Drive me Crazy

Today

We've just come back from Yorkshire where Paul completed his Performance Driving Course, which I'd bought him for his birthday. I'd originally thought that he would do it while I was in S America but he wanted me to come along.

So he booked me into the Monk Fryston Hall hotel. As he was on a driving course, I, naturally, had no car. So I walked the amazingly flat lanes of Yorkshire, near Selby, while Paul relearnt the art of motoring.

In my Day

I put off driving for many years. Somehow, when I was 17, it didn't feel right, and, anyway, I couldn't afford it.

When I met Paul, he was, of course, car mad (some things never change!) and always drove. We lived in Sussex, always in places with good transport systems.

Paul did have one attempt to teach me in the (once criminally active) Humber Hawk, but after I panicked on a narrow bridge, and went into reverse at speed, he desisted.

In 1985 I had the opportunity to take up a post to do the training for the Computerisation of PAYE. However, it was made clear that there would be much travelling and that driving skills were really essential.

By a combination of suggestion and sloppily asked questions (by the interviewers) I got the job. I had 10 months in which to learn to drive. Paul's brother in law, who was a driving instructor, gave me some lessons, but practice was what was needed. So Paul simply allowed me to drive our Morris Marina whenever we went out.

He was calm, methodical and clear, I must say. And we never rowed while he taught me. He took me to empty carparks so that I could practice maneuvering and clutch control.

I passed my test at the 3rd attempt and was driving on the motorway alone, in the dark,within 5 days.

Paul spent much of the drive home yesterday re-teaching me, but, despite that, I owe him a debt for teaching me in the first place that I can never really repay. Although, he's driving to Wine circle tonight!