The Transatlantic Takes

S1: EP17 Coming In Clutch (Control)!

• Maeve & Chloé • Season 1 • Episode 17

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Get in listeners, we’re going podcasting!

Beep beep! This week we’ll be talking all things driving - you’ll get our driving test stories, chat about the differences between driving in US vs the UK and find out which one of us suffers from road rage…

So take a beat, choose your favourite side of the road and pass the aux, besties! 

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If you’d like more information and updates, follow us on Instagram @thetransatlantictakespod and TikTok @tttakespod 

SPEAKER_02

The transatlantic takes out a dance. I want a talk. I want to talk all day.

SPEAKER_01

That's okay. That's fine. We're not going anywhere. Takes. Anyway, we have a self-tape layer on, so uh that would explain why. It's all coming out. Love you, Benson. Love you, Benson. Dual flip. Um morning. It's morning time. It is morning. Good morning. Oh, so have you realised it's daylight savings today? No. Yeah. Thank you for telling me. Unless it's what? Today? Oh no, John, it's into tomorrow. No, I thought it was it's always a Sunday, innit? Oh, so did it happen? I'm asking, oh no. I assumed it's next weekend. It's gonna be my God again. Me and John woke up today being like, oh my god, we're gonna lose an hour of sleep. How many times can I keep doing this with you? It's exhausting. Every Sunday we're like, oh my god, I'm gonna lose an hour of sleep. There's another hour. Hey!

SPEAKER_02

Because I go in America like last week. Two weeks before. Oh two weeks. Oh. I don't know, I can't keep up. Maybe it was next week. I just can't wait for that sunset to be at last. I know. I'm so because even now, like when I like leave work, I leave at six and it's still like nice, but I'm driving into the sunset every day.

SPEAKER_01

And I'm like, yay! It's the way it's gonna get even better.

SPEAKER_02

I love it. So I want to do walks at nighttime.

SPEAKER_01

Um so we have a lot to talk about today. Yeah. Um, we decided to do a little fun one about talking about the differences between uh UK and USA with regards to driving. Yes. Which we think is really funny. Yes. It is funny, I think. And then our experiences of how we passed our tests. Chloe's probably better than I. And then uh John's just hearing the differences of it all. I'm really excited. Yes. Um, but first, do you have something you want to tell Chloe? I do. I do have a tick this week.

SPEAKER_02

Daddy got his face on! Thank God. Crying starts now. Oh my god. Did you cry? I cried so hard. Did he? It's just yes, but he knew before me. He knew like, because he got in the email in the day, like, and I was still in work. So it was like last Friday. So like I was still in work and he waited until I got home to tell me. So he knew for like three hours before me. So cute. Um, but I had no idea. So then when I came home and he told me just bald. Balled my eyes out. So cute. Yeah, but I'm so it's just the relief, right? Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Did you feel the not release?

SPEAKER_02

Oh yeah. I'm telling you. Just like the like the lifting. Yeah. It just feels so much like, ha, that's okay. We haven't got to think about that anymore. That's not a I like went onto my laptop for the first time, probably since I submitted the visa because I was afraid of my laptop because that was I that's where I did the visa. Yeah. And then like just like cancelled all the tabs. Bye bye. Yeah, bye, boy, boy, boy. So that was really nice. Um, but yeah, no, Danny's a lot more chill. Like, it's just, you know, it's just so like now we get to be here till 2028 when we do it again. Oh that's okay. Because like it doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, is here September 2028?

SPEAKER_02

October. Beginning of October. So John's are all Oh my god, okay. But yeah, that's it's so.

SPEAKER_01

Unless you guys make absolute bank and buy a house, he's fine. He gets immediate. I think I heard that. So maybe one of us needs a quickly. Apparently, John said, if you buy a property here, like you get big um what do I mean? You get like an easy visa or some shit. Oh, really? We need to look into it because you're like homeless.

SPEAKER_02

You might be lying. Let's look, let's look at it. Okay, well okay. We got two and a half years to look at that.

SPEAKER_01

Let's buy, let's buy. We'll do that. That's so good. Do you have a take this week? I think we should. My take is dissecting the fing Oscars. Oh my god, yeah. Um, did you watch it all? Yeah. Yeah, most of it. Absolutely iconic. I was thrilled that I told you guys my people one battle after another, I was beaming. I was so happy. And also because it's like kind of like a comedy as well. One, I was really, really happy. I didn't know, I didn't think it was gonna win.

SPEAKER_02

Because it didn't win too much else, did it really? No.

SPEAKER_01

Only like supporting and the yeah, supporting and then no other cast members. Yeah, so I was like, oh casting got it. Love bags. Yeah, that's really good. Um but Michael B. Jordan, that needed to happen. I'm glad it did. Oh my god, I'm so glad it did. Because we didn't dissect this. I keep saying dissect today. Yeah. We didn't dissect this. We're gonna dissect in science class. After our Oscar's chat and Buffet's chat, I went and watched Sinners the day after. Mother of God. It was one of the best films I've seen about yeah. It was incredible. So he was just amazing, and I loved every second of it. John got really angry at the aspect ratio changing all the time. Did you notice that? Oh no. Unless you're watching with John, you're not gonna notice it like that. The aspect ratio was changing all the time. And then we Googled it to be like, is that an actual thing? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, I don't know. That is that makes sense though, if you're like shifting between um personas and all that. Like it was interesting. And like generations, and it was very dreamy when it was.

SPEAKER_01

It was, and it freaked me out a little bit. Yeah. Some of the scenes, especially your man, the Irish lad, he made me he actually made me so.

SPEAKER_02

Like the singing and everything. Like, that is crazy.

SPEAKER_00

Can you just clarify that I actually did enjoy it? And um it's just the only thing that bothered me about it.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so you've interrupted to tell everybody that, so yes, yes, he enjoyed it. He just got bothered by the aspect ratio. Of course. But he loved it. It is a bit jarring, but I think. Can you watch it again and see? I didn't notice it that way. We both left and we were like, that was good, and he deserved it. Yeah. And also just um watching Timothy Charme have to deal with absolutely everything that behind it. There was a small part of me that was like, oh. But I'm like, you did it to yourself.

SPEAKER_02

None, like none of the awards they were up for they won, did they? But Marty Supreme was a very good thing.

SPEAKER_01

But can I just say that was before this was all before he even did this? So it was like the film wasn't that good. Why was it up? I wasn't gonna win anyway, yeah. No.

SPEAKER_02

So he did just, yeah, he messed it up for himself. Yep. Um, that's crazy.

SPEAKER_01

It was crazy. And also, the one thing that bothered me, this is so small, and I'm not nitpicking. The way he sat, did you see his sitting position? Oh yeah. It was like a slouched, his it was slouching. Like I was like, sit up, straight, you're out of the bucky. He was kind of like back in his chair.

SPEAKER_02

It was slouch- and maybe he was having a really, really bad time. Maybe. And maybe he was just like, oh god, this is all gonna be about me.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, but Dune's out now and or we'll be out. So I'm like, you're making bank.

