Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Learning to drive a stick shift.

Conversations from lesson #4...

TH: What do you normally do before you start a car?
Me: Um, put down the emergency break?
TH: Good.
(I stall the car 2 times.)
TH: Are you regressing from last time?
Me: Du calme.

Me: Let's drive to ______'s house.
TH: (in trembling voice) OK.
Me: But that's probably the only place I'll drive the car while you're out of town.
(We drive towards her house. Car after car passes me by. I could care less. I'm back to "student driver" status.)
Me: Wow...French drivers are fast.
TH: Un huh. OK....turn right here...now!
Me: That turn's too sharp and scary. Oops...we missed it.
TH: We'll have to go up to that roundabout about 100 km ahead and have you turn around.
Me: Are you mad?

6 comments:

Ksam said...

Ha! That is exactly why I'm taking the easy way out and doing le permis automatique...I don't think our relationship could stand any more driving lessons *S*.

Jennifer said...

Yeah, French drivers ARE fast! They pass me all the time. But better to be slow than sorry. At least until I'm comfortable enough on the roads to pass THEM. :)

christine said...

Hahahahahahah I learned to drive, or re-leaarned I guess, in Annecy too. I can remember all those hills and one in particular in Annecy le Vieux where I actually stalled so many times that I was touching bumpers with the car in back of me and there was a line of cars a mile long waiting. So frightening! For a whole year I only drove one or two places.

If you can learn there you can drive anywhere!

Anonymous said...

The good thing is that you made it to my house, you are still talking to each other and there is not a scratch on your car! Go Emily!

Emily said...

LF - next time you're in the vicinity of our car, take a close look at the objects that have recently gone missing: 2 hubcaps and the rear window wiper. And I'd be happy to give you a tour of the many lovely scratches. What's one more, right? :)

zeliaevora said...

Here in Portugal it's the same:) Stick Shifts;P

Hey! I am finally anwering your postcard! Sorry it toke me so long!

Zelia