Learning to Drive

The month of June for most families is the time of many transitions.
High school graduations, weddings and many other life-altering events take place in June.
For me, it was also the month I got my drivers license!
Many folks may have forgotten a lot of details about their lives, but they can usually remember when they got this prized document.
In June, 1962, I turned 16 while completing Grade 11.
My folks had scraped together enough money to buy a new car, my Mom had learned to drive, and I was given the chance to prepare my skills to get my license.

(Photo: 1962 Corvair; classiccars.com)
Not wanting to waste any time, I got a copy of the latest Driver's Manual from the Department of Highways in late Winter /early Spring, and, I must have practically memorized its contents.
Even today, FIFTY-ONE YEARS LATER, I can remember details about driving speeds, 'over-taking' (passing the car creeping ahead!) and parking distances from stop signs, all in pre-metric notation.
I spent most Saturdays April and May in off-road work, driving the car up-and-down the long driveway beside my cousins' house. It was never a monotonous chore, because I had a major goal, and I was learning to coordinate steering wheel, the pedals and shifting gears.
-- Ah yes, Dear Reader, as you may have guessed, this car had ‘standard shift,’ as did most cars of that era!
--Here, Class, is a lesson in standard shifting … for any younger folks or beginners.
I was, apparently, a quick learner because I picked up the idea of shifting gears very quickly.
Someone had told me to think of the points of the capital letter 'H,' where 1st gear and reverse are on the left or top side, and 2nd and 3rd gear are on the right or bottom, with neutral in the middle.
(The car did not have the classic ‘stick shift on the floor,' but it was mounted on the steering column.)
The main trick appeared to be to pick up my right foot from the accelerator, and apply the clutch with my left foot at exactly the same time as I changed gears, without causing the terrible grinding sound. The second main idea was learning how to listen for the engine and learn when to change to a higher or lower gear. (This skill was difficult to apply, on a short Lane, but I managed it by listening, and feeling the vibration. Talk about driving by the seat of my pants!)
By the end of May, I felt I was ready.
First, I had to wait for my birthday, which was on Wednesday, I could pick up my ‘Beginner's License.' Then I had to wait for the following Wednesday when I arranged to take the morning off school for an appointment with the Examiner.
(He was the classic all-business Examiner; I was with him for over an hour, and he never demonstrated so much as a smile!)
The Written Test went very well (I knew that book forwards and backwards), with only one minor problem. The Vision Test confirmed to my red/green colour-blindness problem (a family trait, mostly among the males), but I knew I could see traffic lights by position, which I still do.
Now came the … Driving Test: everything went well, mostly because of all the practice. As I saw it, the pass/fail skill was Parallel Parking, which I had also worked on, but it was perfect.
The Examiner and I then discussed my driving skills, and he handed me my License.
During most of the next 14 months, I did nearly all the family driving, learning to drive at highway speeds, dodge potholes and icy patches during the winter.
I left home for University in September, 1963, and I didn't need a car.