Finally 18 and the dented Datsun
07/16/2014
For our generation, getting a driver's license was a big deal. Long before our 18th birthday, we had already learned how to maneuver a car in young driver courses or on private roads. We took the theory test as early as possible and of course, on the day we turned 18, we were at the counter of the road traffic office to pick up our learner's license. Then it was off to the test as quickly as possible and with as few driving lessons as necessary for cost reasons.
When the big day arrived and the test was passed, it was of course time for the first solo drive. But what a disappointment. My father had just dented the family Datsun( a 160 B model, truly not the pinnacle of automotive engineering) that week when he forgot to apply the handbrake and the car crashed into the corner of the house. So I had to take my first (permitted) solo drive in the badly ondulated Japanese sedan. Although this somewhat dampened my joy, my happiness at my new-found freedom prevailed. And soon afterwards I was able to convince my father to swap the Datsun for an Alfa Romeo Alfasud. All was finally right with the world again.
