Life is a Highway
I want to apologise for my lack of posting first off. I have been extremely busy with a full time medical science course, acting in a show and PASSING MY DRIVING TEST. I decided to write a post about my test experiences, but the post took a little longer than anticipated. Nevertheless, here it is - my driving test experiences.
Okay so let's set a scene. A test centre in Farnborough. A bundle of nerves in the pit of your stomach as you sit in the drivers seat of a car. To your left, a driving examiner is filling out the last little bits of his paperwork. Eventually he puts his pen down and faces you. You're convinced you have failed, when he then turns around and say "Congratulations, you have passed." A feeling of euphoria and relief floods you, and a nervous/relieved/overjoyed laugh escapes. All that hard work, the reading of the highway code, going out with your parents...It has all paid off.
This feeling is one I was recently lucky to experience. Although my driving experience goes a little bit further back than that. That was just the end. I think it's a good idea to tell the whole story, starting from the very beginning.
My first time ever sitting in a car and driving it myself was during some form of college holiday. I can't remember which one exactly, but I remember being in a car with my dad, in an empty car park. I had managed to go forwards in 1st gear, up to a whole 10 miles an hour. I stalled about 6 times before I even got the car to move, but, I got moving in the end and didn't even go into 2nd gear. Good start. Fast forward a little, and I'm comfortable in my driving lessons, happy doing everything, no worries. Theory test? Check. Able to drive a car fairly confidently? Check. Next up - time to book the driving test.
So, the night before my test, I am all prepared. I have my provisional licence and theory test pass certificate together, I had a driving lesson that day which went well, minus a few nervous glitches, and I was ready to get a good nights sleep. That night, I had a dream about crashing my car in the test. Not the best start.
So, I arrive at the test centre a high energy bundle of nerves. My name is called out, I shakily stand up and the examiner and I step outside the room. "Leela? Is that how your name is said?" the examinor barked at me. I shake my head and say "Sorry, no my name is-"
"Well, what is it? Leela? Lila? Leyla? Come on!"
"Leyla, haha"
"Right...well I'm going to call you Leela."
"Oh, yes, of course, what ever is easiest for you haha!"
So we go through the motions, reading a number plate, show me tell me questions and so on. Then the drive starts. It starts well...until he says "On the left is a school, please turn right."
"That school there?"
"Yes, why, don't you know?"
"Oh, I'm not from this side of Basingstoke, I'm from Popley..."
"Well, that's not very good is it!"Now at this point, people may think he's joking, but from the tone of his voice and the atmosphere in the car, you can see he is clearly dead serious. Shaking that off, the next part of the drive seems to go well, I remember everything I have learnt in my lessons and apply it. Then we come to a cyclist on a road. I follow him for a little bit, then, when it is safe to do so, I check my mirrors, go on the other side of the road and overtake him. However, half way through overtaking him, the examiner grabs the wheel and shouts 'MIND THE CYCLIST AND CAR.' I look at where the cyclist is. On the other side of the road. I am on the other side of the road, I cannot move over any more. As for a car? He's so far away, you couldn't even read his number plate. This really shook me up, but I try and keep calm and the rest of the drive happens with no more hiccups, my manouver successfully carried out. Then we get back to the test centre. In agonising silence he fills out his paperwork whilst I feel like I'm going to throw up. My instructor comes over and the examiner gives me feedback. "Sorry. You didn't pass. Here's why. Mirrors. Didn't check them. Once."
Now this throws my instructor and I off majorly. I made sure I was checking my mirrors, as I always do. Even my instructor questions this.
"Are you sure...? I mean she always checks them with me!"
"I was in the car with her, not you. Next. The bike. That was a vulnerable road user and you nearly hit a car. Unacceptable."
At this I stand up for myself. "Sorry, but I was on the other side of the road, and there was no car coming, it was miles away, I didn't see that as dangerous?"
"Well, it was. I had to grab the wheel. Better luck next time." And he stormed out of the car and walked off.
I went home and sobbed. My confidence was knocked completely. Nevertheless, I booked the next test that evening.
