We make assumptions about people all the time don’t we? One of the things that is/was always assumed about me and that I am guilty of assuming about people is that I could drive. I can now but most people don’t know that actually I’ve only been the proud owner of a license, car, car insurance and everything else for just over two years and there’s a reason…
I didn’t have lessons booked for the minute I turned 17. I wasn’t overly bothered if I’m honest as I was on a good bus route and couldn’t really afford it. However, once I got to uni and was back and forth visiting, I definitely thought it would be a good idea to have some lessons and pass my test and grab myself a little run around. I had a few lessons and got into the swing of it and was loving it. They weren’t regular, I just had one or two each time I popped home and mostly with family in a car they’d insured me on.
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One weekend, I’d come home to visit family about two thirds of the way through my first year. I’d gone to visit a friend and my mum’s bestie  (now ex and not my story to tell but what is it with bloody friends?!?) came to collect me with her daughter in the back in my mums little cabriolet.
By this point we lived out in the sticks, where we still live but are currently in the process of selling, surrounded by long windy country lanes. We were on the last stretch of road before getting to our village when as we came round a sharp bend, racing towards us we came face to face with a double decker bus full of school children.
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It happened so quickly, she swerved to miss the bus and my passenger side of the car broke through a half height brick wall and dipped down into a river/stream that ran through the village. Both my mums friend and her daughter were okay, but I ended up with the right half of my chest completely black with bruising, a chipped tooth, a cut in my neck and whiplash. Want to know the best bit?? The bus didn’t stop!! It just carried on. The car had crumpled like a tin can and it hadn’t even stopped.
Luckily a minute later the lovely posty stopped, got us all in his van and bundled us 2 minutes up the road home. We got checked over and were all okay,
but the doctor had to prescribe me Valium for 48 hours to calm me down enough to get me back in a car to get back to University. It took a very very long time before I was comfortable in a car again and even now I still don’t feel all that happy on country roads and if a big lorry or tractor comes speeding along I slow right down and just let them get past… I’m even more sensible now I have Alyssa in the car but find I am a much better driver than passenger.
 My mums poor little car was a total right off – thank goodness for
car insurance! Looking at pictures of it the next day was terrible and she ended up getting a slightly sturdier car after this. She has a nice little cabriolet now but only she drives it!
It was an absolutely horrific experience and one I relived over and over again afterwards.  Apart from family and the odd friend, I hardly ever let anyone drive me now I can drive myself because at least that way I have some control. I trust myself now, it’s just everyone else I’m worried about. Have you ever been in a crash? How did you feel after?
This was a collaborative post with Chill insurance
14 Comments
Wow your lucky you made it out by the sounds of it <3 I was in a three car crash on the motorway when my friend gave me a lift to work… When it was happening it was like slow motion and felt like we were breaking forever before we got the car in front… It was totally my friends fault but I tried to act ok so as not to make him feel so guilty (he did anyway though obviously!)
I was crushed mentally and suffered muscle/tendon damage in my shoulder but nothing like your injuries…
I'm the same though in that I feel far safer when I drive than when I'm a passenger… I would go as far to say I hate being a passenger!
Insightful and thought provoking post <3
Oh that must have been so frightening for you … made my blood go cold as could have been such a different story … I can not believe the bus didn’t stop! I’m terrified as Georgia has just turned 17 and wants to drive – I’m struggling – really struggling … I can feel a blog post coming on! #triballove
You sound like you had a very lucky escape! It must be very scary, but good on you for not letting it stop you completely. #ablogginggoodtime
Oh my goodness that is so scary! I knew someone who had been in a car crash and it really affected her. She hated driving and would leave the house at 5am to drive to campus so it was quiet on the roads! #Ablogginggoodtime
I’ve never been in a crash but my brother was , around 25 years ago now probably, and he still has never learned to drive. I guess I always thought he was making excuses but maybe theres more to it than i think #ablogginggoodtime
Gosh how terrifying!!! I’ve only had one serious crash and it was in my last year of uni. It took me such a long time to get back in a car after that and I still struggle with driving downhills in the rain and that’s 20 years later! #ablogginggoodtime
These things do stay with you don’t they? I had a crash on the day I collected my GCSE results. It was outside school and I remember all my friends looking at me as they walked past. It took me ages to feel comfortable again. Then last years was knocked off my scooter by a car. I’m still nervous on my scooter! I used to bomb everywhere on it but now I’d rather take the car. #Ablogginggoodtime
Oh my goodness. I’m glad you are ok and totally understand the desire to be in control. Your sentence ‘I trust myself now, it’s just everyone else I’m worried about’, did make me laugh as I can relate and understand it. It’s sickening to hear what the bus driver did to you. I hope he was sacked. #Ablogginggoodtime
What a terrifying experience! No wonder you were hesitant to drive after that. I’ve had a driving licence since I was 17 but it’s only valid in the US, and now that I’ve been in the UK for over a decade and haven’t really driven since then, I’m scared to get behind the wheel again. Luckily my husband can drive and I live in a city with good public transport. #ablogginggoodtime
I have been in two crashes but luckily neither were very serious and no-one was hurt. I didn’t drive for years because the very thought of it terrified me but once my eldest was born I got fed up with the bus journeys with a pushchair and all the bags whenever my husband was away so finally took the plunge. It’s the best thing I ever did and I totally agree, I would much rather be the driver than the passenger, unless it’s city driving when I get too stressed out, then I’d rather the hubby drive!
#Ablogginggoodtime
That sounds like a very near miss. I was brought up in the country too and took my first driving lesson at 17 as that is what everybody did in order to be able to get themselves about. Unfortunately I had a bad accident when I was 18 and my car was written off and then 6 months later was a passenger in another horrific crash. To be honest looking back I wish we had all waited for a bit longer to learn to drive and I am glad the process now seems to be more thorough. My son is 17 and a half but has no desire to learn to drive yet as in London he says he doesn’t need to so is going to wait. Congratulations on passing. #ablogginggoodtime
I can completely understand why it would put you off driving, how frightening. My mum doesn’t drive, so I grew up travelling on buses a lot! You’d think that would make me eager to drive, but I never was. I didn’t pass until I was 23, but I love driving now. I’m dreading the time when rocket man can drive. I know Hubster will teach him properly, but as you say it’s other people that are the problem. x #ablogginggoodtime
Wow, that truly sounds and looks horrific. That you can drive again is a mizvah (good thing). A sign of your strength. You have to watch for others… too much to do in the car today besides focus. Talk on the phone, text, shave, apply make up, pick up dropped toys and find the right song. Its a wonder any of us survive. Hang tough! xoxo #ablogginggoodtime
How terrifying for you! One of the big reasons why I can’t/won’t/don’t want to learn to drive is not trusting other drivers on the road. Even with the school run now I still refuse to drive. #ablogginggoodtime