Learner Driver Hub - FUN STUFF
Two amusing U-Turn Stories - by Dieter Fischer

1. U-Turn - Why not here?

During a lesson I asked Tony, a middle aged student, to safely do a U-Turn. The first important aspect of the U-Turn is to find a legal and safe place to execute it. We were in the left lane on a divided road. Tony surprisingly indicated left, as if to stop at the kerb. (Here in Australia he should have stayed in the right lane and indicated right). But he did stop at the kerbside.

I asked: "Tony, can you do a U-Turn from here?" Not only would the two lanes be too narrow to turn around, it would have ended in a three-point turn with us travelling against traffic. My student didn't recognize the big picture.

He answered: "Yes, why not here?"

I said: "Have a good look around at the big picture."

Tony scanned the road ahead, right and left. I don’t think he saw any picture, big or small.

Finally the penny seemed to drop: "Of course, I can’t do it here", he said, preparing to pull away.

I was not sure, was he thinking the same as I did, so I questioned him: "Why couldn't we do a U-Turn there.?"

"I too close to bus stop".

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2. Lack of communication

A couple was driving overnight from Adelaide to Melbourne, a trip of about 8 hours. The wife had fallen asleep. After about four hours her husband did a U-Turn to enter a roadhouse and fill up with petrol.

"Can you drive for a while?" he asked his wife, waking her.

After refueling and visiting the toilet, he slumped into the back seat and fell asleep before his wife returned from the ladies.

Of course she did not know about the U-Turn. She only got suspicious that something was wrong, when she realized they were again crossing the Murray River, an hour out from their starting point, Adelaide.

A good example where communication between husband and wife was badly neglected. It took them back hundreds of kilometers and  waisted many hours.

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(Here is above story as a poem - good message for newly weds, who must learn to communicate, if the marriage is to last!)

 

The secret U-Turn    Let me tell you a tale of a husband and wife Who argued and fought for most of their life. Insisting the other was wrong, but they right, Were driving Adelaide to Melbourne in the middle of the night.   They quarreled and squabbled until she dropped off to retire Thank goodness he thought - peace, enjoy the ceasefire. When the gauge showed empty, his bladder ready to burst, He entered a roadhouse, but did a U-Turn first.   Hubby filled the tank, paid a visit to the loo, Then woke his wife: I’m tired driving, what about you? Waddling over to the toilet, shouting: "Oh, this one stinks!" Before she got back, he was having his forty winks.   Taking charge of the wheel along the highway she steered, With an increased sensation that felt unreal, almost weird, Should I ask hubby? Tell him how I feel, admit I’m at a loss? No, why should I? He can’t help me, I’m now the boss.   For miles through the darkness they passed many a sign Her blood-shot eyes missed them, glued to the dotted white line. I shouldn’t be driving. She knew it ain’t safe, "Don’t show any weakness. We women are brave!"   Where are we? Hubby awoke, as they approached a bridge. "Should we be crossing a river, and if so which?" For the first time in hours, the wife’s eyes opened, what worry, She shouted: "The sign says, we're crossing the Murray!"   "It’s your fault, you donkey, tell me when you turn with a U." You twit, why didn’t you ask me? I could have told you, I knew." "You idiot expect me to read your bloody mind!" Words flying to and fro sounded not very kind.   It goes to show, that silence, arguments, struggle and strife, Create a barrier between people, not just a husband and wife. Learn to respect, to forgive, speak your mind from the heart, You both move forward, not finish right back, at the start.