Skip back to the test centre. A young lady comes out and smiles warmly at me. "Hello, Leyla?" I nod. "Nice to meet you. Shall we begin?" And so the number plate is read, show me, tell me done, driving all round done in a comfortable silence. Then we are at a major roundabout which leads to a dual carriageway which has a slip road with cars wanting to join. I see a car wanting to join, so check my mirrors all around, a van miles back on the roundabout, so I safely move across. Fast forward the rest of the test and we're back at the test centre. She turns to me with a sad face and my stomach drops. I know what's coming. "I'm very sorry to say, but you haven't passed. Let me tell you the reason why. When you changed lanes for that car joining, you actually cut a van up, and that's not really acceptable." Now this I know I checked for, and so defend myself once more. "I actually checked before I moved across though and there was nothing there?" She politely nodded. "I know, I did see, I am under the impression that van was speeding and that's why you cut him up, unfortunately I have to fail you on that even if it is his fault, because you're on a test and he's not."
Again I'm heartbroken, more so because I know the reason for that failure was insanely small and nothing I could have helped. Still, the next time I decided to book a test, I thought a change of scenery may do me some good (plus the waiting list for Basingstoke was insane), so I book the next available test for Farnborough.
You know the drill by now. Anxiously waiting in a waiting room at Farnborough test centre. I had had many lessons with my dad and his work friend who had not long ago passed his test in Farnborough. I was taking the test in my car which I was comfortable with and I felt slightly more relaxed. So, the female examiner comes out and it all goes fine, reading the number plate, show me, tell me. I explain to her I'm not actually from Farnborough and I don't know the area too well, and she puts my worries at ease saying "Not to worry, I'll tell you where to go, and in the independent driving, you are allowed to ask questions still, don't worry!". So, settled in the car, ready to go. I then look over my shoulder at the car next to me who has started it's engine, to see if they are moving or not. "Well, are we going or not?" she snaps. "Yes, of course, sorry, I was just seeing if the car next to me was going first or not..." She shakes her head and snaps "well obviously not". So, shaking it off, I take off and the entirety of the drive goes fine - lane discipline, keep calm, checking my mirrors. The whole way round, she kept making comments how it was raining and she didn't want to walk home in this. At a junction, I stop and look. There is a car parked almost directly on the corner of the junction completely blocking my view of the road. So, slowly I check both ways, go out a little, and repeat. When I can see clearly, I move off when it's safe. Before I even realise it, we're back at the test centre already, I think to myself that test flew past very quickly. She turns to me with a pleasant smile and I feel my heart lift...could this finally be it?! "I'm very sorry, you haven't passed. I know you don't know farnborough, but that junction with the car parked? You really took too long there and that's undue hesitation. If there was a car behind you, then they would have expected you to go, and would have maybe hit you when you didn't." I explain to her about how I couldn't see the road and how am I expected to just go if I can't see, what if a car had been coming? She merely shrugged her shoulders and said "just take a chance. Better luck next time." Then she was out of the car and back inside before I'd even found my mum. Now, a normal test takes 45-50 minutes. We were gone for 25. I found that slightly odd.
This time I was not upset. I was fuming. This was the smallest reason ever for failing a driving test, so even more determined than ever, the next test was booked quickly as possible.
