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2007-10-10

I need to drive again ...

I've got my driving license more than 7 yrs ago. I don't get the chance to drive after that. So literally without practising, I soon loss confidence. It was only after I met my hubs that I start to brush up on the skills... :)

However, I stopped driving again when I'm pregnant with Zac about 4 yrs ago. I have a phobia to drive knowing that I'm pregnant & the child's safety is in my hands. I became a scardy cat !!

Recently, I build up enough courage to put my butt once again on the driver's seat. This is bcos hubs travel so often & its really inconvenient without the transport. I felt strandard at home with the boys over the weekends :(

Those of you who could drive might think that I'm so weird since it is so easy to drive with auto gears. You cannot imagine the fear in me, driving is a very challenging task to me. I'm very lousy in practical task like that.

Yesterday night, hubs refreshed my driving skills. I drove around my neighbourhood & then practice parking the car too. I asked my hubs how I flair? Being so encouraging, he told me I'm 6/10. Hmmm... I thought it was quite a good start for me. I need lots of practise whenever he is free, I just have to be in the driver's seat with him by my side. I feel more confidence & secure with him there to guide me.
Yesterday was just the beginning to me.
I need a lot of encouraging words to boost up my confidence.
Sorry that I sounded like a young gal here that needed some hugs, love & comfort !!
I'm doing all this bcos of my boys, I want to be a strong mummy to handle them alone when daddy is not at home.

Please help me so that I could drive out to the main road soon !!
I need a lot of courage to put my hands on the car wheels once again.. ... :)

52 Hugs for Amos & Zac:

Mizohican said...

Why am I itching to make a sexist "female driver" joke? :) lolz.

On a serious note, there is nothing like actual driving than to take away your fear of driving. You can do it Janice! Be strong. Remember, daddy cannot always be around, and little zac and amos need a strong mamma to look up to.

Hopefully one day, little zac or amos will go to a public playground and when a bully comes up to them, they will stand up and say "My mom's gonna kick your ass. Don't you know she can drive?"

:)

Jean Chia aka Ms.Yummy~licious said...

jan, you are such a good mom! I dont think you are a weirdo. I know a few ppls who are afraid of driving. In blogosphere alone, i hv two: u & marzie! hehe..

Dont worry! Since your hubbs can give you 6/10 on your first attempt after such a long break, i am sure u can do this. Just be more cautious when coming to a junction, look out for cars. You can be a good driver!!! Jan, i am behind you!!! :)) *HUGZ*

Amel said...

I can't drive 'coz it's also scary for me, esp. the traffic in Indonesia. I'd love to be able to drive here in Finland 'coz there's so few cars he he...but the cost of getting a driver's license is expensive.

&/10? That's GOOD, Janice! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!! It only takes some practice to get you going again. Don't worry, you'll be able to master it again! ;-D

Mariuca said...

Jan! I TOTALLY understand ur fear, so don't be shy to express it! And u know what? 6/10 is excellent!!! I bet I'm a 3/10 only! You have my 100% support and encouragement, go Janice!! :):):)

Genie Princess

darlene said...

wtg girl!!....good for you!....
get out more , and you will gain the confidence...very proud of you....;-)

Francine Ann said...

janice go go go go! you can do it girl *muah*. i was driving in Philippines too but i stopped for more than a year.i tried to drive again here in france once but i was very nervous thinking that there will be a police that would be passing. i know how you feel girl. come here, lemme give you a comforting and warm hug

Sam Chan said...

Hi Janice,

Don't worry! You can do it. The necessity of driving will make you a great driver eventually. Just stick to your driving lane, don't switch lane frequently unless it is necessary. Remember to drive slowly and be careful. That should be fine because experience drivers will know how to drive safely to accommodate your driving.

Just drive, drive and drive more. Practice make perfect!

I wish you all the best.

Let's Acquire Wisdom and Live with Passion

WaterLearner said...

