Minimum Age and Driving Record

There are only a couple things that can really hold you back if you want to be an over the road (OTR) driver. First, the minimum age is 21. There’s no getting around that; it’s the minimum age limit handed down by the Department of Transportation. Next, your driving record must be reasonably clean. Your state may allow you to take an online defensive driving course to remove points. Being rear-ended won’t raise any eyebrows, but a few accidents where you’re at fault will. A speeding ticket earned at a young age is fine, but a bunch of points on your license can certainly stand in your way. Better take that NY Defensive Driving course to get those points down if you want a career as a truck driver!

Education

No college degree is required. For many trucking companies, a high school diploma isn’t required either, but it’s still definitely preferred. What companies do require is a valid CDL license.

Students will first need to obtain their CDL (commercial driver’s license) permit. That can be done through a written exam at their local DMV. They’d want to study the material first, then take and pass the permit test. After that, there are a couple of options open to them.

The first option is to pick a qualified, reputable truck-driving school. Most schools offer flexible schedules and can be completed in two weeks, if the student works hard. Schools will take the student all the way through obtaining the CDL, most even providing the truck necessary to take the road test. These schools require payment up front, which seems to be the only downside. On the other hand, many trucking companies offer tuition reimbursement, up to a certain amount. This is usually paid at a rate of $100-200 per month until the tuition is fully paid off.

The second option, which is better for those who don’t have much money saved up, is to go through paid training with their preferred trucking company. These programs are taught by many large trucking companies known for hiring (for lack of a better term) entry-level drivers. No experience is required. Most companies will provide transportation to the training facility for a stay of about two weeks. Room and board are also usually covered. During this paid training, students learn everything they need to know to become trainee truck drivers. Completion of the training also guarantees the new driver a job with the company. There is one drawback though. These programs cost nothing up front because the cost is usually applied to the driver’s paychecks for their first couple of years as a driver. New drivers end up paying much more than if they’d paid out of pocket for the first option.

On the Road Training

After completing the training and orientation for their chosen trucking companies, new drivers will be assigned a trainer. The trainer will take the trainee out on the road and teach them all the tips and tricks that simply can’t be learned elsewhere. Once the trainer and the company deem the new driver ready to drive solo, they are set free on the open road.

The delivery of small items…

…is convenient for everyone. Whether it’s mail or a pleasant pizza, delivery robots will make everyone’s life easier. It’s every perk of having a deliveryman without the human interaction.

Eco-friendliness…

…is guaranteed. The sidewalk robots don’t use fuel, because they’re powered by a battery charge. This makes them a great green substitute to the usual automobile pizza delivery. If you haven’t caught on, this entire pros/cons list is centered around the efficiency of getting pizza to our front door.

You can say robots roam the streets.

Nothing is greater than bragging to your friends about how your city adopted a new robot delivery system. Larger cities might have courier services, with cyclists whizzing by on the streets, but they don’t have large, 200-lb robots cruising at 10-MPH down the sidewalk.

Affordability…

…has an important role in robot acceptance. The cost to pay a delivery person might outweigh the cost to use an autonomous robot. One sidewalk robot will cost upwards to $10,000 and operators will have to maintain insurance liabilities of $100,000. However, owners can make that money back, over time, with the cost efficiency of not paying a delivery man.

You’ll fall in love.

Move over UPS Delivery Man, because Sidewalk Robot is ’a knockin’ at your front door. If you thought the delivery guy was cute, just wait until you lock eyes with these AI. The biggest benefit is looking at these eye candies roaming about outside. Hubba hubber!

Unregulated AI could cause problems…

…and not the usual robot uprising problems. Recently, an autonomous car struck and killed a pedestrian. This accident raised concerns for self-driving technologies everywhere. People are concerned that the unregulated AI could cause another devastating incident, like the recent fatal accident or… a missing pizza.

