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I speed. I end up doing it without even noticing.
When I used to drive on German Autobahns, I would be belting 160 kph (100 mph) in the outer lane, when a Porsche with its left indicator flashing would materialize behind me out of nowhere. In Italy, it was a Ferrari, usually a small group of them (Italians love to travel as a crowd), that would arrive with amazing speed behind me. The outer lane traffic would part like The Red Sea in front of those beauties. Although I drive fast, I have learnt to be a considerate driver and move instantaneously to the middle lane. A skill I have noticed many drivers lack here.
There is a commercial in which a brand new Dodge Viper is being shipped to Germany.
“What’s wrong? You don’t like German cars?,” one guy asks another.
“No, I don’t like American roads,” replies the other.
I mirror the sentiment.
I admit that I have tried to slow down and follow the speed limit, as my license is constantly on the verge of suspension. One day I made a super human effort to drive to my son’s school without breaking the speed limit. Most of the way it was 35 mph. This was not an easy feat, and required some serious brake application when going down hill. The speed limit around the bend was reduced even further, to 25 mph.
“Mom, I could bike faster to school!” was my son’s comment.
Although my insurance company disagrees, I consider myself a safe driver. In six years that I have lived here I haven’t hit a squirrel, let alone deer who have a nasty habit of prancing across major roads in herds. Wherever there may be kids around, I come to a crawl. It is rather unfortunate that the troopers do not see my point of view. As a result I spent a good deal of the past Friday morning reading a Special Points Exam manual. A riveting read that informed me how my license would be suspended at 11 points and how no one should be behind the wheel with more than 0.08 alcohol in their blood. All ready, mind bursting with newly learnt information, I went to the local driving test place to take the exam and have 2 points taken off my licence. I sat down and waited patiently for my name to be called for the 1 o’ clock exam.
“Speeding?” asked a young man sitting next to me, noticing that I have not picked up a ticket, reserved for people with untainted driving record.
“Yes, I have to do the Special Points Exam. How about you?” I asked.
“The hearing. My license got suspended,” he replied.
“What happened?” I became curious.
“Got caught going 115mph on the highway,” replied the man.
“So, how did you get here?” I wondered.
“Drove myself,” he said.
“You were lucky that you didn’t get stopped,” I said, the penalty for such an offense freshly stored in my mind from reading the manual.
1 o’clock came and went and no one called my name. I approached one of the clerks minding his own business behind the glass and asked about the exam. The Special Point Exam was at 11. I couldn’t believe it. I must have omitted number 1 in my scheduler, and instead of 11, put it under 1. Blast!
“Can I reschedule please?” I asked politely.
“Not here. You need to call 1 800 number,” I was told.
“There is a thirty day window in which I need to take the test. Otherwise, my license will be suspended,” I added with some cause for concern.
The man replied, “There is nothing I can do. I can only tell you that there will be no more testing in here today.” He checked on his computer for my suspension date. “You have till the 26th.”
I had only three working days to take the test, so I dialled the scheduling center while still sitting in a car at the car park in front of the Driving Test Center.
“The first date I can give you is May 5th,” the woman on the other line informed me.
“My license will expire on the 26th. What am I supposed to do in the meantime? Starve to death?” I asked, knowing that nothing is walking distance where I live and ‘public transport’ is a non existent word in Bucks County.
“Sorry, I can’t give you any sooner date. I can look at the next center nearest to you.”
I liked the idea of having a plan. This sounded promising.
“That one has May the 2nd available. Shall I keep looking?” she asked.
I didn’t exactly have a choice in this matter. I was prepared to drive to Pittsburgh if necessary to get the test done. Luckily, It is going to be Philadelphia on April 23rd. This time it definitely is at 1 o’clock.
