My Daughter is Devastated

And me, being the kind, caring, sympathetic mother that I am, couldn't stop laughing!

My 16 1/2 year old daughter called me and said "Mom! Oh, Mom, what am I going to do???" Of course, the panic alarm went off and I said "Where are you? What happened? Are you okay???"

Ah, I find out that she had been driving in a school zone and had been going just a little bit too fast. She got pulled over, and issued a citation for speeding. I, of course, burst into laughter. I said "So, exactly how fast were going, child?" 19 miles an hour over the speed limit in a school zone!!! Okay, that made it not so funny any more!!! But she explained that she had been right at the speed limit change, and had been slowing down from a 35 mile an hour zone into a 15 mile an hour zone.

She had gone straight to her Dad's house thinking he wouldn't be quite as brutal as me (I've been trying to catch the child speeding for months so that I could issue her first citation!), but I'll hand it to her dad... he was NOT amused.

After discussing things with her dad, the punishment we came up with was that she is not allowed passengers in her car for 3 months, she can ONLY drive to school and back home, and if we find out she's had passengers or she gets another ticket, her driving priviledges will be revoked completely until she's 18. AND she has to go to court on the speeding citation instead of just paying the fine. I want her to have to talk to the judge.

She's devastated, but I think she now realizes that driving is a priviledge, NOT a right!!!

The daughter of a cop, getting busted for speeding! There's irony for ya!

Hey Mom, just don't put her in the pokey- By the way, how many speeding tickets did you not get when you were a teenager?

Originally Posted by hissy

Hey Mom, just don't put her in the pokey-

By the way, how many speeding tickets did you not get when you were a teenager?

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A LOT! But neither of my parents were cops!

She's really a good kid... and I'm wondering if we weren't a bit harsh. BUT, we've both been telling her to slow down, and she just hasn't. I suppose it could have been worse. I think I'm more annoyed that she didn't take us seriously than anything.

Of course, we ARE parents of a 16 year old. We are the dumbest people on the face of the earth!

Jin and Spawn, tell your daughter this story. I was a pretty good teenage driver. Responsible. Didn't take it lightly. BUT, I still got in a car accident because of my inexperience. I was driving on a back road in a rural area. I had been on it before, but only as a passenger and only once or twice quite a while before. Anyway, there was a curve that I knew was coming up. It was in a 60km zone. I knew it was a sharp curve, but underestimated remember the sharpness. I slowed down to the speed limit when I knew it was nearby. It was just after dusk. When I approached the curve, my headlights hit nothing because there was a field behind. Anyway, I was looking at the road, not at signs I passed. That was my mistake. It was inexperience, plan and simple. I looked for the curve, not the sign that described it. It was a slow down to 20km/h in a 60 zone, and I was going too fast by the time I saw it (no line on the road - back road). I went off the shoulder and hit a tree. It was completely my fault and completely because I was just inexperienced.

All I could do is laugh when I was reading and laughed even harder when I realized that you were a cop!!! My husband is the youngest and is Dad is a cop and Detective. I have heard horror stories about him getting in trouble, being a teenage boy. Nothing gets past you guys. But he told me though after getting older and having kids, he's very thankful that he was like that. So, Keep up the good work!!! When my children become teenagers, trust me I will asking for advice

She's really a good kid... and I'm wondering if we weren't a bit harsh. BUT, we've both been telling her to slow down, and she just hasn't. I suppose it could have been worse. I think I'm more annoyed that she didn't take us seriously than anything

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I don't think you were too harsh at all. 19 mph over the limit in a school zone was way to fast. To many people, not just kids, don't understand how dangerous driving really is. I applaud you for being the good parent that you are and did the right thing. Hopefully your daughter will now learn from this mistake and take driving more serious.

You're a cop? Wow cool! Sounds like fair punishment to me, I'd expect the same if I got caught speeding.

It sounds harsh, but I think a lesson learnt well at that age is never forgotten. And it is such a risk - so many accidents are caused by teenagers that you were absolutely right. And I like the idea of making her go to court - she will never forget that day, ever.

I have to say, I don't think the punishment is too harsh. Jerry has told me some gruesome stories of he picking broken bodies up off the road from going to fast and losing control.. .....I stay 5 mph within the speedlimit.....

No, it wasn't too harsh...it's a punishment with logic and one she'll remember...the best kind to learn from.

Thanks for the input! I really appreciate it. My sister is the one that got on my case about being too harsh. She reminded me of what WE did as teens. However, we weren't 'good kids' either! (SHHHH!!! Don't tell! )

She's doing fine today. She's still a bit upset over the whole thing, and is dreading court, but it's a good learning experience for her.