SPEAKER_02

Like, oh, he's oh, he's gonna be fine. He's just like and his next press tour should be interesting. I just can't believe he said it. Like, I still am like, I can't believe he did that. I mean, maybe it was a ploy just to be be like a bit, you know, a bit of a viral moment and like make it about him. But like he's just he's be he sounds cocky now.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and apparently, like they lost loads of views this year. It was the lowest they've been since something 2000 and something really low because people are just sick and tired of the opening sh just get on with it, like the fluff of it all. Just get yeah, oh the one iconic moment was um Anna Winter and freaking. Oh, yeah, I'm happy with the story. Do you like my dress and the nominees on? Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you, Emily. So good. I'm excited for that film, but I'm nervous. Yeah, I know. I I don't I even the trailer, I was like, I wasn't happy with the trailer. Can we watch it together? Yeah. Yeah, let's take everybody. I would love that. Stressed. Stressed. But yeah, no, I loved it. And then Jessie Buckley winning as well was so first off. Oh my gosh, it's always so good.

SPEAKER_01

Beautiful. The chaotic um a mother's chaotic heart on Mother's Day as well. She's I love every and also that was the best dress I've seen her in across the board of all the like all the awards. Yeah, her Bath's one wasn't my favourite. Not that I care much, but I was she looked beautiful. And I loved like the pink red, like I think that looked really well. Stunning. That's right. She looked stunning. And also I thought um, who else's dress was absolutely iconic? I loved Emma's little white moment. That was cute. Emma's Strain had a little white that was really cute. Little like sparkly, like it wasn't like, oh, it was so tasteful. I thought it was really beautiful. Uh huh. So anyone else, I was just like, yeah, I love Danna. I will say oh my god, with the gloves, yeah. That was so good. And um, Kylie Jenna, I'm not a Kylie Jenna gal. She did look beautiful. Oh, yeah. That red dress was stunning. Absolutely. Only very few can wear those kind of dresses. And I was like, yeah, she looks great. She does it great. Yeah, she does. Um do a club about like um yeah.

SPEAKER_02

That's what I love about the like awards, especially the Oscars, is like the outfits. They everyone was full out for Oscars and they just love.

SPEAKER_01

It was amazing. I love the men looked really dapper.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Michael B. Jordan looks sick. He did. I loved his outfit. Oh, it just was so good. And his everyone just so supportive of him as well. It was like it's obvious that he was like, he's like beloved by his like community. Like it's just such a like.

SPEAKER_01

I liked the Leo moment too with the meaning. That was cute.

SPEAKER_02

I was like, oh, little mustache. Yeah, I know. Don't like it. Get it, get it, get rid of it, Leo. And then Pedro without a mustache, get it back. Give it back to him, take it off, take it off. It's not for you, it's not for you.

SPEAKER_01

Um, but I was really happy that um Sean Penn won't. Even though he wasn't there. Yeah. And I was googling, I was like, where is he? Where is he?

SPEAKER_02

And then like he was like, he's not, he doesn't go to these things. He doesn't do these things. Okay. No, absolutely. Kieran Culkin then doing that. It's so funny. Like his um savage little. He's so much. He didn't want to be here. Yeah, so savage.

SPEAKER_01

Or maybe he just doesn't care. So yeah, here we are. Here we go. I'm just taking it. Thank you. He is he is just Roman Roy all the time. All the time. It doesn't change. He's not that was he wasn't acting.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, no, absolutely not. It's just him.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So that was my long asking. No, no, no, but it's good because we've you know we've we've done the episode and now we're back. Yeah, it was amazing.

SPEAKER_01

Here we go. Here we go, boy. We talk about cars. Yes. Uh which is funny because I actually have on a cars like from the T Hang on, I'm showing Chloe, I'm not stripping. Oh my god, we're gonna be here. I got MITRE. So Mader! That was my nickname when I was in school. It just feels right. Everything feels right about him. I love him. Um so right, let's go into. Have you ever driven in America? Yes. Oh, yes. Didn't see that coming. No, I I have. Did you enjoy it? Um No.

SPEAKER_02

I've I mean, should I be saying this? Because it wasn't legal. So maybe we can't get out of it. It's a little bit of road. Why would it not be on? Why though? Because I don't have a license in the US. Doesn't that doesn't matter. That does not matter. I haven't I didn't hire a car or anything.

SPEAKER_01

I just got behind behind Dan's wheel. That's fine, my eyes. Maybe I should say no. I see absolutely no harm. Yeah, that's fine. You went automatic though, obviously, because neither of our fellowship. Because I can drive are able to do manuals like.

SPEAKER_02

No, we can't. They don't do the the stick. They don't do the stick.

SPEAKER_01

Which is actually what I'm really excited to talk about. Because me and Claude have these cute little dinky little cars, right? So when John's family come over, they're like, oh my god, your car is so cute. I'm like, yes, he is. His name is Reggie. Yes. And he's a white little Toyota ego. What's yours called?

SPEAKER_02

Mine's called Snow White because it's my mum's car. I'm in my mum's car. Boom, boom. Um in my mom's car. Yeah, literally me every day. My mom really needed a new car, and I think Snow White is like 11, 12 years old now. It's a babe. So mine. My mum just needed a new one, and she didn't want to give Snow White up, so she gave her to me. I remember when you got that, I was so happy for you.

SPEAKER_01

Remember how excited I was.

SPEAKER_02

So excited. Oh yeah, because I was too. You can drive. I like as soon as she even mentioned it, I was like, it's happening. I'm going and getting it right now. I'm taking the megabus home for the last time, and I'm picking her up. Thank you. Bye. And it's white. It's white. What's the make? Uh a Mazda 2. Oh, God. She's cutie. She's great. And she's a five, not five door. Yeah, five door. That's not a few. Yeah, she is. Mine's a little three-door. Yeah. I used to have a three-door. Did she? Used to have a KA.

unknown

You had a KA?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Uh huh. I love a little dinky KA. I know, it was my first car. Ford KA. Great first car. Yes. Great first car. In a black one. Her name was Sally. Love this. Like from cars. I have to name them. I have to name them. Or like Mustang Sally, I also thought was funny because she was the tiniest car in the world. That's a vibe. That's a vibe. She was a little bubble. KA is a tiny. Yeah, they're not going to be able to do it.

SPEAKER_01

So if you're in, if you're in uh America right now and you're like, what the hell is a KA? You definitely don't have a KA. No. So Google right now, Afford KA. Yes. And you will see how small. They're like bubbles. They're bubbles. Like they could probably roll over. Like that's how if you break too hard, it's just like woo! I don't even think they have Toyota ego. So Google that as well. And Mazda 2. Google that as well. Mazda 2s. I think they have Mazdas. They definitely have Mazdas. They have definitely Toyotas, so they just don't have Mazdas. They don't have small cars, which is one thing when we went to America. Obviously, you've been to Boston. Yeah. Oh Mazda 2. No, they don't sound like that. And then uh John and I, when we were in New Jersey, I just drove on those horrendous um roads, and John will agree that they're a bit brutal and people drive like maniacs. Uh-huh. The size of the cars will never, we will never be able, unless you go, you will never be able to comprehend just how big they are. The lanes are bigger, didn't you? You know the same thing. Yeah, yeah. The lanes on a park, a motorway. What would they call those? Um like we all come to the party. Highways. The highway. Oh god. They're huge. So imagine our little egos. We could be side by side. A little tiny fit. Yeah, we really could. Side by side.

SPEAKER_02

We positioned it right. Like we could just fit.

SPEAKER_01

So they are yeah, the the size of the car is there, okay.

