I passed my driving test today!
My friend invited me out to celebrate...dinner in my honor but I was the only one not drinking lol.
Another friend has invited me out tomorrow. It will be brill to just go and not have to worry about which bus I have to catch and if it's gonna rain!
Woohoo, my life begins here!
Doxie :o)
Showing posts with label driving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label driving. Show all posts
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Thursday, 18 February 2010
I passed my Theory and Hazard Perception tests
Now my instructor wants me to book the practical...eek!
Doxie
Doxie
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Out of my comfort zone again.
Mr Patience has been telling me that I need to build my confidence so took me out of my comfort zone and off to practice some city driving today. I hated it...no,that's not right, I mean, I HATED it with a capital "H". I know it is something I need to do. I want to be the kind of driver that can go anywhere, but I hate the city even on foot...this means that I can probably count the number of times I have been there voluntarily in the past 20 years on my fingers and toes...in truth probably, just my fingers, or just my toes!!!!!
I did a "turn in the road" on a hill...last time I did this I cried ( cringe ).Today I wanted to, but I don't "think" I did...I just felt on the verge of it for most of the lesson...it's odd how I get like that when driving. It usually takes a lot for my eyes to spring a leak...in fact there are very few people on this planet that have seen me cry, so it surprises me that I get like this when I am driving... I guess since I have been an adult not much has really SCARED me to this extent. I should be thankful for that I guess. :o) Anyway I did the turn in the road in spite of this horrid feeling that the car will tip sideways and roll with us in it, LOL. It sounds daft when I read that, but that is how I feel at the time, strangely disorientated.
A couple of days ago I wrote a list of some of the things that scare me when driving that I need to push myself on...I had "level crossings" written down and lo and behold, today I did my first one. I am sure Mr Patience is psychic...or Mr Doxie is secretly texting him telling him what scares the pants off me and where I need practice! Nah, maybe not, Mr D knows his life wouldn't be worth living if he did that,I guess Mr Patience is just a damned good teacher.
Anyway, I survived the city. I don't think I did very well being in panic mode most of the time, but I did it. Doxie, feeling challenged...but still happy
I did a "turn in the road" on a hill...last time I did this I cried ( cringe ).Today I wanted to, but I don't "think" I did...I just felt on the verge of it for most of the lesson...it's odd how I get like that when driving. It usually takes a lot for my eyes to spring a leak...in fact there are very few people on this planet that have seen me cry, so it surprises me that I get like this when I am driving... I guess since I have been an adult not much has really SCARED me to this extent. I should be thankful for that I guess. :o) Anyway I did the turn in the road in spite of this horrid feeling that the car will tip sideways and roll with us in it, LOL. It sounds daft when I read that, but that is how I feel at the time, strangely disorientated.
A couple of days ago I wrote a list of some of the things that scare me when driving that I need to push myself on...I had "level crossings" written down and lo and behold, today I did my first one. I am sure Mr Patience is psychic...or Mr Doxie is secretly texting him telling him what scares the pants off me and where I need practice! Nah, maybe not, Mr D knows his life wouldn't be worth living if he did that,I guess Mr Patience is just a damned good teacher.
Anyway, I survived the city. I don't think I did very well being in panic mode most of the time, but I did it. Doxie, feeling challenged...but still happy
Thursday, 28 January 2010
It gave me a fright...
...so goodness knows what it did to her!!!
Whilst on my latest driving lesson we were zooming along the dual carriage way ( well I felt like I was zooming, Mr P would probably say I was tootling lol )...I could hear an odd noise and thought maybe I had done something wrong and the gear box was arguing with me... but as we got to a bend at the bottom of the hill,I realised the noise had been people sounding their horns in the distance...what were we confronted with ?...an elderly driver going the wrong way!!!!!!That was an eye opener...that phrase "always expect the unexpected" comes to mind.
...Anyhow luckily where she had got to, if she drove along a short distance she could have zipped across to another road when some traffic lights changed so I don't think she was somewhere she couldn't have escaped from...but either way it was a shock.
