By Lauren Shin, Staff Writer
When a teenager turns 15 and 9 months, they are eligible to obtain a learner’s permit, which allows them to begin learning to drive with an adult supervisor next to them. At 16 and a half, they can get their provisional, and finally, at the age of 18, their full driver’s license.
Sophomores, at the youngest, have started to get their driver’s permit and provisional licenses. Claiming their way to adulthood, students are eager to drive themselves around.
Sophomore Lizeth Montemayor shares her experience with getting her permit recently, explaining that, “It’s amazing to be able to drive myself to places and not have to depend on my parents or brother. I only really drive to work or around the neighborhood when I’m practicing, though.”
Anushka Segar, also a Sophomore, adds that, “Being able to drive allows me to get things done, because I have a busy schedule, since I can drive myself everywhere.”
Like Anushka and Lizeth, new drivers are both excited and slightly nervous about driving.
However, there are pros and cons that come with this new freedom. Many upperclassmen are not exactly happy to see the new drivers.
Senior Yusuf Mirasyedi says, “Sometimes new drivers are really bad drivers and it’s frustrating when I’m in the parking lot because the space is limited and they’re in the way.”
He continues by saying that “I feel that it’s highly possible that I could be late to school because people without parking permits might park in my spot.” This statement can be backed up with the fact that there have recently been an increasing number of tardy students, River Hill has adopted a new system of “tardy tables”, where tardy students are required to check in at the tardy table instead of with Ms. Key.
He expresses his feelings about new drivers , saying that, “I actually purposefully avoid people with ‘new driver’ bumper stickers because they’re annoying.”
In addition, the parking lot spaces are very limited, and students must register for their own lot. “A lot of people don’t seem to know that the parking lot spaces are reserved,” Hannah and Yusuf continue, “[new drivers] park in teacher spots and student spots without having a permit, which is really annoying, and the only thing the school can do is write a ticket, which nobody cares about”
Despite the minor conflicts between new and experienced drivers, all of them agree that they are glad to have their driver privileges. With more experience and practice driving, new drivers will surely get adjusted to the world of driving.