It has been five months since I bought a Skoda last year. Though things were quite rocky for a while, especially in the first month, now driving is just part of my life. Knowing that what we learned in the driving school is far from enough, I suggested my son practice driving before going back to school.

Actually he got the driving license much earlier than I did. It is a required course in his school. Maybe because boys are born interested in things like cars, he seemed to be very familiar with everything concerning cars or driving. Furthermore, he often drives online as a professional racer does in various kinds of games. Therefore I often consulted him when I was learning to drive. To be honest, he has been very helpful.

His winter vacation has been extended after they jointly asked permission due to the provincial civil service examination to be held in March 3. Besides doing some preparations for the exams, he devotes most of his time to nobody-knows-what sitting in front of the laptop. One way to allure him out to the outside world, to be closer to nature is to invite him to do what he really likes to. And driving, I think, is something that will never be boring to him.

The first time we went driving, I asked him if he wanted me to drive the car out of the residential area before he drove. He replied quickly and confidently with a loud No. Once he sat in front of the wheel, however, he came to know it was not easy. The car was parked on a slope and there were other cars behind and in front. Despite that, he ignited and then got it moving. But to his great dismay, the car went dead all of sudden! Not until this moment did he truly realize that to talk about it is one thing and to actually do it is another. And different cars have different characters and moods. You have to practice again and again before you can drive skillfully, even if you know how to drive. Knowing does not mean being able to do it, and there’s a huge gap between being just able to do it and being able to do it quite well.

All this is natural for a person who has not got enough practice. Being aware of the weaknesses commonly seen in driving schools, I began to teach him almost from scratch: how to coordinate the clutch and the accelerator, how to turn the wheel and how to park. I learned how to drive the hard way, but it has turned out to be my invisible assets, so to speak. I’m not a veteran driver, but I’m confident that I am a wonderful driving coach. I’m not exaggerating or boasting. Some people are not so quick at learning. But once they make it, they could be better than quicker learners.

We have been to quite a few places in our new car. And my son did most of the driving. I just gave him some advice or warnings occasionally. Most of the time, however, we talked casually and discussed some “technical problems”. Anyhow that’s one of the things we share and where we can connect emotionally as friends.