Learning to drive, round 2

I got my learner driver licence yesterday. It was about time. It’s a bit surprising that I last drove in 2007, clocking in about thirty hours, and let my licence expire before buying a photo card so I had some form of identification to get into over-18 places. Because I still look pretty young.

During the time I had no licence, I have watched my friends progress through provisional licences, through to full licences; I have asked (politely!) for rides to places; I have bothered my parents and made them pick me up at midnight; I have burned money on a taxi or a cab; I have leeched rides off my friends just by squeezing my schedule into theirs (for example, asking Tristan for a ride home on the same day he happened to be working late)… so overall, I have probably been an annoying friend.

I will admit I was not too keen on learning to drive. My parents were not keen on teaching me (ETA: Well, actually, they were, but because I wasn’t that keen, that happened). There was no rush. There was also the working-three-part-time-jobs-and-studying-full-time thing that happened in university, and learning to drive just became less of a priority. (And that’s A-OK.) Over the years I have not felt a great need to learn either. But I’m getting older, and soon, knowing how to drive will be more convenient. I’ll have to drive with someone else in the car until I progress to the next level… but hooray, new beginnings. (James was clearly more excited than I was.)

I passed my knowledge test yesterday with flying colours. Full marks. I’m pretty sure I got two questions wrong last time. I practiced and made myself familiar with the new rules, so I think I’ll be pretty cautious next time I jump in a car. ;)

It might seem a bit foolish, but my parents have suggested I buy a new car that I can learn in and have as my own car long-term. I can afford one, and it will be better than spending money on a used car only to buy a new one later on. It might seem like I will, you know, crash it on the first day or something – but as James pointed out, he would be surprised if I progressed through to my full licence without so much as a scratch on my car.

I had my eyes on a red Volkswagen Beetle, but everyone thought I was nuts and there was no way I would enjoy having a Beetle by the time I’m 30 years old. I kept insisting that it was the only “dream car” I had but eventually, after mulling over the Suzuki Swift and the Nissan Micra and other “small cars”, and not wanting to get something too common (because I’m young and hip and you know how you usually think when you’re 22), I settled on the Mazda 3. Sensible and pretty swish, without being too unusual and “different”. :P

Yeah, of course it’ll be red. It’s my favourite colour! I will set out to buy one some time in the near future, though there is no rush and I am going to be taking a few driving lessons with a professional to get myself started again.

Haha cars. I never used to like them. But with much thought on driving lately and getting a new car, I trust that I’ll be a cautious driver and be careful with something so new. :3

Comments on this post

Congrats on getting your license or starting to. I had a pemit when I was 18 but I let it expire. That was 13 yrs ago almost. I did do some driving and I liked it, but I don’t know what happened and now I have nothing, lol. I’m almost 32 and I don’t drive. :) Just as well though, I don’t go out much anyway and if I need to, chances are my sister or someone else is going to the same place anyway. But I will eventually have to get one cause I’m gonna need it for work when I do start working.

Anyway, congrats on learning to drive. I hear it’s fun, :D

OH and BTW, the VW beetle is also my dream car. I think it’s cute. :)

It’s never to late to get a driver’s license. I got mine in the year 2009. My friends kept pestering me to get mine, as I guess, asking rides was a bit to much for them. I kept telling these friends that my dad is the only one working and it’s harder for white people who have one person working to get a car and insurance. Eventually, my Grandmother ended up selling her Mustang, just so I can have my license and what not.

Believe it or not — my first car was VW Beetle! Of course, it was blue! I saved my money up, got the bid in, and off I went in my new car (it was used, but new to me). I was ecstatic. I just recently had to renew my driver’s license due to it expiring on my birthday. I had to pay $33.00 online just to get it. This time around, it states I’m an organ donor. I’m happy with this decision. However, I no longer have my VW Beetle. The transmission died on me going home one day, and in a years time, my dad sold it to pay off a bill. Ah well. This time around, I don’t really have a car, and I can’t really due to my shaking spells (which I call earthquakes). My doctors literally told me to not drive. So, I spend my days at home with Tristan and reading books. In the fall, however, we will be going to school, and I’m bumming rides off of him. Of course, I’ll be pitching in for gas like I usually do. :). So all is even there :).

Good luck with getting the car of your dreams. I would honestly stick with a Japanese made car. They’re more reliable, and better on gas. Tristan has a Japanese truck and it’s gotten him all over the place. And it is a stick shift. But good luck on going to the next level, and I know you can do it!

lmao! what does being white have to do with owning a car and getting car insurance, lol

Okay, I honestly didn’t mean to bring race in the subject. I was merely talking to this about my friends when they had brought it up. They all are Asians, and have a mother and father who both work. I only had my dad and grandmother at the time. So it was a LOT harder on US to get me a car, and insured. But they don’t understand that it’s harder for poor people to get cars and insurance than it is for people who actually have money to spend on new cars and other expensive items. That’s what I was trying to get at. Sorry for the confusion.

I’m thinking about doing the same. I got my L’s, red P’s and green P’s when I was younger but I didn’t really like driving so I let them expire and have never driven again, that was more than 10 years ago now.

Jarrod and I plan on doing a bit more travelling now though and I don’t want him to have to drive us everywhere so I’m planning on getting my L’s again too.

And your car choice sounds like a good one! I love mazda 3’s, so pretty!

Congrats on learning!

I’m learning to drive as well right now, and I’m 25. I never had to learn when I was younger since I lived in a big city where I could just take a cab or the MRT. It’s a necessity now though because otherwise I’ll be asking my husband to take me everywhere (which I am, ugh). Driving makes me so nervous though!

I still have my Ls but I haven’t driven for quite some time. I know that being able to drive is a really good thing to be able to do, and have the independence to be able to go where you want, without having to rely on other people.

Dude. We have the same dream cars. I want a yellow VW Bettle though, or as a second option a Swift. xD

I hope it goes really well for you. Will you take driving lessons with an instructor as well?

Squeal for the Beetles! I guess I will have to settle for the Mazda 3 right now, but that’s okay. Beetles are so expensive. At least Mazdas still look cool, haha.

Yeah, I will definitely take up lessons with an instructor. I don’t want to take any risks and it will be worth the money. Not to mention an hour with them is worth three hours in your logbook. Bwahahaha.

Oh the funny thing about the beetle car. Way before, I had even gotten mine, the same color and everything I had ever wanted, kept taunting me at school. Finally when I had received my first car which was the beetle — the beetle that was following me around school finally ceased in following and taunting me. LOL.

Driving for me is like a chore. I really don’t like driving all that much but it helps me get around so that’s the only reason I drive. I remember back in the day when i was 16 I was gung ho about driving because I can go out with my friends and stuff but now as an adult … it’s a chore but it is what it is. I enjoy it sometimes. Maybe I just need a new car, if I ever get a new car then it will rekindle my love for driving.

DUDE BB I GOT ANOTHER LEARNER’S PERMIT LAST MONTH TOO AND I’VE DRIVEN LIKE 5 HOURS SO FAR AND IT’S ACTUALLY NOT BAD

Also I bought a car last month so I would have something to learn in XD. It is a silver 2005 Chevy Cobalt :3

I’ve been really busy and haven’t read your blog in several weeks but it looks like our lives are in parallel xD xD xD