I totally mucked up my bay park today. The bays were on a curve, I dunno if that started me off on the wrong foot. That said however, Mr Patience did word something in a way that clicked today... I think I may be beginning to understand what I have been doing wrong with the steering wheel when trying to go from full lock to straightening up.
...Oh by the way I have booked in for my theory test...I am dreading that more than the practical, but it is a means to an end and can't be avoided. :-/
Doxie...Ho hum.
Whilst on my latest driving lesson we were zooming along the dual carriage way ( well I felt like I was zooming, Mr P would probably say I was tootling lol )...I could hear an odd noise and thought maybe I had done something wrong and the gear box was arguing with me... but as we got to a bend at the bottom of the hill,I realised the noise had been people sounding their horns in the distance...what were we confronted with ?...an elderly driver going the wrong way!!!!!!That was an eye opener...that phrase "always expect the unexpected" comes to mind.
...Anyhow luckily where she had got to, if she drove along a short distance she could have zipped across to another road when some traffic lights changed so I don't think she was somewhere she couldn't have escaped from...but either way it was a shock.
I totally mucked up my bay park today. The bays were on a curve, I dunno if that started me off on the wrong foot. That said however, Mr Patience did word something in a way that clicked today... I think I may be beginning to understand what I have been doing wrong with the steering wheel when trying to go from full lock to straightening up.
...Oh by the way I have booked in for my theory test...I am dreading that more than the practical, but it is a means to an end and can't be avoided. :-/
Doxie...Ho hum.
Thursday, 21 January 2010
I'm getting there...
My driving instructor was pleased with me today...I was making progress in a couple of manoeuvres I had been finding difficult and apparantly I am planning ahead much more.
I was nagged nicely about getting the theory out of the way, something Mr Doxie has been telling me to do for quite some time...I think I am confident enough to book that in now, so it looks like I could be driving solo sometime in the Spring, fingers crossed! :o)
Dox
I was nagged nicely about getting the theory out of the way, something Mr Doxie has been telling me to do for quite some time...I think I am confident enough to book that in now, so it looks like I could be driving solo sometime in the Spring, fingers crossed! :o)
Dox
Thursday, 7 January 2010
It's snow joke trying to...
...drive in Winter weather! (Sorry couldn't resist!)
We are having the worst Winter weather for 25 years and today I ventured out in it for a driving lesson. Some folks might think it rather mad but I felt it was a great opportunity...there will eventually be a time when I get caught out in the slippery white stuff on my own and I would rather my FIRST time be sat next to someone who knows what they are doing, or what I should be doing. It was a bit scary at times but mostly not the horror I thought it was going to be. I learned about getting the speed up on the downward part to make it back up the hills ( something I would have chickened out of if I was on my own and it was the first time I was out in it ), I learned how to get out when stuck in a rut in the snow by inching forwards and backwards continuously. I also learned that my instructor is way better at making a snowball than me!...in my defence, I did not have gloves on!
All in all it was a good experience and I am pleased to say the only casualty was one of my false finger nails...I just hope I lost it lobbing a snowball back and NOT in his car or that would be a gross find when he next hoovers it out, eek!
I do hope I can remember all he taught me today and it keeps me safe in the future.
Save driving and keep warm everyone.
Edited to say when I went out again it was quite scary when I didn't have the guts to get the speed up when approaching a hill...we slid all over the place, but somehow I managed to get to the top, only just though. It was a BIG learning experience and yes now I know that sometimes you just HAVE to do things even if it scares you. Phew!
Doxie :o)
We are having the worst Winter weather for 25 years and today I ventured out in it for a driving lesson. Some folks might think it rather mad but I felt it was a great opportunity...there will eventually be a time when I get caught out in the slippery white stuff on my own and I would rather my FIRST time be sat next to someone who knows what they are doing, or what I should be doing. It was a bit scary at times but mostly not the horror I thought it was going to be. I learned about getting the speed up on the downward part to make it back up the hills ( something I would have chickened out of if I was on my own and it was the first time I was out in it ), I learned how to get out when stuck in a rut in the snow by inching forwards and backwards continuously. I also learned that my instructor is way better at making a snowball than me!...in my defence, I did not have gloves on!
