27th September 2006 27th Driving lesson

After yesterdays good lesson I guessed this would also be a good lesson.... Wrong.

Remembered to ajust mirror and check hand brake and neutral, instructor said she wishes every one she taught was like me doing this, not sure she still wished that by the end of the lesson probably not. One and half hour lesson instead of 2 hours.

I set of well as usual steering bit wrong keep getting too near kerb and middle of road, the main problem today was signaling, I know when and why to signal but today just messed up totally I usually sometimes signal too early and may forget to signal when moving off. Today I did both these and more I forgot to signal at least once at junction may of been more than once. I signaled to come off a roundabout when I shouldn't cos there was a pub car park to the left. Didn't check mirrors enough (again)

Did reverse round corner again after yesterdays it could only get worse and it did. 3 practices. First time I hit the kerb cos I don't straighten up quick enough. Second time ended up close to middle of road. Third time did great ... Until just round the corner got straightened up reversing back bit more, a stupid horrid car comes along so I have to stop. STUPID HORRID CAR cos after it had gone I TRY to reverse straight a bit more and go almost zig zag across the road in other words totally mess up all cos of that STUPID HORRID CAR getting in my way.

Turn in road now well after a drive round. I do the first part well then put it in reverse and yet again go too fast and steer a bit left not full lock as I should, then turn right at end, I manage it in 3 turns though. Second practice first bit and reverse goes well , but as with everything else this lesson something goes wrong, I zoom off and don't have time to turn right as much as I need to so have to reverse and turn right again did it in 5 turns.

I kept braking too hard again the main time being at a roundabout, I had stopped got ready to go and for some stupid reason I set off without checking right WHY. Then I noticed cars coming round so SLAM brakes on as hard as I could, I don't even need my instructor to tell me I braked too hard. Its when I have to stop quick at an exact spot I panic and rush to get stopped the last thing on my mind is braking gently at times like this.

I will get there in the end just slower than I'd like.

26th September 2006 26th Driving lesson

Well as I said I was expecting a quite bad lesson and I think my instructor was as she told me to make sure I take my time and concentrate as I have not drove for 2 week (3 week actually) well set off ok but realised I hadn't ajusted mirror or checked hand brake and neutral. Bit late for hand brake and neutral now I had set off but quickly sorted mirror when I stopped at junction. It felt strange driving after a 3 week break but got into it. A few slight steering mistakes which I corected myself, I changed gear more without being told and more confident pulling out at junctions and roundabouts when I have time before a car gets to me.

Did turn in road (don't know why but I don't like manoeuvers tho I can do them) set of too fast did reverse bit and last bit ok. Well I knew there would be some mistakes I hate the bit where you get biting point then release hand brake you never know how fast or slow the car will go then if it goes too fast its messed up. Anyway did it 2 more times better than 1st go. I was then expecting to do straight reversing and maybe reverse round corner but I was told to drive on. A bit later we stopped and then my instructor explains how to reverse round a corner as she thinks I'm ready for it. I'm not to sure but think I probably am and also the quicker I work out how to do this quicker I'll be ready for my test. I drive past the corner checking it's clear it is so I pull up at side of road or plan to but end up near the middle, great start ... NOT. I have to reverse back and pull in more to the left by the time I'd done that I was at the corner so start turning the wheel left and straighted up done it great. Did it again parking better to start with this time and did it quite well again. The best thing is my instructor said this is the hardest manoeuver and the one that takes longest to learn, she said I have picked it up quite quick. Saying that I remember my first turn in road went quite well then after more practice it went wrong a few times.

I drove in town again quite a bit of traffic but not quite as much starting and stopping as last time. My instructor seems to be learning from me that traffic lights always seem to turn red as I am about to pass as every lights we came to she tells me keep an eye on them as they will probably change. I drove up the hill that I rolled back on last time with traffic lights at the top and managed not to roll back this time. We came acros a few idiots on the road the main one being a driver in a car as I drove up a straight road a car pulled straight out of a junction without looking straight in front of me tho it seemed to worry my instructor more than me as I knew it was his mistake not mine and I slowed down enough, my instructor used the horn and called him an idiot, I was quite amused by it.

