My pal Ted who I've known since infants school taught me to drive in his recently purchased FC model Holden back in 1965. This had a 3-on-the-tree gear change, meaning it had a 3-speed manual gearbox with the gear change attached to the steering column, the lever falling nicely to hand under the steering wheel. He soon tired of the Holden and acquired a Wolseley 1500 as it had a 4-speed shift in the usual spot; between the bucket seats. Meantime Dad suggested I go through a driving school as the DMT (Department of Motor Transport, later absorbed by the RTA) looked more favourably on learners who took lessons from a professional. I was lucky to have a lovely lady in a VW Beetle as my instructor. The most embarrassing event during my term of lessons was grabbing her knee rather than the gearshift in heavy traffic! Judging by her amused reaction, I later guessed it wasn't unusual. But at the time my face was probably the shade of a stop light. I passed without any problems and began looking for a cheap car. That's another story.
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