Shut Up & Drive
Dear Friends,
If you didn't know already, I can drive. Well not completely legally as yet, but I can. It is something I have been working on for 10 years now, and yet I feel like I am no closer to getting to that final goal of having my own licence. The reason being that it sucks, which would be such an easy answer to give. However, the reason is so damn stupid, it's one of those things that life can seem to give me and many others a break.
The real reason why I can't get a license is due to me not being able to get a test. If you haven’t seen the news, there is a massive backlog of people waiting to do their practical test. This has all stemmed from Covid. Yes that thing 5 year later, is still fucking people over. Then of course there's people using bots and other things to zap up all the available tests. Which doesn’t really help matters. But for me it has been such a long time coming.
For me I’ve had to do my theory test 4 times. That might seem like a lot, but in reality it isn’t. My first test I didn't pass, by like one or two marks, which sucked, but I knew I would get it next time. Next time it turned out, was not meant to be. As my license had expired and I hadn't even noticed. So they wouldn’t allow me to do my text. Third time I took it, I passed, and then two years went past, and I had to take it again, and I passed again. Then we get to the present day, and on August 31st 2025 my test runs out again. I'm most likely going to have to do it for a fifth time.
Most people would be upset in this situation, and don't get me wrong I am. But really there is not much I can do about it. It’s just the system. I mean I could wake up every Monday at 5:50 am to log on to the site and try to get a test. But when you’re hearing you number 1021 in the que it doesn't give you a lot of hope. Then when you’ve had your local centre close it doesn't really help matters.
The only upside to the situation is that I’m not the only one. The amount of times I’ve read in the news about people who are waiting for a test, makes me feel better. It makes me feel better for two reasons. One, they have had to do their theory tests multiple times. Which makes me feel good that I’m not the only one paying the government many times over to have the privilege. Two, that a lot of the people who are waiting are around my age.
For me, when I tell people I am waiting for a test, some have asked, “why didn’t I do it when I was younger?” Well to those I say, I didn't have the privilege. I would have loved to have done it when I was in my teens, but it wasn’t feasible with no money. Sure maybe I could have done it when I was at university, but at that time my mental health was my priority. When I did eventually get around to have the time and money, something always got in the way. I would have loved to have the chance to do it at a younger age, but life always gets in the way.
Similarly, people ask me why do you drive automatic. As I tell people I have done both. If in a life saving condition, if the only car available was a manual, I would be able to move it and get where we need to. However, for me with my many needs, the manual was fine, but I constantly had to remember what i needed to do next. Whereas with an auto I don't have to. I don't have to worry about shifting up and down, putting my foot down on the clutch when I stop. For me now it’s just like a game. One makes the car go, one makes it stop. Then all I’ve got worry about are the people who have forgotten their theory tests.
I would have liked this year to be my year to get my license, and be free to go anywhere. Sadly, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be the case. I will just settle with 2026 being the year I get it. I will just now brush up on my theory, so I will inevitably take the test again. I am more than ready. Then from there, I guess it will have to be one or two options. Going to Manchester to complete my test on roads I don't know, with whatever car I can find. Or getting up really early on a Monday morning to get test. Which one of those options would you like?
Soon however I know I will do it. If I do it and fail, I know that's my fault. Not being able to take the test at all is such an annoyance. But who knows I may get lucky. But when I do get it, watching England here comes FabEs tearing up the street.
Xo FabEs