SPEAKER_02

Everyone's got a truck. Everyone. And it's so bizarre. Like if you do have like a even a slightly smaller car, it's so like jarring because we're gonna be able to get a lot of things. We're gonna get bullied. Huge. You're gonna get bullied off of it. Oh my gosh, yeah, of course you are. And they're like four by fours. Learning to drive in them as well, like crazy. Dan had a Jeep at one point, like I mean, dream car, but like he had it for like a like a secondhand one. I hate him. Oh, and it was like, yeah, I didn't even see it because it was like during pandemic time, so he had it for like a year and then it like completely like broke down. Oh my god, he had it. It was like so like he bought it like from a friend, then it was not working well then. But it was cool and big, huge. Yeah, oh god, what's it? So cool. But like imagine having a Jeep.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, I can. I can't we did a road trip. We did a road trip and we were we were going to we did basically like um New England. Yes, and it was absolutely amazing, and uh I was like, We're renting a car. He's like, Yeah, so Googling these cars, and I was like, So you wonder it has to be a Jeep Wrangler, don't you? And he was like, fine. So we got a Jeep Wrangler and we did the snow. Also, it was a really happy idea because we did the snow in Vermont. And if we didn't have a four by four off-road, I think I would have been really stressed. Really stressed. Not that they don't clear their roads, they're braced for it. But they need to do protection. This is another thing, hello. We are not braced for snow, because when it happens, we're like, oh, okay, we got told it was gonna be a big deal, but it hasn't snowed heavy in a while. No, but we don't do our roads the way they do them.

SPEAKER_02

No, they're so prepared. Everything blizzards have just happened, like they were so braced, ready for it. And like, even though I mean it's probably stopped a few businesses I'm opening up. Not the Dunkin' Donuts, though. They open all the time. Um, but like they are so ready for it, and the plows are like straight through straight out. Um, and everyone knows to shovel. And you're like, you know when to do it and you salt, like everyone's just ready to go back to it's like we'll do it, we'll do it, take an hour, we'll plow, and then we'll just get back on it. Like, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_01

So ready to go. That's gonna plow. It's like you and I would cull. Cull C U L L. Cull Plow. Coffee today? Like a little bit, like I am right there, like uh so yeah, yeah, that's a big thing we like. Also, this is gonna be really janky just because there's so much I I have to say about driving. I've never done it. I now can because to rent a car I think anywhere in the world, you need to have two years on your license. Right. So I could never do anything. But also, do you think John would let me behind the wheel on a highway going, he'd be like, no. And absolutely not. I've never driven an automatic.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. No, it is scary to drive an automatic. Because I my left I'd have to stick my left foot to the ground. Oh, I like my mum does it as well when she drives automatic because my dad's now got an automatic like recent development and it's bizarre. Um but my mum like literally tucks her leg under, like she sits on her other because she's terrified. Because I keep and like I have like try, I mean, answer the other question. No, I haven't driven in the US, absolutely not. But when I have like given it a go and sat in the sat in the seat, um, I keep trying to like go for the stick and then hitting the window because like it's not even on the it's on the other side. Oh my god, a pole of the car. So you're not even like dealing with the same arms. Like it's all over the place.

SPEAKER_01

So if everyone needs to know about stick shift, we'll just go do it for the American audience because there's a lot of you. The stick shift, first off, sorry, side note, guys, we got 1,000 downloads the other day. Oh my god! Wow, we've celebrated that. Thank you. I just hit another microphone. We're gonna be celebrating that soon, so thank you so much, everyone. So cool. Sorry, we're super gasped. 1,000. It was so good. A thousand people have been listening to the colour.

SPEAKER_02

It was one good downloaded it too.

SPEAKER_01

Everyone's listening, yeah, that's so fun. It was amazing. So thank you. We love you. Oh my god. Um, so that's how I know we have a strong American audience and UK audience. Um so when you look at a stick shift, for those who don't have a manual car, you've got one, two, three, four, five. Mine goes to five. Does yours go to six? No, five. Okay, so five. So most sports cars will go to six at a push seven. Who has a sports car? That's probably this is. Um so we can feel they tell you in your lessons, um, you can feel when the car wants to go to the s the next gear up. And it depends on how quick you're going. So if you want to do it like this, when you've got a when you're in first gear, it's your starting gear, so it'd be 10 to 20. When you're hitting 20, you go into second gear. Sorry, between 10 and 20, you're going into second gear. And when you're in 30s, you're kind of just living in or 20 to 30, you're living in third gear. Yeah. And then from on there, you can cheat it. Yes, three, four, every 10. Yeah. Um, so on the motorway, if you're not on in fifth gear, you are so on. Yeah. You're not going to be able to survive that. Um, so that's how we manage, and you can feel there's something very cool once you learn how to do a manual, which obviously I don't know if this happened to you when you first get into the car to do your driving. You go, There is no way in hell I'm going to be able to learn how to put my foot down on the clutch, move the thing. There's so much to do in a multitasking to the point where then when you do it without thinking, you go, This is so easy. But it's a switch cloak. Because when you first do it, don't tell me you want like, I don't know what I'm doing. No. And then you've got an amazing instructor going clutch down, you go, clutch down, move.

SPEAKER_02

So you have to do the like find the bite, the like don't with the split clutch because you have to like lift it up enough and put the accelerator down enough that it like catches and then guys, this is it. That was so hard. That was the hardest bit of learning to say clutch control.

SPEAKER_01

Mother of God, clutch control was the what on a hill, clutch control.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, yeah, because I lived in Wales. So like I did it on the in the valleys. It's all hill. There's no flat. It's all hill. I was it's ridiculous. And I'm sure, yeah, my test were like most of my tests were on were on hills, like hill starts, and just because that was like normal, like just how you do it.

SPEAKER_01

Like it was so hard. But it's such a good point. Clutch. No one to start a car, you have to put the clutch down, get it into first gear, and slowly, guys, raise your left foot. My instructor used to say, imagine a a pound coin underneath, like raise the clutch to where a pound coin finishes. However, I've got an older car, Chloe does two. Our clutch point is way higher than it's high. So high pound. It's like a five-pound pencil.

SPEAKER_02

It's like, okay, where is it? Where is it? Where is it? Oh yeah, there it is.

SPEAKER_01

So older the car, your clutch gets higher. I can obviously get a new clutch, they don't cost as much, but if you needed a new gearbox, God help you all, they're like a grand. Um but every time I crunch mine, I'm like I crunched mine yesterday. Oh no and had a meltdown. I fully crunched mine yesterday and had a meltdown, and it terrifies me. It is scary, yeah. It's awful.

SPEAKER_02

When you like slip out of gear, you'll naturally go out of gear sometimes. No clutch. Oh, if I like don't if I don't fully. Ram it in? Yeah, especially when I'm going back to first. Like if I'm going for a hill start or something, I really have to like and then I have the panic of like, go, go, go! Like it's not going in. Like it feels like a wall. Look at me.

SPEAKER_01

Tell me. John's looking at me right now because yesterday I was on a roundabout and my my car, my clutch did not sorry, my gear stick did not go into number two. Oh, and I was like, it was not going. And then you the panic is awful. So you are a magic driver? Shut the guy.

SPEAKER_02

That's why I call it a goal cart. Like it's a good idea. It's like you're just driving a goal cart. It's like Mario Kart, but like all the time.

