SeekingKarma
01-26-2012, 08:52 PM
You know, I thought for the longest time that I was just one of those people who just couldn't drive. Like, it's just not the cards for me to drive. My father, who I have a tumultuous relationship with, tried to teach me. We went in my brother's car, without his permission, and we dinged up his hubcap. We then tried in my dad's truck but I ran over a pole.
I then tried to learn from my mom's boyfriend. He was calm and nice, so I did well. It was when I got with my mom, that she critiqued EVERYTHING I did, and things I did with her boyfriend, she'd freak out.
So I just said to myself, screw driving. Public trans ain't so bad.
Then I realized one day that I was 23 and I couldn't go anywhere until someone came and got me. That's when I decided I had had enough and signed up for driving lessons. The very next week, I was having lessons.
The first day I surprised myself and my instructor with how much I already knew about a car and how to drive.
He was like, "Why do need lessons? You CAN drive! It's just that you're unsure of yourself."
I never really thought of it that way until we got to the intersection of a major road and I panicked. My instructor, having the patience of Buddha, assured me that I was fine. I was about to quit but I told myself that I had to do it one or the other, and I made the left turn to ride down the road. Going up was hell but I pressed along. I had some joker honk at me but my instructor said, "If they honk, it means they're not a good driver,".
We made up the road and to the area where I would be taking my road test to get my license. We went through it and went back up the road, this time I was much more confident and it all didn't seem as terrifying. When I came back to the quieter streets, I was surprised that I actually started getting better so fast. I even managed to pick up parallel parking quickly.
Today, I had my second lesson with a different instructor (nice guy, but I like the first guy better). I aced parallel parking but he dropped the bomb that we had to get on a highway for the next part of the lesson. I immediately started freaking out again while approaching the ramp. I was stone faced on the outside, and inside I was cussing. He then told me to merge and change lanes. I did my best, trying not wet myself before (THANKFULLY) we got off the highway. We around that area and we came up another highway, though not as bad as the other one (this one had lights). Again, getting myself out of a comfort zone I was surprised at how much braver and confident I was driving along the quieter roads.
This Saturday will be my final lesson, and more highway stuff...yikes...
But if I, a person who has ran over a pole, killed a rim, and almost peed on herself getting on a highway for the first time can do it, ANYONE can.
Also, you would be surprised how small some things that we think are so impossible. If anyone told me that I would become a better and more confident driver, I wouldn't believe them. And for you older adult drivers, don't feel embarrassed. You have one extra thing that younger drivers don't get until much later: COMMON SENSE!!
Happy trails
I then tried to learn from my mom's boyfriend. He was calm and nice, so I did well. It was when I got with my mom, that she critiqued EVERYTHING I did, and things I did with her boyfriend, she'd freak out.
So I just said to myself, screw driving. Public trans ain't so bad.
Then I realized one day that I was 23 and I couldn't go anywhere until someone came and got me. That's when I decided I had had enough and signed up for driving lessons. The very next week, I was having lessons.
The first day I surprised myself and my instructor with how much I already knew about a car and how to drive.
He was like, "Why do need lessons? You CAN drive! It's just that you're unsure of yourself."
I never really thought of it that way until we got to the intersection of a major road and I panicked. My instructor, having the patience of Buddha, assured me that I was fine. I was about to quit but I told myself that I had to do it one or the other, and I made the left turn to ride down the road. Going up was hell but I pressed along. I had some joker honk at me but my instructor said, "If they honk, it means they're not a good driver,".
We made up the road and to the area where I would be taking my road test to get my license. We went through it and went back up the road, this time I was much more confident and it all didn't seem as terrifying. When I came back to the quieter streets, I was surprised that I actually started getting better so fast. I even managed to pick up parallel parking quickly.
Today, I had my second lesson with a different instructor (nice guy, but I like the first guy better). I aced parallel parking but he dropped the bomb that we had to get on a highway for the next part of the lesson. I immediately started freaking out again while approaching the ramp. I was stone faced on the outside, and inside I was cussing. He then told me to merge and change lanes. I did my best, trying not wet myself before (THANKFULLY) we got off the highway. We around that area and we came up another highway, though not as bad as the other one (this one had lights). Again, getting myself out of a comfort zone I was surprised at how much braver and confident I was driving along the quieter roads.
This Saturday will be my final lesson, and more highway stuff...yikes...
But if I, a person who has ran over a pole, killed a rim, and almost peed on herself getting on a highway for the first time can do it, ANYONE can.
Also, you would be surprised how small some things that we think are so impossible. If anyone told me that I would become a better and more confident driver, I wouldn't believe them. And for you older adult drivers, don't feel embarrassed. You have one extra thing that younger drivers don't get until much later: COMMON SENSE!!
Happy trails