CAR ACCIDENTS
How I Got My Driver’s Licence
On my fourth attempt
I’m writing a series on the car accidents I’ve been involved in, but first I think I’d better explain how I got my driver’s licence. Unlike every man and most women, I’ve never professed to be a good driver and you’ll soon understand why.
In Queensland, back in the day, you could apply for your learner’s permit once you turned 17. You could get your driver’s licence the next day if you passed the driving test.
My first attempt
I practised driving for a few months before I made my first attempt — in my father’s car. I failed the hill start. I couldn’t take the handbrake off to even try to do the hill start. Townsville is quite a flat town being built on a flood plain but there’s a big rocky hill (see photo) smack bang in the middle of town and it was on one of those uphill streets that the hill start was tested. And Dad’s car was a ’64 Holden known for their strong handbrake. That’s my excuse.
My second attempt
I waited for a few more months building my confidence before tackling the driving test again. This time, I drove my boyfriend’s car, a ’55 Hillman Minx. I nailed the hill start, but failed another crucial requirement. I not only drove straight through a…