SPEAKER_01

And this is one thing when I, because obviously John had passed, he's got his license for like 11 years. I assume Dan's exactly the same. And so they come here like, You have a manual. Yeah, good luck. Like you could never. So I remember when I first was learning, John goes, What is going on? Yeah. Like, what are you doing? Which is cool because they look at us and go, yeah. So there was a gag. John is definitely more experienced than I, but I think I'm more trained. I can do it all. So on your test, on my driving instructor, I had three driving instructors. Oh fun. Because obviously during the pandemic, I I after the pandemic, I did an intensive course. Oh fun. So I learned how to drive in five days. Yeah. Which was very cool. Oh wow. Oh, it was wild. It was like out. I was out on the roads for like four hours, break, and then out again for three. So it was the best way to learn. That's how I learned intensively. And they were like, huh, you still need some more. I was like, yes, for sure, I need some more. But I learned how to drive and I passed my theory. Yes. We'll discuss theory in a week. Yeah, theory tests. Um but we I had one driver there, uh, he was great, but I didn't um he couldn't continue after the course, so I was like, that's fine. And my first, the first car I ever drove asked me what it was. The very first car I learned to drive. What was it? Fiat 500.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, Unreal.

SPEAKER_01

I always wanted a Fiat 500. It was iconic in everywhere. It was a luminary. And then I think because everyone, I was doing a class with like 10 people, they went, You've got a fiat. I was like, Yes, I have. Thank you. Fuck your courses. So, yeah, nothing to do with courses. I don't like them, but um, that's my opinion. And then such a good car to drive in. But I learned how to I then went, did my test in a coursa. Oh. Um, and I failed. We'll talk about how I failed. I was absolutely another time. No, we'll talk about it today. We'll go into it. Um and then I passed in a Toyota Little Dinky Toyota. I don't know. Yarris. A tiny old school Yarris. There it is.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, this.

SPEAKER_01

Cute, very cute, easy to drive, and like a dream. And I passed with my my best friend uh Sondip taught me. He met who I met him at my wedding, he taught me how to drive.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, that's so lovely.

SPEAKER_01

It was very cute. And then he helped my brother. So my brother learned how to pass after that. Oh amazing. Um, but like he beforehand, he goes, Are you good or uphill? I was like, Look, I've been driving now for like a year, on off, like on off a year, like bits and pieces. After I failed, it's very hard to get tests in this country because they're dealing with a huge background.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, anyway, wait. I mean, I passed like when I was 17, so it's like 10 years ago now. Did you? Wow. Um, but it was like six months ago.

SPEAKER_01

I keep forgetting you're so young when you pass, actually.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So it was just almost 18, so yeah. Wow. But that's desperate.

SPEAKER_01

In Wales, you can't need to. That's crazy. You're relying on everyone else, aren't you?

SPEAKER_02

And I wanted to be the cool girl driving to school, so you bad bitch. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, I'm so Me driving the thing is my my skull is walkable, my mum would have beat me. But uh Yeah, like and that, and then you and then he made me sta he made me go up a hill that was like this. Yeah. He parked, I parked the car and he was like, right, we're doing uh, we're gonna just do a thing here where you're just going to make the car stand still using only your left foot. And I went, no. He goes, I promise you nothing bad's gonna happen. We won't roll because I will then take control. Yeah. So he taught me on a hill that was like, I'm not gonna lie to you, you know, it was like vertical. Yes. And he was like, right, just play with clutch control. So now, because of him, my clutch control, and John can agree with this, uh, is insane. Yes. Because he sat me on a hill in parked position, take me, told me to take the handbrake off and use only my left foot for leverage. Now, oh the idea of it's disgusting.

SPEAKER_02

Because now you can find it. You're always always able to find it.

SPEAKER_01

But when you when you like slip out of a little bit, you're like, Yeah, I'll go back. No! This is it, I'm done. Bye. And also in your test, if you roll back a little bit, fail.

SPEAKER_02

Oh yeah. We have very hard rules, Chloe. Yeah, we do. Well, I did roll back a bit in my test. And I thought I I thought I died. I didn't die. I thought I failed. I didn't die, I failed. I didn't think I I think thought that was it. I was like, I'm done, I'm done. Because I was like on, it wasn't like a big hill, but I was like on like uh like by traffic lights. And like I was ready to to go and I forgot like the handbrake, so I was like, okay, handbrick down, and then like didn't get back in time, so it went slightly back, and everyone was like, whoa! And then I went and took off.

SPEAKER_01

Did you overcompensate? But I'm excited for you. You had uh so you did yours in the valleys. Yes. I did mine in London. Yeah, did you pass fast term? Uh yes.

SPEAKER_02

I hate you. I know. But you were desperate, you were desperate. But I like also like had my dad who was like who used to take me out all the time. Because you had manual practice. Yeah. Yeah. So me and my like my dad would take me up like the worst roads in the valleys. Like I remember once like turning up, like, yeah, like a dirt path, and like there was this road that was a one way, and it was just like on literally on like a cliff edge. And there was like houses here. Oh, sorry, Mike. Um, houses here, and then I had to like kind of drive and just hope that like no one pulled out or anything because I was literally on like a cliff edge. And then I'd had to like do like a three-point turn at the end and then come down and then do the same back. And it was literally like the goats, like they're on the like the mountain goats. They're kind of just like, that's how I felt in the car. And that was one of my first days, like learning to drive. My dad was like, straight up, we're going straight up to this mountain, I love it. And you're gonna do it, and then you're not gonna be afraid anymore. And it worked, smart, but and like that also included me going up the mountain, like actually climbing the mountain with like the car, and it was so scary. He had so much faith in me, if you think about it. Because he didn't have like the extra half the like ears or anything. So I was just like handbrake! Stop! They're like a lean across and ground. You're all right, you'll be right, you'll be fine. Um, but yeah. I can imagine him being very mellow. Yeah, yeah, you're fine. Don't look down. Because he's also like the the person that in the car, like you don't want him in the car with anyone. Oh, you crunched that, wasn't it? Oh, watch out, watch out. I wouldn't have done that if asked. Oh my god, this is so bad. Oh, dude. Oh, there we go. Um, but so but it was good for learning because I just like had that constant like awareness and he always like called out anything that like I was like kind of questioning. He was always like, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I was always had his voice.

SPEAKER_01

I smelled you, but they say it's true, you do have your driving instructor's voice with you. Yeah. Like I I caught myself a numerous times. I'm not sick, I'm just clearing my throat. That uh every single time there was like a moment where I was like, don't panic. I just heard Sondip go, clutch down. I'm like, ah, there it is. I you just because in these moments, I cannot tell you that it was yours really stress mine was really stressful.

SPEAKER_02

It was I've never been as nervous before. No, me either. Like, I mean, we're both actors, like, but that was like the most nervous I've ever been. Yeah, it was because like you it's you just don't know. You also a baby.

SPEAKER_01

Man or a female? You have a man.

SPEAKER_02

I had a man. Yeah. Yeah, I did. Um nothing wrong with them. I can't remember. But I I I think I had one that like was notorious for like being quite grumpy. Oh. So like I just knew like from the beginning, I was like, oh no, like.

SPEAKER_01

What was the name of what was the name of the place that you your driving thing? Like mine was high barnet driving tests. What was your place?

SPEAKER_02

I was I think I was in Ponty. I don't know what the name was. Ponty. Okay, so it was in Pontier. Yeah, it was in Pontebreed, yeah. So because I because even though I wasn't living in Pontipride then, like that was the closest. How many roundabouts you do? I mean, wheels is full of them, so a few. I did I hated them. I remember I had to drive through like the town centre. Yeah. And then I had to drive up to a roundabout and then go on the motorway. Yep. And then I had to get off the motorway, and then I I went into like a uh estate and did like um I think I had to do a reverse around a corner. That was my like that your manoeuvre? Yeah, maneuver was reverse. I I quite like that one though, because you just follow the the line. Yeah, the line. Don't touch the curb! Don't touch the curb. No, but I also had to like do I think I did a three-point turn somewhere else because of the routy took me, like I kind of had to. So that was like an unexpected three-point turn.