Job replacement…

…is a major concern. People earn a living from delivering packages. The robot uprising could turn out to be a real scenario. However, instead of mass deaths, it’ll be mass unemployment.

You’ll fall in love.

It’s better to have loved than to never loved at all. As is the case with falling for these robotic hunks. Love hurts. Just as quickly as they came into your life, they’ll leave it… because their code will never understand the human experience.

Lack of Training

Purchase of a PAL-V flying car costs $399,000 (for the more affordable option), and it comes with flight training. That seems appropriate, since the vehicle more closely resembles a helicopter than a car. But their website is somewhat fuzzy on the training process. The site boasts of beautiful training locations but doesn’t say how many hours are required. There’s no mention of what exactly is covered in the training. All it really says is that the training will be quick and easy.

In contrast, obtaining a driver’s license is neither quick nor easy, but that is to be sure drivers are safe on the road. We shouldn’t be lax on license requirements just because there are less flying cars. After all, there’s no online defensive driving course for flying cars.

Potential For Disaster

A car crash can easily be deadly, but there are also countless little fender-benders every day. Everyone generally walks away from those accidents, but imagine what can happen when those accidents are up in the air. Once gravity becomes an extra factor in collisions, what would be minor accidents on the ground become major accidents in the air. Plus, when that flying car crashes to the ground, there’s a good chance there will be a car underneath it. Unfortunately, most drivers are not prepared to deal with falling debris, which could cause an even bigger catastrophe on the ground.

That is just in the case of two drivers/pilots that have gone through the “training” crashing into each other. There’s also no information on the PAL-V website on what to do in the event of equipment failure. In a car, if a tire blows out or we run out of gas, we pull safely to the shoulder or, at worse, stall on the highway. If something goes wrong in a flying car, there could be people FALLING OUT OF THE SKY.

There are also drones to consider. Never mind the military drones, which are operated by people who have gone through the necessary training. The issue is the drones that can be purchased from a local electronics store for about $100 and operated from cell phones. Will the PAL-V hold up if a drone crashes into it? Will the driver have gone through enough training not to panic if a drone smashes their windshield? These are just issues that can result from accidents. These drones are given out as Christmas gifts. A child might not understand the consequences of intentionally trying to damage a flying car, and disaster could follow.

Ultimately, if the idea of flying cars is ever going to work, we need to have strict regulations. Right now, people are so excited about the technology, but proper rules haven’t been put in place yet. Drivers/pilots need to be given extensive training, and flight paths should be established to keep flying cars at a safe distance from each other. For now, the world seems barely able to handle self-driving cars. Flying cars may be a step too far.

1. Driving with no driver’s license, a suspended or revoked license.

Have you ever forgotten to renew your driver’s license? While we do our best to be responsible, we all have busy lives, and there are times when there’s a lapse for one reason or another. No matter what state you live in, you must have a valid license. New residents are allowed 30 days to apply for a New York driver’s license. License holders have 60 days to renew their New York license when it expires. Foreigners may drive on their valid home country’s license or an international driving permit.

2. Distracted Driving

Most of the time, when we are driving and are distracted, we don’t even realize it. Sometimes it is an innocent thing that happens, like figuring out what radio station you should turn to. We need to remember there is severe danger imposed by driving distracted and try to avoid:

• Paying extra attention to children and pets in a vehicle
• Focusing on our digital maps or paper maps
• Eating and drinking in the car
• Picking up a dropped item
• Talking on the phone
• Texting
• Checking email or social media

3. OMVI and driving impaired

Operating a Motor Vehicle Impaired (OMVI) is still a problem even after decades of hearing public service announcements about it. Accidents and deaths have resulted from it. Many drivers that suffer from impairment are unaware of how debilitating the impairment is. They may also be unaware of how much danger they are putting others in.

4. Speeding

Speed limits change from town to town and you must be alert to when they change. This way you can avoid a traffic ticket as well as maintain a safe speed. However, it is key to remember that the speed limit is for normal road and weather conditions.

