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When Nick was seventeen he started taking driving lessons.
He had often watched his parents drive,
sitting beside either his mother or his father so,
when he took his test, he was able to pass.
Now he has a driving licence. This is the first time
he is taking the car out on his own.
He's going to play tennis, so first
he puts his sports bag with his tennis racket
into the car boot. Then he sits down
in the driving seat, which is on the right of the car
because in Britain people drive on the left.
Before starting the engine, he knows he has to make sure
the car is out of gear. Then he must put his foot down
on the clutch and put the lever
into first gear. Before driving off,
he must look in the rear mirror
to make sure nothing is coming,
put on the indicator to signal he is pulling out,
take off the handbrake and put his foot gently
on the accelerator. Then,
with both hands holding the steering wheel,
keeping them more or less in the same position,
he moves out into the traffic. He can then change gear
and increase speed. Of course,
he must be careful not to exceed the speed limit,
which is thirty miles an hour in a built-up area.
He must also be prepared to stop
if he sees anyone on a pedestrian crossing.
He must keep his eye on the rear mirror,
and look quickly at the side mirrors
so that he knows what is going on behind him.
He must also look out for road signs
warning about crossroads, roundabouts,
traffic lights, bends in the road
or other hazards and, of course,
he must also watch the road ahead.
There are so many things to remember.
Oh dear! There's a policeman
signalling him to stop. Surely he has done everything
right! He slows down
and pulls into the side of the road,
right in front of the policeman. "You aren't wearing
your seat belt, sir. I'm afraid
you'll have to pay a fine." So
there was something he forgot!