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00:13I've got my car, passed my test, through done.
00:19I think I've lost my way!
00:26You're sat there like Jim Jim!
00:29You're all sat there like Jim Jim!
00:31Are you going to listen?
00:32Are you listening?
00:37It's three o'clock in the morning and Maureen Rees is working flat out,
00:41but all she can think about is her driving test,
00:44which, in six hours, she'll be taking for the ninth time.
00:48A silly thing come in my head, watching Thomas the Tank Engine with my grandson.
00:52We were watching the programme, the train come into the station, he broke down.
00:56He was trying to get up the hill, and I thought,
00:58well, that's exactly like I feel going up a hill,
01:00and the very words, I thought I'll remember them and use them.
01:04Sometimes I could cry, I'm downhill, I see a hill in front of me,
01:08another way of life, and I keep saying to myself,
01:10I know I can, I think I can, and then I look up and say,
01:13I see the mountain and I say, I must, and that's when I go into action.
01:19And believe you me, in this job, you've got to keep saying, I must, I must.
01:26And she must, because it's been six years, 7,000 pounds and 500 lessons.
01:33Her instructor, Paul Farrell, is almost as anxious as she is.
01:36For most learners, a driving licence is a doorway to a dream.
01:40For Maureen, it means a new start, her own business and a romantic drive back along her honeymoon road.
01:47Throughout the test, continue ahead, unless the traffic signs tell you otherwise.
01:52And when I want you to turn left or right, I'll tell you in plenty of time, Maureen.
01:55Yeah.
01:56OK then, drive on when you're ready.
02:08I know you can do this, Maureen.
02:10You've done all the hard work, this is easy, but you're ready.
02:16Joan Rodwell's already got her licence.
02:19Her dream is to drive her nine grandchildren to the beach.
02:22But since husband Brian is letting Joan navigate,
02:25this is one journey that could turn into an odyssey.
02:28Are you ready, Joan?
02:30I'm taking the children and the dogs to the beach for the day.
02:35But I think I've lost my way.
02:37Oh, dear.
02:39We'll get somewhere today, anyway.
02:43So, your guess is as good as mine were.
02:46Now, very shortly, I shall ask you to stop passing in an emergency.
02:50The signal will be stop.
02:53How long are you going to be?
02:54Right.
02:55I don't know.
02:56You're not reading it upside down, are you?
02:58Think we'll ever get there?
03:01I don't know.
03:02I can't.
03:03I hope so.
03:04I promise them.
03:06Let's go.
03:10Thank you, Maureen.
03:11I won't ask you to do that exercise again.
03:14Right.
03:14Drive on when you're ready.
03:18Brian?
03:20Brian?
03:22I'm finding it quite difficult to read this.
03:28Ten minutes into the test and Maureen's getting her head together.
03:32The three-point turn is her first challenge.
03:52He's been quite a tricky road here, hasn't he?
03:55There's loads of parked cars around here, so if you keep your eyes open, you can pull this off.
04:01Off.
04:03I've seen it.
04:19I think I'm going to do it.
04:20I, you know, there's a little bit of a difference.
04:21I can't do this.
04:22It's the pick of this one.
04:22I can't do this because, I can't do this.
04:22When I'm doing this, the other thing is, I can't do this.
04:23The other thing is, I can't do this.
04:23I can do this.
04:24I'm working with you too.
04:24I can't do this thing.
04:30Thank you, Maureen. Drive on when you're ready.
04:36Ooh, God, there.
04:39See that?
04:39Joan and her menagerie are set for the seaside with Brian in tow.
04:43We're all going to the beach.
04:46Go on, go a bit faster, Joan. Go on, do a bit where we're taking.
04:51Reversing round a corner isn't just a question of taking careful aim.
04:55It's all about watching your back,
04:57which in the past has always been Maureen's downfall.
05:01But not this time.
05:03She's seen the blue car, the rest should be a breeze.
05:24OK, Maureen, thank you.
05:27It's a utero.
05:28Drive on when you're ready.
05:30Right.
05:31Where are they going now?
05:33Ah, my hand!