When weather conditions are not favorable, it is your responsibility to adjust your speed to maintain safety. Tickets are issued for driving above the speed limit sign, driving at speeds that are not safe in the weather conditions and driving too slowly.

Speed laws and rules are made to keep people safe. Speeding is a serious problem. Do your best to slow down and maintain a legal and safe speed at all times. Defensive driving courses can help reduce future accidents, tickets, and fines.

5. Move Over Act

It’s not just a common courtesy or great idea; it’s the law. Every driver needs to move over and change lanes when an emergency vehicle is flashing its lights. To avoid colliding with a police car, fire truck, ambulance or tow truck that is parked, stopped on the shoulder or any portion of the highway, New Yorkers are required by law to move from the lane beside the emergency vehicle. Unless traffic or other hazards prevent you from doing this safely – make sure you move over!

Safe Driving Habits

Driving laws are here for the safety and benefit of everyone. Consequences for not obeying driving laws can include injury, damage to property or your vehicle, and even death. You can also have fines, a suspended or revoked license, tickets and even lawsuits when things go wrong. Safe driving habits and defensive driving is necessary.

In New York, you can take a defensive driving course every 18 months for ticket dismissal and point reduction. You can take it once every 3 years for a 10% discount on your car insurance. The course will also help you maintain the best driving skills possible.

Differences Between Non-Driver IDs and Drivers Licenses

Understanding the differences between a non-driver ID and a driver’s license makes it easier to understand the differences between a temporary ID and a driver’s license. You can use your driver’s license in place of your non-driver ID, but you cannot legally drive with an official New York State non-driver ID. Getting both a temporary ID and a temporary license is possible.

You can acquire a temporary ID by applying for an ID at the DMV. Another option is by renewing or replacing an ID through the DMV online or in person. To help you understand, here are some of the main differences between non-driver IDs and driver’s licenses:

Age Requirements

You can get a non-driver ID at any age. You do have to have an adult vouch for you as a guardian if you are under 21. In New York, you must be 16 to apply for a driver’s license. You don’t need a guardian to get a learner’s permit unless that is one of your proofs of identification. This proof is called an MV-45. A learner’s permit is an initial requirement for getting a driver’s license.

Prerequisites

There are no real prerequisites for a non-driver ID, only proofs of identity and fees. There are quite a few conditions for getting a driver’s license. You must get a permit before you can get a license. The written permit test must be passed by approximately 70% to get your permit. After getting your permit in the mail, you can take your physical road test. Upon passing, the driver will receive an interim (temporary) license until the actual driver’s license comes in the mail.

Price

A non-driver ID is relatively inexpensive. However, a driver’s license comes with various costs. You will have application fees, document fees, and fees according to the type of license it is. The prices vary quite a bit by license type and by age.

Eye Exam

You must pass an eye exam to get a driver’s license but not a non-driver ID.

Proofs of Identification

The type of proof you need to obtain a non-driver ID depends on your age. Unless you are using a guardian as part of your proof, the requirements are pretty much the same across the board for a driver’s license.

Similarities Between IDs and Driver’s Licenses

Now that you’ve seen the differences between non-driver IDs and driver’s licenses, look at the similarities. Both are photo IDs you can use as proof of identification at any place requiring evidence. Both are acquired through the DMV and are official. Also, they contain much of the same information about the owner, such as date of birth, address, and individual physical characteristics.

Temporary ID Vs. NYS Driver’s License

After seeing the differences and similarities between non-driver IDs and driver’s licenses, it’s easy to understand what a temporary ID is. A temporary ID is given in place of a permanent ID. It takes about two weeks before you get your permanent ID in the mail. Your temporary ID is a non-photo ID that carries the same weight as the actual ID. Some places still require seeing an additional photo ID if it’s an identification requirement. However, you can legally use it in place of the permanent document.

