No Bribe Zone – American Driver’s License
Anna R. didn’t think
learning to drive at 30-something was so unusual until she moved to Redmond
last year. In Moscow, Russia, it’s typical for women of her age to
learn to drive for the first time. Even
so, Anna was embarrassed to come here and learn a skill most Americans learn as
teenagers. “My husband told me that this is not ballet dancing and not to think
about my age. So we worked it out pretty
fast.” Her husband also volunteered to
drive with her on weekends to give her extra practice. “He took care of our
baby when I had my lessons. That was a good investment. Now I don't have to ask
him to take me places, I can do it myself.”
Anna also tells me that about twenty years
ago nearly all drivers in Russia were men.
Now more and more women are getting their licenses. Unfortunately,
corruption is wide-spread in Russia and it’s not uncommon for people to bribe
officials in order to get a license. Some of Anna’s friends were able to pass
the test without any bribes. Another young mother, Natalya Vesolova, recently
shared with the Associated Press that she refused to pay the expected bribe. As
a result it took her a year and a half and 7 attempts to pass the test. I asked
Anna how she feels about living in the U.S. and not having to pay bribes. She
replied, “It feels good.”
Anna shared with me that it was Carol Howie, one of our best
instructors, who helped her to overcome the fear of driving at 60 miles per
hour on the freeway. “The most difficult
part of the learning process was probably driving on highways... what was easy
at 30 mph, suddenly seemed to be a challenge at 60 mph. I must confess that my
instructor, Carol, really helped me to fight the high speed fear. She was
always so calm and confident, and definitely more optimistic about my driving
abilities than myself, and eventually she passed this optimism to me, too.”
Carol Howie - Driving Instructor |
Anna credits Carol with giving her the confidence to overcome her
initial fears. “Carol was very patient
with me, even though she had to repeat certain things many times. Now, when I
am driving on my own and have to make decisions on the road, I have to say that
I have answers for most situations from my lessons with Carol. And some confidence on the road (not too much
though!) is a great thing!”
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