I was forced by mom to take driving school
Hey, there! It’s been three months after my bachelor’s graduation and I got somewhat mixed feelings accordingly. I mean, I’m super glad that I’ve passed my delightful four years of academic life but I also feel a bit blue for knowing the fact that I would be separated from my friends and then face the work life.
I realized this situation is hard, dread, and even it’s filled with so much uncertainty that makes me feel desperate and unmotivated sometimes. However, I don’t mind putting myself down because this is just the beginning of my real-life adventures.
Anyway, let’s put that aside because today I want to share with you one of my exciting experiences during this unemployment period. Yet, it doesn’t need to be surprised because I assure you all can read the title about what I’m going to tell.
So here we go, my first-ever driving car experience. *drumroll
Mom’s words are equal to the Queen’s order
For you who might not know, I belong to a homebody, which means as long as I can do anything from home, I’ll absolutely choose it right away. I used to spend my time only in my bedroom unless I feel hungry or need some fresh air or just want to say hi and chit-chat to my family.
Guessing his son like I don’t have any attractive activity, where she’s totally wrong, she often tells me to go outside like visit the beach (because I live in Bali right now 😛) or accompany her to any random place she wants as the point is she wants me to not only in my bedroom.
And a current random thing she did to me is asking me to take driving school, even though we TECHNICALLY don’t have a car!. As I felt it was odd for me, I confronted her and asked,
“Dear mom, you and I can see OBVIOUSLY that there’s no car parked in our yard, so what’s the point of you asking me to do that?”
With a super logical and undramatic answer, she only said
“To make you’re able to drive”.
That’s it. Then, she left me without letting me give any response. Disturbed by that unfinished talks, I tried to consider it in my bedroom. I asked myself like,
“Does it always need to have a car first to learn how to drive?”
“If I’m able to drive, whose car should I drive when I don’t have it?”
One strong reason momentarily came to my mind. It’s the fact that my family always uses two motorcycles when we’re back to my father’s hometown which has 60.1 km distances and it needs up to 1.5 hours to be there. Moreover, we’ve caught in the rain on our last visit and it was quite dangerous riding in that situation (slippery on hilly roads).
Then, I impulsively accepted it and since my mom paid all the cost I think it would be a great ‘investment’ for my future.
The Transmission
It was about two or three days after, I went to the driving school and filled the registration form. The officer offered me some course packages which basically distinguished by how long the duration of one session and the transmission you prefer whether manual or automatic.
One of my inspirational (also fierce, remember) lecturer often tells me to understand first about the manual process of a survey instrument. Because he believes when you had a manual mindset, you will possess a clear and better understanding of the entire process in your instrument.
So, I chose the manual transmission for 5 sessions with 2 hours per session.
But I still don’t get why the charge of an automatic transmission is higher than the manual since what will be taught is easier. It’s mind-blowing. After googling, It was caused by the price of the car itself where the automatic transmission car has more advanced technology existed than the manual, hence making it more expensive.
Then, I asked how about its technical like what will I learn on the first day and where will I practice. She replied,
“You’ll be given some guide only in fifteen minutes and then you’ll practice directly on the roadway.”
WHATTTT! It was beyond my expectation. I mean, I imagined that I’ll practice in a wide and quiet area. But it’s not.
I felt threatened and then………… got overthink about it.
The more threatened I felt, the safer I was
I often feel anxious and stressed when something “threatened” comes, maybe you all are on the same page with me like it’s a natural human trait I guess. For instance, I feel it when I had a chance to speak publicly or to do something that I haven’t done it before.
I can’t explain it properly, I’m sorry, but the thing is I can overthink the situation and it really annoys me. Fortunately, thank God, I’m always able to convert that stormy mind to a comprehensive scheme of real action (it looks exaggerated, but never mind).
To face that situation, I started with three questions like this:
- What are the fundamental driving skills that I need to know?
- What are the essential car parts that are always actively used?
- What are the most common driving mistakes?
Then, I watched more than ten videos on YouTube and compiled that into a playlist. Even I practiced how to operate the gearshift using a folded umbrella and noted down sort of important information.
As the first day eventually came, the instructor did his job and it was true about that fifteen minutes explanation and he let me immediately take the car, fasten the seatbelt, adjust the chair, set the first gear on, release the handbrake, and then step on the gas pedal.