So, back in Farnborough, little over a week later, a young man comes in. It all goes fine, settled in the car, and he sees the second mirror. For the test, a second mirror needed to be bought so the examiner can also see out the back. Except ours was a little bigger than normal. By this I mean it looked like it belonged in a lorry. So the examiner gets in and exclaims 'Oh yessss, look at that!" I chuckle nervously and say 'Yeah, sorry, it's a little bigger than expected...". He merely laughs and says "no worries at all, more of my face to see!"So we set off. A little way down, it's getting very warm in the car (mid september heat does that) and so I say "if you're warm, feel free to undo the window", and his reply is simply "ah yes I do tend to have that effect"...I have to bite my cheeks to stop myself from laughing. The whole drive round, he makes me feel completely at ease and comfortable, he chats away to me, happy as anything, chatting about how our weeks have gone and what I want to do at uni, just general nattering. Then we come to a long country road stretch. There is a lane for ongoing traffic, and a road for traffic in the opposite direction. Driving on, he's telling me about his plans to pop down to the pub after this test, and a car is headed straight towards us, trying to overtake a car on his side of the road. I slam down on the breaks, and have come to a complete emergency stop, just as he is saying "stop stop stop stop...." He looks over, realises I've stopped already, nods, takes a deep breath and says "right...as you were...". So we're back at the test centre and as we enter the car park he says "right, swing the car in anywhere" and I say "um so just park it in a bay?" and he says "park it on the kerb, on the roof, on the moon, upside down, I don't care, let's just park up." So again, I sit there in agonising silence as he fills in his paperwork. He puts his pen down, turns around and smiles at me. "Relax. Don't worry. I'm glad to tell you, you've passed." I breathe the biggest sigh of relief known to man. "Now before you get carried away popping the champers, I need to give you some boring old pointers, firstly, mini roundabout, you touched it a little bit, maybe try not to do that again, and somewhere I can't remember you were going a tad fast. This may have been a factor which could contribute to a failure, but you were driving safe as houses and everyone else was speeding like it was a motorway so why shouldn't you join in. Now get us you provisional and let's sort you out.". As he's doing more paperwork we continue having a chat, and I say 'thanks so much' to him. His response was merely "I didn't do anything, you did all the work, I just sat here, having a chinwag and got to see Farnborough! Now, fancy a celebratory pint?" I think he's joking so merely laugh. "I'm serious! You and your dad fancy a pint?" I shake my head with a beam on my face, "na that's alright thanks, you enjoy it haha". He smiles and gets out the car. "I love ending the day with a pass, and you're only my second one today! Well done anyway, now the real learning begins."
And that was it. He walked off, my dad took the photo that everyone has taken when they pass their test and I feel more relief than ever. I never had to take another driving lesson or test again.
So that was my driving test experiences! Some people probably think that 4 times is quite a lot, but personally, every test was an experience I could build on and it has certainly taught me one thing - never give up. Every failure made me more determined to pass, and low and behold, I finally did. I met some interesting examiners and had some rather questionable failures, but at last I have achieved a full driving license.
So if you take anything from this long story, let it be this. Don't give up. If you think it'll never happen or you're heartbroken...don't let that stop you. Keep going until you achieve it. And just for fun, have my celebratory photo.
Okay so let's set a scene. A test centre in Farnborough. A bundle of nerves in the pit of your stomach as you sit in the drivers seat of a car. To your left, a driving examiner is filling out the last little bits of his paperwork. Eventually he puts his pen down and faces you. You're convinced you have failed, when he then turns around and say "Congratulations, you have passed." A feeling of euphoria and relief floods you, and a nervous/relieved/overjoyed laugh escapes. All that hard work, the reading of the highway code, going out with your parents...It has all paid off.
This feeling is one I was recently lucky to experience. Although my driving experience goes a little bit further back than that. That was just the end. I think it's a good idea to tell the whole story, starting from the very beginning.
My first time ever sitting in a car and driving it myself was during some form of college holiday. I can't remember which one exactly, but I remember being in a car with my dad, in an empty car park. I had managed to go forwards in 1st gear, up to a whole 10 miles an hour. I stalled about 6 times before I even got the car to move, but, I got moving in the end and didn't even go into 2nd gear. Good start. Fast forward a little, and I'm comfortable in my driving lessons, happy doing everything, no worries. Theory test? Check. Able to drive a car fairly confidently? Check. Next up - time to book the driving test.
So, the night before my test, I am all prepared. I have my provisional licence and theory test pass certificate together, I had a driving lesson that day which went well, minus a few nervous glitches, and I was ready to get a good nights sleep. That night, I had a dream about crashing my car in the test. Not the best start.
So, I arrive at the test centre a high energy bundle of nerves. My name is called out, I shakily stand up and the examiner and I step outside the room. "Leela? Is that how your name is said?" the examinor barked at me. I shake my head and say "Sorry, no my name is-"
"Well, what is it? Leela? Lila? Leyla? Come on!"
"Leyla, haha"
"Right...well I'm going to call you Leela."
"Oh, yes, of course, what ever is easiest for you haha!"
So we go through the motions, reading a number plate, show me tell me questions and so on. Then the drive starts. It starts well...until he says "On the left is a school, please turn right."