5. How I Met Your Mother (Season 6, Episode 4: “Subway Wars”)

How I Met Your Mother is one show that is very guilty of having characters that don’t make enough money to be living their lives. The disparity between their jobs and the cash they spend isn’t quite as outlandish as the show’s spiritual predecessor, Friends, but still, the characters of HIMYM often ride in a taxi and sometimes even a limo. While it is almost always driven by their friend Ranjit, that doesn’t entirely explain away the cost, as Ranjit needs to make money too.

But there is one episode which deals with public transportation in a fun and lighthearted way, while highlighting the many options New Yorkers have to get where they’re going. In the season 6 episode “Subway Wars,” the five main characters argue the best way to get downtown the fastest and decide to make a race of it. What follows is a mad dash through the city via bus, subway, taxi, and even pedicab, including a very accurate joke about how hard it is to understand subway conductors.

4. Grey’s Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy has changed a lot since it started so many years ago, but one of the things that held the show together in early seasons was the relationship between the main character, Meredith Grey, and the love of her life, Derek Shepherd, also known as Dr. McDreamy. One of the first things we learn about Derek, aside from his being ridiculously charming, is that he has “a thing for ferry boats.” We see him and other characters riding the ferry occasionally in the early seasons, though the season 3 episodes involving a horrifying ferry boat crash mostly put a stop to that. Still, even after that, Derek frequently wore his ferry boat scrub cap, and when he was considering selling his land in season 4, another character pointed out, “This land and ferry boats are who you are!”

3. The Good Place

The Good Place is one of our favorite tv shows about a woman named Eleanor who dies and wakes up somewhere the neighborhood’s architect will only refer to as, you guessed it, “the Good Place.” Eleanor is self-aware enough, however, to quickly realize she probably doesn’t belong in a Good Place and should instead be in either the Bad Place or maybe even the Medium Place. She discovers that the only way to get to those other places, or to any other neighborhood in the afterlife, is to use The Trans-Eternal Railway, also known as The Train. The Train looks like an old steam train, and the show has many enjoyable moments on The Train, or in a new place after riding The Train. It makes one long for the trains of old, instead of the more efficient but less stylish trains we have today.

2. The Magic School Bus

This might be a stretch, but The Magic School Bus paints public transportation in a light that no other show ever has. The animated series ran for four seasons in the mid-90s, and it featured a teacher named Ms. Frizzle, her class of third graders, and a bus capable of flying, shrinking, expanding, and traveling to places no other bus has ever gone. In each episode, the bus took the students somewhere new and educational, allowing the fictional students and the children watching the show to learn something new, usually about science. The most anyone can expect to learn on most bus rides is how to spot the crazy person.

1. The Netflix Marvel Shows

In addition to the superhero blockbusters Marvel presents us with two or three times a year, Netflix has grown the brand even further with its series of shows about street-level heroes in New York City. The individual shows, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, eventually came together in a team-up series called The Defenders, before each character returned to his or her own show, though crossovers between the shows are still frequent. Many of these shows take some joy in displaying the moments of downtime the heroes have in between fighting the bad guys and saving the city.

The characters ride the subway enough to let viewers know it’s their preferred mode of transportation, and one entertaining moment of The Defenders even featured Jessica Jones, in a bad mood, stealing a beer from a sleeping homeless man. If that’s not representative of the New York subway, I don’t know what is.

Rush Hour

Rush Hour traffic is a plague on the idea of a timely arrival. For several hours in a day, the roads of Beaumont fill up with anxious drivers leaving for work or speeding home. Between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM, Beaumont experiences high volumes of traffic, because, apparently, a lot of people work the ol’ 9 to 5 grind.

Traffic Accidents

Traffic Accidents can cause major congestion and worsen peak busy hours. In 2014, Beaumont experienced nearly 642 traffic accidents. It could have been less, but people didn’t enroll in their Texas online defensive driving course. With statistics like this, the biggest accident is choosing to drive in the city.

