My First Driving Experience

I got my driving license in 1992 so it's now my 24th year to have a driving license. Remembering the days when I first learn how to drive was quite an experience. Having lived to be independent most of my life, when I arrived here in Brunei, the first thing that I desired was to drive myself to wherever I want to go. Each time I see women driving their own car alone made me more eager to learn how to drive. 

My first teacher was my husband. Sadly, he is impatient to teach inexperienced learner. One day, he told me to teach me some "basics". Of course, I was excited. I immediately put on my rubber shoes then on to the steering wheel and closed the door. At first, it's okey. He demonstrated me first how to change the gear (the car is in neutral gear) from first to fourth gear. Then he said, "reverse". I reverse smoothly, change the gear to first gear then off we moved (I didn't know yet his temper at the time :) slowly. The road is hilly so this was my dilemma. I drove slowly changing the 1st to 3rd gear until we reached the slope. Of course I stepped on the break because I don't know how to balance the clutch and the accelerator yet. Without warning, he yelled at me and said,  "move the first gear!" 

My fear of his yelling while the car slowly reverse made me tremble that I now don't know what to do or to touch. The more he saw that I'm scared and trembling, the more he got angry and the more I don't know if I will just step down from the car or step on the accelerator :). Trying to control myself, I finally got back to my senses (though trembling still), stepped on the accelerator a bit hard so the wheels screeched up the hill with the wheels to the opposite lane. I was so scared but just lucky that there was no car on the opposite lane.

Because of my trembling knee and my fear, my mind was so confused that I don't know what to do next. He yelled again and said, "change the gear to 2nd, and to 3rd and to 4th." I was not familiar yet with the timing of the changing of gear, but I have to compose myself and listen to him. Finally, when we reached home, I hurriedly jumped out of the car (my knee still trembling) and told him "I better don't know how to drive for the rest of my life than to let you teach me ever, ever again." He did not say a word but at least I was relieved that I was safe outside the car :)

My bad experience with my first driving lesson did not make me stop to learn. The following day, I went to a driving school and enrolled.  It took me 28 hours before I passed the test because my first test I failed :) as I did not pass the parking test so I took another 10 hours. Quite strict here.

When I already had my driving license, I taught I already knew everything :) Later I realized that actually my driving license is just an approval for me to drive on the road. I still have yet to know a lot of things like balancing, how to maintain  a moderate speed and learned that not all cars have the same accelerator speed and a lot of things.

I learned that driving is a learning process. You have to know not just about moving the gears, stepping on the accelerator and breaks but more importantly, drivers should know if their car is in trouble thru the sounds of the car engine, the movement, and should know how to change flat tires. Not all women know how to change tyres...but I know.  That I will share with you my future posts.