05:33Oh, my God!
05:35Where's Nanny going?
05:36We should have gone up that road.
05:37They're going to the wrong place.
05:38They're all saying, oh!
05:40Nanny thought we'd lost our way before, but we have lost our way now.
05:46Do you have a family, Maureen?
05:47Yes, I've got three children, one boy of 31, a daughter of 28 taking a degree in archaeology and science,
05:54and another daughter taking a degree in orthodontics.
05:58Don't stop chit-chatting, Maureen.
06:00Look, what's going on?
06:01Two minutes from the test centre and her drive has been blameless, but has her concentration slipped away?
06:07I don't know where they get their brains from, because they're...
06:10Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
06:27No, I don't believe what you've just done.
06:31Pull up along here just before the next stationary car, please, Maureen.
06:41OK, Maureen, stop your engine now.
06:45That's the end of the test.
06:47I'm sorry, you haven't passed, your driving hasn't reached the required standard.
06:52Would you like me to explain the more serious faults to you?
06:54Yes.
06:55Yeah.
06:56Erm, it's just that crossing the path of other vehicles safely, unfortunately.
07:02I'll leave that with you, discuss that with your instructor.
07:06It's coming along nicely and we'll have another look at it at some future date, alright?
07:13Thank you then, Maureen.
07:15Thank you very much.
07:18Cheers, thank you for that.
07:19Thank you, bye-bye.
07:26It's just that Maureen at the end.
07:30You stopped concentrating, didn't you?
07:32All out!
07:33All out!
07:45Well, I finally got here, to the beach.
07:50Finally.
07:51Today's Tuesday.
07:53Let me see if I can book us another test for Thursday.
07:55Are you happy about it?
07:59Well, I was upset, but not as upset as I have been.
08:03Yes.
08:03So let's go for it, yes.
08:05OK.
08:05In the meantime, let's go on.
08:07Maureen's got another chance, but for Tom Dempsey, time has run out.
08:11It's his day of reckoning on the Thames Valley advanced course.
08:15Fellow pupil Phil Hanman has been Mr Cool, but even he's beginning to feel the strain.
08:21Collected.
08:23All right, Tom, I'll write you to start your commentary, please.
08:28I'm driving a Vauxhall Amiga 3 litre.
08:30Tom's Achilles heel is talking and driving at the same time.
08:34His running commentary is critical, but he's so engrossed that he almost overshoots a left-hand turn.
08:5275 miles an hour and not a car anywhere. Tom should be doing 100.
08:58We've read the motorcycle news and...
09:0125 walking signs of stress.
09:04Apart from that, I'm fine.
09:07But driving fast isn't just about speed.
09:10Tom's got to worry about how anybody ahead can hurt him.
09:14He must warn the car in front and overtake Smart Clay before they get in his way.
09:21Dither now, and it could be disaster.
09:27The suspense is wearing everybody down.
09:31I'm not saying anything at the moment until I know what happened.
09:34I'm not committing myself.
09:37But it seemed all right.
09:40Phil's been top dog on the course so far.
09:43He's first in for his result.
09:49Outside, Tom's in agony.
09:56Nice drive.
09:57Class one.
09:59Yeah.
10:0088.
10:00Really?
10:01And Phil has stayed on top.
10:03He's become a class one driver.
10:07OK.
10:08Is it lunch now, is it?
10:09Yeah, yeah.
10:10See you later.
10:11Thomas.
10:12Thomas.
10:12For Tom, a class two is the best he can hope for.
10:17But will he scrape even that?
10:30We want him to pass.
10:32Part of the team.
10:37All Tom's dreams have come to nothing.
10:41Just missed it.
10:42Never mind, mate.
10:43It's a class two drive.
10:45But I have more down drivers than I'll drive, so I don't get it.
10:49Next time?
10:50Yeah, they said come back.
10:51I certainly won't give up.
10:53I don't think I'm the person just to bury my head in the sand.
10:57I'll have to live with it for a couple of months until it all dies down and then start picking
11:01myself up again.
11:02Advanced driver or lowly learner, failing is always an emotional affair.
