It's DRIVING me mad....literally!

Apogee Production.

Welcome back to another episode about My Bad Mum podcast. We constantly asked that question. You know it's not very long until the big long summer holiday.

Yes, yeah, no, I'm very aware of that, and being continually reminded every week, Oh.

My god, guess what I did the other day.

Now, you kind of have yourself for me to thank for this, because I remember.

I was waiting. I was waiting for blame. Starting on a positive, Yes, I love this even more.

I booked a trip away kid free perfect. And the reason why we talk about this often is that I never did that until we would talk about it often and you would say, you know, it's so good for both you and the kids to have time apart and you know, miss each other, but enjoy your own space as well.

Yeah.

So the girls are in year eleven next year, they're doing things that, honestly, Rach, this is like blowing my mind. They're doing things like they're going to be doing a course at TAFE. The reason why this has come about is they go up to NUSA and they do like a hospitality thing for three nights. They learn like all aspects of working in a hotel and all that kind of stuff, and I was like, oh my god, three nights. They're away for three nights.

What should we do?

We literally went online and we booked a three night stay in Fiji, perfect flights with long points. Also book the hotel. It's like book now, pay when you get there, which feels like it's free.

And I was like yes.

And then the kids are going off to work in Nusia and so then I.

Just mention it to them.

Don't mention it.

We already have.

Me.

Don't mention it.

What do you always do that? Why do you always have to do that?

Every time we're going to be away for something, you end up going away somewhere. And I was like, because we've had twins for fifteen years and so we've never been able to do anything.

Yeah. And also, if we're to recap, you honeymooned with your daughters. Yeah, you did a lot in the early years pretty much until how old were they before you started even attempting this without kids, Like when we started this podcast and the girls would have been what like ten eleven?

I reckon it's been the last two years, maybe three.

Yeah, that's a lot of catching up to do. You a lot of catching up to do.

For my bad mum for not wanting them to drive.

Oh my gosh, we were laughing about this because this topic between you and I on the podcast but also off the podcast just keeps popping back up and it makes things feel surreal and they're not even my daughters. And I keep looking at you going is this going to be more of a hazard or a hindrance than it is going to be of help? Because you have got a lot of hard work ahead of you, I.

Know, And every time you mention it, I'm like, shut up.

I'm like from you having to teach the kids out of drive.

Also, first step, I don't know if you remember back in the day. First step is an online test. Yeah, right, So they have to go online they watch a certain amount of videos, so you can't actually take the test until you've watched all the videos, which is the stuff that teaches you, you know, what you can and can't do on the roads. Now, Holly was so driven to do this, driven love words, that she literally sat there. Didn't have to remind her, she just did it, watched

I feel like it's cheating, yeah, by you helping her. But at the same time, how many other people would be at home doing the same thing online to get their learners.

And my thing was if I go, oh, no, it's actually that answer, I'll be able to explain and then she'll remember it anyway, So.

It's like yeah, I feel like yeah.

Anyway, she did the test and as she's going through, I'm like, oh no, no, I think that's that answer her and I corrected her on a few of them, and she failed it.

Do you know what I knew? You were going to say that I knew it.

He failed it because for me, yeah, driving since I was seventeen.

Yeah, because things change, And I think it's also that they muddle up the words.

Okay, this is the question.

Yeah, Okay, Okay, you take.

Some medication that makes you feel drowsy?

Yep, yep, Yeah.

Do you A.

Not drive and find another way of getting to your destination? Okay, do you be call up your doctor and get some advice? Do you see drive anyway? I think that was it.

It couldn't have been a multiple choice. It definitely wasn't.

So I did the A, you don't drive and you find another way.

Yeah, we got that wrong because.

It was A and B. It was a you don't drive, find another way, and it was also be call your doctor no, and get some advice. I was like, if you're already feeling drowsy from the medication you're taking, what's the point in calling the doctor.

But we'll also sorry, but what doctor answers your call? These days, no one's going to answer your call. Oh are you feeling drowsy? Oh did you take some medication?

Probably don't. Well, I wasn't driving anyway.

