Way to go Evie here comes freedom ya your uncle Jim is right if you can drive a standard you can drive anything, This is abig step for you in the right direction, I am so happy for you.

Hi Evie,

Congratulations on your test. Learning to drive will be easy. I learned on a standard, and your uncle is right. Once you learn how to drive standard, you can drive anything.....

You may "buck" a few times, and stall out, but it will be ok.

I have done some reading on some of your trauma....You have been through a lot, have been to hell and back.....The point I want to make is this....You have been to hell...........But you have MADE it back. You are a strong young woman. Courageous, brave, and a fighter.

You could have given up, but you haven't....Keep fighting. Fight with all that you have, and when you're too tired to fight....Look deep within you for more strength. It will be there. You are a survivor....

Many hugs,

Wendy

Talk about conquering your fears!

Good for you, Evie. I'm glad to see you going out to seize even more independence.

Well done Evie!

Thats a big step & you made it. Now what sort of car can you see yourself driving in the future? Don't think you'd like to drive a tractor into town for a timmy's run lol.

Yep, thats it Evie, drive a manual and you can drive them all then... My mother only ever got an automatic license here, and she has found it challenging at times if her car has been in for repair or the like, as most of us drive manuals for the better fuel economy. Well done and best of luck for your license.

Thanks for the good wishes everyone! Wendy, welcome to the forum and pleased to meet you, thank you for the nice compliments. Jodee no lol I would not want to go out on a tractor, although I have thought of taking the mule into town, but I think it's illegal. (?) By mule I mean our Kawasaki Mule, not the animal the mule haha. I can drive the mule really well, it's easy, it's got automatic transmission.

I was feeling kind of sorry for myself yesterday about having to learn on a standard. Uncle and I went out for my lesson and it was VERY hard. You need to have so much coordination, and I've never considered myself very coordinated. The vehicle kept stalling, or lurching forward, or making this awful grinding noise because I wasn't switching gears properly. I got really frustrated. I was almost crying at one point. It's funny, in some respects I like to learn new things, but I also always want to learn things quickly and do them really well right away, if I can't be really good at something immediately I often want to give up.

Anyways I didn't give up, Uncle wouldn't let me, and after close to 2 hours I actually made a smooth gear shift! After a bit of practice it wasn't that hard, I started to get the hang of it. I'm glad Uncle didn't let me give up. It felt really great to learn how to do it properly, especially since it was sooo hard for me at first. I still have lots of practicing to do but I'm really excited I got the hang of the stick and the clutch. And I was so busy concentrating and feeling frustrated over switching gears that I didn't think of my dad or the trauma at all! :)

Well now "missie" moo, what can one say that hasnt been said before me. Well done Evie big hugs chat soon Rob.

LOL okay, lets compare notes...

It's not easy learning to drive, I don't think anyone finds it easy. To make you feel better, I nearly ran over a family on my first driving lesson LOL! Not funny really I guess, and the woman did drag her kids across the road just as it went green! Rah, it wasn't good! I also had trouble remembering what side of the road to be on, because I was so used to being the passenger seat it was weird. As a result, I nearly went up a roundabout the wrong way! He asks me to turn left, I turn right. At first everytime I saw cars or people I starting shouting "OH MY GOD CARS AND PEOPLE!!!!!" LOL.

Got used to it... but I fear I may be one of THOSE drivers lol. So kangerooing, gear change difficulties, stalling... tsssscch you're doing well!

May have been frustrated. However. You did very well my dear. Better than expected. Very proud of your efforts.

Uncle Jim.

That's brilliant news Evie! Learning to drive is so exciting. I had an excellent instructor who just made be laugh every time I stalled at a junction. Everyone else behind me would be cursing and I'd be sitting there laughing my head off!

You'll get the hang of it and its a brilliant skill to have. A whole world of freedom.

PS. I had visions of you riding into town on a donkey for a moment there :tongue: