Driving Memoir

Memoir

Driving a car is no easy task, especially when someone is trying to learn it for the first time. For many people driving is a terrifying experience which they hate. For others, driving is more of a duty and want to be over with it as soon as they can. For people like us, we drive for the sheer heck of it. Ever since I was a youngster, I always wanted to learn how to drive. I loved cars-and I still do to this day, this is why part of me wants to become a mechanical engineer. At the age of 16 I was an upcoming Junior in high school, I didn’t realize I had the right to operate an automobile until my classmates all started getting their driving permits. I rushed to the dreaded DMV and acquired a copy of the 'Pennsylvania Driver's Manual'
Paranoid that I will not pass the test I took my time to carefully scan every inch of the book. I sailed through the driver's' exam and in no time got my drivers permit, only to realize that I had 6 months until I can actually get my license. The next couple of nights was when I actually drove for the first time. My parents would only let me take out the hooptie, or the lemon as some like to call it. It was a beat up 2002 Volkswagen Jetta that had been given to us. As I hoped in the driver's' seat, my dad which is a quick tempered man quickly pointed out to adjust my seat, mirrors, and put on my seatbelt. “Get familiar with the pedals, and shifter,” my dad pointed out. I dreaded the fact that I had to learn a manual transmission car instead of an automatic like most normal people. “Ok, clutch, brake, gas,” my dad pointed out the pedals “Put your foot on the clutch and slowly apply gas while releasing it.” While sitting in the empty parking lot of Walmart, I slowly shifted the gear selector into first gear. As I was releasing the clutch I feel it grab and the car starts moving forward inch by inch until a suddenly the car jolts in place and the engine dies. “Too fast,” he exclaimed. That night I practiced getting the car to move in first gear without