SO Absolutely had to tell you guys this!

[JayJay 4]

Alright, I thought there'd be those amongst you that'd find this absolutely hilarious - I did see the funny side, once I'd calmed down...ok here goes:

My brother in law collected me from work yesterday as he works at the same place, and when we reached the gas station, he and I got out to get a hot chocolate. Coming back, I mentioned that I'd recently (like, Friday) gotten my learner's permit and could now learn to drive.

He says: "Do ya wanna drive home?"

I say: "I've actually only ever driven a golf cart, and my ex-boyfriend's Ford Fiesta around Sainsbury's car park in Leamington Spa..." (that's in England)

He says: "Well...how confident are you?"

I say "Well I'm not ABSOLUTELY petrified..."

He says "Ok then, get in, let's go!"

So I do just that. I just got into the driver's seat AT the gas station in the MIDDLE of crowded Mankato rush hour traffic having never even driven before on a public road, and after a quick familiarization with the indicators and lights, I pulled away. And pulled out successfully into the intersection, turned fine, kept on the road fine, blah blah blah.

After about a mile we pulled onto the highway even, and I got the car going safely at 50mph, kept in the right lane, stopped on time and thought "ooh - this is going rather well!". Only then....

We stopped at a really wierd intersection with lights, got beeped at and realised that the engine was smoking. Ooops. Now there was no time for us to swap places, and I didn't panic, and my bro in law told me where to go to pull over and check it out.

Well guess what...I'd been RIDING THE BRAKES the entire time! The other car I'd driven had been a manual, and manuals have a clutch! Little did I know I was supposed to take my foot completely off the brakes and I had made the right wheel smmmooooooke like hell! I felt awful and apologized to the max but after some further driving, the brakes were fine again and the pads were new, so no harm was done.

Luckily my brother in law saw the funny side before me, as I was sitting there thinking "$hit! I kept the darn car on the road, in a decent line, did everything right and I gotta go c*ck it up like this, don't I....how typically me!". I kept saying sorry...like 30 times, and we did have to swap places in the end because the brakes were hot and it would have been dangerous for such a newbie as me to wrestle with hot brakes - but he was already thinking of the next time he could take me out to drive, so everything was fine in the end

Having said that, I did NOT tell my mother in law, or my husband. Neither of them shall know for a very, very long time about this - preferably only when I've got my full license and have owned a Pagani Zonda (yeah, right...) for at least a year I spent like, 20 minutes laughing at the irony of me doing that after hte event though and just had to share it with you guys.

Next driving lesson is later this morning, and guess what? I will never ride the brakes again

[Jaylen Brit 0]

ROFL

Jay - you kill me - luckily tho this time ya didn't 'kill' anyone else

I shouldn't laugh - way bad karma cos I'll be taking to the road (complete with petrified expression) once I emigrate.

I'll remember not to ride the brakes tho now!

[Sharon 1]

JayJay, I think you did MARVELLOUSLY well despite riding the brakes, girl! Don't beat yourself on the head over it!

BRAVO!!!

[ChristinaM 0]

Good job!

(Psssst.... You're not supposed to ride the clutch either )

[SOlcayto 0]

JayJay,

Like I said before, please don't drive in Texas....ever. Just kidding! Wow, you got on the highway your first time on actually roads. You're a bit of a dare devil aren't you? I was so nervous the first time I got on the highway, but I was only 15! lol. Good job though, I'm sure you'll be driving fine within a few days.

SOL

[JayJay 4]

To tell you the truth, I was....CR*PPING myself!

I had to go, because we were sitting at a pump in the gas station. I had to pull out because I was in everyone's way and I had to go on the ring road at fifty beause it was bloody rush hour!

BUT I wasn't shaking like I did at my own wedding (heh.) or unable to control, I just knew I was venturing into waters new and didn't allow myself time to think "what if I just....veer off the road...or crash into the back of someone or accidentally run a red light...?" - I just kept my eyes on the road, remembered to stop at red lights, managed to turn several times, merge onto a freeway (basically, the Mankato ring road), and then pull over when the engine started smoking without losing it completely and going "aarrrghhh omgomgomg!".

I do giggle now though because tell you what - what a nuts first time eh? Luckily brother in law kept totally calm as well. I can imagine him being an airline pilot and saying:

"Ok people...it's a lovely day outside, but all the engines have failed...and it's now time to put your seat belts on ever so calmly as we are going to just...make an emergency landing in the sea. Coffee and tea will be served before the plane starts sloping too violently, for your enjoyment. Have a nice day "

[Chrissy25 0]

ohhh Jay Jay that sounds like something i'll do!!! Keep at it girl you'll get it! P.S check out my timeline i got my interview date!

[almaty 19]

good for you jay..i be teaching sanita this siummer..

[MaryandMian 1]

Jay Jay I think it is awesome and adventurous first time in traffic. Keep on working at it and glad your brother in law was calm and not screaming or fussing while you were driving. Good luck.

Mary

[Octa 0]

Don't worry, I've done that AFTER getting my drivers license

[annelizabeth 1]

Ummmmm, you are only supposed to use your right foot - so it is either accelerating or braking!

Well done girl for being so brave and good luck for your next outing.

[caviar22 1]

Oh Jay Jay... You drive better than A LOT of people who DO have their licences for a while... they just don't care about rules and minding others and driving in a straight line!

You go girl!!!

[britbird 4]

wow! you had your foot on the brake and the accelerator at the same time? That's hilarious! How the heck did you accelerate to 50 in the first place?

I was talking to my mum about driving yesterday (my husband has been teaching or rather sitting next to me and telling me too late to change lane-ing - me to drive) and i was telling her that sometimes for no apparent reason i manage to confuse myself re peddles. She said it was because I was used to driving a clutch car and my brain couldn't understand why one of my feet wasn't doing anything.

I thanked her for not telling me I was mad LOL!

[slim 1,525]

YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF OF THE CLUTCH TOO!!!!!

Really though, you did very well! America is the only place in the world that drives "defensively" so that will take some getting used to. If you made it without crashing, you did just fine! Keep it up... the only way to become a good driver is to practice.

My fiancee hasn't ever driven either. I'm looking forward to having her wear out my brakepads too!

[Peggy 1]

Great job Jay

You will get the hang of it.

I remember driving for the first time at 16. I didnt know nothing about driving a car. Thats why my parents put me in Driver's Ed at school.