Cars

Took my test in a Ford Capri, the Probe of its day - a saloon bodged to look like a sports car, but it had a 2litre engine so the extra power was helpful. Then a succession of bangers - several Morris 1000s, a Fiat 600 (the de luxe version of the tiny Cinquecento), a Hillman Imp that was making funny noises, when I showed it to a mechanic he went pale, there was a split right across the bottom and it was only held together by the roof. Several 2CVs, my pal Wendy used to make the stripey cloth roofs to replace the originals that went rotten. Them were proper cars them was.

I remember petrol at 50p a gallon. Passed test first time in a triumph 2000. Got caught doing 120mph in a triumph stag at age of 19. Luckily got off. Would die of shock if my kids did that now. I drive very steadily these days and am constantly appalled by standards on roads!

I passed my test in the early 80s, but didn't have a car of my own for 8 years (when I went back to work f/t and could afford one) - then I had a 2CV, which, like pp I adored - the way it leaned over when you went round a corner, the fact that the indicators didn't switch off automatically (means that I still turn them off...) the windows that flapped - air-conditioning - the heating that you could set to OFF or ON... And the dashboard - mounted gearstick that occasionally came off in your hand... The ultimate low-tech car - and about as safe as a tin can...!

I passed my test in a Hillman imp as I've said before the brakes were dodgy and it had a hole in the floor where passengers could throw their flag ends. I crashed it and got a Ford corsair automatic. This had a dodgy starter, I had to get out, put a bit of bent wire into the starter,give it a push to start it run quickly into the driving seat before it stalled then drive off. It was all good fun in those days.the kids nowadays with their modern cars don't have this, with an EMS you can't poke around but boy its expensive. Give me a basic engine anyday

My summer job in 1965 was to work in my uncle's garage/petrol station. If people asked for four gallons, we'd ask, shall I top it up to make it £1?
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I owned my first car in 1962 when I was just 19 - most unusual, especially for a female! It was a second-hand Ford Prefect bought for £50 with money borrowed from my grandmother, which I was supposed to pay back but never did as she died not long afterwards. There was no heating in those days, so it was freezing to drive in the winter, and, if the flip-up indicators didn't work you had to open the window and make the appropriate hand signal. Later cars I owned in my 20's were Ford Zodiac, Ford Zephyr 6 (with front bench seat and column gear change)and two-tone Ford Cortina. I loved big cars. When I was 25 I was working as a Hotel Receptionist - one of our wealthy guests had an American Ford Mustang and he actually let me drive it for a short way.

People were so sexist in those days many women were quite happy to be driven by men where I was independant. I was referred to as a lesbian as I had short cropped hair and drove my own car. This was hurtful as I used to think that dressing up like a dollybird and going boozing on a weekend was so wasteful, whereas I could go wherever I liked, just chuck in a bottle water and some sarnies and I could be in Scotland in an hour or visit relatives in the south in aobut 6 hours, I had no restrictions.

About that time I drove a van of my husband's whose footbrakes were non existent. You had to use the handbrake.
As for the driving test - my first lessons in teens with Dad led to us both giving up.Tried again at 27 when pregnant and passed on 3rd attempt - the tester was scared I would give birth on the spot.
I'm still driving at 80 but my first accident in all this time earlier this year has worried me.

Passed my test first time by some miracle (I wouldn't have retaken it if I'd failed becasue I was so scared of driving!). Drove my DP's saloon sized company cars for a few years so when I got my first car, a mini, I wouldn't take it on really busy roads at first; I was scared that it was so small the lorry drivers wouldn't see it! The children loved it, though, as it registered every bump on bad roads; they thought being rattled around was good fun

I learned to drive on a disused airfield post war. Then at 17 out on the road with my father. Quite terrifying at first.

Once he signed up for an advanced driver course but did not have time to go due to work so sent me instead. The gear ratios of the fast cars I got to drive were quite different from our landrover and mini's so that was terrifying too. this was because in those days shifting down the gears to break seemed to be the done thing.

