1968 My Third Driving Test, passed.

Montreal this time. Good old Montreal. As with all things in Quebec, there's a French Canadian way of doing things and taking a driving test was no different. Well, it was very different! I had a car of my own but it was the afore-decribed, semi-derelect Mini. It seemed like courting disaster to expect a Pepsi driving examiner to look kindly on an Englishman driving him around in such a vehicle. So, knowing you could rent a car at the Test Bureau to take the test in, I went by bus to Cremazie (sp?) and walked in.

First a simple vision test, then a written test. Having apparently not failed these I went and sat to wait my turn. The examiner appeared and called my name. Out we went to my hired car. A huge American- type vehicle, seemingly the size of a house after my poor little Mini. In we climbed, him with a clipboard and doubtful English, me with possibly worse French. The test seemed to be all about travelling a few city blocks and doing as asked.

I remember: 1. Failing to signal on at least on occasion. 2. Running a stop sign and 3. Attempting a one-way street in the wrong direction. By the time we were headed back I assumed I'd failed... well... how could I pass in this fashion?

A fresh instruction: "Pull hup halongside dat car and back hinto de space beeind."
I pulled hup as directed alongside de car hindicated and stuck the beast into reverse (this was my first automatic transmission) and the engine stalled.
In the silence I looked at him and he looked at me. "Try she hagain!"
I restarted the engine and stuck she hin reverse - the engine stalled again.
He said, "Merde! Deeze cars, hall de same, dis one same yez ter day. Take hus back to the hoffice."

And still I passed. Amazing.

..... as above, things are different in La Belle Province du Quebec. Glennys got her first license in Montreal a few years later. A birthday present. The lessons were taken in a VW Beetle in downtown Montreal, no place for the faint of heart. When her test time came her whole class attended at the Testing Bureau. As luck would have it she was chosen as the class representive .... she passed so the whole class was deemed to have passed..