 13, I learned how in one day.)

I think I'll claim I drove to the In-N-Out restaurant and bought two Double-Doubles, fries and a shake. It's as good a story as any.

The first place I ever went was a 7-11.

I had a Slurpee.

Then I came home.

This has been PINBACK'S FIRST DRIVING EXPERIENCE.

[quote="FlyingCarp"]Where's the first place you're going to go with your newfound freedom?[/quote]

This driving thing is more "just getting it because the one off job asks for it" and "how did I get this old without one?" So I'll likely end up putting in a few hours behind the wheel, take the test, then simply exchange my ID card for a license with no fan fare and nowhere to really go.

One of the first places I went when I got my motorcycle's license was Cactus Jack's arcade. Due to legal limitations (I wasn't allowed to exceed 35mph) I couldn't ride to the mall, but Cactus Jack's was within my reach. Up until that point I rarely went to the arcade, but after I got my license I and my friend Louis (who also had a motorcycle) started going there. It felt like it took forever to get there, and that we were really far away from home.

I just checked Google Maps -- Cactus Jack's is 3.5 miles from my childhood home. It's amazing how limited your world seems prior to owning your first set of wheels.

Where's the first place you're going to go with your newfound freedom?

I remember getting my license at 16 and heading to a local state park with lots of beaches and beach babes. That first time out on my own I rolled down the windows, blasted Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde, smoked cigarettes whose butts I joyously flicked out the window, and made eyes at each and every lady jogger, walker, driver, mover and shaker. Then I parked behind the Dairy Queen and beat off.

I actually just got my permit!

Well... Not technically - I passed the permit TEST which entitles me TO a permit (as opposed to say being an American Citizen entitles me to healthcare.) Just didn't have the money on hand last week to pick it up.... Maybe this upcoming one I will!

[img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/11/License_to_drive_poster.jpg[/img]

[quote="RetroRomper"]Grabbed a copy of the manual today and plan to go to the DMV tomorrow afternoon to take the actual permit test! Wish me luck...[/quote]

Since he did not post I fear he failed the test and has become so despondent he has done something drastic.

Or he found out when you get insurance they price it according to driving experience as an insured driver, which means for the first couple of years they price it like you're 18, i.e. horrendously expensive.

Grabbed a copy of the manual today and plan to go to the DMV tomorrow afternoon to take the actual permit test! Wish me luck...

I'm with you on no traditional graduation and I didn't get my driver's license until my mid 20s (not having family willing to assist in that played a part, fortunately we had local bbs' here and many a friend let me drive once or twice and a couple more often leading to cumulative driving practice, plus a few driving lessons. So, ROCK ON dude, do this thing! :smile:

So, Retro, I think that means Paul has issued you a challenge!

What parts of driving have you sort of absorbed, like an evil twin to the good one, over the years?

When I first took the driving test in California circa 1977 I got one question wrong on the written test despite studying for it and I missed one item on the driving test, I messed up doing a "turnabout" which is a U turn done as a Y, despite taking driving school classes.

So this meant I had completed enough of the test to get my license.

Four years later I went back to renew my license, not knowing they renew it automatically by mail but if you're in the DMV they have you take the written test over. Well, I hadn't studied for it at all, but, worse case, my license still had six months before it expired, I could reread the handbook and try again.

I took the test cold, and this time I got every question right.

Should this thread go into the cars base? What happened to "Liberals get all the girls?" Anyway, I just printed out the Oregon DMV manual, a few practice tests, and confirmed I have enough money to cover the fees... Soooooooo this appears to be happening!

That is, obtaining my driving permit. Wait you ask, "is Retro seriously a 30 year old who has never driven a car?" the answer would be yes! And per my therapist, I've missed out on a number of other cultural milestones as well! These may include, but are not limited to -

*Graduating from a traditional highschool (went back and obtained my GED and my diploma from a charter school.)
*Graduating from College (aside from having over 130 credits.)
*Having a girlfriend before the age of 25.
*Sitting around a dinner table and merely hating your parents, as opposed to knowing that they have literally tried to kill you.
*Having immediate family....

Okay, that became dark and depressing too quickly. Instead, lets focus on the permit!

Will report later today if I had the balls to take the test.

--Retro