SO Absolutely had to tell you guys this!

[Kajikit 65]

Sounds like you did a fantastic job for a first drive! But your BIL REALLY shouldn't have put you on the road in busy traffic when you didn't know the first thing about driving a car yet - that could be very dangerous. You need to practice on QUIET roads without a lot of other cars around until it's more automatic to know what to do and when to do it...

[sukie175 0]

I am very impressed you did so well with no experience to speak of.....you go girl!!!

[Carola 0]

Good Job JayJay... I think you did wonderful... I'll have test soon too and I'll remember you I know that

[Tiksman 0]

Thats great cant wait untill I teach Tik

[ladybutterfly 0]

Wow, im super impressed by your confidence. Well done!

[Fandango 1,439]

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

Congrats tho...the worst is over! (we all hope )

[mawilson 2,133]

Way to go, JJ!!! Driving is fun, isn't it? God bless automatics, they are SO much easier to drive than sticks.

You're very lucky, I tell ya! I wish I had an automatic when I was learning to drive, it would have been

so much easier!

You ain't seen nothing though until you've tried manoeuvering through heavy Manhattan traffic!!!

[daisy16 0]

glad you can laugh about it already

[aussiewench 9]

good one Jay

[mawilson 2,133]

Where are you, JayJaaaaaaaaaay?

[Welshcookie 17]

I miss her too.......

Have you checked out her website? Seems like she has been a busy girl....nice site JayJay!

I still love this painting...

Edited September 14, 2006 by welshcookie

[raymaga 25]

Yep, JayJay was always the "light at the end of the tunnel" for a lot of people.... so positive and upbeat. She is missed..... maybe she'll pop in and visit soon!!!!

[mawilson 2,133]

JayJay is the sweetest, kindest person in the world. I really miss her

[Jasman0717 9]

Great story, thanks for sharing. Claudeth's first experience involved taking out a Del Taco and a grand of damage on the Ford. Poor baby. No more of that, I am sending her to a professional driving school

[incanada1234 0]

I miss you, JayJay!!!