SPEAKER_01

This is iconic because three-point turns are no longer a thing. So yeah, you should know this. This is guys, so I passed three years ago. Yes. Close. No, they're gone. And I would have loved a three-point turn because I'm very good at them. But they are gone.

SPEAKER_02

Oh wow. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

We'll go over this. I'm really excited. Whoa. So you had that was your manoeuvre. Yeah. You didn't obviously hit the curb at any point. You obviously went downtown, which must have been like a 20-mile per hour zone going into 30. You went on a motorway with them. That sucks. That is my fear. And my fear, even till does not so much anymore, but roundabouts. Yeah, roundabouts. They are the worst. No, they are the worst. Yeah. They're like, hi, come off at the second exit, and you're like, that's fine, I know what lane to be. The minute they go, come off on the third exit. You go, oh, wait, did you have a sat nav? Yes. That was also a new development because I didn't have a sat nav. So you have to do the first, the first time you get in the car, he goes, We're gonna start with the sat nav. Yeah. So it starts with the sat nav. You have to follow them. And you have to follow just that voice. So he's silent. So you're just following the sat nav, which is really uncomfortable. Uh but it's just teaching you like how to listen and do your skills, and then you'll go, pull over, you pull over. That is the end of your um navigation. What I will be taking control from you on out, and you're like, grey! Thank you. Um I have to say it was not my first time though, Clay. Yeah, it does. Um I uh did my I did my test, it was lash, it was uh grey, it looked grey outside, and my mum and my dad and a few other people knew that my driving test was going to be uh on this day. Yeah. So my dad said he was in his office and he looked outside at like when I say grey, I mean like we're talking back wall behind me, grey. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And he went, Oh, that doesn't look good. And so I've stepped out, and I'll never forget it. These two lads in high viz, they're builders, stepped out because obviously your driving um in your examiner is in a high viz. Which wasn't a high viz. I don't remember. He has to be in a high vis. So he steps out and he's like, the guy going, Oh, I could lot love. And I was like, Thank you. Can you read that number plate for me? My guy's name was Tony, right? Never forget it. And I was like, okay, here we go. And I read the number plate and I was like, he was like, well done. I was like, great. We get to the car, it starts lashing. And then I've started to get a little bit like, okay, so now I have to, because what we have to do as well, guys, you have to show them, show and tell them. I don't know if you had to do this as well. You had to, he'd be like, How do you turn this off? Yeah. And you'd have to just show how you turn off just the basic ins and outs of your car. So he was like, I had to turn the wind wipe the windscreen wipers on. Um, and then uh I was hyper-aware that it was gonna get foggy at some point in the car, and I couldn't fully remember how to turn the AC. It was honest to God, of course, because it's gonna get it, it was not supposed to be like this. Like it was not supposed to rain. So he goes, I'm based on you, High Barnet Road, as you'll see it, is one of the busiest uh streets just for traffic. So he was like, indicate out when you're ready. And I was so panicked, I indicated, and a car behind me let me go, and then I didn't move, and he goes, When you're ready, and I was like, Oh my god, I've already I've already failed in my head. But he gives you they give you like a small five-minute buffer period, I think. I think that's what he does. Um, because he can tell you're nervous and he's doing all the shit. So I pull out. Um, I didn't do the thing. He makes me go. Now bear in mind, I there's 25 routes he can take you on. There is two that were my dream. He did not take me on the one I wanted, which is fine. He've got 25 routes, like what can I do? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we get down anyway. So we're driving around. I think I'm doing okay. He's touched his iPad a few times, and I'm like, uh-oh, like that's not a good thing. But also it could be a good thing because he's just saying you've ticked that box. He didn't have a clipboard and paper like yours. My guy had an iPad. Wow. Driving in the future. Driving in the future. It's like following the satin, and then I forgot that he was gonna be like, pull over. And like, you cannot touch the curb, guys. If you touch the curb when pulling over, you fail, immediate fail, which is horrendous, is really bad, it's sad for it.

SPEAKER_02

It should be a minor easy. It should be a minor, and it's if you're on the pavement, then yeah. Yeah, I mean touching it, kind of. I always touch the curb. Yeah, it's like a buffer.

SPEAKER_01

I use it as like a bumper, it's like a bumper car thing, and then it is fine. Um, and so anyway, we're doing the thing, and then it's starting to like have like the heavens have opened, like a floral, we're talking a Florida tropical downpour going, and I've like started to get turned the windscreen wipers on, and he's he's a little bit like, oh god, you know, are you okay? And I'm like, I'm fine. He goes, Do you want to demiss the the fucking thing? And I'm like, yes. So I've I've at the same time hit three different things because I'm so overwhelmed.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, of course.

SPEAKER_01

Um and in my head, I haven't, I know I haven't done anything major, but I'm definitely hitting minors. By the way, guys, in this country, you're only allowed 15 minors. If you get 15 minors, you fail. Yeah. Um, and if you get a major, you're done. Yeah. Um, so anyway, the rule is in this country, if they touch the wheel, if the instructor has to engage, touch a wheel or the handbrake, it's an immediate fail. So I haven't done my manoeuvre at this point. We're going up a hill. It's fine, it's not like vertical, but it we're going up a hill, and there's park cars to my left, there's another car coming, it's torrential rain. My guy reaches over and touches the wheel. And I Chloe, you're so cute. Chloe's face of distraught. Yeah, he touched the wheel, and uh, because in his eyes it was about clearance. Fuck off.

SPEAKER_02

No. There was enough terrorists to take me up a cover. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01

So I he did that, and I just went, okay, I've probably got about 15 minutes left. So I gave up. And when I say that, and I, my head, I know there's like different opinions here, in my head, might be a hot take. If they touch the wheel, just end the fucking test. Yeah, well. Because the person's failed. You're making now it's just like she's lost, we've lost all hope. Yeah. And now we don't want to continue. If everyone's like, Yeah, but it's for experience, no, the experience is now ruined. Yeah. I'm not having a good time. I know I failed. Because then he goes, pull in here to the left. Uh, can you parallel park into this space? Chloe, no. So I went, you know how guys, you have to check all your mirrors. You basically have to win them over by checking all your mirrors all the time. Every five seconds. Bang, bang, bang, bang. All the way, yeah. I reverse, and you should have seen the way I reversed. I was in no fucking mood. I pulled out, looked back a little bit, looked to my right, swerved in, had to redo it. I said, sorry, Tony, give me a second. I literally was so reading. I was like, give me a second, Tony. Went back in. He goes, Okay, move on. We pull up. He goes, Okay, so you failed. I was like, fuck. In my head, I was like, wow. But I was really upset, like, really, really upset. And I wasn't gonna cry in front of him, but I was like, okay, and he goes, it was clearance. Uh, you got too close to that car. You had a few minors here, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I had like 10 miners. Oh. And I was like, okay, so I had a really bad test. And then obviously, like, yeah, it was really bad. I like cried to my parents. My dad goes, to be honest, I did l well, guys, it costs money. Yeah, it does. And you're on the roads. Yeah. It was really bad.

SPEAKER_02

On the real roads. And they don't tell other people you're doing a test. It's just a learner thing, and that's about it. Like, there's more like tests like this. Like, please look after this person.

