Most beautiful secular infidels

Other Voices

IBy Ahmad alsarraf

n spite of everything that I was told about the difficulty of obtaining a driving license in Britain (and that was in 1985), I had to experience anyway, due to the difficulty of living in a remote area without a car. I started with asking everyone I know about their experiences in getting a driving licence and they advised me what to do when I face the examiners when I answer the written and practical exams.

One of them told me that I should fasten the belt before turning on the car and not to talk to the person taking the test. Another one told me to adjust the rear view mirror, look around before taking a turn and not to speak to the person taking my test.

The third advised me to make sure to turn on the direction signal, before starting to drive. When I inquired about the unanimity of all, without exception, such as not to talk to the examiner, I was told that these examiners are very strict and honest and difficult to bribe.

I passed the written test easily and got into my car with a frown-faced examiner sitting in the passenger seat and began my practical test in one of the streets of a nearby neighborhood. He was pointing to me to go left and right, carefully watching all my movements, and almost counting my breathlessness.

I was asked to park the car in a parking place between two vehicles, and I did this easily. When he was assured of my abilities, he told me that the car is a tool which can kill and used as an instrument of sabotage, a tool for

alsarraf

amusement and transportation, and that it is important to take the responsibility when one sits behind the steering wheel of the vehicle. He also said it is necessary for my interest and for the safety of road users, drivers and pedestrians, to adhere to traffic laws, the most important of which is not driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and explained to me the punishments that await the violators of traffic rules.

He asked me to drive through a narrow one-way road, where vehicles were parked on either side, and he asked me while I was driving slowly what I should pay attention to in such a road. I answered immediately: ‘Children and dogs’.

He asked me to stop by the side of the road and extended his right hand and with a smile said ‘wonderful’ and this removed all my cautious impressions about him. “I congratulate you for passing this difficult test, and I apologize for asking you to stop abruptly more than once. Welcome to Britain, and I hope that you always have this sense of responsibility.”

I used this driving license, which does not bear my picture, only my signature, in dozens of countries, and was respected wherever I went, and it expired only a few years ago.

On my last visit to London, I asked those who still live there about the conditions for obtaining a driving license now, and they said that it is still difficult, if the inspector or examiner is ‘British’, but if the examiner from the “group”, the owners of the oldest civilizations, and the ancient traditions, then the matter is different asking for the bribe or negotiating the price is not difficult, and they are therefore “easier to deal with than dealing with the secular ... the infidels!”

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