...the many things that you remember as a kid or teenager...

…when I was about 12 years old on ‘Boxing Day’ I remember asking my dad why it was called ‘Boxing Day’?… he just said that’s the day when everyone compares who got the lousiest Christmas present and when someone is told that THEIRS is the lousiest… that’s when the fighting starts and the boxing starts… it was one of his silly jokes that he often told… he was joking… I think?… lol!… cheers.
 
Being a kid and your parents were driving somewhere they hadn't been before on the other side of town. They just flick through the Melways (Melbourne Street directory), trace a few roads with their finger. Look at a few pages. Then get in the car and just drive there.

side
 
Being a kid and your parents were driving somewhere they hadn't been before on the other side of town. They just flick through the Melways (Melbourne Street directory), trace a few roads with their finger. Look at a few pages. Then get in the car and just drive there.

side

…sitting in the back seat of the car and watching dad getting angry with mum because she couldn’t ever read the street directory… because when she got to the edge of the page and then had to flip about 10 pages to follow the road that we were on but was never able to do it because she could never read maps was always so funny to watch… lol!… cheers.
 
…sitting in the back seat of the car and watching dad getting angry with mum because she couldn’t ever read the street directory… because when she got to the edge of the page and then had to flip about 10 pages to follow the road that we were on but was never able to do it because she could never read maps was always so funny to watch… lol!… cheers.

I don't remember by mother being bad with maps, but she was such a backseat driver from the passenger seat. Warning my dad to avoid things that weren't even in his way or on the road. Actually making the driving situation worse because he's suddenly concerned there's something he hasn't seen and has to avoid. Making scared noises and all sorts of stuff.

It was always even worse because we'd go on overseas trips and my dad would be driving in America and else where. One thing that always sticks out as funny was in Tahiti. She yelled, "watch out, there's fish on the road." Was literally a shake on the side of the road selling fish.

A few years ago I was in the car with them driving into the city, and she was so much worse. Constantly scared and vocal he was going to hit things and driving bad. It was one of those things with your parents that bring you back to feel like a child. It was so stressful and unpleasant. She's stressed, then she's making him stressed. I did not like.
 
…one of the funniest things I remember was when my brother was driving with me in the front passenger seat and mum in the back… we began going up a pretty steep hill up to Kurrajong in the Blue Mountains in NSW… as we started going up my brother silently motioned me to do what he was doing… leaning forwards… I leant forward too… mum said…

…“what are you both doing?”… my brother then said…

…”mum… because we’re going up such a steep hill we’re leaning forward because it helps us to go up faster and also saves petrol”… she replied…

…”why didn’t you tell me sooner?”… she then leant forward too…

…when we got to the top of the hill we cracked up laughing… she then said something like…

…”you silly sods!”…

…geez that memory always cracks me up… god I miss my mum / dad and brother… cheers.
 
I remember (not so much as a kid at 18), after I passed my driving test, I would drive around past bus stops to see if I knew anyone waiting so I could give them a lift!
Luckily for anyone I might of known, they weren't there! 😂
 
…ha!… I remember when I went for my licence that I had long hair down to my waist… a scraggly moustache and goatee beard and was wearing a ‘PEACE’ T-shirt… I was told to go outside to a car for my test… I walked up to the car… there was a really old crusty git waiting for me… he just looked at me from head to toe… needless to say… I didn’t get my licence on the first go before I even got into the bloody car lol!… cheers.
 
…ha!… I remember when I went for my licence that I had long hair down to my waist… a scraggly moustache and goatee beard and was wearing a ‘PEACE’ T-shirt… I was told to go outside to a car for my test… I walked up to the car… there was a really old crusty git waiting for me… he just looked at me from head to toe… needless to say… I didn’t get my licence on the first go before I even got into the bloody car lol!… cheers.
I can just picture that! 😂
I failed abysmally on my first test. It was 8am on a busy Monday morning in the industrial estate in Watford. My hill start: I'd rolled down to the bottom of the hill before I took off. Three point turn turned into an eight point turn. Reversing around the corner, I wiggled in and out instead for a straight reverse. The emergency stop made me jump and I nearly put the examiner through the window - it was a good, genuine emergency stop (in MY mind) Then I was told at the end I drove to close to pedestrians!
Test two was in the most up-market residential area in Watford, Big wide roads. My three point turn I could have done in one. Totally different vibe; no industrial traffic, total peace and serenity. I do remember though when he told me to turn right at the end of the road, I indicated left and turned right (if he spotted it, he let it go).
Then I was let lose on the roads!
 
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