11:07And with Maureen's tenth test tomorrow, husband Dave is hoping for a miracle.
11:15How's Maureen coming on?
11:18She's doing very well.
11:19I'm very pleased with her.
11:20She's a lot more independent in her driving.
11:24Do you find she goes too fast on times?
11:27Yeah.
11:29Yeah, she's got to keep her watch on that speed, though.
11:31You should totally be able to plan this route on the way back yourself.
11:35When he got his licence, Danny Waring's dream was to speed up to Preston and girlfriend Gillian.
11:40But since he knew he'd be living on the motorway, he'd asked Pam for some extra tuition.
11:46It says, Pam, you're not going to try and tell me how to drive, are you?
11:49I'm not here to teach you how to drive, Danny.
11:51You're not going to try and tell me how to drive my car, are you?
11:53Of course, well, if it was without me, you wouldn't be driving your car, would you?
11:58Yes.
11:59The balance of power has changed.
12:01Now Pam's lost her dual controls, Danny's gained an attitude.
12:09Do you ever pray for people before their test?
12:12Yeah, sometimes.
12:13Particularly if it's important for them.
12:16Some people need a bit of guidance, I suppose, that way.
12:22Check your mirrors first.
12:24Do the indication.
12:26Let it blink at least three times.
12:28Check your mirrors again.
12:30Keep the signal on, Dan.
12:31The signal can stay on as long as it lights, because it's warning people all the time what you're doing.
12:38Checking your mirrors continually.
12:40Moving out to the right when it's safe.
12:44Moving out into that right-hand lane.
12:47The test is soon, of course, this week.
12:49But I'm sure she'll put it off.
12:50I hope so, for her sake, because if she fails, she'll be unbearable.
12:55You haven't made your trip to Preston yet, then?
12:58No.
12:59No?
13:00When are you doing that?
13:06One day.
13:07One day.
13:08You laugh there as if there's something I don't know, Dan.
13:12Pam senses that all is not well.
13:15Danny's not been to Preston and is not going either.
13:18He and Gillian have split up.
13:25I feel a sense of pressure and responsibility as an instructor.
13:31At the end of the day, I'm selling a product.
13:33I'm teaching somebody to drive.
13:36And if she walks out of the shop without that product having handed over the money,
13:41you know, it's partly my fault as well.
13:45And I wanted her to pass.
13:50Maureen knows that tomorrow could be her last chance to pass.
13:54She just can't afford any more lessons.
13:57But passing will be bittersweet.
13:59She'll only be able to drive an automatic.
14:02And that means bye-bye, Betsy.
14:05It's gone back six years now.
14:07So you can work it out from there.
14:10And she should be seven years...
14:13No, she's seven years old this year.
14:15She's never let us down.
14:17People laughed at her in the bad weather.
14:19But I'm at the other last laugh.
14:22They were stuck in the street in the bad weather
14:24while me and David were on the off.
14:26And I wouldn't swap her for anything.
14:35I love just sitting here and just watching people go by.
14:38I know it sounds silly, but it is the feeling.
14:42It is mine.
14:44Something that no-one have given me.
14:49Danny may have gained his independence,
14:51but he's lost Gillian forever.
14:54Another dream bites the dust.
15:09Passing my driving test was to be able to go up to Preston
15:12to see my girlfriend or my ex-girlfriend, as she is now.
15:19It probably won't happen.
15:20We're still friends.
15:21But it's nice to have a car anyway,
15:24to get that big problem of passing out the way soon.
15:28Could have been nice.
15:30Could have been fun.
15:30But not all things last.
15:32And you have to get on and have a laugh, innit?
15:34So, that's what I'm doing at the main.
15:43Hiya, Lynne.
15:46Long time no see.
15:48Come on.
15:48Maureen's just spotted one of her many old instructors,
15:52Linda Clarke.
15:54I like your outfits.
15:56Real smart.
15:58With a figure like yours.
16:00How you doing?
16:02Down in the dumps.
16:03Why?
16:03Everything's happening to me.
16:05I can't do anything right.
16:07But I've got to do it right this time.
