Equipping a newbie for his first drive-by

Lorraine Sommerfeld

COLUMNIST

Christopher, 18, experienced his first drive-by the other day.

There has been an ongoing argument around here regarding Ontario traffic law. Christopher believes he is more versed in it than I am.

Let me begin at the beginning. When Christopher decides to tell me things like this, I laugh at the folly of youth. Only not out loud, because I still want that youth to put out the garbage.

But there has been an ongoing discussion about whether you must have your driver's licence on you at all times when you are driving. I say, "Of course." Christopher says, "No." At which point the discussion heats up faster than a brushfire.

"You have 24 hours to produce your licence," said Silly Boy.

"No, you do not. There are some areas where this is true, but Ontario isn't one of them. And while a cop may offer that leeway, it is discretionary at best, and any cop who has pulled over a smart-mouthed teenager doing something wrong in his mother's minivan is not going to be looking for ways to let him off the hook," I replied.

"No. You have 24 hours. I know it."

I looked it up. Like most parts of the Highway Traffic Act, it's cloaked in grey and rolled in smoke.

"Look," I said, dragging him by the ear to the computer. "Read this."

Section 33.(1). Every driver of a motor vehicle or street car shall carry his or her licence with him or her at all times while he or she is in charge of a motor vehicle or street car and shall surrender the licence for reasonable inspection upon the demand of a police officer or officer appointed for carrying out the provisions of this Act.

"Yeah, but further down it says you can just produce identification and that'll be good enough," he said rather smugly.

"And if you don't have your wallet – with your licence – on you, how do you propose to identify yourself? My name is different from your stepdad's, and both are different from yours."

I could see him thinking of how he would explain the ownership/insurance tangle, while asserting his tiny clause to merely prove to an officer who he was, not that he could legally drive.

"Yeah, well I still know I'm right," he finished, lamely.

When the Poor Sod came home from work, Christopher asked, "Hey, it's true you have 24 hours to produce your licence, right?"

"You carry your licence at all times or you'll be walking," came the terse reply.

Christopher came in from work the other night and said, "Well, that was close."

"What?"

"I'd made the left and was coming down Brant St. and suddenly my rear-view was full of police lights. All I could think was, what's going on? It was an advanced green, I stayed in my lane, I'm not speeding, but I pulled over to the right immediately."

I remained quiet, pondering the many outcomes that were possible.

"And, the cop went right past me." Christopher exhaled.

"Ah. You've had your first drive-by." I smiled. "Kinda leaves your heart pounding a little, doesn't it?"

"Actually, all I could think was, thank God I have my licence on me. Mom was so right."

I did not gloat. Much.

Lorraine Sommerfeld's column appears Saturdays in Wheels and Mondays in the Star's Living section.

www.lorraineonline.ca

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