Driver's Ed

There is a serious design flaw with our minivan. For some reason, you are able to put the car in drive even if one of the side doors or the back door is open. Why would someone do this, you might ask? Well, they might if their name is Alison Bogle.

On 3 separate occasions, I have backed out of the garage, into the driveway, with one or more of the side doors open. Our garage is about 1 inch wider than our van (slight exaggeration, obviously), so each time I have hit the open door, causing it to jerk and to slide back into the closed position.

Tired of feeling like a moron, I put a new system into place. Before backing out, I would look over my shoulder and check to see that all of the doors were closed. Novel idea, no?

I neglected to consider that I am rarely alone.

The fourth time the van was hit, I looked over my shoulder - doors open. I turned forward and pressed the door close button at the same time that Ana, being helpful, hit the door closed button. The door did close. And then it opened. Just as I was backing out of the garage.

WHACK!

A tiny voice comes from the back...

Mommy? Maybe you should just start parking on the street.