Stories from a Driving Instructor's Journal about Dangerous Irish Drivers

Stories from a Driving Instructor's Journal about Dangerous Irish Drivers

This post may have been titled, "Don't Think Buying a New Car Will Solve All Your Problems because it Won't!

Let's flashback to a sunny day in 1997, when our daring instructor was about to make a large purchase from his preferred automobile source. It must have been a thrilling experience to pay cash for a brand new automobile for the first (and perhaps only) time in his life. Assume not, since a storm is on the horizon (Actually, I think they may coagulate).

It's worth noting at this juncture that the vehicle had been bought in advance with plans to install an OEM alloy wheel package. Walking in with a broad grin, I was greeted by the Service Manager, an old friend and trusted automotive advisor of mine from way back when. The salesman probably would have liked to have dealt with me directly, but as they say, "it's who you know, not what you know." There was no cappuccino on tap and the place was a little rough around the edges back then, before the shiny new stainless steel and glass emporiums we're accustomed to seeing now when we visit large dealers. But the atmosphere remained relaxed, cordial, and hopeful. At this point in time, there was no indication of what would happen.

Your vehicle is ready, Sir, and we were taken to the waiting Beast (which turned out to be just that) in the customary polite quiet that gave us time to ooh and aah and feel good about ourselves. Certainly, the car's shiny blue exterior, dazzling alloy wheels, power-operated front windows, and other accoutrements made for a striking appearance.

Everything was going swimmingly as we finished the necessary paperwork and were ready for our new adventure on a Wednesday in August, when the sun was shining and the birds were singing (for a change). It was a thrilling experience, but I was doomed to fail. After barely 70 kilometers on the odometer, the electricity suddenly shut off, shattering my hopes and replacing them with a dread that turned out to be well-founded.

If it weren't for the fact that my two daughters and I were scheduled to take the Irish Vehicle ferry to the UK the following Sunday at 8 a.m., the initial issue with the car wouldn't have been so awful. My heart sank upon learning that I had just two days to make the automobile safe to drive. If the automobile isn't available by Friday night, then a new car and the appropriate insurance must be ready by 2 o'clock on Wednesday. really bad!

Campers returned to the showroom, where they were much less cheerful than before. We took one of those cars home, and I can't remember which one, since I was expecting the worst, and it came true. When the mechanics were unable to pinpoint the problem, they offered us a slightly larger replacement vehicle. We were all really upset that we wouldn't get the chance to brag about our shiny new car to our loved ones, but the bigger vehicle ended up being very useful on the way back thanks to the wear and tear a 2,000-mile drive does on even the most dependable automobile.

After two weeks, we were finally able to return home after an exhaustive round of family, friends, and motorway overdose, and we were looking forward to getting our actual automobile back.

Two or three auto electrical engineers were unable to identify the source of the issue, and time was running out before the owner's scheduled arrival, so quick action was essential to prevent a lynching. The Service Manager seized the bull by the horns and, by pure happenstance, found the problem fairly quickly. A simple short circuit occurred on the steering column when the wheel was in its locked position.

An answer to the problem People are happy again... but only for a short time! I was convinced that the worst was past since I had never previously had such a crippling scenario (at least in the driving sense!) with any new automobile in the preceding twenty-seven years. There was still a long way to go; in the next year and beyond, things would become far worse.

My future plans, which had included certain, trouble-free driving, had clearly suffered a "Friday night smackdown," as Jim Edwards would put it. Though he despises the label, some of you may know that Jim is a renowned expert in the field of internet marketing and a published author. If you are interested in a true tale of success, I will provide his website address in the list of resources at the conclusion of the article. Because of Jim's assistance, I was finally able to get my hands dirty with my word processor. Who knows, maybe someday I'll be able to afford to set foot in a car dealership again; and if I do, maybe this time I'll really receive some service.

Continuing recounting those exciting times for more than an hour would be too taxing, so the rest of the story—and there's a lot of it—will have to wait until the next installment. Meanwhile, please drive cautiously and keep in mind that learning is a lifelong pursuit.