How to drive (people crazy)

Telling them you failed the driving test, written and trials should do the trick.

This blog is going to be about how I managed to defy all odds and got my driving license (finally)!

Since I was 18 I have been putting off getting my driver’s license because I have no vehicle to drive, and I had no interest what so ever about vehicles. It’s true! Even in school when everyone else was super into cars, reading magazines about cars,  watching top gear or stopping on the road just to see a beautiful car. I was not interested. Frankly I like walking, and I never had a favorite car nor did I really care.

So when I started thinking about finally getting my license at age 22, I didn't know what I was thinking! I think it was the Yellow Panda at Pyxle that tempted me; I thought learning to drive would be cheaper for the company in the long run than taking a tuk to meetings, and so with that motivation (for now let’s assume that was the motivation). I enrolled myself in a shabby looking learners, (whose name to this day I did not care to find out. Not sure if it had a name) because an uncle recommended it and it was kinda easier on the finances.

And so it started. Driving around Boralla on the first day itself with a cranky old instructor who seemed bias towards adult students and made driving seem not worth it to younger students, well we complained and he got fired.

Then on I had a couple instructors, though I never really got the hang of it. You know the typical no brainier stuff like “TURN ON THE SIGNAL LIGHT WHEN YOU START AND STOP! WHICH SCHOOL DID YOU GO TO?” or “DON’T BRING YOUR FOOT UP TOO FAST WHEN RELEASING THE CLUTCH!” or “THAT’S THE THIRD GEAR YOU’RE SUPPOSE TO BE ON THE FIRST!” never really stuck with me till the very last few weeks before the trials.

Then came the written exam, I was told that it was the easiest exam EVER! I being the bright light I am didn't bother to even open up the little yellow book and skim through it, and boy did I wing it or what? No I did not. I failed. In shame I reserved another date and came home, wasting a perfectly valid off day and Rs.500. Thankfully on the second try I got the very same paper and I aced it! (No pride, just shame).

Then came the day of the trials! And in the morning, before the exam we were taken on a trail trail run by the learners, which went great for me and even the cross eyed instructor dude was impressed and told the others to take my example of fine driving. And then I failed! It rained okay… and I panicked! But then again people who almost killer people on the road passed so I’m guessing there was an advantage of paying up, if you know what I mean. Then came trial number two in which I brushed against the pole while reversing and that was over even before I started.

At this point I had decided that diving is not for me, didn't even book another date, just went home and tried to sleep away the cold I was having throughout the day. I was so embarrassed I even told some of my friends that I didn't go for the exam because I was sick. Yeah I felt bad for lying and I eventually told them about my epic failure, hey it’s better to come clean and accept your failure than hide it away. Yeah they laugh at you and if they are your real friends they’ll encourage you to go on and promise that they will be there to laugh at you again.

After weeks of mother nagging me to go and finish it off, because: “good money was spent on it so see it through.” Anyway there I was again at Weherahara for the nth time. I badly wanted to make it my last and after hours of standing in the hot sun and applying a no pay leave on the very first week of my new job, I was finally there. And I passed. It was a good day.

Well that’s it. The story of how Johanns Rogers got his driving license. And after two weeks the card was posted to me. I am officially and legally allowed to sit behind a running engine and drive the thing!

Although I still have no actual use of it, since I have no car, I’m pretty psyched about it.