Blogging at Traffic School

Yes, I know. Some of you are appalled at the title.  But let me explain.

Backstory - I was driving too fast.  I have a lead foot.  Last time I had traffic school I was pregnant with my 5 year old and fell victim to a photo radar shot of me on the freeway going just above the flow of traffic.  This time I was going home on the freeway access road and was going with the flow of traffic… the traffic on the freeway.  There wasn't any other traffic.  Well, except for the motor officer.

Anna had just spilled a drink in the back and I wasn't paying any attention to my speed.  I was too busy giving her the 3rd degree and yelling at the other kids to help.



I was so grateful to my slightly OCD husband - he had the license and registration and proof of insurance all in its place.  Phew.

So this nice officer pointed out that I was eligible for on-line driving school.  It can be completed on the computer at home at my own convenience.  It is 4 hours but I can do it over a few days and stop and start the program as necessary.

 Given the hectic nature of the house, I opted to get a sitter and try to crank out at least a few hours one night while husband and Anthony were at soccer.  I was supposed to be at bunco that night with my bunco babes, so it seemed like a good lesson that I had to skip and take my class instead.  And I was running out to time.  You don't have FOREVER to do the penance.

So I walked across the street, said hi to the ladies, had a glass of wine while I explained myself, and then walked home.

I got registered, faxed in my photo and my citation, payed my bazillion dollars.  The next screen told me that I should expect an email confirmation with my log-in information in the next 48 hours.  Crap. I have a sitter.  I have to get this done.  I have a sitter!   So I tucked in one of the little muchkins and then went back to bunco for another glass of wine.  Clearly that is where I was supposed to be.

Second try it works.  I log in and get started.  You have 20 minutes to read through the course material.  It is written at about a 4th grade reading level.  They have commic strips and things in different colors.

Really this is sure better than being pregnant in the summer in a room with no AC.  I don't get the same 'Slice of Americana' sitting in my own house, but really that is okay with me.  I don't need to hear why everyone else is there.  I don't need to make new friends.  I don't need to stand around while others take their smoke breaks.  I don't need to be away from my family for 4-6 hours.  This works just fine!

The second chapter material took me 8 minutes to review and then there was 17 minutes left over.

And the questions are really not that challenging…

1 -  Which of the following is not available to the public?  Record of your citation dispositions.  Record of your mental health  Record of impaired driving convictions  Record of all your violations and crashes

2 -  You could face mandatory revocation of your license for________.  parking in a tow away zone  not stopping to give help when the vehicle you are driving is involved in a crash.  a single conviction of not stopping at a stop sign

3 -  According to course statistics, drivers who get more tickets are involved in ____ crashes.  less  more  the same number of  deadlier  costlier

The online course has fun video clips (and I mean fun ones like SNL clips) to watch after you review the material.  I take notes, I review it all… and then I blog or fold laundry.   This is going to be easier than I thought.  I must admit I have missed one question. eek.

And I did learn some great things too, for instance this:

MPH	ACTUAL TIME	TIME SAVED
55	10 MIN. 55 SEC.
60	10 MIN. 00 SEC.	55 SEC.
65	09 MIN. 4 SEC.	1 MIN. 41 SEC.
70	08 MIN 34 SEC.	2 MIN. 21 SEC.

 See more at: https://course.myimprov.com/private/readchapter.aspx#1301484

And the fact that even kleenex box can be fatal at 55mph.  I really need to clean out my car.  I would hate to be impaled by a soccer cleat at 75mph.

Well assuming I pass the test this has been a painless albeit expensive endeavor.  I am 1/2 way done, did 2 loads of laundry, talked on the phone with my mom and my MIL, texted with my parents, fixed and shared lunch with Anna and wrote this blog…

There is no-retake online so if I DON'T pass the test I will be in the that non-airconditioned room making friends with strangers...