I
remember when I first learned to drive. The year was around 1976 and in order
to be able to get your driver’s license, you had to take lessons that included both
behind the wheel and in a classroom.
The best
lesson that I learned in the classroom was that I “needed to leave myself an
out”.
What the
instructor meant by that was to always be asking; “If the car in front of me
does thus and so, where would I go?” In other words, always be looking for a
safe way to avoid an accident.
Even
today when I drive I can still hear my instructor’s voce saying; If you
remember nothing else; remember to leave yourself an out”.
The rest
of the class was a blur except for being told we had the option to not watch the
1959 Highway safety Film; “Signal 30” if we didn’t want to.
“Signal 30” is the legendary "shock"
driving safety film featuring numerous scenes of mutilated cars and
injured/dead people and a voiceover lacking in compassion. Produced in
cooperation with the Ohio State Highway Patrol and shown to millions of young
drivers for over 40 years. It contained many disturbing scenes of violent
deaths and accident scenes; as well as cries of crash victims on soundtrack. It brought the point home
to most of the students; as well as probably scaring some of them out of
driving until they were much older!
The
“behind-the-wheel” lessons were a trip in themselves. I went through a local
agency that provides an instructor who comes to your house and takes you out
four times on both city roads and on the freeway. The cars had brakes on both
the driver’s and passenger’s side of the car.
When I
got in the instructor’s car, he told me to “start the car, back it up, and
drive down the block.” When I told him that I didn’t know how to start the car,
let alone drive it; he laughed at me, saying that all kids my age know how to
do that.
I told
him that I didn’t and that was why we were paying him to teach me how to drive.
He shook his head, stating that I must not be telling truth, and proceeded to
show me how to start the car.
I gently
put the car in reverse as I stomped down on the gas pedal, sending the car
(almost) into the pond across the road from our house. The instructor in turn
stomped on the brake pedal, sending me (almost) through the rear window of the
car. My mom laughed at me as she stood watching from the living room amusing
herself with my predicament. Just what you want to see…
Realizing
that I had been telling the truth, the instructor took time to instruct me on
how to gently step on the gas. I put the car in drive and went down the block;
swerving from side to side until I learned how to drive straight.
When we
got to the first corner, I took it as widely as humanly possible without going
over the curb. Once again, my instructor gave instructions to this pre-novice
driver on how to take a corner all the while digging his fingernails deeper
into the dashboard in front of him.
After
three or four corners (all taken quite widely I must say), he asked me to pull
over; which I did. When we came to a stop, he opened the glove box which
contained a small drug store of antacids; liquid and tablets. He proceeded to
both drink and eat some as he told me to not take this personally, because the
student before me had given him the ulcer. He said that I was the better
driver.
We drove
around a bit and then went home. I was grateful that it was only the two of us
in the car because sometimes there may be several students in the car at the
same time; each taking their turn individually. I guess this was the old method
of safe driving through peer pressure.
I am
happy to report that the next three times behind the wheel went better; except
he kept taking the antacids. He left me with some instructions; “study hard for
the written test and try to strike up a conversation for the behind the wheel
test” …he said that this would help me and the other person to be relaxed.
When I
took the behind the wheel test, I tried to be friendly by asking the person who
was giving me the test about how he was doing, his family, etc. He barked at me
that his wife had just divorced him, his kids didn’t like him, and he didn’t
want me to say anything; mumbling something derogatory about the instructor who
gave me such stupid advice.
Despite
everyone’s attempt to sabotage my efforts and my own feelings of inadequacy, I
passed both the written and behind the wheel the first attempt with flying
colors. I was issued a license to drive a motor vehicle.
My real
test came a few days later when my dad, myself, and two of my brothers went to
the BWCA. After packing up the family’s Ford LTD Station wagon, my dad tossed
me the keys and said that I could drive.
Scared, I
told him that I hadn’t ever driven a station wagon (let along one filled with
people, camping gear, and two canoes on top); I had only driven a compact car
with one other person inside!
My mind
flashed to my past experiences with others watching me drive and I looked for a
way out. What if I get in an accident or lose my way or have one of the canoes
fall off the top?
He looked
at me and said; “It’s a long trip and you will have plenty of time to learn how
to drive the bigger car. You will do just fine. I’m going to take a nap.” And
with that he proceeded to get into the rear of the car along with my next
younger brother Joe (who had also gotten his license the same time as I did)
and settled in for the long trip.
I climbed
into the driver’s seat where my older brother Rick would join me up front to be
my navigator. The car looked about the size of an eighteen-wheeler! I slowly
backed the car out of the drive way (noticing that my dad had already closed
his eyes) and headed out towards the BWCA.
It took
me awhile, but (very quickly) I was OK with driving the car. What my dad hadn’t
told me was that the smaller cars that I had driven were older and didn’t
handle as well. This LTD was newer and had features such as power steering and
power brakes and a better stereo system.
That trip
is when I really learned how to drive; not the classroom, my practice times, or
my behind the wheel instruction. It was this trip when I had time to go through
the process of fearing I would crash to trust that I really could drive.
My
confidence came from a dad who was sitting behind me in the car if I needed
him. He may have gone to sleep, but he was still within reach; and he had left
me my older brother to be my navigator.
King Solomon wrote to his son;
“Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.” (Proverbs 16:24)
“The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.” (Proverbs 18:4)
My dad knew
that (sometimes) the best way to learn is to toss someone the keys and tell
them; “It’s a long trip and you will have plenty of time to learn how to drive
the bigger car. You will do just fine. I’m going to take a nap.”
Even greater than the encouragement I received from my dad is the encouragement that I receive from my Heavenly Father that I can make it. At times it may seem that He is absent (or asleep), but He is nearer than I will ever know this side of Heaven.
Even greater than the encouragement I received from my dad is the encouragement that I receive from my Heavenly Father that I can make it. At times it may seem that He is absent (or asleep), but He is nearer than I will ever know this side of Heaven.