Road Conditions

Road Conditions can bring traffic to a screeching halt. Whether there’s hindering construction, or you drive over a camouflaged pothole that destroys your tires, the condition of the road contributes greatly to the flow of traffic. Beaumont receives countless complaints of the poor road conditions and not enough on the lack of Whataburgers.

Speed Traps

Speed Traps will ruin anyone’s day. Getting slapped with a speeding ticket will force you to cough up hundreds of dollars. It will also make getting through traffic worse. Littered along I-10 are traps set to catch anyone exceeding the speed limit. Drive the speed limit or break your wallet’s limit.

Rush Hour

Rush Hour is expected in large cities. What isn’t expected is how much longer it lasts in Houston than it does in smaller cities, like Beaumont. From 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM and from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the city of Houston experiences massive delays in traffic, because of car congestion from busy commuters. Rush hour is longer in the evening, because Houston has a great selection of Whataburgers.

Downtown Traffic

Downtown Traffic is a whole other story. When rush hour stops everywhere else, downtown traffic continues to persevere. Instead of calling it “rush hour,” in downtown Houston, they just call it “rush forever.”

Road Conditions

Road Conditions in Houston are… not the worst. Despite the massive number of commuters, the infrastructure around Space City is in pretty good condition. However, that doesn’t account for road construction, which adds time to anyone’s commute.

Speed Traps

Speed Traps are set up around the city. Except trapping season is all year long. Specifically, police like to target highways when setting up a speed trap. This is to catch people running late for work or trying to get home in a hurry. If you have a honey butter chicken biscuit from Whataburger in your passenger seat, who wouldn’t be in a hurry.

It’s hard to compare the two cities. However, when it comes to traffic, they both have a notorious reputation. The only true way to discover which city has the worst traffic is by visiting the areas. Except we’ve been checking the traffic radar for downtown Houston all day and it’s STILL considered rush hour.

Rate Your Driver

There are a lot of things Uber doesn’t tell passengers, including what their rating really means to a driver. Most riders assume that a five-star rating system is like a school grading system. So five stars is like an A, four stars is like a B, and so on. And a B is above average, right? So, four stars means the ride was good but not the best, but the driver is still pretty decent. Better than most, right?

Wrong. Drivers get de-activated and kicked off the system if their rating falls below 4.7. This means that any rating other than five stars is actually a vote to have a driver fired. Now, if your ride was an absolute nightmare that had you fearing for your life, then your rating should definitely reflect that. Give that driver the one-star rating he or she deserves so we can get the bad drivers off the streets, send them back to drivers ed, and give more business to the drivers that won’t traumatize you.

However, if your driver was good and your only complaint is that there was no free water available (which comes out of drivers’ meager paychecks, by the way), or your driver was just a little more talkative than you would have liked, then maybe reconsider that four-star rating you were thinking of giving and make it a five. True, one bad rating won’t matter to a driver that’s been with Uber for a while, but it could devastate a new driver’s overall rating.

The 5.0 Dilemma

As a rider, you want to get five stars on every ride so that your rating remains a shiny 5.0, right? Well, mostly…

Personally, as a female driver on the streets of Los Angeles during what I lovingly refer to as the “Drunk Shift,” I would not pick up anyone with a rating lower than 4.6, ever, under any circumstances. In areas where I didn’t feel completely comfortable, either because I was less familiar with the neighborhood or because it felt unsafe in some way, the required rating would jump to 4.8. In those areas, I also wouldn’t pick up anyone rated 5.0.

That sounds crazy, right? But the way the Uber system works, people taking their very first ride are rated 5.0. This means drivers can’t tell whether the person calling for a ride is an amazing paragon of humanity who tips $20 on every ride and has used the system dozens of times, or if accepting that ride is the first step in being murdered. Some drivers just aren’t willing to take that risk.

