Montreal
During the original two years we lived in New Zealand, we were allowed to drive on our British licences. But when we arrived in Montreal, we were told that we would have to obtain Quebec licences immediately.
So shortly after we arrived, my late husband told me that he had arranged for us to take our tests. There were two other men transferred into the area by the company at the same time, so we all went off to the testing centre together.
Frank and Lise were from Paris, France; Alexandros and Maria were from Cuba, via Bogota and then there were us from New Zealand.
We duly arrived at the testing centre and were separated while we took a very cursory written test. Then we were each called in turn to take our driving test. The man who was to test me arrived and sheepishly herded me out of the door into the car. He then looked at me with hung-over, bloodshot eyes and told me that he had very little sleep and was very tired and I added under my breath, ‘hungover’.
Cartoon from Flickr – raybreakstonewebcomic/3145700127/
We drove once around the block whereupon he asked me to pull over and promptly fell asleep in the passenger seat. Well, what to do. In a car in a strange land with a strange man asleep. So I turned on the radio to some very quiet music and sat there for about 15 minutes. I then gently woke him and he sheepishly told me to return to the testing centre. On arriving there, he pronounced me safe to drive, took me inside the centre and signed a form whereupon I was the proud owner of a Quebec licence.
When I told the other members of the party – well out of earshot of anyone in the testing centre – about my tester they thought it a great laugh and very unfair. They had all been put through the hoops to prove that they were competent drivers while I sailed through.
My late husband always said I was born under a lucky star and I guess in this instance he was correct.
© Carolyn Seelen | Dreamstime.com
“No day is so bad it can’t be fixed by taking a nap.”
Judith Baxter
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- The Driving Test (growingyoungereachday.wordpress.com)
I am a great fan of naps. Scientists tell us that naps are good to refresh the brain as well as the body.
The author Sark wrote a book called “The more naps you take, the more money you make”. http://www.planetsark.com. She is into empowering women and releasing creativity.
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I used to get her emails but somehow became unsubscribed. I have resubscribed now. thanks for reminding me. 🙂
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Boy do I wish I had your driving tester 🙂
My sister had a sort of similar experience on her test. The tester told her to pull into the kerb to which she pointed out that it was a driveway and she shouldn’t park there. He obviously knew better and told her the observation had been noted but to pull in there anyway. As the was parking the house owner reversed down his drive and into the side of the test car !
After spending most of the rest of the test exchanging insurance details with the other driver, the tester passed my sister as quickly as he could to get rid of her. 😀
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That’s a great story too. Thanks:)
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WOW! You got super lucky but I’m sure you would have passed anyways.
I hope he didn’t end up giving someone a license later that shouldn’t have been allowed to pass, though!
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And then I had another driver’s test in another country with similar results. Thanks for the comments 🙂
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So funny Judith! Bless his heart that driving center tester.
I love your quote at the end. My philosophy exactly. 🙂
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Hopefully he recovered for the rest of the tests that day. 🙂
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That was a crazy experience, Judith. Is there anywhere you haven’t lived, or visited? 🙂 I, too, am a great believer in the power of a nap.
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It has provided many laughs over the years. 🙂
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I’d say you were lucky and then some… What a riot! 🙂
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