On August 3, 1970, sixty‑two‑year‑old Miriam Hargrave of Yorkshire, England, finally passed her driving test. It was her fortieth attempt. After so much struggle and perseverance, one would assume she started driving right away. But unfortunately, after spending so much money on driving lessons $720 she couldn’t afford to buy a car. (1)

Maybe it’s just as well. How comfortable would you be knowing that the driver coming at you had failed the driving test forty times?

Another Brit, the Rev. David Guest required 632 lessons over a period of 17 years before he passed his driving test. “When I was told I passed I bent down on my knees and thanked God,” he said after passing the test. The 33-year-old cleric spent $11,000 on lessons, wore out eight instructors and crashed five cars before that…