"That school there?"
"Yes, why, don't you know?"
"Oh, I'm not from this side of Basingstoke, I'm from Popley..."
"Well, that's not very good is it!"Now at this point, people may think he's joking, but from the tone of his voice and the atmosphere in the car, you can see he is clearly dead serious. Shaking that off, the next part of the drive seems to go well, I remember everything I have learnt in my lessons and apply it. Then we come to a cyclist on a road. I follow him for a little bit, then, when it is safe to do so, I check my mirrors, go on the other side of the road and overtake him. However, half way through overtaking him, the examiner grabs the wheel and shouts 'MIND THE CYCLIST AND CAR.' I look at where the cyclist is. On the other side of the road. I am on the other side of the road, I cannot move over any more. As for a car? He's so far away, you couldn't even read his number plate. This really shook me up, but I try and keep calm and the rest of the drive happens with no more hiccups, my manouver successfully carried out. Then we get back to the test centre. In agonising silence he fills out his paperwork whilst I feel like I'm going to throw up. My instructor comes over and the examiner gives me feedback. "Sorry. You didn't pass. Here's why. Mirrors. Didn't check them. Once."
Now this throws my instructor and I off majorly. I made sure I was checking my mirrors, as I always do. Even my instructor questions this.
"Are you sure...? I mean she always checks them with me!"
"I was in the car with her, not you. Next. The bike. That was a vulnerable road user and you nearly hit a car. Unacceptable."
At this I stand up for myself. "Sorry, but I was on the other side of the road, and there was no car coming, it was miles away, I didn't see that as dangerous?"
"Well, it was. I had to grab the wheel. Better luck next time." And he stormed out of the car and walked off.
I went home and sobbed. My confidence was knocked completely. Nevertheless, I booked the next test that evening.
Skip back to the test centre. A young lady comes out and smiles warmly at me. "Hello, Leyla?" I nod. "Nice to meet you. Shall we begin?" And so the number plate is read, show me, tell me done, driving all round done in a comfortable silence. Then we are at a major roundabout which leads to a dual carriageway which has a slip road with cars wanting to join. I see a car wanting to join, so check my mirrors all around, a van miles back on the roundabout, so I safely move across. Fast forward the rest of the test and we're back at the test centre. She turns to me with a sad face and my stomach drops. I know what's coming. "I'm very sorry to say, but you haven't passed. Let me tell you the reason why. When you changed lanes for that car joining, you actually cut a van up, and that's not really acceptable." Now this I know I checked for, and so defend myself once more. "I actually checked before I moved across though and there was nothing there?" She politely nodded. "I know, I did see, I am under the impression that van was speeding and that's why you cut him up, unfortunately I have to fail you on that even if it is his fault, because you're on a test and he's not."
Again I'm heartbroken, more so because I know the reason for that failure was insanely small and nothing I could have helped. Still, the next time I decided to book a test, I thought a change of scenery may do me some good (plus the waiting list for Basingstoke was insane), so I book the next available test for Farnborough.
You know the drill by now. Anxiously waiting in a waiting room at Farnborough test centre. I had had many lessons with my dad and his work friend who had not long ago passed his test in Farnborough. I was taking the test in my car which I was comfortable with and I felt slightly more relaxed. So, the female examiner comes out and it all goes fine, reading the number plate, show me, tell me. I explain to her I'm not actually from Farnborough and I don't know the area too well, and she puts my worries at ease saying "Not to worry, I'll tell you where to go, and in the independent driving, you are allowed to ask questions still, don't worry!". So, settled in the car, ready to go. I then look over my shoulder at the car next to me who has started it's engine, to see if they are moving or not. "Well, are we going or not?" she snaps. "Yes, of course, sorry, I was just seeing if the car next to me was going first or not..." She shakes her head and snaps "well obviously not". So, shaking it off, I take off and the entirety of the drive goes fine - lane discipline, keep calm, checking my mirrors. The whole way round, she kept making comments how it was raining and she didn't want to walk home in this. At a junction, I stop and look. There is a car parked almost directly on the corner of the junction completely blocking my view of the road. So, slowly I check both ways, go out a little, and repeat. When I can see clearly, I move off when it's safe. Before I even realise it, we're back at the test centre already, I think to myself that test flew past very quickly. She turns to me with a pleasant smile and I feel my heart lift...could this finally be it?! "I'm very sorry, you haven't passed. I know you don't know farnborough, but that junction with the car parked? You really took too long there and that's undue hesitation. If there was a car behind you, then they would have expected you to go, and would have maybe hit you when you didn't." I explain to her about how I couldn't see the road and how am I expected to just go if I can't see, what if a car had been coming? She merely shrugged her shoulders and said "just take a chance. Better luck next time." Then she was out of the car and back inside before I'd even found my mum. Now, a normal test takes 45-50 minutes. We were gone for 25. I found that slightly odd.