Hi Jan,

Go for it, gal!! You can do it. But then .. actually, I can't drive myself. Hee Hee.. Are you going to nag me now about getting a driver's license?

It's good to slowly practise and warm up again to the task. You are doing it out of love for your litte darlings. This love will conquer the fear in you.

For all you know, in two weeks time ....

Scene: Seng Kang
time: anytime

Karen was walking with hubbs along the pedestrian path eating ice-cream and sharing jokes.

From afar came the sound of a speeding car. Voom ... Voom... Voom...

As the car sped by, the voices of two exciting boys yelling,"Yell, mommy! I love this! Faster!"

As Karen squints her eyes to check out the driver, wearing dark glasses and her long hair flying behind her as her car was speeding by.

"Janice!? Amos & Zac? Oh my! And she said she had fear for driving???....Ermm, that gives me idea for my next post."

Haha ... Have fun re-driving again Jan!!

J@n!ce said...

Sandman : haha :D
That would be so nice to hear from the boys. They are gonna be proud of mama for the first time. I must make it for them :):)

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

Jean : I felt comforting to know that Marzie is also like that when I knew from her. hehe ;p

At least got someone who can fully understand me.

I've got to stay calm & alert which I am very much lacking right now. Also, I cant see quite well at nite lah. My eyes are giving me problem. So, I have to ensure I reached home before nite time eventually... WAHAHAHAH :D:D:D

Janice Ng

Anonymous said...

J@nice,
Hang in there. I know exactly what you are going though. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I could not drive or even ride in a passenger seat for a long period of time due to fear & motion sickness.

After giving birth to my daughter, I went through a postpartum depression and made me even more afraid of driving. Now my duaghter is 3 years old and with a lot of help & loving support from my hubby, I am back on the road driving.

Take your time and you will soon be able to drive with a lot of confidence. I'm praying for you:-)

One Million Hugs and kisses

your friend,

Hipmommy

J@n!ce said...

Amel : I've been to Indonesia before & the traffic was really heavy. I would never have the guts to drive in a foreign country. I've already got problem back in the homeland here where roads I am more familiar.. haha ;p

Its really costly to get a license over at Finland you say? It would be such a breeze to drive there since there are so few cars. We would have conquer the road... YEAH !! :)

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

Marzie : I will update you of my adventure in the midst of practices. Yesterday was just the first lesson after 4 yrs. My next move is to D out of the main road & head to the nearest shopping complex where my boys used to hang around. If that succeed, I will learn to D to my mum's place. Who knows... one fine day. I will D to knock on your door lah.... But... its gonna take years for me to reach there. WAHAHAHA :D

Thanks for your encouragement, you can start to D a bit with B by your side cos its really a waste since we got the D license mah, right or not? :)

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

Darlene : Thank you, yes... need to get out of the road more often. Practice makes perfect !! :)

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

Francine : Is it expensive to get a license over at France? My sil got hers from there, she has been driving happily ever since. Their whole family are staying over at the romantic country of yours now :)

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

Sam : Thanks for your kind guidance. There are some arrogant drivers that just bully those newbies here. I cannot perform under stressful scene with impatient drivers behind me. I would rather make way for them to move first. So you can imagine when I drive, a short distance will need a couple of hrs for me to reach... LOL :)

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

Karen : My post can give me an idea what to write? That's so cool :)

I'm relieved that I got the license lah, if I were to start all over again. I think I will give up. I lost so much weight in the process of taking my license back then. You cannot imagine the joy when I passed on my 2nd attempt. Its like striking TOTO....:):):):)

Thanks for the lovely story there. We will be neighbours soon. I could give you a lift in future if you dare to hop in my car!! :)

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

HipMommy : Thank you so much. I needed someone who could relate well. I'm glad to have you to understand my situation. Looks like you are experiencing the same kind of fear after preggie. Its good that we both have love & support from the family to give us the extra boost & courage to drive again.

