Driving Lesson Number 27.

Well today was my second attempt in the new Yaris and after getting myself settled in the seat, at the right height and length from the pedals, we were off!

I'm still finding the pedals hard to get used to because they're so different to what I'm used to, but I was less jumpy than last week, thank god!

First off we headed towards the test centre and did a turn in the road just a little further down the road. No problems there, though I did hit the brakes a little too fierce on the first stop. Oops... Hehehehe!

Next we headed to Seaton via Siddick and I managed not to speed TOO much! I hit 41 at one point, but it's so flaming difficult to keep it at exactly 40! I must remember not to get a digital milometer when I get a car!

We had a little practice at clutch control near the shops in Seaton, and although I wasn't perfect, I did manage not to roll back too much, just ever so slightly, and got back round to have another go. This time there was no roll at all which I was most chuffed about!

We decided to give parallel parks a miss for today because we'd focussed on them last week, so this week it was a reverse round a corner at Flimby, via my FAVOURITE hill through Camerton!! No panic though, and I actually managed to keep on my own side of the road this week instead of wandering, unlike some of the drivers coming the other way...

I really don't like the corner we go to at Flimby because it's on so much of a hill that there's no clutch needed until you actually get round it and I feel like I constantly need my brake to slow me down! I nearly hit the kerb a couple of times, but managed to rescue it just in time. I think next week I'll lift the seat a little higher to see if that helps at all. You may not see the logic in that, but I know what I mean!

So next it was time to head back towards Workington and I actually managed to hit 58MPH!! Woohoo!! Before now, I've only got as far as about 54MPH but I felt much more confident this week and put my foot down! No sooner had I got there though that I had to slow right down because we turned back into Seaton. Another go at clutch control on the hill by the shops and it was back into Workington.

My instructor said he's had a lot of issues with the mini roundabout at Kwik Fit recently so we went over it, turned left, turned back into town, went back over and turned right and headed down Harrington Road, then right up Vulcans Lane (passing an idiot double parked on the bend!), right at the lights and onto Murray Road, left onto Vulcans Lane again and right at the lights to head for home. Yep, I was feeling pretty dizzy at this point too! I'd gone round and round in circles for most of the hour!

I remembered to drive through the bus stop onto Corporation Road and then came across some idiot double parked (again!) halfway down! I always go into first going onto my road because you can NEVER get parked, this week being no exception! However, this week a car was coming along the other way and there was nowhere for me to go except back out and onto the other road, so I sat where I was till he reversed back to let me through!

It was a rather hasty swap over this week as we were parked in the middle of the road, so much so that I forgot to write down what I'm supposed to remember for next weeks lesson and I haven't a clue what it was now! Damn! Damn! Damn!

Ah well, maybe it'll come to me at some point, but I won't hold my breath...

Driving Lesson Number 26.

Well, only 3 words can sum up today's lesson accurately.
Oh.My.God.

Why? I hear you ask... Well, my instructor got a new car on Sunday and today was my first day in it, so of course there were teething troubles for me as I got to grips with the new controls and everything.

Firstly I didn't have the seat high enough so I just wasn't comfortable for the first 20 minutes or so! The pedals feel totally different to the old car, which is better in some ways but rather annoying in others because I'd gotten used to the stiff clutch and the sensitive brakes!

We headed to the test centre first off, via Matalan roundabout... For some reason, as I was turning onto Stanley Street to go into the test centre, I put my foot down on the accelerator instead of the brake so we shot off round the corner instead of taking it gently!! Oops... Luckily there were no cars waiting to pull out or I'd most definitely have hit one!

The Yaris has a much better turning circle than the Clio, so I found it easier to reverse into a bay, although reverse is in a totally different place, so I went into 1st by accident when reversing round a corner later on in the lesson!! Oops again...

We managed to get into Siddick for a parallel park today too! I found that much easier to do in the new car, but then coming back out of Siddick was almost disasterous! A van stopped to let me out because he wanted to turn where I was, however, there were 2 children obstructing my view as I was coming out! Now you're probably thinking that I almost crashed... No, the children decided to try and run across the road as I was turning!! My heart was in my mouth thinking about what could've happened if I hadn't reacted when I did, but that wasn't the worst thing to happen. Oh no, not by a long shot!

