Lauren and Maggie have come up with is great idea for a new prompt.
Welcome to the first edition of the Throwback Thursday Memory BlogHop where we take on a nostalgic object, event, or memory and blog about it. This weekMaggiechose the topic, “learning to drive.”
Let’s see what the law in the UK says.
You can apply for a provisional driving licence when you’re 15 years and 9 months old. You can start driving a car when you’re 17. You can drive a car when you are 16 if you get, or have applied for, the enhanced rate of the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help you with some of the extra costs if you have a long term physical or mental health condition or disability.
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Now neither my mum or dad ever drove or even had a car! It was bike, bus, tube, train or shankses pony for us. We did live in London so it was not too difficult to get about.
I met my husband went I was thirteen and he was driving his dad’s car about when he could borrow it. He was the grand old age of just seventeen. We got married when I was seventeen, 50yrs ago last Saturday. We could not afford for me to learn to drive as the lessons were too expensive on our small budget.
We moved to Devon from London and I managed to walk, bus, train myself around again. After a year or so hubby was transferred back to London so I didn’t even have a car to learn in. ( I had to say behind in Devon because we had to sell our bungalow and find a house)
Back up south at the age of twenty four hubby tried to teach me in our beautiful ford Capri.
All I can say is it was a disaster. I save up for lessons but I always seemed to get very stressed out before a test.
It took me over ten years and eight failed tests before I passed. By the time I passed it was like magic.. I could do the shopping, no more need to lug it home, no just throw it in the boot. Be taxi driver to the boys, visit family and friends. I tell you all the worry all the embarrassment all the failure was worth it. I never looked back.
Female, wife, full time mother and Grandmother. I am not as happy go lucky as I used to be but I am still bubbling along on simmer! I have three handsome sons all grown and flown.The youngest married with a beautiful wife and two sons of his own. Back in 2010 I was working, running a home, driving and socializing then bang in a split second all that was gone. I had an accident at home. I broke my back, not for the first time, I had broken it 10 years previously as well. Unfortunately this time I had broken it really badly and it was truly messed up so I had to have two operations. I was told before each operation that the outcome could mean I spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. Still as some guy once wrote "I am still standing " yes "better than I ever was " I no longer use the walking stick . I had lots of friends before the accident but when things like this happen, you loose most of them. Their lives move on and mine stood still and so they left me behind ...I know that is just the way life is but it hurt and always will. Then I looked around and saw those who were still there for me, these friends are the roses in my garden they need to be tended well. They are the diamonds in the dust. I will of been married 53yrs this comming year. I have found different ways to approach life, use my pain befriend it almost...yer right , well that is what they tell me at the pain clinic ROFLMAO ...... if only I could! I have found an outlet for my fears, frustrations and night terrors . I have started writing poetry if that name can be applied to my writing. I hope I do not come over as a moaning winger. I hope I am past all that. I also hope that you might see how the poetry is moving from very dark through the grey and hopefully in to light.
My back is no longer straight it is C shaped because of the injury and I have lost two and a half inches in height but my Pilates and Core teachers have helped me to stand up as straight and be as strong as possible. Pain and depression are still hanging on my arm but I have weapons to use against them and if I say so myself I cope well.
I have made lots of new friends, real diamonds. I am also very grateful for all the support and help I have encountered here on Wordpress. Hugs and welcome to everyone who visits.
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21 thoughts on “Throw Back Thursday: Learning to drive.”
Me too, it makes life with children much easier 💜💜
Great story, Willow. Many of our rules are dictated by each individual state. I am glad you stuck with it and got your license. It is a huge part of feeling independent. I have missed it at times of illness when unable to drive.
Your right Maggie it’s a great boon and I really missed it both times I broke my back. I always drove a manual but since breaking my back the second time I now drive an automatic …great cars 💜🙂
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So glad you stuck with it. There is little to no public transport here so a car is necessary. I failed my first test. It was practice to flunk all new drivers the first time. I believe I was dinged for not using arm signals as well as the turn indicators. It was no worries because a few weeks later I passed.
We had driver’s ed in school when It was my turn to learn driving, but by the time my kids were old enough that course had been deleted from the curriculum. My husband taught the girls to drive but somehow failed to teach them how to go in reverse, so that became my job. I would take them to the local college and have them drive in reverse in circles and around stanchions in the parking lot. One kid loved it so much, she wanted to keep doing it even when it became obvious I was starting to suffer from motion sickness. She was all “Wheeee, this is fun!” while I was all “Um, you can stop now, Sweetie.”
I was 25 when I got round to lessons, blew the first attempt and scraped the second. The delight of that first trip to Sainsburys with no tube home will stay with me.
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willowdot21 
I was a 4th time lucky passer, Sis!
Well done Sis it’s not easy is it?💜
It’s not, but I’m so glad I did it!
Me too, it makes life with children much easier 💜💜
Great story, Willow. Many of our rules are dictated by each individual state. I am glad you stuck with it and got your license. It is a huge part of feeling independent. I have missed it at times of illness when unable to drive.
Your right Maggie it’s a great boon and I really missed it both times I broke my back. I always drove a manual but since breaking my back the second time I now drive an automatic …great cars 💜🙂
A worthwhile struggle. 👍👏👏👏
Indeed it was 😍😍😍😍
👍
Great
Thank you 💜
Hey plz follow my blog and like my posts if you like that plz
So glad you stuck with it. There is little to no public transport here so a car is necessary. I failed my first test. It was practice to flunk all new drivers the first time. I believe I was dinged for not using arm signals as well as the turn indicators. It was no worries because a few weeks later I passed.
Lok unlike me then, good on us both though 💜💜💜
We had driver’s ed in school when It was my turn to learn driving, but by the time my kids were old enough that course had been deleted from the curriculum. My husband taught the girls to drive but somehow failed to teach them how to go in reverse, so that became my job. I would take them to the local college and have them drive in reverse in circles and around stanchions in the parking lot. One kid loved it so much, she wanted to keep doing it even when it became obvious I was starting to suffer from motion sickness. She was all “Wheeee, this is fun!” while I was all “Um, you can stop now, Sweetie.”
You have the patience of Job 💜💜💜 Great story I enjoyed reading it 🙂
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I was 25 when I got round to lessons, blew the first attempt and scraped the second. The delight of that first trip to Sainsburys with no tube home will stay with me.
A wonderful feeling of freedom!
What an achievement ..well done
Thank you 💜