So when son-in-question asks to borrow this car to go to the prom in it I agree, so I sit him down and explain THE RULES of which I expect him to abide by in my car. No speeding, no DRINKING, and no one else goes with you in the car. His head goes off a-nodding like he understands and promises me that he, his date, and my car are all in safe hands.
I sympathise with him....I lent my car to my college roommate exactly once. She had a job interview, her VW Bug was on the fritz, and I was taking the bus to work, so I wouldn't need the car that day. Well aware of her aggressive driving habits, I made her promise and swear that she wouldn't drive my car as if it was her own, that she would be careful, that she'd not tailgate or screech away from lights or quick-change lanes or any of the other stuff she usually did.
So, of course, she made it a block from the house before rear-ending a pickup.
The hood was completely bent, one headlight shattered, the grille damaged, and the bumper dented. Her excuse: the windshield, when hit by the early morning sunlight, prevented her from seeing the pickup because it was in the shadow of a tree, because *I* didn't keep my windshield clean enough. She only looked away for a
second, honest!!
Insurance paid everything, but needless to say she never asked to borrow my car again.
It's one of those stories we laugh about now.