Cheers to the brave mummy again :):)

Janice Ng

Nick Phillips (15/03/1967 - 04/11/2022) said...

Janice, you do a pretty good job looking after the two boys already.

You've got my support on learning to drive again and 6/10 is pretty good la ... Keep it up and soon you'll be driving effortlessly!

J@n!ce said...

Nick : Thank you :):)
Its nice to hear friend's warm encouragement. I am hoping for a day when I could handle that machine so efforlessly like what you say. :)

Janice Ng

Mariuca said...

Ha ha ha... I believe u woman, it'll take me years too to drive over to your place!! You shall be my inspiration Janice, the moment u can D to the shopping mall let me know k! :):):)

Genie Princess

Jean Chia aka Ms.Yummy~licious said...

hahaha.. yeah, it's good to know that you are not alone.

im so excited for you! you will surely be a great driver. as you said, just stay calm & alert at all times! you go gurl!! :)

Jean Chia

JK said...

Janice, I know how you feel cos my mom is worse than you. She had an accident before and ever since then, she was phobia about driving. Our mind is powerful, Janice. If you tell your mind you can, you will definitely be able to do it. Take Zac and Amos as your motivation. That's a great source of motivation, right? Mothers are superwomen and they can do anything for the love of their children and I believe you will too.

Bobby Revell said...

When I was 11 years old...never mind, I will write a post about my 1st driving experience and link to this one! I got in bad trouble driving at 11 without anyone knowing!

emilayusof said...

Hi Janice! 6 out of 10 is great! Now you need to practice as often as you can so that you will overcome the fear. When I started driving more than 10 years ago, I was so afraid of the other cars that I had to stop by the roadside to give them way and to calm myself. I was like, "Gosh, they're so fast, how am I going to keep up..."

Nowadays, I drive like a hurricane, there's probably other beginners stopped by the roadside to give way to me! LOL!

Anonymous said...

it's a good start to hv 6/10. Just need few more practice and it'll gonna be piece of cake for u...
I understand how u feel bcos my sis-in-law once told me that she can even hear her heart jumping when she gets into the driver seat..

Trix said...

Glad to hear that you are driving, I also lately overcame my fear of driving! I had developed a terrible fear due to panicking and being tense and nervous. I forced myself to overcome that fear so that I could be able to take care of my daughter and family during emergencies.I still have many moments of panic and try to overcome them as they occur, its not alway easy, but I am trying and its working out ok :))
Good for you, Janice

JesseTheCat

Adrian said...

Janice! Don't worry! Sooner or later you'll get the hang of it...practice makes perfect! :)

J@n!ce said...

Marzie : I'm glad to tell you that I picked up Zac from school today & D to the nearest shopping mall today for dinner. That is of course with my hubs sitting beside to guide me. So, are you ready to start you refresher also? hehe ;p
That would be so good since we could encourage each other mah !! :)

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

Jean : I went up a kerb just now cos I got panic a car suddenly appear in a corner while I'm doing a left turn. Hubs got a SHOCK !! Luckily nothing serious. Other than that, it was a smooth drive today. My turnings are still not smooth as what hubs commented :)

Janice Ng

Anonymous said...

You will be fine. Yes, practice makes perfect but you are a very determined person so you will get there sooner than you think!

J@n!ce said...

Jo-N : Its so true. Everything is in our mind. If I believe I can do it. I will put all worries aside, stay calm & drive carefully to reach my destination. Thanks for your reminder :)

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

Bobby : Wowow...nice to hear that you're gonna write something about your driving experience. OMG, you started as an underage driver !! Notti little Bobby ;p
Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

Emila : You are such a pro driver I've got a lot to learn from you. I like the fact that you drove like a hurricane!! I hope I could one of these days too with pple making way for me bcos of a Pro & not bcos of a "beginner"... hehe ;p

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

Daniel : I'm slightly better than your sil cos I cant hear my heart beating to that extend. I cannot ON the music too loud in the background else I would not be able to concentrate :)

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

Jesse : Its so relieving to hear that you are another of those panicky type. You are right that if we, as mummy, are able to drive, it will come useful in cases of emergency. All the good luck to you & hope you will overcome your nervousness with more practices :)

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

Adrian : Yes, I need to practice & practice to familiarise the roads :)

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

Judy : Awww... thank you !! All right, I'm really determined this time round & I hope I could succeed in driving to my mum's house alone. That is my first target at the moment.