All in all it was a good experience and I am pleased to say the only casualty was one of my false finger nails...I just hope I lost it lobbing a snowball back and NOT in his car or that would be a gross find when he next hoovers it out, eek!
I do hope I can remember all he taught me today and it keeps me safe in the future.
Save driving and keep warm everyone.
Edited to say when I went out again it was quite scary when I didn't have the guts to get the speed up when approaching a hill...we slid all over the place, but somehow I managed to get to the top, only just though. It was a BIG learning experience and yes now I know that sometimes you just HAVE to do things even if it scares you. Phew!
Doxie :o)
Monday, 16 November 2009
Ground open up and swallow me PLEASE moment
I knew today was going to be bad/evenful. I was very naughty and made a cheeky remark to Mr Patience when I got in the car. Oh dear what a mistake...I was punished good and proper lol ...He took me out of my comfort zone today to the congested city...it really took all my concentration and energy away and I have learned something...do not try and engage in conversation when you are doing something else that is mentally demanding. Why you ask? Well the reason is that somehow the concentration it takes means that normal things like speaking in coherent sentences goes right out of the window. I was trying to explain that I had a conversation with my family the night before in which I pointed out that Mr Patience was very good in not letting me off of things, or getting away with stuff. Unfortunately I got it all mixed up and announced to him that it was good that he wouldn't let me "get off" in his lessons, realising what I said I tried to amend it only to say he was good at "stopping me getting off" by which time I had completely lost all sense of the English language and couldn't even hope to redeem myself by explaining what I really meant. That has to be one of my most cringe worthy moments EVER! It's only rival is the "underwear/ blackboard incident" at college... which I may share with you one day...if I am brave or stupid enough...I still cringe now even though it was over 20 years ago.
Embarrassement aside, some twit decided to walk in front of the car on the way home, I swerved to avoid him which was not good ( not that I mean I should have hit him lol ), but it was better than an emergency stop as the car behind was travelling right up our boot!
Oh what fun this driving lark is...I will certainly remember my lessons forever, sadly I think my instructor might remember me, but for all the wrong reasons!!!!
Doxie who is cringing still ( truly! )
Embarrassement aside, some twit decided to walk in front of the car on the way home, I swerved to avoid him which was not good ( not that I mean I should have hit him lol ), but it was better than an emergency stop as the car behind was travelling right up our boot!
Oh what fun this driving lark is...I will certainly remember my lessons forever, sadly I think my instructor might remember me, but for all the wrong reasons!!!!
Doxie who is cringing still ( truly! )
Monday, 2 November 2009
Today's driving lesson
I had my lesson a little earlier today. Even though it is November it is very hot sat in the car...I must remember NOT to apply my fake tan the day before driving because even with 3 baths I can still smell it when I sit in a confined environment such as the car, and when it is hot, well YICK!...I could go for the pale and interesting look...I can do the pale but I'm not so sure I can carry off the interesting!
We did some bay parking in a fairly busy car park...got it right second time around. We spent most of the time driving around the local area, it is incredible how you can eat up 2 hours of driving going very little distance.
I did a parallel park which I ruined as I was looking through the wrong window...I was following my routine for reversing around a corner by mistake...oops! Oh well I won't beat myself up over it.
I feel I am getting more confident on the roundabouts which pleases me as they held such terror before. I have lately tried to analyse my fears with the idea that if I can find the root cause I can "get over it". My brother had a rather horrific accident on a roundabout on his motorbike many years ago, and I think this has stuck in my mind unbeknown to me until now when I really have forced myself to think about it. I was told I need to start looking in my mirrors earlier when overtaking parked cars etc, I hope I read this to remind myself before my next lesson!
