Time really flies by so fast...
I wanted to have a driver's license so badly.
A few months after coming to UAE in 2005, I found my job (I came on tourist visa like many others) and learned a few of the basics in living and succeeding in this country. One of them was that, a driving license, especially for a woman, could give your CV a big boost.
However, if there was ever a reason why I decided to get a license was because it was hard to hail a taxi that time especially in the area where we used to live. There were no public utility buses yet as we do now.
"I really need a license so I could buy a car and then I no longer have to wait for taxi to come," was my daily thought.
Fast forward 2008:
I finally had my license after 8 Saturdays that I had to go to Dubai for my lessons. 4hours of travel back and forth to Abu Dhabi. It was tiring.
I am proud to say I passed the test on my second attempt. Some had to take four, five, six times before they could finally get hold of their trophy! Yes! Trophy. It is frikkin' expensive, time consuming and just really hard to get that license. Did you know that there was a time when holding a golden(Dubai) license over silver (Abu Dhabi) was really a source of pride?!
I barely even passed on my second try.
"Sorry, I cannot give you your license," the policewoman told me. I was nervous, but pretty confident that I did well. I gave her my puzzled look.
"You parked in front of a gate!" shookttttss! Really?! I did not realize that.
No! No!No! I thought. I did not want to go through another 8 hrs of driving lesson and the agony of getting on to the driver's seat with a policewoman beside me again!
So I pleaded my case.
"Oh, I promise I will not do that again when I get my license."
"Believe me, you will do everything you want when you already have a license," she replied
"No, please give me a chance. I swear I will not do that again."
To cut the story short, I passed. I got my license the same day with a haggard face on the picture like it was taken for a mug-shot! The policewoman, my evaluator said that since I only blocked half the gate, she'd let it pass. Geezzz!
10 Years. Had I been naughty or nice?
I really did not get my own car until 2014 when we were expecting our second baby and it became a necessity. Previously I just rented whenever I needed to travel long distances. Besides, we shifted to a residence just opposite my workplace so I did not need transportation.
Over the past 10 years, I only got 1 speeding ticket. I exceeded 20kph over the speed limit of 60kph. I did not consider 84kph as speeding so I was not too hard on myself.
The rest were only parking ticket violations- no ticket or forgot to extend.
For my car registration 2017-2018, I aimed for a zero-fines year. I am 5 months shy from my renewal and so far, so good. Hehe.
Above all, with God's grace, zero accident too!
Alert, defensive driving at all times.
Is what I have truly learned and developed over the years. It is really important especially here where drivers could really get nasty.
And oh! I have already mastered the art of parallel and reverse parking, my father would be so proud of me. Haha
Although, I am not proud of the stunt we pulled off yesterday when we were on our way to Dubai for our homeschool portfolio review. It was really dangerous and could have cost us our lives.
"Believe me, you will do everything you want when you already have a license," she replied
"No, please give me a chance. I swear I will not do that again."
How about you? Have you been a good, law abiding driver?
Share your most memorable driving experience and let's learn from each other!
Special shout out to 
Images 2, 3: Credits Pixabay
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