The best advice I can offer on this one is to wait for a great ride where you are really clicking with your driver. Tell them you’re curious about your rating, and they’ll probably tell you what it is. If your rating is 5.0 and you’ve been using Uber for quite a while, congratulations! You’re probably a wonderful person.

But if you notice that it takes a while for your rides to get accepted despite your stellar rating, ask that driver that you’ve bonded with to give you four stars so that your rating will drop to a 4.9. Despite what you may think, from a driver’s perspective, a 4.9 rating is light years better than a 5.0. Remember, only do this if you’ve already taken many rides with Uber. A four-star rating on one of your first rides will not make drivers accept you more frequently.

Check out last week’s blog for the tips and tricks to increase your rating. Hopefully this information will help foster understanding and patience between riders and drivers. As always, be safe out there!

New Jersey

Also known as the “mecca of full service gas retailers,” New Jersey is most notably recognized for having gas station pump attendants. In 1949, congress passed a statute titled the Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act, which prohibited gas retail customers from pumping their own gas. To this day, New Jersey is the lone state that maintains this law, and requires a professional to pump your car’s gasoline.

When you’re caught violating this law, you could experience some pricey consequences. People who break the 1949 statute will be fined $50 to $250, and up to $500 for any proceeding offenses. If you thought gas prices were expensive, then you haven’t been caught pumping your own gas in New Jersey. There is good news for New Jersey drivers! You can save a lot of money, hundreds each year, on car insurance by taking a NJ Defensive Driving course!

Oregon

An honorable mention should be given to the ex-lazy state of Oregon. Recently, Oregon passed a law that gives customers the right to pump their own gas. This is bad news for the state’s professionally exhausted people. If you wanted to do actual work, you wouldn’t have taken online traffic school courses, or bought that text to speech converter so you could listen instead of reading this article.

Despite these challenging times, there’s an apathetic light at the end of the tunnel. The law only takes effect on counties with population less than 40,000 residents. In other words, densely populated regions of the state will still have their full-service pumps. This means Portland will become the west coast home for all lazy drivers. For the un-lazy, you can take a quick and easy OR Auto Insurance discount course.

Huntington, New York

Just like a pond of freshwater in a scathing desert wasteland, Huntington, New York is a lazy oasis in the bustling state of New York. Huntington escaped the thwarting grasps of responsibility and allows full-service gas retailers in the city. The reason why this old law is still around is a bit foggy, but we know the real reason. The city is just a proponent of putting in the least amount of effort as possible.

During the 1980’s, fire safety became a major concern for the Huntington Fire Department. Pumping your own gasoline was believed to be a fire hazard. Therefore, not long after, Huntington passed a city-wide regulation that would require gas retailers to offer full-service pumps. Any driver who is caught fueling their own vehicle would experience the repercussions of heavy fine payments. It doesn’t matter what NY city you live in to take advantage of the mandated 3-year savings you’ll receive when completing a NY Defensive Driving Course. Check it out now.

Whether you’re living in the west coast or the east coast, there’s plenty of opportunity to exert your laziness. If these states or cities aren’t nearby, then consider hiring your own personal gas station attendant, because being lazy is an often-overlooked bliss.

California to Arizona on the I-10

This desolated badland will take you from Los Angeles, California to Phoenix, Arizona within 7 hours. Signs of civilization are few and far between on this journey. The dryness and heat level will threaten your car’s performance and your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The only thing more dangerous than the poisonous reptiles are those pesky UV-rays from the sun, so pack some SPF 30 sunscreen.

Central Alaska to Northern Alaska on The Dalton Highway

Not even the world’s best defensive driving course can help you escape the wintry wrath of The Dalton Highway. Most notable for its appearance in the reality show Ice Road Truckers, this 414-mile long road will take you through the beating heart of Alaska. It’s a breathtaking and isolated road trip, so pack extra supplies and a few friends to talk to.