Doxie who I think is evolving :o/
We did some bay parking in a fairly busy car park...got it right second time around. We spent most of the time driving around the local area, it is incredible how you can eat up 2 hours of driving going very little distance.
I did a parallel park which I ruined as I was looking through the wrong window...I was following my routine for reversing around a corner by mistake...oops! Oh well I won't beat myself up over it.
I feel I am getting more confident on the roundabouts which pleases me as they held such terror before. I have lately tried to analyse my fears with the idea that if I can find the root cause I can "get over it". My brother had a rather horrific accident on a roundabout on his motorbike many years ago, and I think this has stuck in my mind unbeknown to me until now when I really have forced myself to think about it. I was told I need to start looking in my mirrors earlier when overtaking parked cars etc, I hope I read this to remind myself before my next lesson!
Doxie who I think is evolving :o/
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
No photos lately
I have just realised how most of my blog seems to be concentrating on my new love...driving...therefore I haven't been posting photos or many links lately...must remedy that, not sure what to put up though. Hopefully in 2010 there will be at least one new pic...me standing in front of the learner car ripping up my L plates...or at least pretending to!
Doxie short on photographic inspiration and obsessing about other things!
Doxie short on photographic inspiration and obsessing about other things!
Sunday, 11 October 2009
A first for me...
This afternoon I took the family on their first "long drive" with me behind the wheel. It wasn't the nicest weather for such an outing but it was still a fun trip out. :o)
I felt such a thrill that I couldn't help myself doing a little victory song and dance in the car park at the other end. One young couple gave me a funny look LOL, but I think they realised what was going on after a while because of the "L plates". Still, I don't really worry about that kind of thing these days...at least it gave them a laugh ;o)
I managed to do a few little things that my instructor had been pushing me to do when I have been out with him... so I am hoping that he will see the difference in my confidence during my next lesson. I put my foot down on the NSL roads and resisted the temptation to slow right down at every corner LOL. One thing I did unplanned was a very sudden block change when I realised that the turning I needed was right there and not 50 yards ahead! OK I know that it is not good to do a panic mano but at least I didn't stall after the block change which I did do once in a very inappropriate place!
We stopped enroute at a nice little nursery where they have a pet's corner...I was so tempted by the little baby ratties. I am thinking life is going to be very dicey for a new reason when I have passed my test...if I go out unaccompanied there will be nobody standing there next to me saying " No, we don't really NEED another colony of pet rats!" or whatever cutsies cross my path ;o). Note to self...NEVER EVER drive along to the pet shelter.
The other day when a friend came around she offered to be my accompanying driver if I wanted to go out with her and the lads and practice when Mr Doxie is not around or is busy. What a sweet friend, I think I will take her up on that. Who'd have thought that learning to drive could be such a positive experience and one which didn't involve just the family but friends as well. I am blessed. :o)
Doxie feeling quietly satisfied. :o)
I felt such a thrill that I couldn't help myself doing a little victory song and dance in the car park at the other end. One young couple gave me a funny look LOL, but I think they realised what was going on after a while because of the "L plates". Still, I don't really worry about that kind of thing these days...at least it gave them a laugh ;o)
I managed to do a few little things that my instructor had been pushing me to do when I have been out with him... so I am hoping that he will see the difference in my confidence during my next lesson. I put my foot down on the NSL roads and resisted the temptation to slow right down at every corner LOL. One thing I did unplanned was a very sudden block change when I realised that the turning I needed was right there and not 50 yards ahead! OK I know that it is not good to do a panic mano but at least I didn't stall after the block change which I did do once in a very inappropriate place!
We stopped enroute at a nice little nursery where they have a pet's corner...I was so tempted by the little baby ratties. I am thinking life is going to be very dicey for a new reason when I have passed my test...if I go out unaccompanied there will be nobody standing there next to me saying " No, we don't really NEED another colony of pet rats!" or whatever cutsies cross my path ;o). Note to self...NEVER EVER drive along to the pet shelter.
