Teen Drivers Need the Maury Treatment

Teenagers are brats. They sulk, they’re remarkably self-centered, and they spend most of their time hating the world. Which is why we try to avoid them as much as possible (except when watching Gossip Girl).

Back when we were teens, we may also have been festering balls of hormonal rage, but at least we knew when to keep our mouths shut. Like, for instance, when we were dealing with the authorities.

But today’s kids don’t seem to have that filter. We couldn’t believe what we read in today’s Globe piece on teenagers who swear at RMV hearing officers. Not to sound too much like fogies, but if we ever pulled this, our parents would have ended us.

“Vulgar language – right in front of their parents,” said Deana Douville, an RMV hearing officer in Springfield. “That’s usually when I end it. I end the hearing at that point. You kind of look at the parents like – I couldn’t imagine kids talking in front of their parents like that.”

Clearly, there’s only one answer for this type of behavior: Maury bootcamp.

The last time we saw behavior like that, it was on Maury, during one of the episodes where a bunch of out-of-control kids are dragged in by their ineffective parents. Then Maury Povich sends them to tour a jail or go to bootcamp, and they come back contrite and well-mannered. Maybe the RMV should consider a similar program for teenagers who are dumb enough to use profanity in a situation that calls for them to prove they’re responsible members of society.

Failing that, at least get a Judge Judy-style hearing officer to meet with these bratty kids. And then make it a syndicated TV show. Or maybe, as a last resort, scare them straight by exposing them to their worst fears (and yes, that line was just an excuse to link to this).

Photo from the Maury website