One of the most annoying, but understandable, questions I’ve been asked since I’ve lived in the Bay Area is,
“How could you have grown up in L.A. and not ever had a driver’s license?”
The short answer: I was a nerdy, “good” kid with protective Asian parents. I got around without one. The long answer: I was in a traumatic car accident at age 15, I failed my drivers test at 18 a few weeks before moving to Berkeley for school, and I always had friends with cars anyway.
I’ve been living in San Francisco for more than a decade now, and although being able to drive means being able to go to Trader Joe’s and buying more than I can carry, and going on random out-of-town thrifting road trips or nature runs, SF is a city that lends itself to carlessness, and I like it that way.
Still, I’ve always felt a little silly for never having gotten my driver’s license. As the years went by, it grew into something scary and monumental, an albatross that I dreaded dealing with, but which I also knew I needed to accomplish someday. So in August, I contacted Ann’s Driving School in San Francisco, an organization that I’ve always heard was the best for teaching new and fearful drivers.
OK, lemme backtrack for a second and tell you something: Three years ago, I intended to get my license. I looked into Ann’s because I had heard good things (check) and I dug that it’s woman-owned and operated (yes!), but found that it was expensive (ugh). Being an eternal bargain hunter, I decided I’d go on the cheap and found a couple of teachers on Craigslist who were giving lessons at a fraction of the cost. You know that cliche “you get what you pay for?” Believe it.
Fast forward three years. Ann’s is still pricey. It costs $180 for two hours of driving with a certified instructor in one of those cars with the break and accelerator on the passenger side (luckily there’s no embarrassing “Student Driver” placard in the window). This time, I decided it was worth the expense. And when I called to make an appointment, I found out I wasn’t the only one. Ann’s is one of the most popular driving schools in the city. I happened to call at the end of summer break, when anxious SF teens (they really do exist) were trying to get their license before the new school year started. I ended up having to wait a couple of weeks before my instructor Eugenia (that’s her on the left in the photo below) was able to take me on.
Eugenia, a San Francisco native, was chill, patient, knowledgeable, and instructive. I really do believe in the power of a good teacher, but I was amazed when I felt so calm and confident with Eugenia sitting next to me on my first drive in three years. The fears melted away and I was actually kinda having fun.
Other pluses about Ann’s — they know the common mistakes that new drivers often make (not using the rear view mirror, not stopping the correct distance from the crosswalk or from the car ahead of you, driving too fast above or too slow below the speed limit) and will keep reminding you of them. But even better, they know the DMV test, including routes you might be taken on. As it got closer to my drive test, Eugenia took me on each of the possible routes (with the caveat that there are no set routes and you never know in advance where a tester will take you), and pointed out all the critical things I would need to know. For example, many SF drivers fail because of not properly driving next to and turning into bike lanes. We practiced the proper way to turn at an intersection with a bike lane many times, until it became second nature. As a cyclist in the city, I appreciated that Ann’s was teaching new drivers about sharing the road with bikes! Someone’s gotta do it!
After three full lessons, Eugenia said I was ready for my test. I booked an appointment with the DMV and when the day came, she picked me up for one last hour-long session before the test. I was really grateful for this final session, because it helped warm me up behind the wheel and was a chance to get any last questions out of the way. An hour passed, and I found myself driving into the DMV parking lot, butterflies flapping (but not frantically). I was ready.
So did I pass? Well, see that huge smile on my face in the photo above? That’s post-test, and yes, I am now a licensed California driver. Thanks Eugenia! You rock!
