Driving up Church Lane with Daniel Levy

I had my first driving lesson today. And yes, no- one got injured or died. I met my driving instructor, Chris, at 9:15am, a time that has become unfamiliar to my body clock in recent times, and we exchanged introductions before he told me the game plan for the lesson.

He's a lovely bloke, which was my first thought about him. My second thought was 'wow, doesn't this guy look A LOT like Daniel Levy?' (Tottenham Hotspur's chaiman for those of you who don't know who Levy is.) He is the spitten image of him, only less Jewish looking.

We drove to Church Lane and he took me through all the basics of driving, what each pedal is for, what you're supposed to do when you set off, how you're supposed to drive if you've got a phone in one hand and a Mars Bar in the other, that sort of thing.

After a while, he let me drive. 'Oh no' I thought, this was the moment I'd been dreading. I know that sounds silly, considering the reason I was there was to 'learn how to drive', but I was nervous about it. But I've now felt the small thrill of being behind a wheel and driving one of the best human inventions around by myself. I felt liberated, I felt grown up, I felt like a man... boy.

Whenever I hear people talk about their first driving experience they always seem to say 'I felt like a man' or 'I felt manly' etc. Why? I felt like a junior. There I was hesitantly and very unexpertly slowly driving up a road while an older man next to me told me how to do it and who is an expert at driving. What else does that make you feel other than inferior?

Not that I'm complaining though, as I found it was a blast and I can't wait to get behind the wheel again. I did feel great, I just didn't feel 'manly'. Plus, just as many women drive as men, so why would you feel 'manly' anyway?

I had fun anyway, the only nervous moment for him I think was when he told me to brake when I was parking and it didn't register in my mind, so as I approached a green car to park behind it, he said 'brake' again and again I didn't respond. Then he said it again and finally it registered. I don't know why, but I just didn't register him telling me to brake before, but I did it just in time before I almost crashed into this green car. Phew!

The only bad thing is I've got to wait another week and a day for my next driving lesson. But then I've got 2 in 3 days.

Overall, today will be remembered for the day I got unleashed into the the wild world of driving, fortunately with Daniel Levy next to me to help guide me the way.