At another point in the lesson, we were heading along Newlands Lane towards town, when a STUPID idiot (didn't even look old enough to be behind the wheel!) pulled out on me and I had to do an emergency stop to avoid clouting him!! I wasn't even speeding and the police car behind me can vouch for that!! What did they do at this point..? Not a sausage! They simply cruised along behind me till I turned off at the roundabout!! That got me so, so mad!

I don't think I did too bad with it being a new car and everything, although I now have to relearn clutch control because the bite is different, and it's so quiet that it's harder to hear when I've got it! So for this lesson being a "getting to know you" type of thing for me, I didn't do too bad and got loads of manouvres in, albeit one that wasn't even meant to happen!!

Next week, we're going to look at last weeks mock test and focus on my faults, just hope that the lunatics stop at home!!

Driving Lesson Number 25.

Well I had a break from driving last week because my instructor cancelled, but it was actually a blessing in disguise because I wasn't feeling crash hot at the time!

So it was back to a mock test today to see how I'm getting on and I actually surprised myself with some things and shocked myself with others!!

First off we headed for the test centre, which was in fact closed so I did a turn in the road just slightly further down the road. No probs there, they're a doddle!

Next we headed to Siddick for a parallel park, alas, a van got behind me and there was nowhere to go except back out again. My instructor asked if I'd planned that but I hadn't. Honest! Hehehehe!

So we headed for Flimby instead. Blinking heck, the little road next to the rugby club is a bit small innit?? I managed it though and we headed onto the estate for another attempt at parallel parks. I REALLY can't used to them for some reason! I don't know why, but I just seem to lose it once I'm halfway in and have to turn full lock to the right! Needless to say, that went down as a definite practice point for future reference.

Then we headed up the hill towards Camerton and Seaton. Some... so and so came down the hill and didn't give way to me so I had to use my clutch control to stop me rolling back down!! Humph! Flipping cheek of it! My instructor was rather crafty here too because he got me to stop halfway up and I assumed he was going to explain something to me, but no sooner had I pulled over than he said I could go again! Hhmmm... coulda told me he wanted me to do a hill start!

So it was along to Seaton and I actually remembered 5th gear this week! Yay! Reverse around a corner this time and I was extremely grateful to another instructor for using our usual corner, till I realised that the one we were heading for was actually on more of a hill! D'oh! So I was then cursing him for nicking it!! I managed an absolutely PERFECT reverse which astounded us both I think! I've never, EVER been able to do that in his car! Cue huge grin and a real feeling of accomplishment! Another manouvre ticked off! Yay!

So then it was under the bridge and we headed back towards Workington, eventually! There was a car in front of me that had stopped at the junction on the hill, and after my success of reversing round the corner, I totally forgot about clutch control and started rolling back!! I quickly got the clutch back before I hit the 4x4 sitting right behind me (Eejit...) then almost lost it as I got to the junction but I didn't hit the car coming along the road, thank god!

So next it was through Seaton and down to the roundabout and into Workington. We headed up towards Stainburn and cut off to head for Moorclose. Then he took me on a wild goose chase cutting through Banklands and down to the stop junction at Co-op! I managed that no bother so we headed towards Matalan roundabout... He really loves that thing!! I didn't panic or anything though, even though there were cars flying everywhere and I got round it no problem then headed for home.

On getting there, the only space available (just for a change!) was right behind our car, so I tried to get myself in slowly and gently but jumped a little bit because I wasn't on the clutch hard enough and thought I was going to hit it! Yikes! When I got out though, I was nowhere near it, it was just deceiving.

So the verdict was:

1.I need more practice on parallel parks.
2.I need to concentrate on getting myself further over when turning left at junctions because a couple of times I was almost in the middle of the junction.
3.I need to be less hesitant at junctions because a couple of times I could've been out when there were cars coming but I didn't go.

Apart from that he said everything was fine! I know the basics so it's simply a case of tidying it up. Hooray! He said to give it a couple of weeks and then we'll consider upping it to 1 1/2 hour lessons to get it finished, so I could be away before Christmas yet!! Watch this space... -->x<--

Oh, just remembered it's a new car next week, a Toyota Yaris, so I just hope it's not too different! Hope it's got better brakes though because the Clio's are far too sensitive for me!