The other day when a friend came around she offered to be my accompanying driver if I wanted to go out with her and the lads and practice when Mr Doxie is not around or is busy. What a sweet friend, I think I will take her up on that. Who'd have thought that learning to drive could be such a positive experience and one which didn't involve just the family but friends as well. I am blessed. :o)
Doxie feeling quietly satisfied. :o)
Wednesday, 7 October 2009
New Mano...Bay parking
I had a phone call an hour and a quarter before my last driving lesson...my spirits fell when I heard my instructor's voice, not because he isn't lovely but because I was sure he was phoning to cancel...Thankfully this was not the case...but he asked if I had remembered that he had brought that day's lesson forward by an hour, YIKES!!! No I had not remembered...that meant I had 15 mins to get myself presentable. From planning on spending the next hour doing hypnosis followed by gentle reading so I could start my lesson in a chilled and calm manner, I had to change to full on panic nutter mode! Impressively I was ready in time...He teased me about only just getting up which was SO not the case... I had already done my housework and an hour's step aerobic workout...I was just not ready for my lesson when he telephoned. I had the pleasure of pointing out that HE was the one sat there with toothpaste on his face!!!!!
Mmmm, I'm not sure what to think of this reversing into a bay lark...I totally get why it is wrong to go in nose first, but boy oh boy is this going to take some practice. Doing it with spaces in the bays next to me was okay but I so didn't like doing it with a car next to me. When asked "What must you change when there are cars parked on both sides of your chosen bay?" I was told that the answer
"My pants!"
was not the answer he was looking for... oh well it might not have been correct but at least I made him laugh!
For anyone who hasn't learned this mano yet, the answer is "nothing".
I really wanted to abandon it when he made me reverse in with a car on my left but he kept bringing up the word "trust", so even though I was freaking out at how close we were to the other vehicle I went ahead and lo and behold, it all worked like magic...I just wish you could buy pocket sized Mr Patiences so you could keep them in the glove box for future times of emergency and tight squeezes!
I tried private practice with the Doxie-mobile the same night but somehow it didn't go quite so well...I kept ending up about a third of a bay to one side....still at least I was straight which is half the battle I guess. I don't know if I am turning too late or too early, ho hum I guess that is what practice is for...it probably didn't help that it was at night in a pitch black car park in the countryside and I couldn't see the bay markings that well anyway, so maybe I am being a bit hard on myself.
I had someone walk backwards into the road in front of me in this latest lesson...now that is an odd one to anticipate LOL. It was a workman...I can only assume he had ear plugs in or something...blooming daft thing to do without looking! Anyway you will be pleased to hear that he is still upright and the only thing that happened was... I stopped, Mr Patience blew the horn and said what a twit he was, or words to that effect!
Until next time,
Doxie :o)
Mmmm, I'm not sure what to think of this reversing into a bay lark...I totally get why it is wrong to go in nose first, but boy oh boy is this going to take some practice. Doing it with spaces in the bays next to me was okay but I so didn't like doing it with a car next to me. When asked "What must you change when there are cars parked on both sides of your chosen bay?" I was told that the answer
"My pants!"
was not the answer he was looking for... oh well it might not have been correct but at least I made him laugh!
For anyone who hasn't learned this mano yet, the answer is "nothing".
I really wanted to abandon it when he made me reverse in with a car on my left but he kept bringing up the word "trust", so even though I was freaking out at how close we were to the other vehicle I went ahead and lo and behold, it all worked like magic...I just wish you could buy pocket sized Mr Patiences so you could keep them in the glove box for future times of emergency and tight squeezes!
I tried private practice with the Doxie-mobile the same night but somehow it didn't go quite so well...I kept ending up about a third of a bay to one side....still at least I was straight which is half the battle I guess. I don't know if I am turning too late or too early, ho hum I guess that is what practice is for...it probably didn't help that it was at night in a pitch black car park in the countryside and I couldn't see the bay markings that well anyway, so maybe I am being a bit hard on myself.
