(A
mostly true story by a driving test examiner).
Mrs.
L. (not her real name) had been learning to drive for a number of years.
She was one of those clients an instructor gets to know very well. It's
inevitable, since she was having a date with the same man three times a
week.
Any
driving instructor welcomes clients in the category of Mrs. L. -
advanced age, plenty of time and patience. The experienced instructor
was equally patient and experienced. He trained her as well as he could
for her to pass her driving test.
After
(only) three years, he knew she just wasn't at that stage just yet, but
agreed to her request to just have a go at the driving test. It would be
a reality check for her. As expected, she failed miserably.
Driving
examiners, unfortunately, make no distinction between a 17 year-old
learner and a 71 year-old.
Giving
up was not her style; not even after the second, third and sixth
attempt. Failing test after test gained Mrs. L. a degree of notoriety at
the Motor Registration Office. When staff saw her walk out the door with
the examiner for her seventh try, some called out to her, wishing her
well.
The
official examiner, who knew her well from previous attempts, was very
keen to pass her this time. For Mrs. L. it looked like seventh time
lucky. Besides some minor mistakes the examiner was very pleased with her
25 minute test drive. As Mrs. L. steered the vehicle confidently
through the Motor registry carpark, she sensed that this time she did
it.
Her
angle parking appeared to be almost perfect standard. All would have
been well, except... the examiner spoke too soon. Seconds before
the test would have concluded, as the car was still rolling into the
parking bay, he exclaimed with great relief: "Well, Mrs. L. - you
finally made it!"
|
Pic:
Healthaffairs.org |
Mrs.
L. got so excited to hear the good news. She could barely
contain her joy. Unfortunately, just before the vehicle had come
to a complete stop her right foot pressed the accelerator instead of the brake.
Before
the examiner could apply the dual brake, she ran into the kerb. If
ever there words spoken too soon, the examiner had done it. |
If only we
could press 'edit undo' to a spoken word!
Naturally,
with an entire office looking on through the window, the examiner could
hardly grant her a pass (not even on compassionate grounds).
Rumour
has it that after 9 years of learning Mrs. L. is still considering taking another test.
She is determined to succeed.
In
the meantime, she ran out of cash! No problem,
she simply married the driving instructor. (But that's another
rumour).
