A Lesson In Perseverance: Driver's Test Edition

You know that old saying, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try, try, try, try, try, try, keep trying, try, try, try (man this is taking forever), try, try...again." Well, that might be slightly different than the old saying, but we had to adjust it for this really determined lady who finally, FINALLY, after 950 tries, passed the driver's license test.

But, just as your third grade teacher (you know, the one who smelled like donuts) always told you, every mistake is an opportunity to learn something. For every time she failed the test, this lady learned something, which means she now knows all there is to know about driving. So we contacted her via our psychic network and she agreed to share her lessons learned with us. Don't thank her now—thank her later, when you pass your driver's test on the first try!

Attempt 1: Learned that you have to bring your own car to the DMV for the road test.
Attempt 7: Learned that it's completely possible to be penalized for driving "too slowly" on a highway.
Attempt 19: Learned that squirrels should be avoided at all costs while driving.
Attempt 42: Learned that when parking on a hill, it's important to remember to put the car in park.
Attempt 73: Learned that singalongs are best left to family vacations.
Attempt 104: Learned that, just like in school, you can't ask your neighbor for help during the test.
Attempt 133: Learned that, though it sounds perfectly reasonable, wearing ski goggles when driving in icy conditions is a safety hazard.
Attempt 150: Learned that the people at the DMV have no sense of humor and don't appreciate a "150th time's the charm" cake, even if it has delicious icing.
Attempt 197: Learned that you are not allowed to flash your fog lights in Morse Code while driving.
Attempt 224: Learned that when approaching a four-way stop, it's a good idea to slow down.
Attempt 268: Learned that among the many acceptable ways to signal a left turn, setting the windshield wipers to full speed is not one of them.
Attempt 302: Learned that the driver's test doesn't follow the "almost always C or D" rule for multiple choice tests.
Attempt 333: Learned that the people at the DMV still don't like cake.
Attempt 381: Learned that you are not allowed to have your best friend take the driver's test in your place.
Attempt 412: Learned that at a railroad crossing, it's a terrible idea—the worst idea possible!—to stop on the tracks so you can get a cool picture of the approaching train.
Attempt 464: Learned that you can make a right turn on red, unless you're actually trying to make a U-turn in the middle of a one-way street.
Attempt 528: Learned that when merging with traffic, you can't stop on the entrance ramp and wait until all traffic has passed, even if you are really, really scared of merging.
Attempt 588: Learned that as hilarious as this is, it's not a good idea to piss off the person who will decide whether or not you get your license. (Oh yeah, it's also not very safe.)
Attempt 601: Learned that the written exam includes a portion where you have to identify road signs. Huh, that's funny, totally skipped that page the previous 600 times I did this!
Attempt 653: Learned that if you see or hear an emergency vehicle approaching, you shouldn't abandon your car.
Attempt 682: Learned that you should slow down in construction zones. No, not just a little bit. You should actually be moving slower than the regular speed limit.
Attempt 720: Learned that the test administrator is not impressed that I can use my horn as a musical instrument. (That's two weeks of practice down the drain!)
Attempt 777: Learned that 777th time's gotta be the charm... (Woo-hoo!)
Attempt 778: Learned that it's not.
Attempt 811: Learned that the ceiling at the DMV looks like it needs to be dusted.
Attempt 864: Learned that when passing, you are not allowed to "skim" the other car (even if they were waaaay too close to my lane).
Attempt 903: Learned that you still have to answer all the questions on the test, even if you got them right before.
Attempt 950: Learned that sometimes, just when you think you did really terribly on a test, it turns out you completely aced it!

Have you taken the driver's test yet? Did you have to take it more than once? What helps motivate you to persevere?

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