Finally, I Can Drive!

Back in 2010 when we had our first second-hand Nissan Altima, I had the guts to try to man the wheel with the husband as my instructor. After a few days of consistent fighting, because both of us could only disagree about mechanical stuff, I gave up on driving. 

In December last year, we acquired Sylver, a brand new 2017 Ford Ecosport which the main function is supposed to bring the husband to and from Davao City should he be transferred assignment there. Since the husband's agency doesn't have any inkling of how much we wanted him nearer, and since he is still waiting for that order of transfer, I had to decide in getting educated in driving. At first, I had no intention of learning how to drive because I have had two road accidents which involved the vehicles I was riding. The first one in 2014 in Butuan where we hit a child. And the other one was last year when a vehicle tire came zooming up towards us, I on the front passenger side. Man, those were too traumatic I had nightmares after that.

But the present circumstance is different. The car is already available, but no one is using it. It only gets touched whenever the husband is home, which is only 3-5 days every two months. So there, the car is in a dilemma, I am too. The husband insists on me driving the car or the car will be damaged, or parts of it will because no one is using it.

So I had to pull myself together and enrolled in driving together with my son, who is still underage. My first time in driving gave me an anxiety attack. My heart was palpitating very fast I could hear my heartbeat. Until I was able to man the wheel to and from a straight point, and even in circles. Still, each time I am on the wheel, I get butterflies in my tummy. The jittery feeling does not escape me until such time I had to finish off my session. 

So we had parking, reverse parking, highway driving, gear change, and a lot more. Until I was able to drive our own car, still with a drum-like heartbeat.

Recently, I allowed myself a day to finally drive Sylver alone. I took it from my bro-in-law's house where we temporarily deposit the car so he could use it while no one will. I brought it to the office and then home, and then even brought the kids to our house in La Cassandra with it. The challenge was that the engine stops on me, even until now. But I guess that's for starters. There was a point when my daughter would not ride with me for fear of a PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as per her words). But she did ride with me home from a party when I explained to her reasons why my driving is still clumsy.

Fast forward to barely a month of driving after the lessons and I can already bring myself to and from the office. Hilarious experiences of getting too far from my origin to my destination because of my failure to make a U-Turn happened. Until now though, I cannot park in a mall. I guess I would still need a lot of practice for that. But I can drive! I can already smell the success of me driving long distances, although still with palpitations each time I am behind the wheel. 

Driving is not for the faint-hearted. The traffic everywhere we go is one big challenge for me. And the careless drivers who would like to race most times. I guess I would have to deal with them because I have to. 

I wish for that time I can already run 80-100kph. For now, my fastest is 40-50-60. I am still learning. There is still so much to learn about driving. But I can already strike this out of my bucketlist. Driving? Check!