As someone about to turn 90, driving has been an important part of my life for more than 70 years. I have regularly tested my skills in courses at the RACV, and I am quite well with no health issues. There was no reason to think my time behind the wheel should come to an end, or so I thought.
I was 17 when my car enthusiast boyfriend took me to Bathurst, where he taught me how to drive on Mount Panorama. He really put me through my paces. When I came back to Melbourne and passed my driver’s test my examiner said he wished more people had my control of a vehicle – a story that I dined out on for many years afterwards!
I drove through the intersection when it was safe to do so and parked a little way down the road to settle down, as I was shaking with the shock of such a close call. Throughout the rest of the day I could think of nothing else but that boy carrying his backpack, doing absolutely nothing wrong as he walked home from school, and how easily I could have hit him and destroyed his life.
I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever and yet, this decision has been hard to deal with. I can’t go anywhere by myself. At times, I feel I am virtually confined to home. I need to ask for help to go anywhere and while family and friends have congratulated me for my courage, I’ve had to sacrifice my independence.
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