Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
After recently turning 18, I am slowly becoming aware of the new prospects that have opened up to me. One of the opportunities I am most excited about is learning how to drive a car. Driving is a skill that most people aspire to gain and, although it is a nerve-wracking experience, I am looking forward to beginning my driving lessons.
A number of my friends have already learned, because in the UK, people are allowed to take driving lessons from the age of 17. Yet, here in Bahrain, teenagers (such as myself) have had to wait until the age of 18.
Although learning how to drive excites me, there are some issues with driving that obstruct my confidence. On top of the new driver jitters that would be experienced by all first-time learners, living in Bahrain has shown me that regardless of how confident you are behind the wheel, you can never be sure of those driving around you.
It is rare to get to the end of a week without seeing at least one car wreck on the side of the road and I frequently cringe at some of the near-crashes I witness everyday.
Of course, the benefits of being able to drive massively outweigh the negatives. The feeling of independence that comes along with it is a good enough reason to overcome my paranoia and get behind the wheel myself.
