I remember learning to drive a standard. My brother tried to teach me around the block, and the next day I drove to camp in it (3hr away)-- using city, rural and toll roads. Belive me when I tell you that *nothing* is more adrenaline pumping and entertaining than trying to start a stopped standard car at a toll booth when you just learned how to do that (badly) the day before and you've got about 15 cars behind you honking their butts (or horns) off.
When I finally made it, I immediately got to meet the other counselors and it was all going great until the head guy came to me and said "uh, grace, your mommy called to make sure you made it here safely."
I really loved living in the Seattle area. I had a car, but I rarely ever used it. I was going to grad school at the time, and we had bus passes. I took the bus everywhere. I love living in places where I can walk and ride the bus. Here, I really need a car to get anywhere, unless I want to prod my kids along 10 miles of narrow winding highway with crazy mainland drivers (tourists) to get anywhere. I don't.