Do you remember the exact day you got your drivers license as a teenager?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I don't remember it all. I have vague memories of my driving instructor. I remember merging onto the highway in a frightening way one of the first times I drove alone, but I don't remember my parents handing me any keys, don't remember driving by myself for the first time.

It's really not a big deal.

Speak for yourself. It was a huge deal to me. I was the only one of my friends who inherited a junker car from my brother, so it was our ticket to freedom. It was awesome.

You do understand you asked for people's opinion, OP, and they have the right to disagree with you.

[Anonymous]

I do, and the exact route I took my car. Great times!

[Anonymous]

Yes I remember because I was so happy. I'm almost 70.

I truly don't understand the many young people today who are not excited about or for some even interested in getting their driver's license.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I don't remember it all. I have vague memories of my driving instructor. I remember merging onto the highway in a frightening way one of the first times I drove alone, but I don't remember my parents handing me any keys, don't remember driving by myself for the first time.

It's really not a big deal.

I guess it varies by individual and generation. In the days before the internet, one had to actually leave the house for something as simple as renting a video, going to the movies or buying a record album.

I grew up before the Internet.

Having a car and the things I did with and IN the car, are very memorable. But it's not like it was an instant party the second I got my driver's license. Maybe that's what it is about? My parents had me driving with them to places like the grocery store and school and then slowly started allowing me to take the car by myself to work (2 miles away) and then alone to school (25 minutes away), and then even longer before I was allowed to drive people around. Of course, the moment they gave me keys and said I could go on my own, but wasn't allowed to drive other people, I know I immediately disregarded that, but not being able to openly drive around with lots of people did keep a lid on the excitement.

I think by the time I had a car and full privileges to do what I want, it was kind of boring.

[Anonymous]

Yes! I took my parent’s car and picked up my friends to go out to lunch and got into a minor accident.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, it wasn't important to me at all. But then I lived in a capital city with excellent public transportation, so there was no rush to get a license. I got mine at 19 in anticipation of going to the US for grad school, where I knew I'd need a car at some point - and then I didn't get my own car until my first child was born.

Very similar. I got my license at 25 and don't really remember much, it wasn't a big deal. Had a car for like 3 years in my 20s then not again for another 10 years until I had kids. I still prefer to drive as little as possible and am baffled by things like posts in the travel forum claiming the best way to get around Paris is rental car. Like...what?!

[Anonymous]

Yes because I literally got it on my 16th birthday.

[Anonymous]

Not that much. Getting a license is not a big deal or accomplishment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I don't remember it all. I have vague memories of my driving instructor. I remember merging onto the highway in a frightening way one of the first times I drove alone, but I don't remember my parents handing me any keys, don't remember driving by myself for the first time.

It's really not a big deal.

I guess it varies by individual and generation. In the days before the internet, one had to actually leave the house for something as simple as renting a video, going to the movies or buying a record album.

I grew up before the Internet.

Having a car and the things I did with and IN the car, are very memorable. But it's not like it was an instant party the second I got my driver's license. Maybe that's what it is about? My parents had me driving with them to places like the grocery store and school and then slowly started allowing me to take the car by myself to work (2 miles away) and then alone to school (25 minutes away), and then even longer before I was allowed to drive people around. Of course, the moment they gave me keys and said I could go on my own, but wasn't allowed to drive other people, I know I immediately disregarded that, but not being able to openly drive around with lots of people did keep a lid on the excitement.

I think by the time I had a car and full privileges to do what I want, it was kind of boring.

I can imagine being a new driver in 2024 in the DC area is not as fun as being a new driver in 2004 and prior

[Anonymous]

I took my road test exactly one week after turning 17, and I remember it because it was the four year anniversary of my bat mitzvah. I don't remember what I wore, but DO remember knowing if I passed the road test they'd take my picture so I picked out my shirt and did my hair carefully.

[Anonymous]

Received my license in 1996 at the age of 16.

I remember the in-class instruction in high school, the driving lessons (also provided by high school), and the written and road tests administered by the school and DMV respectively; I have no recollection of receiving my physical license.

I do remember the morning-after the day I received my license when my parents woke me up because I had not returned the car keys to the correct place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I don't remember it all. I have vague memories of my driving instructor. I remember merging onto the highway in a frightening way one of the first times I drove alone, but I don't remember my parents handing me any keys, don't remember driving by myself for the first time.

It's really not a big deal.

Speak for yourself. It was a huge deal to me. I was the only one of my friends who inherited a junker car from my brother, so it was our ticket to freedom. It was awesome.

You do understand you asked for people's opinion, OP, and they have the right to disagree with you.

I am not OP.

PP said “it’s really not a big deal.” The connotation there is that it’s generally not a big deal to anyone. Otherwise she would have said “it wasn’t a big deal for me.”

Just pointing out, like you did, it’s not the same for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I don't remember it all. I have vague memories of my driving instructor. I remember merging onto the highway in a frightening way one of the first times I drove alone, but I don't remember my parents handing me any keys, don't remember driving by myself for the first time.

It's really not a big deal.

Speak for yourself. It was a huge deal to me. I was the only one of my friends who inherited a junker car from my brother, so it was our ticket to freedom. It was awesome.

You do understand you asked for people's opinion, OP, and they have the right to disagree with you.

I am not OP.

PP said “it’s really not a big deal.” The connotation there is that it’s generally not a big deal to anyone. Otherwise she would have said “it wasn’t a big deal for me.”

Just pointing out, like you did, it’s not the same for everyone.

Yeah… you’re just nitpicking.

[Anonymous]

My school was full of BASS FREAKS all trying to one up each other. Some of them are still doing it. 30 years later.

[Anonymous]

no but I quite vividly remember walking into the DMV when I was 21 (hair and makeup done to the nines) to get my "adult" license that wasn't vertical. ahh, youth! now I look like an actual troll in my license picture and can't be bothered to care.