31 3/4 Hours.
We only had time for 1 1/4 hours today, but it was plenty time for the fun we had!
As usual this blog will be jumbled because it's nearly 12 hours since I went out and Ive only just gotten round to updating!
Well we headed for the test centre for some bay parking coz we haven't done that for a while and we had to wait a little while because there was someone already there. After they'd moved back to the yellow start line (see where this is going..?) I took up my position on the opposite side and so we both began...
I set off reversing, started turning the wheel, then soon realised that I'd turned too soon so went back to the start again. This time I was off and going really well. The other person was still going steady but I think they're a doddle now so whilst keeping an eye on my position and everything, I went just that little bit faster and beat them into the bay! Hehehehe! 1-0 to me! Now as I moved back to the yellow line, the other car moved out and another one came in and they too parked up at the other line! Now this was too much of an opportunity to miss, although they had a false start and shot off way before I did! I was getting cocky at this point, but I still got into the bay alright AND beat them! Yes! 2-0 to me!
So next we headed out and headed for Flimby, trying to get up to 5th gear which I don't do very often. Now I know it was Saturday, but I don't think the car in front did! Whoever the driver was, stuck to 40MPH all the way from Siddick right through to Flimby when the speed limit changed to 30!! Now I know I'm not the best of drivers yet, but it was extremely frustrating not being able to put my foot down and get out onto open road!
Anyway, once we got to Flimby, we headed down a side road, turned round and headed back onto the A595. This time there were no cars to speak of and it was clear all the way back to Siddick, so I got my foot down and reached 60MPH for the first time ever!! Woohoo!! Then 61, 62... Whoops... I'm definitely getting better with the speed though because I'm faster at getting to what I need to be at!
We tackled the new roundabout by the multi storey again and, thankfully, there were no idiots waiting for me today! It's a stupid layout though and it totally confused me when I was coming down the hill! We got over it though, then came back at it from the opposite direction. My instructor was really miffed at this point because there wasn't much traffic around! Hehehehe!
We took a jaunt along Murray Road too, very slowly because there were so many people crossing and generally getting in the way! Including 2 lads that insisting on walking along the road instead of getting on the pavement, and I got rather close to one of them at one point, though in my defence, they shouldn't have been there in the first place!!
We tackled the Stop junction on Hagg Hill twice today because I've only ever done it once! I think I handled it quite well though, even better because the road was rather quiet for a change!
We also had an "experience" when headed round to the test centre from the direction of Tesco! As you go up and over the hill, my instructor said that people approaching from the left of you should give way if you are turning left onto Derwent Howe (don't know why, he just said they should!), however, one lady obviously doesn't agree with that and TOTALLY cut me up!! When we went back round later on though, the lovely tractor driver let me get over, not that he had much choice though because I was over and out of view before he got any kind of speed up!
If there's anything that I think I'll fail on, I think it's getting back into the test centre! I ALWAYS end up skewiff when waiting to turn right onto Stanley Street. Every week I'm there it happens! I think it's because it's right off a bend and hill and the road is quite narrow compared to others I drive on. I'm going to have to make a conscious effort to get that sorted, especially as my instructor thinks we should be starting to think about the test soon...
Oh, I also did a turn in the road on St Helen's Industrial Estate, just before Siddick, which was good as usual then got right back into the flow of traffic on Maryport Road and was up to 40MPH in no time!
There's no lesson next week because I'm working and my instructor is out of the county anyway, so the week after will be open roads heading towards Cockermouth. Just as long as he doesn't take me further and make me drive on the twisty dual carriage way near Keswick then I don't mind!
As usual this blog will be jumbled because it's nearly 12 hours since I went out and Ive only just gotten round to updating!
Well we headed for the test centre for some bay parking coz we haven't done that for a while and we had to wait a little while because there was someone already there. After they'd moved back to the yellow start line (see where this is going..?) I took up my position on the opposite side and so we both began...
I set off reversing, started turning the wheel, then soon realised that I'd turned too soon so went back to the start again. This time I was off and going really well. The other person was still going steady but I think they're a doddle now so whilst keeping an eye on my position and everything, I went just that little bit faster and beat them into the bay! Hehehehe! 1-0 to me! Now as I moved back to the yellow line, the other car moved out and another one came in and they too parked up at the other line! Now this was too much of an opportunity to miss, although they had a false start and shot off way before I did! I was getting cocky at this point, but I still got into the bay alright AND beat them! Yes! 2-0 to me!
So next we headed out and headed for Flimby, trying to get up to 5th gear which I don't do very often. Now I know it was Saturday, but I don't think the car in front did! Whoever the driver was, stuck to 40MPH all the way from Siddick right through to Flimby when the speed limit changed to 30!! Now I know I'm not the best of drivers yet, but it was extremely frustrating not being able to put my foot down and get out onto open road!
Anyway, once we got to Flimby, we headed down a side road, turned round and headed back onto the A595. This time there were no cars to speak of and it was clear all the way back to Siddick, so I got my foot down and reached 60MPH for the first time ever!! Woohoo!! Then 61, 62... Whoops... I'm definitely getting better with the speed though because I'm faster at getting to what I need to be at!
We tackled the new roundabout by the multi storey again and, thankfully, there were no idiots waiting for me today! It's a stupid layout though and it totally confused me when I was coming down the hill! We got over it though, then came back at it from the opposite direction. My instructor was really miffed at this point because there wasn't much traffic around! Hehehehe!
We took a jaunt along Murray Road too, very slowly because there were so many people crossing and generally getting in the way! Including 2 lads that insisting on walking along the road instead of getting on the pavement, and I got rather close to one of them at one point, though in my defence, they shouldn't have been there in the first place!!
We tackled the Stop junction on Hagg Hill twice today because I've only ever done it once! I think I handled it quite well though, even better because the road was rather quiet for a change!
We also had an "experience" when headed round to the test centre from the direction of Tesco! As you go up and over the hill, my instructor said that people approaching from the left of you should give way if you are turning left onto Derwent Howe (don't know why, he just said they should!), however, one lady obviously doesn't agree with that and TOTALLY cut me up!! When we went back round later on though, the lovely tractor driver let me get over, not that he had much choice though because I was over and out of view before he got any kind of speed up!
If there's anything that I think I'll fail on, I think it's getting back into the test centre! I ALWAYS end up skewiff when waiting to turn right onto Stanley Street. Every week I'm there it happens! I think it's because it's right off a bend and hill and the road is quite narrow compared to others I drive on. I'm going to have to make a conscious effort to get that sorted, especially as my instructor thinks we should be starting to think about the test soon...
Oh, I also did a turn in the road on St Helen's Industrial Estate, just before Siddick, which was good as usual then got right back into the flow of traffic on Maryport Road and was up to 40MPH in no time!
There's no lesson next week because I'm working and my instructor is out of the county anyway, so the week after will be open roads heading towards Cockermouth. Just as long as he doesn't take me further and make me drive on the twisty dual carriage way near Keswick then I don't mind!
posted by Ailsa @ 2:41 pm
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