SPEAKER_01

Like, it's really hard. And then it was raining. It was raining. And then my next test came along, and I guess who came up? He was like, Mave O'Hare. And I was like, Oh, hi, Tony. No. And it was like, he looked at me like this. And I said, Yeah, I remember you. And he goes, I'm uh sorry, I see so many. I was like, Yeah, you fucking knew me. You're gonna remember me. You're gonna remember me. So I got in the car and he was like, first off, he goes, Can you look at that? My vision in the space of like five months went down. And I was like, uh here. I don't think I can see. And he went, Do you want to try again? I was like, Yes. And I was like, Do you want to try? I was like, yes, okay. And I tried again and then it doesn't matter. He could, he could see. I could see it. Anyway, long story short, um, I passed and at one point he goes, God, people are people walking in front of me. Like walking in the middle of the road. He goes, That is absolutely look at them. Uh and I said, Yes, Tony, my hand was like, Yes, Tony, absolutely, just but at one point when I first and then he took me on a route that I loved. Oh no, yeah. So it was the happiest day ever. And then he goes, pull over and he goes, Are you okay? I said, I'm just really, I said, I'm absolutely terrified. And he was like, I'm gonna tell you now, you're a good driver. There is nothing to worry about. And I was like, okay, because he knows he's failed me already before, I already feel like he's not on my side, but they are on your side. They just want to check you're a good driver. Yeah, of course. And then my manoeuvre, reverse two car lengths.

SPEAKER_02

Yes!

SPEAKER_01

The best you could ever be given. Reverse two car lengths. I think I had to. Instead of around the corner, yeah, you just pull over to the side of the road. Yeah. There's obviously shit tons of room because it's there's they've done it on purpose. Yeah, of course. And he goes, reverse two car lengths safely straight. The car has to be completely straight. Um, yeah, but just just just Gary, okay, so you've passed, and do you know what I did? Because I'm who I am. Oh, I had nine miners, which wasn't great, but hey, it doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_02

It doesn't matter how many miners you have.

SPEAKER_01

He went, just be careful. Um I nearly, I nearly did it there because you slowed down just in time. I was like, yeah, sure. And then he goes, So you've passed. I hit him. I hit him with my fist on his arm. I was like, no way! And he literally went, yes. And I was like, I went, I'm so sorry. I don't know what to do with these hands. And I opened the car door because obviously it's my friend. I turned to Sonic. I went, I passed, he goes, fucking get it in front of the door.

SPEAKER_02

Tony was like, no.

SPEAKER_01

He went, okay, these guys are fucking crazy. But it was like it was the best. And but also, like, you never know what you're getting. I really wanted to pass first time. Uh my brother took time to pass. It's scary. Like, it is intense. And I also Googled that high barnet has a very bad pass rate.

SPEAKER_02

Um, so you you you kind of it's really hard to pass, like, I'm sure one of my mum's friends like took like seven times to pass her test. Yeah. Really? It's just like it's it's like I feel like it's one of those things where either like no or you don't, like you have it or you don't. Like it's and it's really difficult to be under like pressure and drive.

SPEAKER_01

And I think you can get an arsehole.

SPEAKER_02

I genuinely believe you can get an arsehole to it. And people are like arseholes to you like on the road as well. When they see a learner driver, like people are horrible. They're awful. It's so bad. I have to say uh say a story about what my dad did. I didn't know he was doing this during my test. But my dad followed me. Yeah, and I did not clock it at all. Because I mean, like, you know, I didn't know, and like the driver's. Okay, so he's a controller. Oh yeah. I think he stayed. I don't know if he was like directly behind me, but he was like uh just a car behind, and then he said like at one point, like he had to be behind me because of the way like someone turned off, and so he was, and he was just like, I'm gonna go very slow and hope she doesn't see me. But then there's no pressure from some ticket. I didn't know that he did it, but it was really cute. So sweet. Yeah, and then afterwards he was like, Good job. Oh, I love that. We did like we were slow on this bit, but you did pass, so it's always okay. When you have kids, you know they're gonna go to him and do it.

SPEAKER_01

Take them up the hill. No, I wanna do it.

SPEAKER_02

I wanna like take over some American. It was really cute, but yeah, no, everyone else is mean.

SPEAKER_01

They are, you just don't know who you're getting and it's intense. Did you know this about America? Let's hit him. Let's hit him hard, right? Miss Automatic. In New Jersey, uh each state is different, John informs me. But at 16, you take your theory test.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

And that's in New Jersey, and then 17 you can have a full license, right? Which is kind of standard. In some places, I think in California, but there is other places in America, you can do your theory at 14 to 15. That's crazy. And then have a full license by 16. Uh too young. Too young to be on the road.

SPEAKER_02

That's so like imagine a 14-year-old starting to drive, like that. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_01

Like I know it's a life skill, but you might feel some comfort because uh the way you and I went on the roads, we're thrown into the deep ends, we're on motorways, we're being bullied by random drivers on mountains. They don't go on the road in their test. They go in like a racetrack type environment, like a parking lot. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And that's how they thought I imagined it. That's what I thought. Because like some American kid, like watching all the American shows. Yeah. I thought like we would be learning in like the driver's edge. Driver's edge! Yeah, in like the little car parky, like built things. There's an episode of Spongebob as well, where there was like a driver's edge. Yeah, there with the cones and the like moment when he's like screaming. I thought it was gonna be I thought it was gonna be like that. No, like we were just out in the wild. No, but we're not gonna be like, But like, yeah, but then Zed class is also like a not a part of is it a part of school, but like it's like it can be it can be like a lesson, right? As well. No, I get it.

SPEAKER_01

You need a car in America, especially within like the suburby bits, but also not take and I know that parents take their kids on the road to like try and get used to it, but also like that I know that there's more crashes uh with teenagers because they're not they're not imagine going on a highway, they've got no idea, they've just come out, they've got you know, sweet 16, we both watched that, please, and they get a brand new car, like a Mercedes, and you're like, they haven't even got their like they haven't got their full license yet and they're going on a road in a murk, like please.

SPEAKER_02

I can't it was always bizarre to me. I could never like imagine that because even 17, I'm like, do I feel like old enough to drive? Like, I feel like I I went to the city.

SPEAKER_01

Your insurance, I assume, was my insurance of my first time driving was horrendous.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I was so bad. Um, but like I just I just can't imagine being 16 with a car, like able to just like go. And also, I feel like in the US there's less like so. Obviously, they have like the police pull down people if they're speeding, but they don't speak. No speed cameras. There's no speed cameras. Sean is terrible. There are no cameras for parking, nothing. Nothing.

SPEAKER_01

We are like watched all the time. Do you want to hear something crazy? Yeah. They don't even have like a proper MOT. Oh, yeah, Chloe. Oh my gosh. No, no, you don't, Jonathan. No, you don't. You don't have the way that we have an MOT. We went over this the other day. He's like looking at me. If you want to talk about it, bring it up with Danny and like two reads. You have your episode, you have your episode. Like our MOTs in this country, guys, it's a motor.

SPEAKER_02

It's basically to make sure that you're a motor observant together. Where's Andrew when you need it?

