Tell me your driving-lesson horror stories

When I was 13, my Stepdad and I went fishing in Lake Lanier. At day's end, it was time to pull the boat out of the water using a Pontiac Ventura, similar in style to a Chevy Nova. He asked me if I wanted to pull the car up the ramp, I sais "sure" and got in, put it in gear and stepped on the gas. The car shot backwards, being that it was in REVERSE. I panicked and could not stop the car, which went into and was filled quickly by the water. Only the boat kept the back of the car floating, and as soon as the line snapped, the car sank. The first tow truck couldn't pull it out. They had to call in Bigfoot. That's the first of MANY nightmarish driving tales.

I got lots of stories from when I was learning I used to hang around with guys who were just old enough to teach me, so it was cool I could use the car socially and legally while still learning. But it meant a lot near misses.

Anyways, one of my favourites - one of them took me out for a genuine lesson one day, middle of nowhere, in my mothers beat up old car. And it decided to smoke, and hiss, and eventually make a big exploding type gesture.

At which point I dive out of the car, starsky and hutch across the front and run like a girl as far and fast as I can, with a friend of mine in the back seat following me, and the friend teaching me stuck in the front cursing at us for leaving him when he couldnt get his belt off (I believe his exact words were "(homer style AHHHHH!) help me you cunts").

Needless to say he wasn't happy when we eventually realised the car wasn't going to blow and went back for him, or that we would have to walk miles to a phone. And we all felt pretty stupid when we realised it was just some pipe or other blew off because there was too much pressure from my heavy footed use of the accelarator.

I feel bad that I just left him, kind of wink but we still chuckle about that now - between him giving me evil stares.

when i took my test, the tester-guy asked me what classes i was taking in school. i told him i was in spanish. i shouldn't have done that. i sucked in spanish. he proceded to give me directions in spanish. i've never sweat so much in my life...well... almost. but the test sucked. i did pass, but i still don't know how to say turn south en espanol.

Make sure you look over your shoulder a LOT.

I ended up failing my test once because I didn't look behind me LONG ENOUGH during a Y-turn.

Took me three tries to pass the test, and I've had exactly one accident (which wasn't my fault) and zero tickets (aside from parking) in about 13 years of driving. On the other hand, I know dozens of people with awful driving records who passed on the first try.

Good luck! You'll do fine!

I failed my driver's test the first time. Swelled with false hubris, I thought I could take my test in the only vehicle then-available, a full-size Ford F-150 I hadn't driven much.

First thing, pulling out of the parking lot, I didn't look well enough at oncoming traffic, and a large pine tree was blocking the view, and I pulled out in front of a car, who blared his horn at me. That's a bad sign.

State cop said, "You damn near got hit."

Why even bother finishing the test?

Everything else went fairly well until it came time for the three-point turn. You aren't supposed to hit the curb on either side, and you're only allowed one back-up. I hit the curb twice with the overlong thing and needed three back-ups.

I didn't pass.

There's no way you won't do better than that!

...but now I'm an excellent driver.

I ruined my 1971 Monte Carlo lowrider...but took out that bloody tree that was in my way. I lived, car didn't, tree didn't. I suppose I won.

"Great kid! Now don't get cocky."