Tears, Tantrums and Three-Point Turns

This week finds me a fully fledged driver. That’s right; I have now reached another milestone and passed my driving test!

However, my road to success-if you’ll excuse the pun- has definitely been rocky. Unlike normal people  my age, I never wanted to drive-in fact I was almost violently against it. My inner eco-warrior came out in force to protest about fossil fuels and the greenhouse effect. I used every excuse going-I didn't need to drive because I am lucky enough to live within walking distance almost everything I could ever need, it would be too dark to learn in winter, I would be a danger to the town...none of these cut it, and I eventually started lessons last April. 

After my first lesson, where I was so bad at steering that my instructor made me practise on a plastic plate, I was ready to give up. It was only after much persuasion that I carried on, bribed with the thought of never having to drive again if I didn’t want to. After most lessons I would stomp up to my room in need of a lie-down after another stressful hour wreaking havoc on the roads.

Learning to drive has been almost a year of ups and downs: tears, tantrums and three-point turns. Then, when I failed my first test, it looked like the odds were stacked against me.

But to cut a long story short-I passed in the end! 

Afterwards, when my mum said she had bought me a car, for a second, I was over the moon.  My environmental principles went out the window as I dreamed of true freedom.

Then I thought of soaring petrol prices, insurance, how could I ever afford it all?

So it was with great relief that instead of leading me out to a shiny new motor, my mum presented me with a BMW ...of the chocolate variety.

In the long run, I suppose it’s probably better-for my bank account and for the environment. See you on the roads!