My first experience behind the wheel. Through out my childhood I looked at driving a car as no big deal, I mean what could be so difficult about putting your foot on the gas and directing it with a steering wheel. Fast forward to my teens... The day after passing his test my friend bought a Ford Escort 1.2 lt for ?400. Fairly good condition apart from a dodgy electric window but apart from that it was sound as a pound. There were 4 of us, me, him and our respective younger brothers and we shared a few beers and sat around chatting. Then the question of if any unlicenced drivers would like to take it round the local carpark came up. On arrival everyone had a go without incident. My turn came and to my surprise there was alot more to driving than Batman had demonstrated. I was hopeless and grated the clutch to its owners distress. After a while I sort of got the hang of it and started to get braver with the gear stick. I slipped it into second and we started going a bit faster but I still had control. My 'instructor' then encouraged me to go up to third gear. By mistake a put it into 4th and the vehicle lurched forward but in my panic I stamped on the accelerator instead of the brake and I kid you not, about a nano second after my mistake a child skipped into my disaster path. I don't know how but I steered around her at about 70 mph and narrowly missed a reversing van. After I came to stop I got out of the car and threw up. If it were not for my quick thinking I'd be in prison on a death by drink driving charge. I've never drink driven since.