Celebrating Stevie’s accomplishment as he forges his path to mobility, seamlessly integrating driving into his life in Penicuik
Stevie, a talented blacksmith hailing from Peebles, embarked on the journey of acquiring his driver’s license at the age of twenty-four. Despite residing in the scenic town of Peebles, Stevie’s work in Penicuik, Midlothian, prompted him to explore the possibilities and conveniences that having a driver’s license could bring. Working as a blacksmith, Stevie often found himself travelling to different sites, installing metal projects crafted by him and his colleagues.
Keen to gain independence and efficiency in commuting, Stevie reached out to commence driving lessons. In the early hours of the morning, we tailored lessons to align with Stevie’s work schedule, initiating the sessions at 7 am from his residence and concluding at 9 am in Penicuik. This unique schedule, supported by his workplace, aimed to maximize his learning experience without compromising his work commitments.
Our first driving lesson delved into the basics, and to our advantage, Stevie demonstrated some prior clutch control experience from assisting with vehicle movements in a private yard. This served as a solid foundation, and Stevie’s rapid learning pace, coupled with his unwavering determination, allowed us to make substantial progress in just a few lessons. As we sought to broaden the scope of his learning, we navigated the lively streets of Edinburgh, exposing Stevie to diverse driving scenarios and enhancing his adaptability.
Given Stevie’s upcoming trip to France to visit his girlfriend, we strategically incorporated a mock driving test to assess his readiness. While encountering challenges, this mock test provided invaluable insights into the areas requiring refinement. With a driving test scheduled for mid-February upon his return, we aimed to fine-tune specific skills during our lessons.
The arrival of February signalled the culmination of Stevie’s preparation for the driving test. On the test day, I picked him up from his workplace in Penicuik, and our route traversed various driving scenarios before reaching the Currie test centre in Edinburgh. Stevie’s consistent, calm demeanour and meticulous organization instilled confidence in his abilities. As anticipated, he triumphed in his driving test on the first attempt at the Currie test centre, marking a significant achievement.
Excitedly, we returned to Penicuik with the news of Stevie’s success, signifying not only a newfound independence for his commuting needs but also enhancing his work-related mobility as a skilled blacksmith in Penicuik.