16:08When's your test number?
16:09Tomorrow.
16:10That's what I'm sitting here, down in the doldrums, thinking.
16:14What you've got to say is,
16:15you've got no time to think about anything, have you?
16:18Yeah, that's OK, now.
16:19Right.
16:20No, I'm feeling sorry for myself, actually.
16:23Why?
16:24Well, I keep thinking I'm going to let someone down.
16:26Well, the only person you're going to let down is yourself, isn't it?
16:29And what you can say is, I've had a go.
16:31You can give her your best shot, isn't it?
16:34But I think you'll do it tomorrow.
16:36Come on, I am going to pass.
16:38I am.
16:39Go on, stay after me.
16:42Oh, now, don't get upset.
16:44This is all the pressure on you, isn't it?
16:46And tomorrow, this day that's come, you'll be OK, Mel.
16:50You'll surprise yourself.
16:52Yes.
16:56There is someone I'm interested in.
17:00Maybe she likes me or not, I don't know.
17:02Maybe I should give her a ring.
17:05See what happens.
17:13If you do pass, Mel, what are you going to do then?
17:16Because this is obviously a manual.
17:19Well, as I said, I'll come to that bridge when I cross it.
17:23But what I'd like to do is take David back over our honeymoon route.
17:27Oh, they've been so supportive.
17:29If there's an email through the years, where's your honeymoon route?
17:32North Wales.
17:33Yeah?
17:34Yes.
17:36PHONE RINGS
17:40Hello.
17:41All right, Jo, it's done.
17:42Hi.
17:43Hello.
17:44How are you?
17:45I'm all right.
17:46Do you want to come out tonight?
17:49Where?
17:50Anywhere, somewhere.
17:52Would you want to or not?
17:53Yeah, all right then.
17:54Yeah, all right then.
17:55Yeah, that's fine.
17:56All right.
17:56Well, can we pick you up?
17:57I'll buy eight.
17:59Okay then.
17:59In the car.
18:00You've passed a test?
18:01Yeah.
18:02All right then.
18:02See you later then.
18:04Bye-bye.
18:07Danny may be on the town tonight, but for Maureen with a test tomorrow,
18:11it's a quiet night in.
18:13I was 23, but it was a marriage that nearly didn't take place.
18:17We are arguing coming up the aisle.
18:20Stop, smile, nag nag.
18:24This is the car we went on honeymoon in, touring North Wales, one way up and one way back.
18:30And I must say, I wouldn't want to go through some of the things we went through.
18:34Stopping on a wet and muddy road, all the wind blowing with my skirt blowing up
18:38and in one in my tights because the fan belt broke on the car and there was no one in
18:43the country lane to help us.
19:12Hi.
19:13Hello.
19:14Hi.
19:14Yeah?
19:15Is that your new car?
19:16It is.
19:17Yeah.
19:20It is.
19:21It's a bit small, isn't it?
19:23New Monday.
19:23It ends up there, isn't it?
19:25All right.
19:38Who knows what lies at the end of Denny's rainbow?
19:47I don't want to be clean from other people all my life.
19:50I want to make something in my life before it's too late.
19:54And that's what I'm determined to do.
19:55I want to pass the test of being in control myself.
20:01Chasing her dream has meant a catalogue of tears and disappointment,
20:05not to mention stretching a marriage to its furthest limit.
20:09Failing today will tear her heart in two.
20:13OK then, Maureen.
20:14Obviously, try not to be too nervous throughout your test and just relax.
20:17And all I must need to do is just drive as you normally would drive, OK?
20:21Yeah.
20:21So when you're ready and you're on time, move off, please.
20:31Paul's come up with a clever plan to help her concentration.
20:34She must talk herself through every moment of the test.
20:39Here you go.
20:40Get to the middle of the road.
20:42So you're going to go over the right lines.
20:46Keep going on.
20:47And I'd like you to take the next road on the left, Maureen.
20:50Right here.
20:52Look at him.
20:54Check the mirror.
20:56Check all that.
20:58Dave's at work on the buses.
21:00He won't know till later if the news will be good or bad.
