My First Time Driving

Once upon a time, I was in high school when my dad wanted to take me driving for the first time. It was a pretty essential moment in my life at the time, not that I really knew it – but it made me appreciate the work ethic of my father more so than everything else. We got in his old car, me in the driver’s side and my dad in the passenger seat of course. I drove around for a bit, but my feet were still training on where the brake of the car was, and where the accelerator was. After driving around the block like once or twice, we almost arrived home, where my dad tried to teach me how to park. I did so, but then he wanted me to press on the brakes. Startled and disgruntled for a bit, I accidentally stepped on the accelerator instead. Being that we were relatively close to home (at the neighbor’s house), I accidentally collided into the mailbox. My dad stepped out of the car in that very instance and helped to fix the mailbox immediately, putting it back in place. Then we went home. I think he gave up on teaching me how to drive at that very moment.

Later of course, I would have a driving instructor who was much worse, and put a lot of pressure on me. He made me extremely nervous by forcing me to go on the freeway on the very first time we ever drove. He also took me to do the driving test when I was underprepared. His lack of positive affirmation and negative attitude really stunted my ability to learn how to drive. I remember he even told me once “I don’t think you can drive.” Geez, what a letdown that moment was in my life.

Of course, it would be my dad that would eventually save the day by taking the time to patiently teach me to drive around the parking lot of a church in Garden Grove. It was at that church that I adequately learned how to press on the brake, accelerator, make proper turns, and do all the proper techniques that should have instead been taught to me by my driving instructor. It was his patience that saved the day, so that by the next time I faced my driving instructor he could visibly see some improvements in me. Of course, it wasn’t thanks to him at all, but I eventually passed the test at the Westminster DMV, successfully doing so after 2 previous failed attempts.

This picture, from a previous car accident, has nothing to do with this post and is just clickbait.