Often there is a perception that females cannot drive manual cars, a very chauvinistic view if you ask me. These days’ cars are designed to be easier to drive with the use of power steering and reversing cameras. These modern gadgets make thing a lot easier for us little females, and many macho men too.
When I first learnt to drive, I was taught by my parents, on rough farm tracks. I was blissfully unaware that automatic cars existed. When I left school I joined the Air Force as a Driver. My driving instructor way back then was a female and also many of my workmates were women as well, in a very male dominated workplace.
I was taught to drive a large variety of vehicles and obtained all my H.T. licences, from class 1 to class 5 plus my motor bike licence class 6 and most of my instructors along the way were female driving instructors.
Having gained all of my H.T. licences I later left the Air Force and went to drive Straddle-carriers trucks at The Ports of Auckland, which was yet again a very male dominated work place. I was one of a very few female drivers. Learning to drive a manual car at the very beginning was an advantage to my later career.
I have now moved on to becoming a female driving instructor, running my own business. This is a new challenge to me, so far it has been a good move.
Many of my students, but not all are female. Some by coincidence, others by choice. There are certain community’s that prefer female driving instructors because of cultural reasons, other female students just like to be in the car with a female driving instructor. This is their personal choice, on the other hand there are many young men who prefer a male instructor, that’s OK too.
Happy Days Mel
