learn to drive

Earlier this year I finally took the plunge, found a new instructor and started lessons properly. I took my theory and hazard perception tests last week and passed so I am definitely on my way.

Driving isn’t my favourite way to spend time but I am probably past the point of no return now. I am due to go on my 18th lesson today and have covered most of the skills and manoeuvres. It is just a case of practicing and building my confidence and bravery at this point. I have discovered that I don’t like, roundabouts, parked cars and cyclists I but I do like straight open roads and reversing into a bay.

I hope to cross this goal off the list before 2011.

Still no further. Driving around here is terrifying. No one seems to have any patience and whoever designed the road layout here wasn’t particularly clever. Add that to the fact I live ridiculously close to good public transport I have never really felt the need to have a car or drive. I cant carry on like this, so to remind myself why I need to learn:

I might NEED to one day – Armageddon (don’t know why I think driving would help), an urgent trip to a hospital, it could be essential for a dream job.

Freedom – I can be at the mercy of of public transport or my friends at the moment.

Visiting family – My parents moved to deepest darkest Wales (the road signs have English as an after thought) it takes three trains to get a half an hour drive away from their house, the journey takes four hours. I could do it in three if I drove.

I cant enter “win a really fancy car” competitions (there is no point)

More leisure options – picnics in the countryside, trips to rural castles, the zoo, go ape, out of town shopping centres.

It apparently gets harder to learn the older you are.

Isn’t using a provisional license as ID a bit embarrassing when you are over twenty three? (although I get asked fro ID less frequently now)

The songs little red corvette by Prince – “Move over baby, Gimme the keys, I’m gonna try to tame your little red love machine” Oh and Mercedes Benz by Janis Joplin “Oh lord, wont you buy me a Mercedes Benz, My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends” – (Sorry I couldn’t help it)

I had my provisional license through the door the other day and now I have four lessons booked. I am doing something about this even if to be honest I am petrified.

Woo go me!

I lost my provisional license card when my wallet was stolen four years ago and I haven’t had a lesson in six years.

Finally, yesterday I applied online to replace the license, today I printed out the page I need to sign and post in and tomorrow I will post it. Next step finding an new instructor then maybe I can get back on track (or the road).