On Driving: One of the scariest skills I had to learn.
Growing up, having a car was the privilege of only a small percentage of people in our town. We used to walk everywhere and even if your dad had a car, children were not carted around because it was still safe for them to go everywhere on foot. We walked to school, church, the shops, the post office, our friends, regardless how near or far the distance.
As a passenger, I did not feel safe in a car and a long road trip was something I used to dread. I had absolutely no desire to learn to drive, but it started to become a necessary evil for me, because my husband was not always available to drive me where I had to be. Public transport was non- existent.
There was no driving school in Keimoes and you got your driving lessons from your dad, boyfriend or husband. By the time I was eligible for a driver’s licence, I was married, but none of those options were available to me. My dad was a teacher and I landed in his classroom for std. 2 (grade 4). It was a small school and had only one class per grade. That was not a happy experience to put it mildly, so asking my dad to teach me this time, was not an option. My husband worked two jobs and he literally did not have time to teach anyone to drive. Also, it is not recommended. A friend, who will remain nameless, was told by her husband, out of frustration, to “put her skew toes on the clutch”. Obviously, that lesson did not end well.
I asked a family friend, Boetieman, a kind and patient man, to teach me. He did a great job and I got my driver’s licence. Having my licence did not make me fond of driving, but the independence it gave me was priceless. Never again, for example, did I have to walk to the church hall on a sweltering, 40 degree- afternoon where I conducted a weekly Kinderbond-class.
One Wednesday afternoon I was running late for Kinderbond. At the time I was teaching as well as being the mother of two small daughters. My days were packed with activities, going anywhere with or without the children, had to be a well- executed plan. With a perpetual shortage of time, I was late and in a hurry. At one point, I had to turn off the tarred road onto a dirt road and things got ugly. I took the turn-off too fast, the car started skidding and I landed in a cloud of dust in the veld. Badly shaken, I sat in the car for a while to compose myself. The dust settled around me and fortunately, there were no people, animals or buildings in the vicinity. It could have been so much worse.
It was a frightening incident, but given my scant experience in driving, I did not do so badly. As the car was spinning out of control, I remembered my husband’s advice. He told me once that whenever something like that should happen, I must NOT step on the brakes and that I should just keep my hands on the steering wheel and try to steer the car out of possible danger. How I remembered his advice in those scary moments, I do not know.
We moved to Cape Town in 1990 and it was my firm intention never to get behind a steering wheel on these scary roads. After a few months, I was forced once again out of my comfort zone. My husband used to go away for business regularly and in his absence, I had to drive myself and the children to wherever we needed to go. The first time I had to drive after our move, was when my husband was in Johannesburg and I had to take my sick child to the doctor. This trip was from Belhar to Bellville-South, a mere five km. away. The night before the appointment, I could not sleep and spend the night praying for protection on the road. Seriously. All went well the next day, but it took years for me to get comfortable behind the steering wheel of a car. I still refuse to drive on long road trips, but I do not have to depend on anybody for transport to get around locally.
I had lots of experience and practice driving to school and back every day as well as driving to endless meetings and workshops, but I still say a little prayer before I drive anywhere. As with all skills, driving gets better with time and I am so grateful for the privilege to have and drive my own car.
Drive safely and tackle those scary skills. You can do it!
Shirley Rose