Janice Ng

Crazed Nitwit said...

I've been driving for almost 30 years. Ack! I'm ancient. Tho a girl in my A&P class yesterday insisted I couldn't be over 30..I had to show her my driver's license before she'd believe me(made my week!). You CAN do it! Just because of the Name. All Janice's are safe and careful drivers!!!!!

J@n!ce said...

Janice NW : You are a pro driver here to have 30 yrs of experience in driving. Do you drive like a hurricane like Emila? hehe ;p

Thanks for the faith in me. Yes with that same name. I think I will make it :)

Janice Ng

Heart of Rachel said...

Hi Janice. Hope we both conquer our fears of driving. I completed a driving course several years ago and got my license but didn't get a chance to practice driving. I used to drive a stick shift and I was always afraid of getting caught in traffic in reclining areas. When I got married, I totally left the driving responsibility to him but it's not a good idea. I think it's always best when both parents know how to drive.

Good luck to you Janice. I'm sure if you think of your kids as your primary motivation, you can do anything.

J@n!ce said...

Rachel : I'm just the same as you. I left the driving task to my hubs all this while until recently I give it a thought that its really a waste if I don't get to drive. I've to be a part to bring the kids out when my hubs is oversea. This is very motivating to me & I'm doing it well so far. I hope you could succeed too. Ask you hubs to give you some refresher course. Let's make it happen :)

Janice Ng

Lemonjude said...

me too, I wan to pick up my driving skill too...I have the license for 10 years but not drive more than 10 times...

No body wan to accompany me to practice...may b this holidays can easy to get practice...hope so..

Anonymous said...

It's just a matter of getting used to it. Can you imagine within a year of passing my driving, I am already driving alongside those huge container trucks that comes out from PSA ports? These truck drivers simply don't care!

Driving is fun... learn to enjoy it. At least the mobility of bringing your boys around, rather than stay at home all day.

Choc Mint Girl said...

Hi, Janice! Just to let you know, 'you're not alone'...:D

Tak Feng and Li Li said...

Think of the fun that you will have to bring your 2 lovely sons for outing in future. You can do it. Believe me. After all, you have got the biggest courage to face the delivery pain. So what is this to you, right? Jia Yu!

J@n!ce said...

Judy : Let's refresh together so that we could be of help in days of emergency.

GOOD LUCK to you :)

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

Ed : You are really solid lah, within a year of passing your license you are driving among those big trucks. I sweat & panic the moment I need to pass by between 2 cars. My judgement is not very good, I scare to scratch their cars ;p

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

Crystal : Thanks for telling me & glad that I have another company :)

Janice Ng

J@n!ce said...

TakFeng & Lili : This is a different kind of fear to me. It involves the lifes of others as well. Thanks for your encouragement & tagging me :)

Janice Ng

Anonymous said...

Janice, I have got no choice. I used to work on Pulau Brani, and the only access road is driving inside PSA port.

There was once, my bonnet was almost caught between the front wheels and the rear wheels of the container trailer. Almost peed in my pants. Decided to stop in a nearby carpark to have a smoke and slowly call back my soul. Hahaha!

J@n!ce said...

Ed : I see, no wonder you need to drive inside PSA. I can imagine how panic you are. I would have reacted worst than you since I cant take a puff to relieve my worried. I may have fainted. haha :D

Janice Ng

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