SPEAKER_01

I know, dad would know. Um it's basically to make sure that your your vehicle is safe to be on the road. Yeah. So you can fail it. You can fail, and then you have to pay a lot of money to fix that car, or they go, uh actually. It's not legal. It's against the law. If you don't get an MOT, you cannot drive that car. So you can drive your car legally to an MOT. Like to a shop or whatever. Yeah, a shop, yeah. Get it checked. They do all the checks. They check the brakes, they check the engine, they check if it's okay, like it's not um putting loads of pollution into the into the wall. Oh my god. Yeah, they are. Um, but there is serious rules that you we have a specific kind of um what do I mean? Like U L E Z is a thing here as well. Oh yeah, yeah. Like my car passes that, like you cannot go to certain things if your car is too old. Emission zone. Emission zone. So they will check all that, yeah, yeah. They'll check everything. But if your car is too dangerous to be on the road, you cannot drive it anymore. If you fail your MOT and then you can't fix anything that you have to check, it's done. It's yeah, it's illegal. If you do drive it, then it's illegal. And there are certain cars in America, black smoke coming out the back of them. Like, oh yeah. Uh, how is that? That's not I know that they had they get their cars checked, yeah, but it's not the rigorous type shit that we have. Um now my MOT is every fucking November. Yours? Uh July. Oh, yours is coming.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, mine's soon-ish. I hate it.

SPEAKER_01

They freak me out a little bit. And I just passed mine this time. Well, I didn't just pass, but he went, Yeah, mate, so you've got his oceans. His name's Dave. And he goes, You got some uh glass in your tyres. I said, Yeah. Yeah. I've noticed I went over a bottle. And he was like, he was like, Yeah, I've I've got as much of it out of our possibly can, but uh, you just pass, it's absolutely fine. I said, Will I have a slow puncture? He's like, nah, nah. No, no, no. I was like, I do have a spare time. He's like, Yes, you do. In the back of your book, you do have a spare tire. I was like, right. Okay. Thanks for doing that. So I passed, but you know, and there's like, if you don't pass, like, how much am I forking out for an MOT?

SPEAKER_02

And everything is done there and then. There and you cannot drive that car. No, I know. It's and yeah. Well, you can if you want to, because my dad used to do that. Like, my dad always takes mine. I mean, oh yeah, he does. He did it. He comes down what a big one then last year, but like before then I usually just take it to like the guy up the street in Wales. Yeah, so that makes sense. Someone's garage at the back of their house. Um like they do it for us, and it's great really fast. Um, but if it doesn't pass, my dad then his best friend is like a mechanic, and so he will take it to them and they will do it like discount.

SPEAKER_01

And then take it back to the MOT to check them.

SPEAKER_02

I mean, they can just like they trust you that you'll do it. Like they know that like you know, you if it's something like minor. Like if something just like a part needs changing, they'll be like, Did you have a part need changing at any point? Not that last year. Touchwood. Um Touchwood. You had something. But like this car is always like my mum's car has always been a lum. It doesn't have AC. Like this, it's mine AC. Boiling. Boiling. When it gets four windows down.

SPEAKER_01

Anyway, that's our stories about, you know, driving.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, but it's so so different. That wasn't so funny. Yeah, loads.

SPEAKER_01

I mean, I think I would have I get very comfortable being in a in city driving. Yeah. Um, because that's all I've known. But the idea of like, say, for example, one of like the Americans coming over being like, I cannot drive in the city. It's only because we have very small dinky cars. It's very easy to drive with us. I do find sometimes the manual really fucking irritating. But also I I love him. Yeah. My first car. I know. And you you having come from a mixture of the hills and the valleys is so different, yet you still drive perfectly fine in the city. Do you find preference?

SPEAKER_02

I don't know. I don't know if I have a preference. I just I do find driving in London like really scary. Oh, so of all of the bikes. Like all of the motorbikes are terrifying. And like the way that they just like weave in, they just like catch me off guard. Because like I know I'm a good driver. I just um can't like they just come from everywhere. Like that's not a thing in Wales, really. So like that's what I don't think. And even the line bikers, Chloe. The line bikers, no helmets, no. No helmet. And like so many bike lanes, but then even the other day there was like a um a father and like I assume daughter, like on bikes, but like right next to each other, like on like a really busy street. And I was like, that is so dangerous. What are you doing? But it was that that's everywhere. And even if there's like bike bike lanes, like it's just so scary. So I'm thinking I'm just more aware of like I'm gonna hit someone, yeah. Because they no one cares, everyone's reckless.

SPEAKER_01

And it's true. So it's like my eyes, but my eyes constantly you all the time. I just like yeah, I think I've always realized that I'm always on. Yeah. Because especially up where I live, there are some guys, crazy drivers, like excessive, like crap. And me and John talk about it all the time. I'm like, hey, like this is probably the worst part of North London for driving. Yeah. Not all the time, yeah. Just this certain little area, this little town. I'm like, you guys just cannot do it. It's so bad. Whereas if I went to Wales and I did like country roads, that is worse to me because I'm not used to it. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_02

I remember having Dan's dad here. Oh, you're trying to I was in my like sister's um citron C1. And like I was driving. I think I was driving to like I think it was Barry, it was somewhere like so. But to get to Barry, like I can take like the the country lanes. Yeah, yeah. And so like I was going through the lane and I I drive that way to where I used to work. I was like, you know him, yeah. Yeah, so I was just going along, it was like, and Dan's dad was in the back, and you know, of the three the three door, Dan was in the front, and I was just going, and there was this like I think like a bigger kind of van lorry thing coming towards me, and I just kept going and like no width of your car. Um, but Dan's dad was like, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop! He was so afraid, and I was like, what? And then he scared me, so I kind of just pulled over and stopped, and he was like, There was no way you were fitting through there. I was like, I absolutely fit through there. Did you say it? Yeah, because the van just like breezed past, and I just like it just it happened. But there's a photo that he took of um me driving, and then like this like van coming towards us, and he just took like snapped a photo, and then it literally looks like the van takes up the whole lane, and I'm just like confidently going the same person because I know it would fit, because I know like the lanes.

SPEAKER_01

Also, you you know your lanes, you also know the width of your car.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and also because in America it's like slow down, like it's like that's a big thing, is that I feel Americans think their cars are actually a lot bigger than they really are.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, so the gap is huge. Me and John find that sometimes when we're driving home, all the crazy little roads are there, there's parked cars, and then there'll be like a huge um BMW in front of you. I'm not gonna go into how I feel about German cars, okay? Like I we're not I'm not a fan, and I'm not a fan of the drivers who drive them. Title bust the thing. I'm sorry. There's like a there's a really shit part of um having a small car. We're very easily bullied. Yeah. But sometimes I drive with big ball energy, and I know you would too, but also with the big cars, like they will they're horrible. I just can't. But they the width, there's some of them people, they know their car width, others do not know how big and little their car is that they will take up so much space, and you go, babe, the amount of clearance you have is insane. Yeah. Maybe I should grab your fucking wheel and I need the clearance.

SPEAKER_02

Take that. Take it back, take it back. But anyway. Do you like get road rage? Uh I would also say no, but I definitely do.

SPEAKER_01

If you saw me yesterday for like 25 minutes, I was screaming. And John, sorry. I wish you didn't answer that. John to try and keep me calm. Played like sleigh girl music. So like random something on, and I was like trying to pop it, and I was like, no. Really bad rotation. Yeah. Right. She's crying. But I hold, but I hold there's some days where I just, you I just go, let it go, mate. There's bigger things. And there's some days, you know, when you're just in a little bit of a poppy mood and someone's done a really aggressive move on you, you best believe I'm on the horn. Or I'm out there going, yay, I'm like, I'm passive aggressive.

SPEAKER_02

I am. I'll be like, oh. It's funny that you thought you could do that. Like I clap, I actively go, yes, well done. I'm like, I'm a hand gesture kind of girl. I'm like in the in the middle of like I'm just so like like flipping them off. I'm I'm straight in. And I do love a horn, and I love like being We love a horn. We love that you think you can do that. Like Unreal, wow, you're so good.