I had someone walk backwards into the road in front of me in this latest lesson...now that is an odd one to anticipate LOL. It was a workman...I can only assume he had ear plugs in or something...blooming daft thing to do without looking! Anyway you will be pleased to hear that he is still upright and the only thing that happened was... I stopped, Mr Patience blew the horn and said what a twit he was, or words to that effect!
Until next time,
Doxie :o)
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
Doxiemobile I love you!
I LOVE, love, love my Doxiemobile! I've been out in it locally with the L plates and it is all I hoped it would be and more. Sharp End fits in the boot and is quite happy. You'd think he'd been in it a thousand times already. Even though he doesn't have the space he is used to in Mr Doxie's car he doesn't seem to mind at all. His dog guard arrived today so he can go out with us which ever car we use...and there will be room for new puppy too!
She is a delight to sit in,very comfy and still smells new, although I am sure Sharp End will soon take care of that!...She came with very low mileage which I know is genuine as I know her history. :o) With room for friends,dogs,shopping and smart enough for work what more could I want? The future is bright! I am going to have so much fun whizzing about here and there.
Doxie...nearly mobile :o)
She is a delight to sit in,very comfy and still smells new, although I am sure Sharp End will soon take care of that!...She came with very low mileage which I know is genuine as I know her history. :o) With room for friends,dogs,shopping and smart enough for work what more could I want? The future is bright! I am going to have so much fun whizzing about here and there.
Doxie...nearly mobile :o)
Goodbye drug of choice
Before my driving lesson I usually pump myself full of caffeine to ensure alertness ... If I am honest, the reason is that one of my oldest and dearest friends was killed in a minibus accident ( not in this country ) and it was alleged the driver fell asleep so thus he was a totally innocent victim of somebody else's tiredness...well this week with Mr Doxie working from home my routine was a bit different and I realised about 10 mins before Mr Patience was due to pick me up that I had not had my usual double if not triple cappuccino...there was no time to throw it down my neck at the last minute so I just had to go out without a boost of my drug of choice.
What a difference...I pulled away quicker at junctions, I did my manoeuvres with no internal agitation or self criticism and was generally waaay calmer throughout the lesson. The only slightly wobbly bit was practising the "hanging off the top of the cliff" bit aka proper clutch control on a hill. Even that went a hundred times better than last week. Today I froze ( and my eyes leaked )at the thought of the first attempt but with a bit of gentle talking around I did as I was told, when I was told, and it went fine from then on...it was probably helped by the fact that Mr Patience was determined not to let me off the hook but he did this by reading the mood and with exactly the right attitude...even if things do go a bit wonky he always makes sure I learn from the situation so everything good or bad is fruitful in some way.
We ended the lesson with driving down the road by the river (where I envisaged stopping at the pub and having a sit in the sunshine, oooh tempting!)...and then back via the local roundabout of doom ( it is ginormous ), but in reality it wasn't really as bad as people make it out to be...I can't believe I just wrote that LOL...maybe I just approached it from the easiest side today!
All in all it was one of the least eventful and calm lessons I've had and was told a definite " No more caffeine for you in future Missy!" If next week is just the same I will have to admit that coffee is not the friend I thought it was. Hey ho, you live and learn.
Doxie :o)
What a difference...I pulled away quicker at junctions, I did my manoeuvres with no internal agitation or self criticism and was generally waaay calmer throughout the lesson. The only slightly wobbly bit was practising the "hanging off the top of the cliff" bit aka proper clutch control on a hill. Even that went a hundred times better than last week. Today I froze ( and my eyes leaked )at the thought of the first attempt but with a bit of gentle talking around I did as I was told, when I was told, and it went fine from then on...it was probably helped by the fact that Mr Patience was determined not to let me off the hook but he did this by reading the mood and with exactly the right attitude...even if things do go a bit wonky he always makes sure I learn from the situation so everything good or bad is fruitful in some way.
