The Car Story

Once Miriya got her drivers license she needed a car to drive. Tom and I were not going to let her drive our cars. They were too new and she is likely to wreck them. She assured us that she would NOT crash the cars but, after driving with her, we did not believe. We looked and looked for something in our budget ($500). We finally found a great candidate. It is a 1995 Toyota Corrolla station wagon. It just needed an alternator and it would be up and running. Another plus, it has a standard transmission so she will have learn to drive a stick shift. This is a good skill that everyone should learn.

Miriya and Tom worked on the car and in less than a week she was driving it to school, complete with a vanity plate that she paid for pwned U2. We didn't get it but Miriya explained that it was texting for got you.

All went well for about a month then Tom and I got a call from Miriya telling us that she had been in an accident. No one was hurt and the car just had a little dent. Turns out she was making a left turn and didn't yield. Oh and the police gave her this piece of paper but she isn't sure what it is. When we got home we took one look at the paper and told her that it was a ticket. (I have seen many of those papers...) The laws for teenage drivers in Ohio are quite strict and Miriya had to go before a judge. Many of her friends have lost their drivers licenses due to minor violations like driving too slow and of course, speeding. We were so worried because we were so done taking her to early morning seminary. It is so much more convenient now that she can drive herself.

On the court day, her session was during school. Tom picked her up but she had forgotten all the documents at home. They ran home to get them but then were late for court and had to be rescheduled. This is not the way to curry favor with the judge. The next week Miriya managed to get everything organized and she showed up for court on time. Her judgement? She can drive to work and school only for the next year and she has to do 40 hours of community service. It could have been much worse. No more sending her to the store for milk but she can still drive to seminary. I guess we will take it.