I know in English you don’t refer to your driving license as ‘the pink paper’ – and it’s not even a pink paper anymore – but anyway: I got it!
I’m a second-timer. When I took my first test, I was still working for Mad Science and I needed it for the job. So, I took a lot of lessens in a really short time, trying to build up experience. Which actually resulted in building up pressure, with me being a perfectionist. Of course, I made a few stupid mistakes, which the examiner told me at least four times – very frustrating.
I never really considered me and driving a good combination anyway. On a scale of one to ten, my sense of direction is a minus one. Besides, with me being a student, I never had the time or money (or motivation) to go for it, but since I’d have to carry a lot of stuff to a lot of different places, I decided it was about time now. After failing that first test, I got a different job which was bicycle distance again. So even though I didn’t really need it anymore, I wanted to finish what I had started and had a few (I seriously lost count) more lessens, taking it slow this time.
I hadn’t thought I would enjoy driving so much: I’m environmentally friendly and with all the idiots on the road not following the rules… but I did. I remember one time when I had to practice a turn at a place where you couldn’t do it without blocking all traffic. Of course, I learned you should let all the other people go first, but when I was already turning a few other cars drove my way and had to stop. My instructor told me to stay calm, but it wasn’t stressful at all: I made a perfect turn and the nice guy waiting in his car for me to move, gave me his thumb up and we both smiled…
The second test went very well and I had a good feeling while I was driving on the speed way. Then suddenly, instead of telling me where to go, she told me to figure out for myself how to get back! But, being an expert in getting lost, I didn’t panic and even managed to find it in the end! That was two weeks ago. Due to bureaucratic arrangements I only now really got the pink pass and I went to celebrate that with my good friend Marcel, who let me drive his car all the way to Epen, where they have the best ice cream in the world!
So now I can drive and I’d like to friendly ask all fellow pink-card-holders to please not to be too upset if someone makes a stupid mistake which results in you having to wait a few minutes. Maybe you should try sticking your thumb up instead…
11 Comments
great news Hanny, you look very happy with it
Hanny, congratulations! Great job you’ve done. Maybe you can lend Marcel’s car and visit us one day here in Dordrecht! And you know, Jan has several spare parts of a 2CV in his attic, that maybe he can build a complete new car for you!
an ice cream well deserved!
way to go Hanny! Now you can drive Edd’s car when you come over to visit us all! (Provided he insures you…)
Well, when we drove to Manchester last time, he rented a car, but I thought it was already great he trusts me enough to let me drive a little bit in Ireland (which will have to be on the wrong side of the road!)..
And thanks guys! xxx
Cool 8)
And great that you will get chance to drive on the right (left) side of the road too :p
Congratulations Hanny!
Here in the US kids are expected to get their driver’s license when they turn 16. I did not get mine till I was 18 and everyone thought that was weird. I wish it were different here. I’d like to see more Americans on bikes. For I long while I had a job that I could easily bike to and I loved it. I’d ride rain or shine.
Hey Ted, Thanks!
In the Netherlands you can learn how to drive when you’re 18 and you’re not allowed to drive with anyone else than an official instructor before you have the license. But I do still love bikes and rain too! 
Hoi Hanny,
Wow,….have only been offline for a mere two or three days and look what exciting things have been going on. Your first ever real scientific paper just being punblished in Astronomy and astrophysics no less if I read it well in Arie’s astroblog…
OK, admittedly quite a “nice piece of paper”……but..ah….nothing compared to that “mother of all pieces of paper” called a driverslicense!!
From my point of view, being a starlover but even more a petrolhead, with a weird eternal fetish for cars with less horsepower than your dad’s lawnmower..ha..ha.., getting your driverslicense is probably the best thing that can ever happen to a human being……
My ever so sincere congratulations, my dear….oh..and of course also for your scientific article.
And yes….my good friend Arie is right indeed, from the all spareparts I have been keeping my attic for god knows how long, I probably could built you a brandnew/old 2CV which I would then lovingly baptise “Hanny’s mobile voorwerp”.!!
OK, just pulling your leg……you’d better be senseble because to a “new kid on the block” cars can also quickly become a huge financial deathtrap or can keep you greasy and busy for days on end if you were, like me, to choose “to go classic”!
Having said this…I am still very happy for you and let me finish with the phrase:
“love to see you appearing in my rearviewmirror sometime somewhere outthere in the big and beautifull Tarmac-universe”!!
Hi to you all, I trusted here driving my car! aren’t you all proud of me?
well I have to be honest with you and admit, she drive’s really very good.