For me
driving is one of the most useful skills that I have learnt, not only does driving give you
independence, the process of my driving tests taught me how cope under pressure
, stress and nerves.
In the UK the legal age for learning to drive is 17 and just after my 17th birthday I was presented with my provisional driving license. This meant that on one rainy Sunday afternoon I had my first driving lesson, boy was I scared. The driving instructor that I had my first lesson was a stereotypical ‘bloke’, he was in his late 40’s , held a season ticket for The Wolverhampton Wanderers football club and loved nothing more than a can of beer after a long day of battling with the naivety of young learner drivers. These factors caused me to take an instant and unreasonable; he also used female pronouns in reference to his battered learner car by telling me to “shift her up into 3rd gear”. Nevertheless, my first driving lesson went reasonably well and I continued to have weekly lessons and my resentment towards driving grew ever stronger. I would dread my lessons to the point that they made me feel physically sick days before I was due to have one, during the lessons I would shut down into what I call “maximum panic mode”; this is where all of my cognitive functions disintegrated before my very eyes. As a result I became a dithering wreck at the wheel.
Despite my issues with nervousness at the wheel my parents decided to buy me a car for my 18th birthday, needless to say it was love at first sight. I called my car Pocahontas so me , my Dad and Pocahontas proceeded to have a wonderful summer of me driving around , stalling every five seconds and my Dad holding the hand break. In the meantime my driving instructor was concerned that I was now driving my car more than his as a consequence I was getting confused between the controls on his car and the controls on my own. He encouraged me to spend less time in my own car and have more lessons with him, in his car, paying him more money. In mutual agreement me and my parents both decided ditch the driving instructor and just focus on driving my car for the time being.
Over the
summer my driving had improved greatly so I decided that I would put in for my
theory test then receive lessons with a new driving instructor to help me pass
my test. I booked my test for the final day of my October half term and I had
spent the week practicing and working hard to prepare. Unfortunately, none of
the preparation came in use because I failed by one mark. Devastation and
sorrow raged through my body and I put in for the test again for three weeks
later and I passed.
By this
time I was ready to prepare for my driving test again so I found myself a new
driving instructor, this time a woman. She was short, sharp tonged (but well
mannered), she was down to earth and would give a clear answer to any question I
asked. She encouraged me to drive my own car, as a result of this I made
progress and I put in for my first driving test for late February.
On the day
of my test I was nervous and nauseous, I managed to control my shakes as I
started to pull out of the test center and turn right. I completed my turn
right a funeral car came along the road towards me, as a result of the narrow
road and a car parked on my side of the road only one of us could get through
the gap. The gracious driver reversed up and waved me through despite the fact
that in theory I should have given way, this caused me to automatically fail my
test not even five minutes in.
The first
fail blasted a hole in my driving confidence, it took me a while to pick up the
pieces but together with my parents’ persistence and my instructor’s patience I
put in for my second test
.
My second
test straight away felt more relaxed, I knew what to expect and in addition my examiner was softly spoken yet
put me at ease as best he can which must have worked. As I pulled when we
pulled up at the end of my test he asked me: “how well do you think you did?” I
replied “I don’t know?”
“Will you
take a pass?” he responded and I beamed.
The feeling
of passing is exhilarating it was a feeling I will never forget .That very
afternoon I insured my car ready to drive to college the next morning. I sat in
the car one damp Thursday morning ready to take my first drive alone.
Leaning to
drive isn’t easy, some pick it up naturally others (like me) struggle to adapt
to what is a new experience. My advice is do not give up if you fall down nine
times stand up ten because driving means independence and not relying on dodgy
public transport to get to your destination.
Always,
Lauren
Twitter- @LaurenCats7
Instagram –
redhairedcatlady
Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/27290164-lauren
At the
moment I am reading: Maus by Art Spigelman
