disigner

This was an hour and a half (the half being free because of the car kaputage a couple weeks back…)

Eeesh. Well, methinks it wasn’t quite the success story that was last week.

I’m still doing my little drifting to the right thing. I forgot where 5th gear was. I didn’t change down gear on a few corners. Every time I got to an island I completely blanked on who was going where, so didn’t much know what I was doing. I stopped for a crossing but then was gonna go right ahead and start up again despite there being a red light, like a dummy. I was seemingly oblivious to all road signs and what they meant. I didn’t know I was supposed to be IN the bus lane. And instead of putting the beam on I switched the lights off completely… twice. Oh yeah.

BUT – to be fair we did a whole new long route on roads I didn’t even recognise, which slightly blew my mind. AND it’s totally note worthy that my first ever attempt at a 3 point turn was just that – 3 points, not 9! – and I thought it was a pretty good try (even though the car in question probs has the smallest turning circle of any car on the market, okay, shurrup…)

I have to say I did not feel at all focused tonight, I felt like I had some kind of brain fog (I blame Edward Cullen – I went to see New Moon earlier, lol)

Maybe I should have got my Red Bull wings on!?

Another thing I know I REALLY need to be doing is reading my theory. I have actually started it, but evidently am not progressing fast enough, which means it’s now hampering my lessons. Need to take a good look at roundabouts (I need to remind myself just what I’m supposed to be doing there, it seems!) and learn all the road signs, which I ree-hee-heally need to actually understand and take more notice of. (Umm, ANY notice of.

My ever patient DI also suggested I take a look at the hazard perception DVD I bought, because (and she isn’t the only person who has said this to me lately, woe is me) I seem to have ‘tunnel vision’...

My DI is awesome, and I COMPLETELY respect the fact that at several intervals tonight she felt compelled to call me variations on ‘twit’, ‘lemon’, ‘numpty’, ‘narna’, ‘fruitloop’, and ‘silly bugger…’ – I know I deserved it, and that it was said out of love! Lol :)

Will try harder next week!

My DI said this was my best lesson yet – and I got a fair few ‘5’s on the little chart-ma-bob!

Just did some general driving, no manoeuvres tonight (well, except for a little reversing at home.) The weather was kinda shocking, a lot of rain and night driving makes things a little tougher – even seeing markings on the road, because the tarmac is shiny and reflects the lights. Pretty though. But I shouldn’t be appreciating the pretty lights, I should be looking where I’m going…!

Omigosh. My DI did keep having to tell me the same things over and over – about drifting to the right, not slowing down for puddles, when starting not hitting the gas enough and coming up a little quick on the clutch – at one point I felt I had to say ‘I swear I’m not deliberately ignoring you!’(lol) Which sadly I think she maybe misunderstood because she said something about not remembering which of us she’d told before – but what I meant was more ‘I can’t believe you’ve just had to tell me about that again! Because I KNOW I shouldn’t be doing that!’ There’s just so much to concentrate on at once, that even if you know how to approach something in theory, in practice the thinking time isn’t always enough – even at 25mph! I need to focus focus focus!

She scared me to death too, by choosing the route home that crosses what locals call variations of ‘the magic roundabout’ and ‘suicide island’ ... Oh, the divvilment… but it was fine, because she told me what to do, and because I managed not to stall – oh yeah! Check. Me. Out! Ha!

I did stall some though :( At lights. (Traffic light anxiety!) I do just need to get over it… Also, after the scary roundabout I was so relieved I was alive that I did forget some of my gear changes for the next mile or two.

Despite the stalling, and the ‘oops, I should be over there’ and nearly mounting the pavement once because I over-steered on a left hand turn (not something I’m normally guilty of, not sure WHAT happened there, exactly) – despite ALL of that, really, it was a great lesson. I feel like things are coming on a pace now, and crucially, I’m enjoying it – which isn’t something I really counted on, so it’s a nice surprise.

Kudos to my DI, really, who has about the most patience I think anyone has ever had with me. Also, when she needs to, she has that RARE ability to boss me and criticise me in a constructive way that doesn’t make me hate her or myself! I count myself so lucky that somehow I’ve found such a great instructor first time – I know people who’ve had to try numerous instructors after finding some of them, umm, less than helpful – and I’m the kind of person (low self confidence, pretty low self esteem) that would probably have been put off for years (if not life) if this had happened to me. (I’m such a fragile little flower. I hate that. I want to be badass. XD)

If you’re thinking of learning to drive, my advice if you want it is to ask around, and get an instructor recommended by friends/ colleagues/ anyone you know who recently passed their test and has good things to say about their qualified instructor.

I got me some theory books too. And an interactive DVD. I’d previously borrowed one from the library but didn’t find it particularly enlightening, so asked my DI for advice and then bought some off Amazon – and for less than the cost of a lesson they’ll be well worth it. I hope. I will update!

So that is my homework for the weekend, to learn me some highway code etc… Mmm, educational :)

A whole week until my next lesson/confession! x

Things are finally clicking into place. I’ve actually started to look forward to my lessons rather than dread them…!

Today’s lesson was the 3rd one this week – my instructor managed to fit me in for a couple of extras, which has been a big help. I feel like I’ve got a bit more momentum going. My last three lessons have felt like a massive improvement. My instructor has also commmented that we seem to have turned a corner, as ‘twere!

Talking of turning corners, I’ve done my reverse around a corner manoeuvre a couple more times, and on the little scale of 1 – 5 I’m now a 4 at that, so wooop! I keep trying to read the little chart when she fills it in to see what my scores are, lol.

We’ve been on two completely different routes too, which have took us onto major roads and juntions, into town centres, oh, all around the world!

Today’s lesson was based around crossings, noticing them, slowing and stopping for people etc – and doing this I’ve noticed how doing reversing and manoeuvres has helped my clutch control and balance – I’m not gonna say I’ve stopped stalling the car, because that would make me a giant liar, but I’ve been more consistently good.

I started with my theory too, but the book I got out of the library doesn’t seem to be mega helpful in it’s format – it’s kinda like it’s testing me before it’s given me the knowledge to be tested on, you know? So looks like I can’t do that on the cheap. Need to buy some books that are actually going to be useful. My instructor recommended one so I’ll probably go for that…

:)