We ended the lesson with driving down the road by the river (where I envisaged stopping at the pub and having a sit in the sunshine, oooh tempting!)...and then back via the local roundabout of doom ( it is ginormous ), but in reality it wasn't really as bad as people make it out to be...I can't believe I just wrote that LOL...maybe I just approached it from the easiest side today!
All in all it was one of the least eventful and calm lessons I've had and was told a definite " No more caffeine for you in future Missy!" If next week is just the same I will have to admit that coffee is not the friend I thought it was. Hey ho, you live and learn.
Doxie :o)
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
I survived my cliff top adventure!
I hung on to the branch with all my might.Hanging over the top of a very steep cliff was petrifying...I mean that as it sounds...I was petrified...it was as if I had been turned to stone. I couldn't move a muscle. Hearing but blocking out the instructions to let go and heave myself over the top.
"Trust me." he kept saying. I knew he could be trusted but fear had such a grip over me I just ceased to function. "Breathe." he said...This command actually got through to my frozen brain. I started to try and calm myself with deep breathing...it began to work...and I started to see reason and come back to reality.
"Have you seen the angle you're at?" he asked with amusement. All I knew is that my entire body had become one tense muscle, leaning forward as far as it would go for fear of tipping the balance. " Look at how tight your grip is!" he observed.
"Of course it's tight!" I told him "I'm teetering on the top of a cliff, that is my branch I'm holding!"
" You're going to put a dent in my steering wheel if you hold it any tighter."
Okay now I slightly relaxed...only slightly though.
In the end he talked me out of my frozen posture and I managed to heave the both of us over that cliff as you will no doubt realise seeing as this is in the past tense, and if I had still been there in that rigid state I would have never been able to let go to do a spot of touch typing to update my blog!
Well that is how my driving lesson ended yesterday. If I wrote it like a drama, that's because it felt like a drama! The cliff was a junction at the top of a very steep and long hill ( can you have a long hill I wonder? ). For some reason the small amount of sanity I posess went completely out of the window. I say for some reason, well perhaps the reason was there was a rather nice car parked behind me and even though my dodgy clutch control probably only caused me to roll back inches I had vivid visions of rolling back and smashing into said parked car.
In spite of this ridiculous hiccup at the last post I think I had improved over all. We went out to the "big city", and I coped with several lanes of traffic on busy roundabouts...I also drove through what looked like a decidedly dodgy area and had a run down on what had been going on there the week before, which had the desired effect of me keeping my speed up so we could make good our escape before any of it happened to us ( well that was what was going through my mind...I don't DO cities! ). On the way back I asked if I could have a medal, he declined my request but upped my score on roundabouts. I now have 3/5 on roundabouts.
Oh I forgot to say that I cut my eyeball ... so I embarked on my lesson in a less than calm state, taking my bag with me this time just in case it worsened and I had to drive to the doc's surgery half way through my lesson ( who knows? Eyes are weird things ). Mr patience personified has told me before that your state of mind will affect your driving so I choose to believe that little mishap earlier that morning may indeed have had a knock on effect when I got behind the wheel...who knows?
What I do know is that Mr Patience never lets me off the hook for anything. He informed me that next lesson will have lots of hills, though he did say maybe slightly gentler ones to get my confidence up...I think the hills are okay, it's just gravity that scares me!
Doxie, onward and upwards! :o)
"Trust me." he kept saying. I knew he could be trusted but fear had such a grip over me I just ceased to function. "Breathe." he said...This command actually got through to my frozen brain. I started to try and calm myself with deep breathing...it began to work...and I started to see reason and come back to reality.
"Have you seen the angle you're at?" he asked with amusement. All I knew is that my entire body had become one tense muscle, leaning forward as far as it would go for fear of tipping the balance. " Look at how tight your grip is!" he observed.
"Of course it's tight!" I told him "I'm teetering on the top of a cliff, that is my branch I'm holding!"
" You're going to put a dent in my steering wheel if you hold it any tighter."
Okay now I slightly relaxed...only slightly though.
In the end he talked me out of my frozen posture and I managed to heave the both of us over that cliff as you will no doubt realise seeing as this is in the past tense, and if I had still been there in that rigid state I would have never been able to let go to do a spot of touch typing to update my blog!
