i was  already 20 when i decided to learn how to drive.  i thought the skill would come in handy in case of emergencies.  also, most of my friends have enrolled in driving schools.

ans so, i asked my dad to enrol me as well.  the practice route of my driving school was Taft Avenue — jeepney hell!

then on occassions, the driver of my dad would let me drive going to school (then AdMU, Loyola Heights).  truly nerve-wracking coming from manila and driving all the way to Q.C. via EDSA — bus and cars hell! panicky moments when i get stalled under crossing ilalim (hanging kapag traffic kasi).

the skill came in handy especially during the time my dad’s cancer recurred.  i don’t know why, but his medical emergencies (rush to hospital because he’s vomitting blood or can hardly breathe) usually happen between 1-5am.  atleast we did not have to wait for his driver or an ambulance as i can immediately get behind the wheel and drive to the hospital.

since being a licensed driver, i’ve been involved in several car accident/driving situations:

1. five hours after claiming my official plastic driver’s license, i (well, technically that was kris’ car) got hit behind by a delivery vehicle along EDSA.  not my fault though. malas lang, tainted agad records!

2. got flagged by mmda before magallanes interchange because i wasn’t wearing a seatbelt — i truly thought i was because i was in a hurry and my messenger bag strap felt like so.  gosh, to think i always wear my seatbelt even before we had the seatbelt law in this country!

3. got flagged down by an mmda before the ortigas flyover (i was heading under) for being along the yellow lane/swerving due to the pink fences — hmm, how could i see the start of the friggin fence when a bus was swerving towards the ramp? yep, the bus got away. 

4. bumped a jeepney from behind ‘coz i wasn’t yet used to driving the big matic xwind. my bad!

5. and recently my ‘reckless’ driving along Q.C. circle according to that a*****e cop.