21:04If you don't pass, I don't know what the hell I'm going to do.
21:06I mean, she's going to be so unbearable.
21:09I don't know what I can face going home.
21:12Stop.
21:15Thank you, Maureen.
21:16I'll not be asking you to do that exercise again.
21:19You may drive home when you're ready.
21:20If she's going to pass a test, she's going to have to concentrate
21:24and get every manoeuvre right.
21:27And drive home when you're ready.
21:28And this is Maureen's first manoeuvre, a hill start.
21:32Easy in an automatic, but she'll still have to get her signalling and observation spot on.
21:48This is one of the hardest ones to do, is reverse it on parallel park at the same time.
21:54As you can see, the manoeuvre is difficult.
21:58And I'm using my mirrors.
22:05Two days ago, Maureen didn't find reversing hard at all.
22:09She'd cracked it, but was it just a fluke?
22:12And has she solved her old problem, watching out for other traffic?
22:35If she doesn't do it this time, I don't know what we're going to do.
22:38I really don't.
22:41Pull up in a convenient place on the left.
22:50Can I take our neutrons, switch off?
22:53Oh, just switch off and relax.
22:55And...
22:55Oh, nice engine.
22:58Okay then, Maureen, that is the end of your driving test,
23:00and I am pleased to tell you you've passed.
23:05Can I see your license again, please?
23:07Erm...
23:07Oh my God, I...
23:08My bag, Paul.
23:09I'll sell it to you.
23:10Yes.
23:13Yes.
23:16Yes.
23:23Hi.
23:24Our little choo-chee pie.
23:27Can you guess?
23:29Yes?
23:31Yes?
23:32Oh!
23:34That was my little euro.
23:37Yes?
23:37Yes?
23:38Yeah, honestly, I'm telling...
23:40I wouldn't lie to you.
23:41I'm sitting here...
23:43I've just got over the shop myself.
23:45So it's jubilation all round, not least for Pam and Paul, without whom no one would have passed.
23:53Streetwise is a business that's going places.
23:56So now...
23:58Let's see.
23:59Well done for six months.
24:01Super duper.
24:01Right, okay.
24:01Super duper.
24:02Who's driving home?
24:03Taxi, I think, Paul.
24:06Hold on a minute, hold on a minute.
24:08Streetwise driving school, Pam the car.
24:10Now it was my plan to go up on our secret honeymoon route.
24:15Yeah.
24:15And I have passed my test and I want to drive.
24:18Yeah, but I...
24:18No, no, I don't argue.
24:19No, I'm sorry.
24:20I'm not going to let you because...
24:21At last, Maureen is ready for the road to romance.
24:24But as usual, Dave's about to put the handbrake on.
24:28But I'm not going to let you drive because it's going to be confusing.
24:31That's prejudices against women, are you?
24:33I don't want you to drive.
24:33You passed in an automatic.
24:35I don't want you to drive in.
24:36No.
24:37The only difference is I haven't got a gear stick.
24:39I don't want you driving today.
24:41I don't want to argue.
24:42I planned it down to the last detail.
24:44I know you have, but you passed in an automatic, so...
24:48What's the difference?
24:49It doesn't make no doubt that's being funny against me.
24:52It's being... it's gears.
24:52It isn't.
24:53I want to have a nice day.
24:55I want to have a nice...
24:55So do I.
24:56Well, so do I.
24:56I'm determined.
24:57May I drive when we get up the pickings?
25:00You're not driving.
25:01I am.
25:01No, you're not.
25:02I am.
25:04You're not...
25:05You're not driving.
25:06I don't care.
25:07I don't want you driving.
25:08I'll stay here all day.
25:09Look, if you're a good girl, I might let you have a go on a quiet stretcher road when we
25:15get there.
25:16I'm glad you said it.
25:17I'll give in this time for peace and quiet.
25:20Well, come on then, let's go.
25:21Say you're horrible to me.
25:23Well, come on.
25:27Pigs might fly.
25:29Let's hope you have a nice, peaceful, quiet day now.
25:32I don't have no roads today because it's our...
25:34I don't see anything.