This time I was not upset. I was fuming. This was the smallest reason ever for failing a driving test, so even more determined than ever, the next test was booked quickly as possible.
So, back in Farnborough, little over a week later, a young man comes in. It all goes fine, settled in the car, and he sees the second mirror. For the test, a second mirror needed to be bought so the examiner can also see out the back. Except ours was a little bigger than normal. By this I mean it looked like it belonged in a lorry. So the examiner gets in and exclaims 'Oh yessss, look at that!" I chuckle nervously and say 'Yeah, sorry, it's a little bigger than expected...". He merely laughs and says "no worries at all, more of my face to see!"So we set off. A little way down, it's getting very warm in the car (mid september heat does that) and so I say "if you're warm, feel free to undo the window", and his reply is simply "ah yes I do tend to have that effect"...I have to bite my cheeks to stop myself from laughing. The whole drive round, he makes me feel completely at ease and comfortable, he chats away to me, happy as anything, chatting about how our weeks have gone and what I want to do at uni, just general nattering. Then we come to a long country road stretch. There is a lane for ongoing traffic, and a road for traffic in the opposite direction. Driving on, he's telling me about his plans to pop down to the pub after this test, and a car is headed straight towards us, trying to overtake a car on his side of the road. I slam down on the breaks, and have come to a complete emergency stop, just as he is saying "stop stop stop stop...." He looks over, realises I've stopped already, nods, takes a deep breath and says "right...as you were...". So we're back at the test centre and as we enter the car park he says "right, swing the car in anywhere" and I say "um so just park it in a bay?" and he says "park it on the kerb, on the roof, on the moon, upside down, I don't care, let's just park up." So again, I sit there in agonising silence as he fills in his paperwork. He puts his pen down, turns around and smiles at me. "Relax. Don't worry. I'm glad to tell you, you've passed." I breathe the biggest sigh of relief known to man. "Now before you get carried away popping the champers, I need to give you some boring old pointers, firstly, mini roundabout, you touched it a little bit, maybe try not to do that again, and somewhere I can't remember you were going a tad fast. This may have been a factor which could contribute to a failure, but you were driving safe as houses and everyone else was speeding like it was a motorway so why shouldn't you join in. Now get us you provisional and let's sort you out.". As he's doing more paperwork we continue having a chat, and I say 'thanks so much' to him. His response was merely "I didn't do anything, you did all the work, I just sat here, having a chinwag and got to see Farnborough! Now, fancy a celebratory pint?" I think he's joking so merely laugh. "I'm serious! You and your dad fancy a pint?" I shake my head with a beam on my face, "na that's alright thanks, you enjoy it haha". He smiles and gets out the car. "I love ending the day with a pass, and you're only my second one today! Well done anyway, now the real learning begins."
And that was it. He walked off, my dad took the photo that everyone has taken when they pass their test and I feel more relief than ever. I never had to take another driving lesson or test again.
So that was my driving test experiences! Some people probably think that 4 times is quite a lot, but personally, every test was an experience I could build on and it has certainly taught me one thing - never give up. Every failure made me more determined to pass, and low and behold, I finally did. I met some interesting examiners and had some rather questionable failures, but at last I have achieved a full driving license.
So if you take anything from this long story, let it be this. Don't give up. If you think it'll never happen or you're heartbroken...don't let that stop you. Keep going until you achieve it. And just for fun, have my celebratory photo.
Until next time,
Leyla
xxx
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