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# Driving School Diaries, Part IV
- URL: https://www.taiwanquest.com/taiwan-driving-school-experience/
- Published: 2024-12-06T10:39:49.000Z
- Updated: 2024-12-07T04:10:12.000Z
- Description: In which I continue to drive around a track…
- Author: Zhen-Kang

1,200 minutes down; 300 to go.

I’ve been attending driving school for four weeks, but I’m yet to drive on the road.

During each 100-minute class, I typically complete the test track 11 or 12 times. This means that, effectively, I’ve passed the exam 140 times already.

It doesn’t get any less tedious.

Although… today I saw a dragonfly. That was exciting.

I also noticed a single thread of spider silk stretching across the open passenger-side window. I don’t know which spiders are safe and which are dangerous in Taiwan. But I never saw the spider, only its thread. It was the most exciting thing to happen to me since I saw a dragonfly.

We can’t use our phones while driving. So, to stay awake, I’ve been surreptitiously using my Apple Watch as a remote control, playing music through the phone in my pocket. It’s quiet enough that no one else hears—[despite the windows being open to improve engine performance](https://www.taiwanquest.com/taiwanese-driving-school-tips/).

*Apple Music Replay* tells me I’m an adult-alternative/alt-rock kind-of guy, but those deep alternative notes don’t travel so well over the engine noise.

Pop music works best.

Today, I tried *Saints & Sinners* by All Saints, nearly falling asleep during the second half of the album. Same with *Lover* by Taylor Swift. *1989* was okay—although I’d usually prefer the Ryan Adams version.

As class came to an end, my instructor said if I arrive early next time, I don’t need to wait for his signal. I can just jump in the micro-truck and go. Get in a few extra circuits for free.

I won’t be early.

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