SPEAKER_01

Are you worse than are you worse than Dan?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, you're worse than Dan. I think I am. I wouldn't say I am, but Dan would. I think because also, like, I'm a better driver. Yeah. So I can do it. Like, you know what I mean? And Dan would agree. I think Dan's like one of the things Dan says about me, about me is like, oh, she's a good driver. You're a good safe driver. Oh, you know, like I mean, touch wood, yeah. But like I I've just been doing it for so long, and I think I'm just like that was that was my thing. I love to drive. Love you. Um Dan's also a great driver, too. And like, because like when the snow, like when I said it's normal, innit? Yeah, when we were there for Christmas, like just like whipping it out. I was like, whoa, okay, now we're just going, and I feel completely safe, and it's great. Yeah. But like, just you know, John's Red Ridge is absolutely horrendous.

SPEAKER_01

He's got much better. New Jersey. Yeah, yeah. I mean, that's a story in itself. I'll let him come on, but they New Jersey that is a different level of um aggressive driving and shouting at each other like full-on abuse out the windows, like Chloe. Oh yeah. Aggressive. Um, so he's he's got much better from when I first met him. But even that like last week we pulled in somewhere just to drop off a parcel for vintage. And um he just a man beeped at me. I was I was in the wrong, but also he was in the wrong. So we were both collectively being like idiots. Yeah. So I've like pulled out about to make a U-turn, which I was allowed to do, but it was just a bit awkward, it was awkward for him. Yeah. He beeped at me. And I was like, I literally did this, go then. Like my hand went to the window, go. And I literally went, go. He didn't like that. And then Sammy and John just started applauding him. Yeah. We're like, oh my god, he's such a good driver! Congratulations. Oh my god. Arseholes, arseholes. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_02

Dan's quite calm. I mean, considering like Massachusetts, like especially Boston driving, is quite like aggressive too. Yeah. Um, Dan's pretty calm. I think he gets like very like, it's my fault. I did that wrong. It's like, no, you didn't. I'll tell for him. Imagine if you don't deserve it!

SPEAKER_01

Us for on our road trip. Mother.

SPEAKER_02

Oh my god. If we can even talk about our road trip, we'll do that. That's crazy. And that's why I get angry for Dan. I'm like, why are you not like it? There's like throwing coffees at the window.

SPEAKER_01

There's a thing in New Jersey. I'm sorry. There's a thing in New Jersey, Joe will come on and talk about it one day. Called the Jersey slide. It's one of the most dangerous moves I've ever seen done. Oh no, Chloe. They come on from a slip road and they need to get onto the fast lane. And so they cut off traffic. They're just going slide. There it's not like a lane, lane, lane. It's like z and everyone just has to brace for it. Joel will be like, John, fall back. I'm moving back from the thing.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, we're going in for a trip.

SPEAKER_01

It's fine. And like the horn is beeping. I cannot wait for our road trip. We're all gonna do a road trip. We should drive.

SPEAKER_02

I was thinking about this yesterday because like I was chatting to Dan about it, and I was like, we didn't like because we were talking about like it was really cute. We were talking about like how are we like rich in life? You know what I mean? Like when you're like uh having a day and you're like, how are you rich in life? And I'm like, we like literally will go to Mass and we'll go to Cape and like you know, Dan's family houses there, and like we have this amazing like cottage that we just have been able to like go and spend time in. And I'm like, that is like people's dreams, and we just get to do that. And then I was like, our road trip because we were gonna like start, like we were gonna like hit everything. We're gonna drive down, we're gonna do a car, yeah. Right. Well, we come on, we're gonna figure it all out, and we can all take turns and drive, and then we can judge each other. It would be great. We'll have like a tally and be like, alright. Maeve went through three red lights.

SPEAKER_01

Awesome. Chloe. We have a stoplight there, that's fine. Also, before we go, before we go, there is a thing I said to John, I was like, What do you learn? He was like, bay parking in the little paper. Yeah. Stop signs. I don't like signs. No, we don't have any of that shit.

SPEAKER_02

And like the full stop at a stop sign as well. An emergency stop.

SPEAKER_01

Did you have an emergency stop? Did you have to learn an emergency stop? Yeah, that shit slaps. Yeah, I did love that. I had to do one as well. That was fun. On your test. Yeah. Slap. That's an extra maneuver. Yeah, you know. Bad bitch. I know.

SPEAKER_02

I love an emergency stop. I love it.

SPEAKER_01

They're like, hi. We're gonna town on this, right? We're gonna do an emergency stop. I'm like, Okay, okay, I'm ready. And then bang, bang, bang! You have to hit the clutch, guys, on top of hitting the brake and pulling the clutch up and getting it into a game.

SPEAKER_02

The fastest you've ever moved.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. I love it. Right, Chloe, tell me your receptacle.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, yeah. So I have this receptacle today. Very cute, actually, because we were talking about cape. Uh it says hola. Because Dan's entire family greet each other by saying hola. It's so cute. And it's really cute. It's from um Oliver Bonus. Oh, I love it. It's such a good mug. But it's got like the little, it's got like a little uh wave on it as well. So it looks like the cape, but I think it's really cute. But I got it for Dan for his birthday last year. Because Dan's birthday is this coming. So it's like a little happy early birthday to Dan. I love him. Um but I thought it like I mean it reminds him of him of home, he said, and I thought that was like. That's really sweet. It's a low gorgeous gift. But it's such a nice mug, too. Oliver Bonass loves it. Oh my god, so good. But yeah, every time I see it, I just hear like his mum go, hola. They go Mucho free. It's really cute. It's so funny because they do hola, and then my sister goes like bonjour. Like, what is going on? No one's saying like I'm earning a Welsh like hello. What is a Welsh hello? Like Shamay, Shamay. Shamay. Oh, oh, it's so much QR. Yeah, it's very cute. I love it. I'm gonna learn that and do it for you. But I've got hola or bonjour.

SPEAKER_01

Shamoy! Shamoy! Shouting now, guys. I've had too much coffee. I know. What's your receptacle? My receptacle is squishy as fuck. Oh cute. It is a Yankee, we went to a Yankees game last year. Oh it was absolutely my favourite, and our Yankees are like my team, so I loved it. John's is the Mets. And um, we got these big, we had a big pint of uh beer in it. We shared because it was 16 this 16.

SPEAKER_02

Oh my god, when I went to Bruins. It was like 20. When I went to Bruins last, I can't even Chloe's. We spent like 50 quid on like No, it's bullshit.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, it was absolutely and you can't pre- you can't take drinks in with you. No, you can't buy everything there. Yeah. So he bought the cup as well just to add on because it was memory. Um I love it, it's a New York Yankee cup. What did John do? He put it in the dishwasher. It's not made for the dishwasher. So what he's done is turned a perfectly round cup into a basically rectangle. Um but we love it and we drink out of it, and I'm really cute. I want to get another one when I go, but I'm so the fact he came out, I was like, why did you put this in the dishwasher? He was like, My dad does it. I said, Well, we don't. Yeah, don't do it again! The plastic as well. Like, I can't, it's absolutely screwed. But now it's it's got a story. But it's a good memory, and we were just thinking because we were talking about New York and we're talking about driving and how bad. Um that's really cute that we both got like driving for the boys.

SPEAKER_02

Oh yeah, cute. Guys, we absolutely love that. Yeah, that was so fun. We got so loud by the guys. I feel like my like my tone I just can't. We love you all.

SPEAKER_01

So thank you. Thank you for listening. We love you. Bye!

SPEAKER_03

Bye.