Keep the Car Running (maybe stock up on gas first though)
I woke up yesterday morning to a text from my mom.
Mom: So I guess you can drive now!
Me: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA where on earth did you hear that?
After which, I went about my morning, which consists of trying to keep Charlie from waking up the neighborhood and/or trying to carry the cat. Imagine my surprise when I saw Mom's response.
Mom: CNN.
Which was corroborated by Bill when he finally woke up. In true LOL fashion, the edict came down at 11pm the night before, long after I was asleep. (Hey, it's a night culture. Most of the government offices are open that late, it's just us expats who go to bed obnoxiously early before midnight.)
In the last two days, the idea of being able to drive in the LOL has been a popular topic of conversation. Yesterday was subdued shock and celebration. And, as a completely weird thing that no one knows if it's related or not, a whole lot of traffic on the road. (All men, though. Women are still not allowed to drive until June, though that could be sooner.)
(And technically - or as Bill's LOLian friends explain, it's not that women aren't allowed to drive. It's that they're not allowed to get driver's licenses. Important distinction. When you're male and LOLian, anyway.)
Today, the rumors are starting, mostly because no one's actually seen the edict, so no one's too clear on what it says apart from "Women can get driver's licences in June." The rumors range from age restrictions (women must be over 30 years old), citizenship restrictions (women must be LOL citizens), and/or curfews (women can only drive between 7am and 8pm).
Whether or not any of those rumors are true - or false - it's definitely one big fat asterisk on the ruling. (Men can get driver's licences at age 18 here. And there's no curfew or citizenship requirement for them, either.)
(And if the citizenship thing is true... I still wouldn't be able to drive.)
Frankly, I wouldn't doubt that there's going to be something that makes it tricky. Additional fees... reading requirement... additional driving tests. (I've heard the current test only ensures that you know how to turn the car on and off, as well as switching gears.) I'm betting there'll be one window in one specific DMV that is only open for one hour a day twice a week where women can actually apply for their licence.
(Twice a week -- because that's twice as convenient as once a week. See, they're practically making it EASY.)
I might be a little bit jaded.
Anyway, for the meanwhile, I still get to use motorpool, and I still have to call for a driver, and I'm still dependent on no one else needing them at the same time. (That happened yesterday. Charlie and I made it to his speech appointment with a minute to spare.)
That said... assuming I can? The first day possible? I am totally getting behind the wheel and driving myself to the grocery store. Even if all I buy is milk, I'm doing it. Because how awesome would it be to say that I did it?
Cross-posted from Dreamwidth. Comment in either location.
Mom: So I guess you can drive now!
Me: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA where on earth did you hear that?
After which, I went about my morning, which consists of trying to keep Charlie from waking up the neighborhood and/or trying to carry the cat. Imagine my surprise when I saw Mom's response.
Mom: CNN.
Which was corroborated by Bill when he finally woke up. In true LOL fashion, the edict came down at 11pm the night before, long after I was asleep. (Hey, it's a night culture. Most of the government offices are open that late, it's just us expats who go to bed obnoxiously early before midnight.)
In the last two days, the idea of being able to drive in the LOL has been a popular topic of conversation. Yesterday was subdued shock and celebration. And, as a completely weird thing that no one knows if it's related or not, a whole lot of traffic on the road. (All men, though. Women are still not allowed to drive until June, though that could be sooner.)
(And technically - or as Bill's LOLian friends explain, it's not that women aren't allowed to drive. It's that they're not allowed to get driver's licenses. Important distinction. When you're male and LOLian, anyway.)
Today, the rumors are starting, mostly because no one's actually seen the edict, so no one's too clear on what it says apart from "Women can get driver's licences in June." The rumors range from age restrictions (women must be over 30 years old), citizenship restrictions (women must be LOL citizens), and/or curfews (women can only drive between 7am and 8pm).
Whether or not any of those rumors are true - or false - it's definitely one big fat asterisk on the ruling. (Men can get driver's licences at age 18 here. And there's no curfew or citizenship requirement for them, either.)
(And if the citizenship thing is true... I still wouldn't be able to drive.)
Frankly, I wouldn't doubt that there's going to be something that makes it tricky. Additional fees... reading requirement... additional driving tests. (I've heard the current test only ensures that you know how to turn the car on and off, as well as switching gears.) I'm betting there'll be one window in one specific DMV that is only open for one hour a day twice a week where women can actually apply for their licence.
(Twice a week -- because that's twice as convenient as once a week. See, they're practically making it EASY.)
I might be a little bit jaded.
Anyway, for the meanwhile, I still get to use motorpool, and I still have to call for a driver, and I'm still dependent on no one else needing them at the same time. (That happened yesterday. Charlie and I made it to his speech appointment with a minute to spare.)
That said... assuming I can? The first day possible? I am totally getting behind the wheel and driving myself to the grocery store. Even if all I buy is milk, I'm doing it. Because how awesome would it be to say that I did it?
Cross-posted from Dreamwidth. Comment in either location.