Wednesday 5 September 2007

The Driving Test

I thought I had failed.

In fact, I was convinced of it, 5 minutes into the test. There was a lorry ahead with its hazard lights on, and I was slowing down for it, in preparation to stop, when the Test Man suddenly said ‘stop!’ which made me stop a lot harder and quicker, even though I was stopping anyway. We drove off again and I thought ‘well, that’s that then’ and proceeded to treat it like an even more expensive driving lesson, reverse round that corner (check), drive on the motorway (yup), go through the 20mph zone (check), even make a bit of small talk with the Test Man as we were going around. I remember thinking that it was such a shame I had failed, as the rest of the test seemed okay, so it was with a slight air of doom that I completed the bay parking and waited for my sentence.

‘I am pleased to say you passed…’ I have never heard anything so sweet. He said that he had been too hasty saying stop, when I was already slowing down, and that the rest of the drive was excellent! By now I was too busy thanking everyone between tears, so only heard about one word in three, but I gather my license appears within four weeks and then I am officially on the road!

Not that I have a car yet… There is no room in the budget for a car! In fact, there was no room for any other lessons, so it would have been a right problem if I had failed. But just to know I can drive is such a relief. And now I am on track for my dream car, a VW Camper Van… yes, really! What I will do is drive a bog standard Fiesta or Corsa for a couple of years, just so I get the swing of it, and then see if I can go for a camper. I have always wanted one; it’s the hippy within y’see. I might not grow my own veggies yet, but the potential is definitely there… It has to be a two-tone 1960's one (mint green and cream), and I was going to customise it with white daisies. And here it is...


Ah, one day...

2 comments:

music obsessive said...

Well done, you! You can now join the first-time-passers club of which I am also a member (I took 82,457 lessons though). Mine was on a bitterly cold snowy January morning in 1977. It was the instructor's 'Are you happy with your position in the road?' after my reverse turn that really threw me. What was he trying to tell me? I just said 'yes' and off we went, but I was a bit unnerved after that, but passed anyway. My prize was a beat up Austin 1800 which gave no end of trouble. First cars eh? Perhaps I should've gone for the Campervan.

Jayne said...

Thank you! I am so glad it is over, and I don't have to fork out for lessons anymore - especially as they go up to £25.50 a lesson from Saturday! Just put Austin 1800 into google - nice shape. Every car is so rounded and smooth these days, I do like the look of the older ones, more character, in a way.