Things I could improve on the usual mirrors (still don't check them enough) from lesson one I have never checked them enough I still do not see point in checking them on straight roads when you are not doing anything different like changing speed, direction, lanes, I don't see why you need to use them changing speed if you need to slow down for things in front you need to slow down regardless of what is behind if they don't slow down nothing you can do. the main mistake I made was not being in the right lane for going straight on there was 2 lanes and I should of gone into the right hand lane but went to go in the left hand one, my instructor tells me this and I rush to get into the right hand one without checking mirrors, my instructor tells me I should of checked incase a car was overtaking. Enough about stupid mirrors I will use them to get through my test then up to me. A mistake I did today that I have never done before I went to change gear though it was bit awkward to change, maybe cos clutch wasn't down (have I said I hate the clutch before cos I should have tho I am more used to it now) Why can't all cars be automatic would be a lot easier I wouldn't have to rush gear changes then. I am learning to change gear without being told more now. At the end of the lesson my instructor said she was going to test me on a number plate but there was no cars at the required distance only one which was way over required distance which she struggled to read so I had no hope and a few quite close so I picked the furthest one and said I could read that and read it to her correctly thankfully as I would of looked stupid saying it wrong after saying I could read it plus there is no way I would of ever passed the eyesight test if I couldn't read this cos it was quite a lot closer than required distance. Also chances are that I will pass eyesight test on the day of my test cos one I can normally see the distance and two I have heard that the test centre I will be taking my test at only has 3 cars that you can be asked to read the number plate and you pass them going to waiting room, so a few eyesight checks on each car then I should know them from memory for if I struggle to read them. Over all a quite good lesson, and good news next lesson is 1 day away yes its tomorrow morning.

15th September 2006 Coping with no driving lessons

Well a week and half before my next driving lesson. To be honest up to now it has not been to bad, yes I am missing driving but not as much as I expected. Probably cos I have been enjoying searching different sites on the net nothing to do with driving for once and had problems with work so looking for new job so thats keeping me busyso far at least and now I have more time for driving when my instructor gets back til I get another job. Not sure if the break is or has done any good but I definatly have not been thinking about driving as much which has to be good. There IS more to life than driving, well at leat this week there has been not sure how long it will last. 11 days to go.

4th September 2006 25th Driving lesson

Bored waiting for my instructor to come due in 20 minutes. should of been 11 o clock but she phoned about 10.35 to say it would have to be later about 12.30 at least I don't have to mess about getting buses to work after driving now as I am driving to work for the first time. This is first time my instructor has delayed a lesson and still never canceled one tho I thought that she was going to cancel today when she phoned. No idea why she couldn't get at 11 I'll ask when she comes (just me being nosey well it is my lesson time) I will update this with todays lesson after work hopefully to say how well I did (not expecting to tho)

Bit late updating this but this is how the lesson went:

started off well concentrated on braking more gently and managed it. Did turn in road ok but stopped bit too soon on the reverse bit so had to reverse more, overall quite good. Did straight reverse which went well, my instructor said next lesson I will probably start on reverse round corner which she says is the hardest manoeuver. Then I drove into town again went up a hill which has traffic lights at top and had to stop lights on red, when they changed I got ready to go and rolled back (clutch too low) I put brakes on and start again this time I managed it. My instructor asks what I think I think I could improve on I am not sure as up to now I feel I have done quite well so I take a guess and say probably braking softer. My instructor says my braking hasn't been that bad this lesson and that roundabouts are the main problem this lesson I seem to look right to see if its clear too long and end up too near middle of road. Got better towards the end tho my instuctor was reminding me not to stare to right too long.

I got stuck in traffic in town so had to keep stopping and starting which I did well, my instructor names hazards to watch for when driving so I'm guessing she will tell me to book my theory soon. I went bit over speed limit (oops) I was in a 30mph zone and my instructor tells me to change up to 4th gear (which is for 30 to 40mph) I assume the speed limit will be 40mph, my instructor asks me what the speed limit is I look round and relise its a built up area so guess 30mph and I'm right better slow down. My instructor seemed to enjoy moaning at other drivers mistakes again today which I find amusing, first at a roundabout I stop cos another car is coming round and as I stop it decides to signal and turn off so I could of gone if it had signaled to start with. My instructor sarcasticly says well thank you for that driver. Then I'm driving along a road and another car pulls out of a junction my instuctor says what an idiot the driver is. Least I know if I did ever get wound up by another driver my instuctor would probably make me laugh by moaning about them. I actually pulled out of junction when I should of stopped to check both ways I have no idea why I just pulled straight out I wasn't ready to stop and by the time my instructor reminded me it was a bit late and I could see it was clear so carried on, my instructor didn't stop me so she must of seen it was safe tho she asked me if I should of stopped and I said yes (she had already more or less told me) Over all this is one of my best lessons yet my instructor agrees I have done well. Tho bad news to come, my instructor is going on holiday for 2 week so that means no lessons til she gets back which is 3 week away so sort of expect a bad lesson and I will be doing my first reverse round corner (if I haven't forgot everything) I hate long gaps between lessons.