Isabel had the drive to find the road to success
ISABEL HUBBERT, from Irvine, has always wanted to drive but continually talked herself out of it.
The thought of the theory test and knowing the Highway Code back to front filled the 80-yearold gran with dread.
In 2010, her husband John bought a new car but unfortunately he took ill soon after.
Before he passed away, he urged Isabel to learn to drive and make use of the vehicle.
She knew there was no point even considering lessons until she’d mastered the theory.
So Isabel bought a book and each night during the adverts of her TV programmes she would read a little and try a few questions.
Eventually, she felt ready to take the test, which she passed on the second attempt.
Now it was time for lessons, so she contacted local instructor Tricia Moir.
Isabel was initially put off by all the roundabouts in Irvine and unfortunately they were her downfall in her first driving test, as she was marked down for a major fault at one of the junctions.
Months down the line, Tricia told Isabel she was ready to re-sit the test.
Sadly she failed again, although she had no major faults this time around.
As she prepared for her third crack at it two weeks ago, Isabel decided this would be her last attempt.
And it was – because she passed!
Isabel was absolutely delighted, as was Tricia.
When she got home, the first thing she did was go over to a picture of John and tell him she had passed.
The mum-of-two then phoned her son, who lives a short walk away, and told him to send Melissa, her 11-year-old granddaughter, round to her house.
Isabel hadn’t told any of her family she was sitting the test, so the youngster was over the moon when she saw the pass certificate and realised what her gran had achieved.
Once she bought four new tyres to replace the perished ones, Isabel dusted down John’s car and drove herself to the shops.
She would no longer have to stand in the rain waiting at bus stops!
At every opportunity, she’s now telling other non-drivers she meets that they should follow her lead.
After all, you’re never too old to learn something new.