Colorado to New Mexico on US-550

This mountain expedition will give you carpal tunnel from gripping your steering wheel so tight. Known as the “Million Dollar Highway,” this stretch of road gets its name from how much money you will spend on medical bills. You might have to receive surgery on your broken bones, from all the rock slides, or an air mask from the beautiful mountain scape views, which will take your breath away.

Southern California to Northern California on the Pacific Coast Highway

The Pacific Coast Highway has tight, cliff hugging roads. You’ll be constantly reminded how the slightest wheel jerk will impale you into a cliff-side or drop you 500-feet into the Pacific Ocean. Around Big Sur, you can also catch sights of cute dolphins and funny sea lions!

Driving through New Jersey

The roads themselves aren’t treacherous at all in New Jersey. You won’t experience your normal dangers, instead you’ll only experience the paranormal dangers. The Jersey Devil is boogeyman folklore. The stories paint the creature to be a hoofed beast with wings and a goat head. This deadly creature may be myth, or it could be real, like the real joy you’ll experience walking down the boardwalk in Atlantic City.

10. “Somewhere That’s Green” from LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

The destination may be non-specific, but the longing with which Audrey sings is far more than mere wanderlust. Unfortunately, for her, escaping “Skid Row” and traveling to “Somewhere That’s Green” requires a lot more than just buying a plane ticket. First, she has to get away from her “semi-sadist” boyfriend. Gee, if only there was some sort of terrifying sentient plant life that hungers for human blood that she could feed him to. Ultimately, whether in the musical or the movie, I think we can all agree that Audrey ends up somewhere that’s green.

9. “There Is Life Outside Your Apartment” from AVENUE Q

When you’re stuck in a rut, traveling doesn’t have to be a big deal. Sometimes just getting out of the house and out of your routine is the key to breaking out of your rut. In Avenue Q, Princeton bemoans his life, singing about how he’s been fired from a temp agency, he’s broke, and his personal life is hopeless. But his friends drag him out of his apartment anyway. In New York City, where the show takes place, there’s so much to do that, when he got back home, he was probably happy for the quiet of his apartment.

8. “River in The Rain” from BIG RIVER

The theme of escape continues in “River in The Rain,” in which Huckleberry Finn and a runaway slave named Jim attempt to raft down the Mississippi River to flee the parts of their lives they find unacceptable. Huck wants to get away from his abusive drunken father and the attempts by the townspeople to make him more civilized. Jim is fleeing slavery, as he believed he was about to be sold down the River to New Orleans. During “River in The Rain,” they have a chance to take a quiet moment to enjoy the beauty of the river in the rain and fog, even as they sail right by the mouth of the river that would lead to their freedom. The last line in the song, “River I’ve never seen the sea,” really captures the yearning of both men to find a place far away from their hometown in Missouri.

7. “One Night in Bangkok” from CHESS

Chess is a show that takes place in a couple stunning locations. The first act takes place in Merano, Italy. The second act opens with “One Night in Bangkok,” a year after the events of Act One. The Company sings about the various pleasures and distractions offered by the city, but the American (sometimes called Frederick Trumper, depending on which version you’re listening to) is having none of that. He has no interest in the city, only in Chess. The song encourages everyone to enjoy the places they go, rather than rushing through with only one goal in mind.

6. “Ireland” from LEGALLY BLONDE

Legally Blonde the Musical differs in a lot of ways from the original movie. One of those differences is Paulette’s somewhat mystifying obsession with Ireland. Despite how odd this character choice is, especially for fans of the movie, it means the musical contains the song “Ireland.” It’s a funny but still sad song about Paulette’s desire to travel to Ireland and hopefully marry an Irish man who will treat her better than her ex-boyfriend, Dewey. The song paints a beautiful picture of Ireland (and men from Ireland, for that matter) that would make any woman want to go kiss the Blarney Stone.

