Driving Lesson Number 9.

Well, they say that a good driver can drive ANY car... After my first attempt in Clio this afternoon, I think I can safely say that I'm not a good driver yet! Although I didn't do too bad, even if I do say so myself.

The little Hyundai I've been driving up to now had very flexible pedals with plenty give in them! Whereas Clio's pedals are much harder. In fact the clutch borders on stiff and the brake only needs the slightest of touches and you almost go through the windscreen!! However, that may just be me being heavy footed... Hehehehe!

My new instructor seemed to be impressed with my driving, including a PERFECT 3 point turn, although the first one saw me hitting the kerb as I was reversing. I'm struggling to control rollback at junctions on a slight hill though because I just can't judge the clutch to get it to stop! Apart from one that I did on my way home.

I think my main problem so far is clutch control which I really need to work at, but hey, I've only had 9 lessons so I can't be perfect ALL of the time! ;-)

Next week it's crossroads or hill starts so everyone PLEASE keep out of town or I'm likely to roll into you!

Driving Lesson Number 8.

Well I have good news and bad news tonight. The bad news is that I'm having to chance instructors and cars next week. :'-( My current instructor is having to move me because she's finding it hard to fit 2 of us in because we're in a different area to the rest of her learners. Anyway, next week I'll be going from a petrol Hyundai Getz to a diesel Renault Clio! I'm not sure what colour it is, black I think, so I'll have to keep an eye out when he's due. I'd like to thank Liz for all that she's shown me and for giving me the confidence to get behind the wheel in the first place! She says I've come on leaps and bounds in the last couple of months and I shall be eternally grateful to her for her marvellous help in getting me this far!

Anyway, onto the good news! I finally managed a 3 point turn (as well as a 5 point turn... oops...) tonight AND a parallel park eventually, but by heck that was hard to do! I couldn't seem to get into the bay without hitting the kerb! I got there though and felt such a rush of achievement that I had to smile to myself. Oh yeah, and I NAILED that Tesco roundabout tonight too! Woohoo!!

Right, next week will be all change so we'll see what it brings and if I remember all I've been taught so far! Fingers crossed...

Driving Lesson Number 7.

Well, I got back from this weeks lesson about 20 minutes ago and my arms are aching! I'm not actually sure why because I wasn't tense or anything, maybe it was because I was actually using 5th gear a lot, so was having to change more often! Hehehehe!


I even managed to get to 60mph a couple of times which is a real achievement for me! Last week I managed 55mph but felt a bit nervous travelling at that speed so I slowed down a little.

I need to work at my roundabouts though because I'm approaching too fast and there's one bugger that eludes me each time I come to it!! Blinking Tesco, why couldn't they leave it as a normal road?? :-( I keep taking it too wide and snake about when leaving it. Oops... I just know she's gonna take me on it again next week because she had me go over it 3 times tonight! :-P

I think going out for an hour with my dad at the weekend helped with my gears because I was much smoother tonight, although I was hitting 4th instead of 2nd, whereas before I was hitting 5th instead of 3rd! D'oh!

I attempted a little bit of reversing too but I think I need to concentrate on them roundabouts for now!!

Driving Lesson Number 6.

Well this weeks lesson went FAR better than the last!

I felt so much more relaxed, (possibly because of the amount of stress drops I took beforehand!) so my driving was MUCH better! I still managed to stall a few times,but not outside my own house when I came home, although I did have to reverse for the first time after ending up on the kerb! Oops!

I stalled a couple of times at a pedestrian crossing because I didn't release the handbrake fast enough, but thank you to the kindly gentleman and his son for not walking out in front of me while I was trying to get going again! It was much appreciated.

I managed to get out of a set traffic lights onto a main road perfectly, (no kangaroo or anything!) but then forgot to speed up fast enough to keep up with the 40 mph speed limit, so that's something else I'll have to remember for future use if I want to stand a chance of passing!

I'm not sure, but I think I seem to be doing better when I'm driving in daylight rather than night, so hopefully I should come on leaps and bounds during the Summer months! Although that could just be a coincidence so I guess only time will tell...

I can't wait till next week now! Although I may be starting to learn some manouvres so everyone keep out of my way please!

Driving Lesson Number 5.

Well this actually happened a couple of weeks ago, so forgive me if I forget some things about it!

I got off to a flyer when I almost hit a car pulling out from outside my house! Oops! I have a habit of releasing the clutch too fast when setting off so that's something I really need to work on. That and putting it into neutral when coming to a stop at the end of the lesson!

I'm sure my instructor had filled her car up with kangaroo petrol too because the car was jumping all over the place!! Or maybe not eh...?

She took me up a big hill with a mini roundabout at the top of it, which I proceeded to stall at while waiting... oops! While I was trying to sort myself out though, I had a very annoying old woman sitting behind me who pipped her horn at me?!?!?! Er... hello!!! Learner driver here!!! The big white triangle SHOULD give that away?!?!?! Eeeeejit!! Add to that the jackass who was dazzling me with his lights at another roundabout and it wasn't the most enjoyable lesson I've had!

After the mini roundabout incident I ended up behind another learner driver who was stalling more than me and that's saying something! Anyway, my instructor had me follow him for a while to see what happens each time I stall and stuff and to see just how easy it is to do it! I felt so much better after seeing it, even though the poor bloke kept me at 20 mph right through the town when I was dying to hit 30!