I remember the day that I got my drivers' licence. It was cold and windy, but I was as happy as a bug in a rug. At long last I was legal to drive on the roads on my own and if I was stopped by a traffic official all I had to do was reach into my bag for my licence. Driving was independence, it was freedom and the ability to go where I wanted.
When I got married we used the car both for work and recreation. We planned our holidays around the places we would like to see, lots of walking trails, museums and of course a few days in our home town to visit old friends, check out the recent happenings there, all with our driving licences in our possession.
When the children came I stayed home to look after them. One week we had an outing to the sea, making sand castles, paddling in the sea and don't forget the ice cream, it had to be in a cone. The next week we drove down to the park, which had a small zoo as well. The children loved the tortoises and watched them for ages. The rest of the time they spent
running up and down, playing on the swings etc.
After that came school and then I really used that licence. Three different children, 3 different schools. My son played hockey, my daughter was in the drama class, and my other daughter was a singer. Even with arranging lift-clubs it still added up to a lot of driving.
And add into the mix hockey games and drama and singing concerts as well.
Going on holidays with the children, we got a caravan, but the trips were interesting with three children in the back of a sedan. We went mainly to game reserves and beach front caravan parks.
When the children started leaving home I expanded my free time and joined one of the ladies organisations, and drove there as well. We travelled around quite a bit locally, most of the places I had never been aware of.
When my husband retired we travelled to all the places that we had meant to go, but didn't, also we had no time restrictions. Sometimes I think this has been the most interesting part of our driving.
Now I am seventy years old. I have driven behind too many little old ladies and guys who drive at 40kph (speed limit 60kph) over two traffic lanes. I know there is legislation in effect to get elderly folk to re-apply for their licences every year, and I feel they should have to take a driving test as well to gauge their responses to ordinary driving situations.
I am waiting for some official to get in touch with me and tell me I must apply every year, and maybe sometime I will be asked to cancel my driving licence. I am not looking forward to it, but I'd rather not drive than cause harm to anyone.
Images - Pixabay