That option A. I took option A. Yeah, that doesn't even make sense to me. I would have found it too. Yeah, So I definitely did not see that coming as a question because I was thinking along the lines of you're going to give me like a roundabout because I feel like that's where most people fall off the wheels do you give way to? Yeah? Like what side do you

And one of the questions, and I didn't really know the answer to this either. So say you're in a street. You can go left, you can go right, or go straight ahead? Yeah, Now obviously you give way to your right yep, and you're left.

Oh yeah, yeah, someone in a turning lane.

Yeah, but that street that's in front of you, that's facing you, who gets right away there?

Well, technically it's on my right hand side, right, and I.

Just straight in front of you. Yeah, oh yes, So take right.

She's on my right. I'm all right. You're gonna be able to gauge where you're going because if she's turning and you're turning that way, that's okay. You're going to be going at the same time.

Because I don't know in that situation, it's got right away. And I feel like what I do in that situation is I hesitate, I look them.

In the eye or you're trying to have a conversation with and.

I'm like, who's going first, Katie?

Will you?

And then I just go and hope for the best.

If they're dilly dallying and they're not going, I'm like, okay, that's okay for me to go.

You're taking too long. I don't care who right away is.

I'm just going did Holly fail that question too? This no category that says hesitate, And there's definitely no category that says read or try and have a conversation with the person across in the car across from you to see what they're thinking of doing and then proceed forward.

Yeah, And there was definitely no option to say close your eyes and hope for the best or dilly.

Dally Sorry, why down the are you dilly deallying? Oh? Perfect, I'll go then. No. Never.

I remember recently the traffic lights were like not working.

I was at a junction.

I think it was like three lanes, and so I was at the traffic lights and there was a guy next to me at the traffic lights and they weren't working, like you know, and there's like people coming from all different directions because this is like an intersection where it's everything's going on, And at one point it looked like it was quietening down, and I was like, I think we're going to get a chance to go here. And I looked over it, old mate and he looked at me and we both nodded, and then.

We went we're going to dilly dally together. Good, let's go honestly. So, okay, she fails the tests and it's my fault. Did she blame you or you blame yourself? Well both, bit of both. So then the next time she resits it, did she do it by herself?

Yes?

Did she pass? Yes?

Oh shit, you really were the reason.

Okay, So my next question is who's doing the driving lessons, the physical one? Are you taking that or as Jay taking them?

See, this is the thing they're not allowed to learn in Jay's car because it's electric.

Oh.

I don't know whether it's because it's electric.

Or whether it's just because this particular car doesn't drive like a normal car. So like when you go to break you just take your foot off the accelerator.

Oh yeah, yeah, right, it's not the same as an it's not the same.

And so car, I like my car, mate, you better kiss that baby goodbye between you considering dillydallying being an option, and then them and their learners.

Let's swap cars with Jay. Swap cars. Jay takes your car, Yeah, you take. I think you're at.

More patient because I remember saying to the girls, I want you to do some lessons first before you get in our car.

Why no one else's parents make them do that? I said, no, absolutely, because I'm not getting it. I'm not going on a road with you. They would have to go on an actual road, having never driven before.

I don't agree with that.

We've got no dual control. I'm going to be totally out of control.

Are you okay? No, I don't think you're okay.

Polly said, well why though, but why? And I said, because I know you so well. You will sit in that driver's seat. I'll be in the passenger side, having driven since I was seven team and you'll tell me that I'm wrong.

But the whole thing is that I agree with you in the sense of going. They should be doing a certain few lessons with somebody if you're going on the road, especially that has duel controls, before getting in to the traffic. I grew up on a farm, so my lessons started when I was about seven, driving a five speed manual on a farm. Wouldn't advise that this is the right angle, but I'm very confident driver.

I failed my first driving test before I even got out the test center. Yeah, they asked me to reverse park into a space and I failed. And not only did I get over the line, I was so flustered that I turned my head quickly around to have a look at where I'd cut, and I smashed my head on the window. And then he told me that I failed before we'd even left the test, and I didn't

That's the day I passed. Jeez, it is looking so positive for your kids.