The Driving Test

As mentioned previously, we took the written test for our French driving license about two weeks ago. Having passed that, Jill Hagan and I were scheduled to take the driving test on Friday, October 20. Over the past couple of weeks there have been several lessons with a driving instructor to prepare for the big exam.

After 30 years of driving, the act has become a reflex much like breathing. The thing about reflexes is that the worst thing you can do is think about what you're doing. Try it...try to concentrate on breathing....and after 5 minutes you'll hyperventilate. A similar thing happened when I was put in a car with a driving instructor telling me to think about every thing I was doing. After 5 minutes, I became the most dangerous person on the road.

The intro picture shows our driving teacher, Tarik. Tarik is perhaps the kindest and most patient man I've ever met. He speaks four languages and is a passionate about nature and has several children, including a son in the foreign mission of International Red Cross. Over the past two weeks, the phrase I've heard Tarik say most frequently is "why did you do that?"

"Why did you do that?"
"Do what? "
"Wait so long to pass that bicyclist?"
"Because I was trying to drive safely?"
"But you almost made that car back there crash into us."
"I'm sorry"
"It's no problem. Don't drive so slow. Just relax and drive with confidence"
"Ok, I will"
"Now why did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Pass that bus? You're supposed to let him come out when he signals left"
"But I didn't want to be to tentative and he signaled at the last minute and I didn't want the guy behind me to hit us."
"It's no problem. Don't drive so fast. Just relax and drive with confidence."
"Ok, I will"
"Oh James, why did you do that??"
" Do what?"
" You were supposed to stop? Didn't you see the sign?"
"No...
"Why not? Weren't you paying attention?"
Yes..I was so busy paying attention to bicyclists and buses and cars behind me...I forgot to look in front of me..."

Somehow, we survived without serious injury.

Tarik prepared us for the test in the sharp, sassy little Citroën C3 shown below. He prepared us for the mechanical questions such as how to open the hood and the location of all the fluid reservoirs and the sticker with the tire inflation instructions and switch for turning off the passenger-side airbags. We were set. Good to go.

So, Jill and I took our driving test on Friday morning. I can't tell you whether we passed or failed because you have to wait for 2 business days before calling the prefecture for your results. Neither one of us was mistake-free, so it's anybody's guess. But for now, it's nice to relax and drive again with all my old, bad habits.