However now I am happy to be driving and have just changed to an automatic. I am expecting my next car to drive itself!!

i'm expecting my next car to drive itself. That'll be he day I give up altogether, Emily!

My sister had a 2 CV and took 2 children and a goat on holiday !

Wasn't the airfield at Davidstow was it, Emily?

My 2CVs were used to transport floor boards and joists vertically, with the roofs off!

I hate to say it but the DSs used to stand up and wave out of the roof! Although we did have safety harness style seat belts fitted in the back!

Am I bragging or wat, In 1966 I got a steering ticket for a 50,000 ton tanker called the British Diplomat and we were empty on our way to the Gulf, now I'm expecting at least one of you to say "bin there,done that,got the T-Shirt".

I didn't pass my driving test until 2 years later and I will agree things are very different now.

I hope I'm still on topic.

My now DH turned up on the doorstep in 1977 when I was at teacher training college with a 'surprise'. It was a second hand Ford Escort with the iconic 'Coke bottle' front. What fun we had in that banger. It gave us freedom to roam at will and we enjoyed trips and visits all over the country. Not so much fun in the winter though when the way to start it was put it in second gear and rock it or push it down a hill. Brrr!

The first car I bought myself was a turquoise blue Fiat 500. It was a dear little car, with a sun roof, and a choke lever on the floor. Our eldest son could almost put his head through the top while sitting down. A garage nearby has a white one on it's forecourt and brings back fond memories.

One safety gadget I do miss, as a pedestrian, the clicking sound the indicators made. I often cross a road without looking behind me thinking I would hear the indicators and the cars are so quiet nowadays you cannot hear them coming.

trustnoone, think it's fair to assume you get to keep the Winners T-shirt! Wow!

Fond memories...I've just started to tackle old pics from my parents home (no albums for them, oh no..pics found in shoe boxes, envelopes.) there seem to be photos of every car they owned, all taken with dad lounging in front in a studied nonchalant sort of way and presumably taken by mum, cos she rarely appears on any of them. The first seems to be of a shiny black (had to be!) Ford taken in the New Forest in July 1936.im going to have fun putting these into an album. Gonna title it 'One Man and his Cars'.

Respect, TrustNoOne!

Just after I passed my test in the 1960s, I decided to attend a car maintenance classes which were held about seven miles from where we were living. I learned to change a tyre and to fix a starter motor amongst other things (none of which I can do now). Unfortunately, on my way home from one class I ran out of petrol and had to ring home to get my DH to come to my rescue! I was not popular and have still not lived it down.

Passed my test in 1969. First car was a fiat 500 which was quite snug as we are both tall people. double de-clutching was the order of the day then. I also remember cars being started with a crank handle. I hasten to add that I am only 65! Ethelbags is right, now we drive computers on wheels.

When I was 19 I spent a couple of weeks driving a double decker bus around our city - no training, no PSV licence. It was legal because the bus was an old one (with the jump on/jump off open entrance platform) that had been donated by the Council to a voluntary organisation which used it as a play bus, so my job was to drive it from one venue to the next (no passengers on board). It was a huge vehicle, with a steering wheel bigger than a dustbin lid and no power steering either! I loved it that everyone else on the road took care to get out of my way - lucky really as I had only held my car driving licence for a couple of years and my driving was probably pretty dire. Would never be allowed nowadays (and quite right too, much safer!)

Driven since 1966 but only in UK and manual cars
Since retirement I spend 6 months a year with kids in US
So far, I am too scared to cope with left hand drive automatic cars. Any one else facing this dilemma? I really need to face my fears!

elizabeth68 Automatics are really easy to drive but before we bought our first one I had a lesson with a driving instructor. (I didn't want to pick up any bad habits from OH who 'knew' what to do.) Because you don't have to change gear and they don't seem to stall you will be able to concentrate on the road. Give it a go!