Green for Go Go Go

So I passed. The driving test. Me. Passed. Am now an 'R' driver. So thanks to everyone for the texts, the emails, the good thoughts, the prayers, the candles, and of course the champagne :)

So what was my test like? Well...I hadn't pulled off bay parking or reversing around the corner prior to it, so I really felt calm, like it was just something I had to do.

So we set off in the car. In the rain. Into rush hour bank holiday traffic. And it was fine. The test man started talking to me, which was nice in one way (relaxing), but also awful (distracting...coz I had to remember not to do the gesticulation thing where one or both of my hands leave the wheel for an unsafe period of time).

We drove around for a bit...doing right turns at roundabouts, changing lanes...then he asked me to do a 3-point turn.

I love 3 point turns. They're easy. Ever since my first one I've done them right. And this was on a big wide road. So why did I, for the first time in my life, do a five point turn? Sure what can you do? I drove on.

Next he made me do the emergency stop, which I feel I did beautifully. Then it came. The reverse around the corner. The calm had kicked in again - I thought 'well now here's a chance for me to do something I've never done before.' So off I started. And a car came down the road. So I stopped. Then started. Then another car came down the road. So I stopped. Then started. Then a bus came down the road. so I stopped, then started...this went on until I laughed and said to the nice test man we could be there all weekend.

He didn't laugh.

Eventually, I got around the corner. I'd a few metres left to go back when a lady driver drove up behind me. So of course I had to stop and wait for her to drive around me. But she didn't. She drove really tight up behind me and then hit both her hands off the steering wheel. Then she started giving me angry looks. Then she started gesticulating. I looked at the test man. He looked at me. 15 minutes of reverse parking down the drain. I said 'I think I better drive around the corner and start again'. He said 'OK' and sighed.

The angry lady drove past me, and I started the reverse thing again. This time I got it much more quickly. But badly. I hadn't a clue where my line was. And the manoevre was nowhere near as good as the first 'nearly there' time. So I didn't know what to think. Nothing really. Calm...

On the way back into town I had to turn right at the traffic lights. I saw my line and turned into my lane. And then this taxi driver blared the horn and another car blared and I thought 'Oh well. Not sure what I did there but sure we're not dead'.

Back at the test centre, bay-parking reared its ugly head. I was fine until the test man said 'Please pull into the carpark and park in whichever bay you find safe and convenient'. So immediately I knew it was a test...and knew that my choice of bay and the manner in which I drove into it could be the end of me. So I panicked, drove badly into the easy middle bay, and then almost stalled the car. I turned to the test man and apologised...

He turned to me and said 'Michelle, I'd just like to inform you that you've passed your test and...'

But he didn't get to finish, because I'd shouted 'NO WAY????' in his face. He looked at me with a certain air of anxiousness. But luckily, there was no going back...

So he passed me with 10 minor points. And told me that I was too cautious a driver. He wants me to develop my confidence.

But now I'm feeling a bit bad. I somehow feel like I cheated. Like I fooled the nice test man into passing me. I mean, he asked me if I knew how to make sure my brakelights are working, and I did because I'd read it on the Internet. But I don't know how to put petrol in my car. Or reverse baypark. I'm not too sure about the whole parallel park thing either. But I'm OK with roundabouts. Actually. I think I'm fine with the going forwards thing, but I'm not happy about the stopping or going backwards.

But I guess I'll get there. Now. Where's my little green astra and a whole summer of surfing, camping and trips out west?