I did fine in my classes, but my mom rented a car for me to take my driving test in (we had a stick, which I did learn to drive) and I almost flunked the driving portion. The guy noticed the rental sticker and I think took pity on me and passed me. I was always a decent driver, though.

I cannot parallel park. It distresses Hubby that I can't do it. But then, the man learned how to drive stick when his Forest Service boss took him out onto a runway in a fully loaded tanker truck, then left him there, saying, "Next plane's due in 20 minutes, you better have this truck off the runway by then." There's definitely a tough love approach to Hubby trying to teach me skills that doesn't work well, because I *will* drive around the corner to find a place to park that doesn't require backing and turning and praying the traffic behind you doesn't decide to ram you.

I liked my "behind the wheel" driving lessons. They were fun. The only thing I didn't like was once the instructor hit his brake to stop the car when the light turned yellow, telling me there was enough time for me to stop, when I was planning on just running the yellow light.

I remember the car - an Olds Omega. It felt kind of weird to drive, as it was the first front-drive car I'd driven.

Matt is on his phone interview now. I can't quite hear the words, but I love listening to him talk when he really know what he is saying . Smooth, confident, and articulate.

Competence is sexy. (Bitches conversation #24, and always work a revisit.)

Happiest birthdays to the lovely Kristin and Maria!

I was taught to drive by a fellow employee when I was 21ish. His normal job was prime painting steel so being my designated driver was a blast for him. He was totally stoned all the time and thought it was hysterical every time I ran over curbs and so forth. I was learning on a huge truck that was 3 speed on the column. The worst piece of crap I ever drove. I think they passed me on my driver's test out of pity because I stalled the thing twice. The upside was that every vehicle I have driven since then has been a snap.

I took DE because it meant my parents could get insurance for me less expensively. However, as the youngest person in my year, I only had a learner's permit ... and the others in my group were all older boys who already had their licenses. I never got to do any driving at all - the teacher took the easy way out and had them do all the driving, since they already knew how (and were only taking the class for the less-expensive insurance).

I cannot parallel park. It distresses Hubby that I can't do it.

Trick to parallel parking is to remember that "bumper" has the word "bump" right in it.

which car is required to back up when on a one lane incline.

Er... is it the downhill one? I know I knew this at some point.

I can parallel park big cars and trucks with trailers behind them. Comes from growing up on a farm.

Trick to parallel parking is to remember that "bumper" has the word "bump" right in it.

I'm always afraid of triggering an air bag.