Well that is how my driving lesson ended yesterday. If I wrote it like a drama, that's because it felt like a drama! The cliff was a junction at the top of a very steep and long hill ( can you have a long hill I wonder? ). For some reason the small amount of sanity I posess went completely out of the window. I say for some reason, well perhaps the reason was there was a rather nice car parked behind me and even though my dodgy clutch control probably only caused me to roll back inches I had vivid visions of rolling back and smashing into said parked car.
In spite of this ridiculous hiccup at the last post I think I had improved over all. We went out to the "big city", and I coped with several lanes of traffic on busy roundabouts...I also drove through what looked like a decidedly dodgy area and had a run down on what had been going on there the week before, which had the desired effect of me keeping my speed up so we could make good our escape before any of it happened to us ( well that was what was going through my mind...I don't DO cities! ). On the way back I asked if I could have a medal, he declined my request but upped my score on roundabouts. I now have 3/5 on roundabouts.
Oh I forgot to say that I cut my eyeball ... so I embarked on my lesson in a less than calm state, taking my bag with me this time just in case it worsened and I had to drive to the doc's surgery half way through my lesson ( who knows? Eyes are weird things ). Mr patience personified has told me before that your state of mind will affect your driving so I choose to believe that little mishap earlier that morning may indeed have had a knock on effect when I got behind the wheel...who knows?
What I do know is that Mr Patience never lets me off the hook for anything. He informed me that next lesson will have lots of hills, though he did say maybe slightly gentler ones to get my confidence up...I think the hills are okay, it's just gravity that scares me!
Doxie, onward and upwards! :o)
Sunday, 30 August 2009
My first real driving manoeuvre
Today My instructor had me doing 3 point turns, although apparently that isn't the correct name for that manoeuvre???? The roads were quieter being a bank holiday weekend and everything went really well ( in my eyes ). The garden walls locally are still intact and so are my nerves. My instructor did a lot of humming of Beatles tunes today...I am assuming that means he is fairly relaxed with my driving at the mo... or is trying to make me think he is, so I relax lol, he's very good at the psychology of teaching...or maybe he just had the Beatles in his head! I over complicate things usually.
We also did a little mystery tour of some new roads which ended up in a drive by of where a "famous" person used to live...okay big deal you think...well it was to me seeing as our Dobermanns were related, and I got to see where that doggy lived...never mind the famous person... I wanted to imagine that dog staring through the gates. :o)
My instructor makes the lessons very enjoyable which I am so thankful for...after waiting so long to learn I really wanted this to be a fun experience and I am not disappointed one bit... he usually has me giggling, even if it is just to myself.
I LOVE driving. It gives me a real high. Thankfully I don't have to wait long until my next lesson.
Doxie
We also did a little mystery tour of some new roads which ended up in a drive by of where a "famous" person used to live...okay big deal you think...well it was to me seeing as our Dobermanns were related, and I got to see where that doggy lived...never mind the famous person... I wanted to imagine that dog staring through the gates. :o)
My instructor makes the lessons very enjoyable which I am so thankful for...after waiting so long to learn I really wanted this to be a fun experience and I am not disappointed one bit... he usually has me giggling, even if it is just to myself.
I LOVE driving. It gives me a real high. Thankfully I don't have to wait long until my next lesson.
Doxie
Thursday, 27 August 2009
Odd things make me giggle but...
I never thought learning to reverse would! I just can't explain it, maybe it was just sheer delight that I could actually do something I thought would be difficult... Goodness knows...but every time I went to do the manoeuvre I just dissolved into fits of giggles and had to keep stopping to compose myself. My instructor has agreed to up my lessons to twice a week so hopefully that means he doesn't think I am certifiable...although he did mention needing to get inside my brain!
So far so good anyway and I can't wait until my next lesson.
Doxie :o)
So far so good anyway and I can't wait until my next lesson.
Doxie :o)
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