25:35I just sit in here and let you do the driving.
25:38You carry on.
25:39Okay, my love.
25:40Right.
25:42Oh, it's a nice day for it anyway, isn't it?
25:46Always look on the bright side of life.
25:49Do-do.
25:50Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do.
25:53What was that song we always used to sing?
25:55Remember when we were caught in?
25:57Something tells me I'm into something good.
26:00Bo-bo-bo-bo-bo-bo-bo.
26:01Yeah.
26:02What I'll do is I'll give you a ring.
26:04Give me a ring to see no pop.
26:11This looks a good spot, I suppose.
26:12This'll do.
26:15Have you got the table?
26:17What do you think I'm putting up?
26:18What do you think I'm putting up?
26:22Oh, just get the stuff out of the car and shut up.
26:26You could talk as well as you could drive.
26:28Be all right?
26:29Oh, are the chairs standing it?
26:31Oh, all right, I think.
26:33You should have had them up and oiled them.
26:34Yes, a lot of things we should have had them along.
26:36I told you I could do that.
26:36All the driving.
26:37You wouldn't listen.
26:38The past 12 months ago, if you could drive as well as you could talk.
26:40Do you like having a lawnmower through this grass?
26:43Yeah.
26:45See what it'll do?
26:46Supposed to be a deal.
26:48Here, let me give you a round.
26:50Oh, come on.
26:53Oh, don't get too passionate.
26:54I might not want my supper.
27:00Cheers.
27:01Cheers.
27:04Hang on a minute.
27:09Streetwise driving school.
27:10Pamela Carr.
27:11Serious, Dave.
27:12I've been thinking about it a long time now.
27:13What?
27:14I don't want to get rid of the ladder.
27:17So, what I thought of doing is having manual lessons in the ladder.
27:22Well, don't involve me in it, then.
27:23Oh, what are you?
27:24A man or a mouse?
27:25I thought you were my husband.
27:26Right.
27:26Dead to his part.
27:28Stick my ear and all that.
27:29Yeah.
27:29It was nearly dead to his part.
27:30Ramming the car up a dual carriageway.
27:32That was in the beginning.
27:33I've learnt my lesson now.
27:3460 mile an hour, I see.
27:35So?
27:36Do you go to the curb?
27:40Whoa!
27:41Whoa!
27:42For Christ's sake.
27:43What's the matter with you?
27:44What did you do that for?
27:45I can't get over there.
27:46The car was up your arse.
27:49You're sacking a jungle shit.
27:51Are you going to listen?
27:51Are you going to listen, then?
27:52I listen!
27:53I thought myself up so much and then it goes down and I think everyone is acting at me.
27:58You will not pass the test.
28:06The car jerk.
28:07Sorry.
28:11Don't panic.
28:13Trust me.
28:14Mo, put your foot on a brake.
28:15The end of the road?
28:17The end of the road?
28:17Not quite.
28:18Second honeymoon or not, Maureen is determined to drive that ladder.
28:22Take your foot off the throttle.
28:24I'm not on the throttle.
28:25Don't take me alone.
28:25It's downhill all the way.
28:27Don't take me alone.
28:28I don't want you going down this hill, honestly.
28:31I'm alright.
28:31Mo, it's a big hill.
28:33I don't want you going down it, Mo, please.
28:35I'm alright.
28:36Mo, take your foot off the throttle.
28:37I'm not on the throttle.
28:39I'm on the brake.
28:42Oh, shut up.
28:43Put your foot on the brake.
28:45I'm on the brake.
28:47There.
28:47Now, don't panic.
28:48Please pull in by air.
28:49Don't panic.
28:50Pull in by air, please.
28:51No.
28:51Pull in by air, please.
28:53Don't go down the hill.
28:55Please.
28:55Put your foot off.
28:57I'm on the brake.
28:58Pull in by air.
28:58No.
28:59Oh, for Christ's sake.
29:00Please.
29:01There.
29:02Oh, Scott.
29:03Don't.
29:03For Christ's sake.
29:04I didn't know why he's doing that for you then.
29:06That's you.