It was fun and I drove that car well enough as a first-timer. I got a bit panicked sometimes. But since I’ve had the knowledge before, it made me is able to overcome the situation because I know exactly what I’ve been facing.
The next day and so on, the instructor brought me to any kind of road and condition that need any particular skills to pass through it. He also provided some pro tips and then evaluated my driving performance.
Five sessions passed, I’m happy to be mindful, full of preparation during the process, moreover, I used the beginner mindset along the process and didn’t hesitate to ask if I don’t know or missed something. Yet, I still need more practice because what I’ve learned is tend to be in an ideal condition that is quite different from the real one.
My cousin’s Car
I believe the knowledge or competency that we have will disappear if we don’t use it regularly. Therefore, I need to practice until I can really ‘beat’ the street.
But wait, how can I do it when I don’t have a car?
My mom asked my cousin to accompany me to practice using his car. He agreed and set a time for me. Guess what? My cousin’s car evidently is the automatic transmission. He said it’s easier than the manual, so I don’t have to worry.
That’s absolutely true!
Like you don’t need to change gear in the normal road, hold the coupling to change gear position and keep your engine on as you can let your left leg relax all the time.
At that moment, I immediately fell in love with using the automatic.
I focused to hone my skills when turning around, passing through ascent and descent roads, parking the car properly, and else. It was truly fun like I can directly implement what I’ve learned from driving school and the tutorials I watched on Youtube.
Meet the Queen’s satisfaction
After hearing that I enjoyed using the automatic car, my mom was happy and said like this:
“Well, next week we’re going to your father’s hometown, we can rent a car and then you drive for us”.
I spoke confidently,
“Okay, sure!😎 ….. but with the automatic car😅”
I felt ready and anxious at the same time. Like this is my first time driving for my family, the road is hilly, and it needs almost two hours to arrive. My little me came suddenly and tell,
“You’re gonna make it! Focus and calm down yourself!”
The night before our trip, I watched 3 youtube videos related to the automatic car,
- 5 common mistakes when using an automatic car
- How to pass an ascent and descent road using an automatic car
- The right time to shift gear in an automatic car
It boosted my confidence and I could sleep peacefully.
The next day, I took the rental car just by myself. My heartbeat was fast and my hand was shaking. But it’s just a glance as I took a deep breath and tried to soothe my nerves.
In 20 minutes I arrived at home, and let my family put things inside the car. My father came to me and said
“Son, it’s simple. If I fall asleep during this trip, your driving performance is excellent and I have no doubt with you”
Long story short, he fell asleep, in 40 minutes of our trip.
And if I can do Ronaldo's celebration after scoring a goal, I definitely will do it like wow I can make it!
30, 45, 65, and finally 80 minutes we arrived at the sub-district and it needs 10 minutes left to arrive at my little father's childhood house.
But here’s the problem, I missed the real ‘obstacle’ in this trip that is the access to my father’s house. It is steep and a bit muddy. And yeah, We were trapped in a pothole and got stuck for a moment.
My mother was the one who got so panicked first, followed by my sister and then my father. To be honest, I felt under pressure as my heartbeat was pounding so fast and my sweat flew like a river.
Suddenly, It brought me to a quote that I found a couple of years ago on Pinterest which sounds,
“The mind is like water. When it’s turbulent, it’s difficult to see. When it’s calm, everything becomes clear” — Prasad Mahes
So, I tried to clear my mind, re-call the lessons whether it’s from my course or Youtube video, and then said this to my ‘passengers’,
“Okay, we’re getting stuck right now, please calm yourself then have a seat back, give your pilot space and time, and let me try my best”
Maybe you think it’s exaggerated, but it’s not. I truly do calm my family and ask them to trust me.
And… I did it!
Again, if I can do Ronaldo's celebration after scoring a goal, I definitely will do it, definitely do it.
Closing
Gotha! I won the game, I succeed to drive my family safely and happily, and I think this is one of the best experiences in my life. I honestly didn’t want to drive a car, even so, having a car before, but this moment has really changed my view.
Having a car becomes one of my wishlists in the future because the feeling of driving with family is so joyful and fulfilling for me as a family who never has and drives a car.
Well, I can’t wait for that moment to happen again, but with my own car.
Happy new year everyone!
