Were cars in 1940 harder to drive or is Babu just really bad?

Sunday, April 7^th, 1940

Maybe I spent all of a half hour at home today.  After church Jakey took me riding and gave me my first driving lesson.  He got provoked a few times but on the whole we did well.

Admittedly, that does not seem like a terrible start.

Saturday, May 4^th, 1940

After we took everyone home, Peaches let me drive to Northampton.  On the way home I drove him crazy learning to turn corners.  We had some narrow escapes.

Babu!

Friday, July 5^th, 1940

Jakey came up this evening, too and he shouldn’t have cause we could both helped at home.  Me anyway.  Of course we had fun reading on the porch and then I got a driving lesson and we argued.  But we never go home mad.  Driving one is very apt to disagree.

Well, Babu, he may have a reason to be a little irate if you are as bad of a driver as you seem to be!  The man values his life, and his car!

Monday, July 8^th, 1940

Peaches came and we decided to go swimming; so we went.  Stayed in the water about ten minutes and sat and lounged in the car.  Then I drove back.  It was perfect driving.

Pride goeth before the fall.

Monday, July 22^nd, 1940

Fila took Edmund and Jake and me driving.  Then I drove Jakey’s car and taking my “Waterloo” corner on Newbury Street, I hit another car.  Didn’t hurt him much but dented Jakey’s dented fender a lot worse.  He regards it as a joke but I think it’s terrible.

Is it so hard to turn a corner in a car?  Well, if I’m honest with myself, I was also scared to try to take turns when I was learning how to drive standard my first time.  I’m guessing the car she was learning on was a standard, too.

And what does she mean by “Waterloo” corner?  Is she using that to mean her downfall?

Wednesday, July 24^th, 1940

Then Cookie took me for a driving lesson. As long as there are no cars around I drive well-well, so, so.

As. Long. As. There. Are. No. Cars. Around.

…

Thursday, August 15^th, 1940

Lately, Peaches always gets angry when I drive so when we got home I was crying.

Poor Babu!

At least Babu was not the only one who drove Jakey’s car so poorly.

Monday, April 15^th, 1940

Nellie tried to back out of the garage herself this morning and succeeded in arousing Jacob’s temper and putting another dent in the car.

I get it.  It’s a different story when your sister puts a dent in your car from when your girl does it.

Well, as it turns out, absolutely no one is perfect.

Tuesday, November 26^th, 1940

It was snowing hard and fast when we got out but Jake and Ed took Nat and I for a drive.  We had a bad scare and almost an accident, when Jake slid on the car tracks and couldn’t keep control.  He acted glad that we were together when he said good-night.  Carried me over the door.