5. “By the Sea” from SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET

In a musical about murdering people and baking them into meat pies, “By the Sea” is a charming diversion that lightens the tone of the show for a few minutes. Mrs. Lovett fantasizes about moving to a beautiful seaside cottage with her Mr. Todd. It’s a beautiful vision she has, and it makes everyone want to visit their nearest beach, but every person in the audience can tell from Mr. Todd’s lackluster response that her dreams aren’t likely to come true. The song is a good lesson to us all to not throw so much of our energy and dreams after someone who’s just not able to reciprocate.

4. “Buenos Aires” from EVITA

Eva Perόn is a divisive figure in history, but no one can argue that the musical about her life is incredible. “Buenos Aires” is a song about arriving in a city and falling immediately in love with it. Eva acknowledges the city’s shortcomings, but throws herself fully into it anyway, trusting that the city will take care of her. This is a great attitude to have when traveling, but perhaps a little outdated. Eva doesn’t seem too concerned with her safety. Hopefully all the travelers to Buenos Aires nowadays are sure to plan a little better, even though things worked out well enough for Eva.

3. “Santa Fe” from RENT

Rent is a musical about “people coping with life” and HIV diagnoses. In “Santa Fe,” Collins and Angel fantasize about moving out of the New York City and opening a restaurant in a more hospitable city. Like some other songs on this list, the actual destination isn’t really the point. All they really want is to escape the cold of New York in the winter and the cynicism of the residents. Still, the song injects some much-needed fun into the show, after the beautiful angst of the song before it, “Will I?” It also remains a theme throughout the rest of the show, with one character even escaping to Santa Fe, though briefly. By the end of the show, Santa Fe can’t hold a candle to the friendships the characters have in New York.

2. “America” from WEST SIDE STORY

West Side Story is a beautiful masterpiece that has stood the test of time. It’s a retelling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, with the Capulets and Montagues being replaced by two rival street gangs, the Sharks and the Jets, respectively. The Puerto Rican Sharks had only recently immigrated into the city, and this song pits the women against the men. The women see only the positives of living in America (specifically New York), while the men see only the negatives and contemplate returning to Puerto Rico. In a musical where almost every song became an instant classic, “America” still stands out for its entertaining and insightful lyrics and its huge dance number.

1. “One Short Day” from WICKED

“One Short Day” is one of the less memorable songs from Wicked (after all, what could possibly compare to “Defying Gravity”?), but it tops this list because the experience Elfaba and Glinda have on their short-day trip to Emerald City is not unlike the experience of visiting Times Square for the first time. There are a million things to do and never enough time to fit them all in. There are people in costume running up to tourists and attempting to entertain them in exchange for a few bucks. It’s overwhelming, and Wicked managed to capture that feeling and put it on stage just a few steps away from Times Square itself.

Take a Defensive Driving Course

Doing this is beneficial, even if you don’t want to shave points off your license. That’s because it shows insurance companies that you’re being proactive about your driving safety, something that many look at favorably and award discounts for. Of course, if you have points on your license, taking a defensive driving course online can help reduce them in some states. In many cases, passing a certified course can take points off your license, thereby reducing rates or preventing rates from increasing further. Here are a few courses that guarantee an auto discount for you:

California Mature Driver Course

Your CA Insurer is required to provide an auto discount to those age 50-55 years or older (depending on insurance company), who present proof of completion of the mature driver improvement course approved by the California DMV:California Mature Driver Course

Florida Mature Driver Course

Your FL Insurer is required to provide an auto discount to those age 50-55 years or older (depending on insurance company), who present proof of completion of the mature driver improvement course approved by the Florida DHSMV:Florida Mature Driver Course

New York Defensive Driver Course
Your NY Insurer is required to provide an auto discount to those who present proof of completion of a defensive driving course approved by the New York DMV:New York Defensive Driving Course

Delaware Basic Driving Course
Your DE Insurer is required to provide an auto discount to those who present proof of completion of a 6-hour basic driving course or 3-hour refresher course approved by the Delaware DMV:Delaware Basic Driving Course