Rico Blanco is the epitome of a patient driving instructor

Most of us probably think that our days in driving school are best forgotten, with memories of near-misses and never-ending scoldings from the driving instructor. Then again, most of us didn’t have singer/songwriter Rico Blanco riding shotgun.    

In that sense, actress Maris Racal is lucky to have him, both as her boyfriend and driving companion. Racal posted a video on her YouTube channel, showing the celebrity couple aboard a car with her behind the wheel, in what she describes as his first appearance on her vlog. 

Racal tells the camera that she isn’t exactly a total newbie in the driver’s seat, having previously "aced driving lessons" (her words) she took up. Of course, the perks of being a celebrity include being chauffeured to various locations for years. 

With that, she felt that she needed a refresher, and who better to do it with than a mature, soft-spoken partner like Blanco, right? The guy might be bursting with energy as a musician, but away from the mic, he’s probably the music industry’s answer to the late Bob Ross who was known for his gentle speaking voice.

It helps to have a calm co-driver when you're on the verge of panicking [Screenshot: Maris Racal YouTube channel] 

The driving lesson was set in what appears to be an exclusive residential community, given Racal’s persistent fears of scraping against exotic European cars along the way. We can’t say we blame her, as the thought of having to pay for damage done to an expensive automobile is more than a little unnerving. 

Blanco was the paragon of patience all throughout, guiding Racal on the basics of starting the ignition then putting the car in gear, even being mindful enough to move the car to a less crowded location first. Her rising confidence was momentarily challenged when she felt the car refusing to budge midway through an incline, but her beau calmly suggested that she switch the transmission to manual mode before pressing on the gas.   

To her credit, she wanted to refresh her driving knowledge despite already having a license [Screenshot: Maris Racal YouTube channel]

The episode also had its moments where Blanco was ribbing his lady love, such as when Racal narrated how her previous driving instructor made her drive on EDSA right away, to which he quipped that she must have caused the traffic on the busy thoroughfare.  

After a bit more driving, Racal finally called it a day, with Blanco observing that she only needed to work on looking left and right before making turns, as well as slowing down at road humps. He even offered to teach her how to park, at which point she begged off, saying that it was better saved for another time. 

The former Rivermaya frontman commended Racal for taking the initiative in refreshing her driving knowledge despite already having gotten her license. It’s a valuable takeaway for many of us who hold the keys to our rides, one that doesn’t even take a rock star to say so.   

Patience is always a virtue when it comes to driving, and we believe that at Philkotse.com.