One of the most significant milestones when settling on foreign soil is acquiring a driver’s license. It’s a complex process, far removed from the simplicity of getting one in India. The journey from L to P plates and finally to a full license seemed daunting, especially coming from a place often criticized for its seemingly chaotic driving norms.
I found myself, after 22 years of driving, back to square one – on a learner’s permit because I needed to understand the rules and ethics of driving in Australia. While preparing for the driving test, I realized how little I actually knew about proper driving practices. Here, the rules for something as simple as navigating a roundabout were clearly laid out – a stark contrast to my experiences in India.
Passing the written test was only the beginning. The real challenge was the practical test, which required me to drive under the scrutiny of an examiner. But before that, there was the adventure of getting the car to the test center since I couldn’t drive alone without a fully licensed Australian driver beside me.
The solution? My wife, who, despite her extensive driving experience in India, had never driven in Australia and was unfamiliar with the local traffic rules. And so, with our son also in the car, she bravely took the wheel, tasked with maintaining specific speed limits and navigating roads that were still new to her.
You can imagine the tension. I found myself in a frenzy, howling and screaming every time she attempted to change lanes. I was engulfed in a state of panic, losing all sense of objectivity and forgetting that she was maneuvering through foreign traffic rules for the first time. A minor disagreement the night before added to the strained atmosphere, and my brother-in-law, trying to offer directions over the speakerphone, only heightened the chaos. The situation escalated to the point where my wife had to sternly demand silence from both of us.
Despite the high emotions and steep learning curve, we completed the drive from Sydney to Newcastle. But the drama didn’t end there. After we parked, we noticed the handbrake was engaged. To this day, it remains a mystery – was the brake pulled up the entire drive, or did my wife engage it as we parked? What’s your take on this curious little puzzle?