Who's gonna drive you home tonight?

At the grand old age of 37, I have finally decided to learn to drive. For the past 6 weeks, I have sat in a classroom with ten 17-year-olds every Tuesday and Wednesday evening, learning theory. They must think I am ancient and wonder why I never got my licence when I was young, willing and able. Little do they know that I am still willing and able, just not so young.

My Mum doesn't drive and after my parents separated, we never had a car. So if I had gone through driving school when I was 18, it would have meant finding the money to pay for a licence and also to buy a car so I thought I would wait. Didn't think I would wait 20 years and still have the same problem but never mind - the thought of walking around in -30c is enough to forgo our next holiday to fund a car purchase.

Living in London, you don't need a car. Say what you will about public transport but it does get you around and is often easier than driving - when it's working at least. The only time I ever missed having a car was when food shopping but the again, with the Ocados of the world, that needn't be a problem either. Of course having a car makes your life easier but I never felt it was too difficult without one either, it's just something you get used to. I am guessing that if you have been used to having a car and then no longer have one, it would be more traumatic, like misplacing your iPhone or missing a limb. Well, that is one and the same really.

I did have a moment of blind panic during my first driving lesson. I was asked to turn right at a junction and suddenly I had no idea which side of the road I was meant to drive on. Not ideal, I understand, but let me explain myself. I never realised  how conditioned to the London commuter rules I had become - we all know that we walk on the left hand side of the escalator, stand on the right. The escalators themselves go up on the left and down on the right. You go in through the left of revolving doors and emerge out on the right. Well, it's the opposite in Finland - and the rest of Europe I should think. So I have managed to annoy several people walking around town, passing them on the wrong side or walking straight into them when trying to go up the wrong side of the escalators. This makes me think that the police and my future fellow drivers may be beyond annoyance should I have another brain fart and not know which side of the road I am supposed to be on. At that point knowing the road sign for reindeer is not going to do much good.
 

Which makes me think - perhaps I am only just willing and not able - and definitely not young. And perhaps I should just stick to Driving Miss Daisy.