Me + car = nervous wreck

Yes, I can drive. Not well, but I haven't had any accidents yet, and I'm hoping to improve. The main problem is that I hate driving. I was pretty nervous about it before I even started learning, but that got ten times worse when Nans and I were involved in an accident shortly after he passed his driving test.

It was eleven o'clock on the night of the tenth of September 2006, the night before Nans began uni. We were coming home from a friend's house in Valence, driving down an empty main street, and we saw a car in the opposite lane about to turn left (remember that people drive on the right in France). He seemed to hesitate, as though uncertain whether or not he should wait for us to pass, but in the end he didn't, and we crashed straight into him.

We weren't going fast. We were still in town, so about 30mph, and the other car was just starting to turn. But it still hurt. Thankfully we were both wearing our seatbelts (we now refuse to drive if everyone isn't strapped in) and the worst I had was a severe bruise and a few friction burns across my chest where it caught me. Nans wasn't so lucky, but I think his biggest injury came when he tried to get out of the car, and found the door was stuck - he put his shoulder to it, and fractured his collarbone. Once we'd gotten over the initial shock, we realized we were fine.

We later discovered that the guy who'd blocked us was very drunk, and had turned up positive on the drug test, because he'd taken antidepressants. He didn't have a scratch on him, he wasn't even winded. Anyway, although some good did come of it (we sued him to pay for the car, and he seemed to have learned his lesson I think, as he had to pass his driving test again), Nans and I are both nervous drivers.

Nans had his driving license already, and knew that most of the time it was easy. I hadn't even passed my theory test yet, and when I did and started the lessons, I was a nervous wreck. Now, two and a half years later, I've had my driver's license for nearly a year - passed it first time round, my teachers were great - but I still hate driving.

At first I hated speed the most, but since I practised driving on the motorway I've realized it's actually easier than on normal roads. Now it's other drivers that scare me. Especially in Grenoble. They're all very impatient and the streets are all one-way and it's a nightmare. Nobody likes driving in Grenoble.


The problem is that now I'll have to do it every day for work. Technically it would be possible to take the tram there and then walk the kids to and from school, music and sports clubs, but the parents would much prefer it if I drove. I'm trying to think of it as a challenge, an opportunity to get over my fear of driving (especially my fear of driving alone), and get rid of the reflex which makes me completely tense up behind the wheel, causing horrible cramps in my back later on.

It would help if the car we now have wasn't the ancient Renault 5 that Nans' brother, sister and parents (and possibly grandparents) drove before him. That thing is older than me... it may even be older than both of us combined. I think it was made in the sixties. Sturdy, definitely, it wouldn't fold much in a crash unlike most modern cars, but it has trouble starting on rainy days, and I don't know if it'll last much longer. I'd prefer not to be driving it when it dies.

Before that though, I have to take the car to the garage. There are two kids to take to school, and we have only one seatbelt in the back. Also, the front passenger window mechanism has broken, and the window is being held shut with iron wire, only it keeps slipping down so it's stuck open now. I rang two mechanics. Here was the first conversation, roughly translated:

"Hi, I need to know how much it would cost for you to fix a seatbelt in the back seat, and block the front passenger window shut in an R5?"
"If the seatbelt needs replacing, it can go up to about 100€, but I won't charge you just to block a window."
"Can I get it done before next Monday?"
"Sure, come in Wednesday morning and I'll probably have it done during the day."

Second conversation:

"Hi, I need to know how much it would cost for you to fix a seatbelt in the back seat, and block the front passenger window shut in an R5?"
"Er... wha... a seatbelt? Where?"
"In the back left seat."
"Er... can't tell you... what model?"
"Renault 5."
"What year?"
"Erm... sixties, more or less."
"Um... hang on..." *sound of slow, lethargic typing* "It doesn't say... what kind of seatbelt?"
"Um, the kind you have to adjust yourself?"
"..." more typing "er... and what was the other thing?"
*slowly and clearly* "I want to block my front passenger window so it's closed. It's blocked open right now."
"Er... why?"
"The mechanism broke."
"... I'm not sure you can do that. It would depend on the type of mechanism."
"How much would it cost?"
"No idea."
"Ok, could you do it before next Monday?"
"Er, probably. You'd have to come over with the car and we'll see then."

Guess who I chose? Bosses, the people who answer your phones can make or break your company. Do not choose Mr. Stoned.