Funny Driving Stories

Ever feel like a total schmuck when you are behind the wheel? I "vaguely" remember when I accidently pressed the gas rather than the break and wound up teetering atop a parking hump... Some of our readers wrote in about their experiences, and we have selected a few to share.

Rebecca Stemac

When I started driving I had to drive my mom's station wagon, not an old, scary one, but a station wagon nonetheless. I was getting ready to leave my friend's house after a fun afternoon of swimming, which meant I had to back up his rather steep driveway. My friends and boyfriend were all standing outside and there I went backing up the hill... sort of. My car absolutely did not want to move, I gave it more and more gas until it almost jumped backward a few feet and tried to swerve all over the driveway.

I kept doing this and wondering what in the world was wrong with my car. I felt quite ridiculous as my friends watched with bemused expressions. Finally I flew backwards out into the street. Relieved to be up the hill, I then noticed the problem... the emergency brake was on. Oops.

Jodi Laird

When I was learning to drive, my mother did not have the "nerve" to teach me (she thought I would kill her in my attempts to learn). My dad decided to teach me to drive instead. On my first attempt I was trying to back out of the driveway, which was an odd shape to say the least (who ever heard of having an "S" curved driveway?). As I was backing out, my father told me to gently step on the brake as I was entering the cul-de-sac that I lived on. Like so many others, I accidentally stamped on the gas and hit an electric pole. I cut the electricity to over 10,000 people!

Andrea Smith

When I had finally saved up to buy my 1st car, a cool Pug 205 Roland Garros, my dad took me out on a practice drive. We decided to perfect my parking technique along Paignton seafront where I promptly parked the car bumper on
the seafront cobbled wall and wedged the car. Nice one!

Marianne McConnell

I'm Marianne McConnell, 17, from Huntsville, Alabama. About three months after I got my license I was driving home from my dad's house to my mother's house, they lived within about five minutes of each other. I had driven this route about a billion times so it wasn't a worry to me. There was a red light, but it soon turned green so I didn't break as much as I should have. Suddenly this crazy bicycle guy starts riding beside me (don't worry, I don't hit him!). He speeds up and I'm just looking at him. There is all this paper sticking out of his Spandex. Unfortunately I didn't really have time to question why he had sheets of paper sticking out of his bicycle shorts because I ran into the car in front of me. The whole mess got sorted out though, no one got hurt (unless you count my car).

I wrecked my next car within two months after the first accident... A branch from a tree over our driveway hit my windshield and caused me to hit the gas (instead of the break) and well... I ended up running straight into my sister's car. Needless to say my friends never want me to drive them... I have improved though!

Mary Nelson

When I first learned how to drive with my dad in his truck I was turning and forgot to turn the wheel back. We kept on going and going and then dad jumped over and turned the wheel back. Since then I haven't been able to
drive his truck!

Vicki French

Actually this took place during my first driving test. My mom allowed me to drive dad's bomb of a car (Ford-Mercury) to the testing station. I was a little nervous, of course, but I was going to prove to everyone, especially myself, that I was going to pass the tests. I was so proud that I passed my written and eye tests with hardly any trouble - then came the driving part.

An old, batty looking female instructor with cat-eye glasses got in the car with me and greeted me with a grunt, forced smile and hard eyes. What little control I had over my nerves were soon lost. After securing safety measures, she told me to go and I took off, jerking the car. The crazed look she gave me only made matters worse. I barely drove 15 feet before she told me to stop immediately and turn around. I had failed the test! Stunned, I asked why. She said, "You ran through that STOP sign back there!" I felt like an idiot, but being uptight, I didn't see it. The poor car acted like it had rapid hiccups as I drove back to the start position. I could have sworn I saw a dust trail behind that woman as she said good-bye and flew out of the car.

Denise de Prouw

The first time I drove a car all by myself, I wasn’t officially permitted to do so (I’m still not permitted since I’m 17 and you have to be at least 18 before you can get your license in the Netherlands). My father said it was fine with him to get in the car and I was absolutely overjoyed. I had driven before, with my parents beside me, but I got the feeling I was finally doing the real thing! So, when I got in the car, after I started it, I forgot that this wasn’t the same as our mower. I sped away in this Audi A6, straight to the bushes. I was in shock. I couldn’t find the brakes. I just waited until the car stopped. Luckily I was sane enough to steer, so I missed the trees. I only ruined a few nettles, which is a good thing I suppose. I hate those weeds.

When I got out of the car, I saw my father had witnessed the whole thing. I was afraid he would never let me drive his car again, but to my astonishment, the only thing he said to me was: “Well, at least now you’re too scared to drive a car, so we don’t have to pay your driving lessons when you turn eighteen.”

Summer Singer

A friend of mine did not yet have his license, but his dad let him get behind the wheel anyway. He was carefully backing up the car... or so he thought. He ended up backing the car into his swimming pool! His parents were furious, but it was a funny story to hear afterwards.

William Otting

My brother was learning how to drive and he was really freaking out. Of course my sisters weren't helping when they said, "Oh my gosh! Did you see what you almost hit?" and then laughed at him. We were almost to our destination and he turned around and said "See, I didn't hit anything!" He turned back around and then crashed into a mailbox. He's never lived that down.

Ayda Bashiri

When I was first learning how to drive (which was only 2 months ago), I was driving with my mom. First, I am terrified of spiders. Suddenly, I see a spider coming down its web, in my car, and I freaked out. Luckily I was in my neighborhood. I turned the wheel really fast and I ended up spinning into some person's yard. I put the car on park and I ran out. After that, It took me a week to get back in the car.

Tom Shands

It really does not matter if you are a new driver or not, multi-tasking should never be done while driving. I recently took my 8 year-old child through a drive through at a local Wendy's. I was talking on the phone and ordering his chicken fries. I drove up to the window, paid for the fries and pulled away. After I hung up the phone, my child asked me where his fries were. Believe it or not, I paid for them and did not get the food! I felt so stupid. I would not go back! That has stopped me from talking on the phone while driving!

Becca Swank

As I was trying to experience the fun and exciting task of driving (yeah right), a rather interesting thing happened. I was driving the speed limit (35 mph) and suddenly, this elderly lady comes speeding up beside me. She rolls down her window and yells, "Move it Moses!" then sped off.