Tell Tale Tit!!

I took my daughter to Brownies earlier and as we were getting ready to go out my son decided he was coming with me. Now I told him that we had to nip to Tesco for a couple of things which he was quite happy to do, even though he wasn't allowed to run off or sit at the ride because it was just the 2 of us going.

All was fine when we got to Brownies, no dramas parking or anything, and the same getting to Tesco, but I'd parked in an awkward place and I managed to clip the kerb on my way back out! Well, I say clip, I actually drove over the top of it by accident. As soon as we got back in the house (after making a detour via Morrisons because Tesco didn't have what I needed!) my son opened his gob and told hubby what I'd done! Little bugger, he was told that dad didn't need to know ALL my mistakes you know!! I thought I'd done extremely well apart from that one thing, especially having to put up with a tantrum because I'd said we'd have to go to Morrisons too!

Heading back after picking my daughter up from Brownies I managed to stall at the junction of Queen Street and Corporation Road because I tried to get out in second gear. I'd done it on purpose because I hadn't come to a complete stop but when I told hubby about it, he said I should've gone into first anyway because it's on a slight incline. Oh well, I know for next time, don't I..?

Anyone For Ice-Cream..?

Well it was such a beautiful day today that we just HAD to go out in the car! We headed into town around lunch time where I attempted to park on Murray Road, but there were no spaces, so we parked on Grey Street instead. Now I always moan when people park too far away from the car in front because they use up 2 bays and what did I do..? Oops! We weren't there long though and then headed for home.

We'd been discussing going to Allonby for an ice-cream as my sister had mentioned it in the morning but hubby didn't want to go. Mind, we were all trying to get him to change his mind because I didn't fancy driving that far with no back up and my sister wouldn't be insured! The next thing we knew, my mam was on the phone asking if we fancied going to Allonby!! He still reckons there was dirty tactics and secret text messages going on, but there wasn't, honest! It was simply pure coincidence! Rather freaky too actually but anyway, we were off.

Now when we went into town this morning I did a wheel spin out of Corporation Road, by accident, I didn't do it on purpose! My sister decided to do the same on the way to Allonby, but you should've seen my dad's face when she did it, it was a picture!! He was messing around in the back of the car, trying to put me off with his binoculars at the time, so as she sped off he almost fell over and his eyes nearly popped out of his head!! Hehehehe!! I tried it again but didn't quite get it right because there was no screech (don't try it at home kids!) as the traction control kicked in. D'oh!

All the way to Allonby, they kept pulling in to wait for me if a car got between us, coz I don't know how to get to Allonby you know... AND she pulled out on me at the Northside roundabout!! I forgot to tell her off for that actually!

When we got to Allonby it was chocka on the car park, as expected, but we drove on anyway to look for a space. There were none there though so my intention was to reverse back and out to the other car park, however some idiot pulled up right behind me and didn't move, even though I was in reverse! I pulled forward a bit, so what did they do..? Yep, pulled forward behind me again!! They did eventually get the message and went round me mind, then I EVENTUALLY got back out and onto the other car park, a little skewiff which hubby decided to rectify and ended up just as wonky but facing the other way! He says he wasn't bothered about that, he was just making it easier for me to get back out later on. Hhmmm... Whatever dear...

We'd taken kites along so we had a brilliant time flying though and skimming stones, which my dad won with 9 or 10 skims, but I'd got 6 with the first throw! Then it was time for the ice-cream!! Yum! Giant waffle cones all round, though I forgot to tell her which flavour we all wanted so we ended up with bog standard vanilla, all except my son who got caramel and scoffed the lot before anyone else finished! It's strange really, the last time we went, it took him forever and he only had a little tub because that's all he wanted! Likely had his ice-cream face on today!

So we headed back to the cars to come home again but I decided to let hubby drive home as I was still eating, much to my sister's annoyance because she'd asked for a race! She'd have won hands down though coz I'd have let her go first again!

Oh My God! Oh My God! Oh My God!!

Well today has been an experience and a half in driving. We ventured into town this morning and I decided that I was going to tackle the multi storey... Now when I say tackle, I almost crashed TWICE before I got parked!!

I got to the top of the hill after getting my card then almost drove into the gates because it's just not WIDE enough, then I almost backed into one of the fences when I was trying to park. Oops... Then ensued a battle of words with the other half in which I told him he could drive home, I wasn't doing it anymore and him telling me that no way was he driving because I'd driven there and could drive back!

Anyway, a couple of hours later we headed back to the car and I had to get OUT of the car park! Nope, he didn't change his mind... Coming out of there is like heading to the top of a rollercoaster, waiting to drop down the first hill. It was TERRIFYING and to top it off there were 2 horses at the bottom that I had to follow. What they were doing going through town on a busy Saturday afternoon though I'll never know! I managed to get us home alright though, even getting good clutch control on the Tesco roundabout and the hill turning onto Corporation Road, I could even drive into a parking space on our road so I was well chuffed!

Then we had to go back out to pick up the father-in-law. All was going well until we got to the traffic lights at the TA Centre. I was sat in the middle waiting to turn right and they changed. Now as they went to amber I was going but managed to stall!! AAARRRGGGHHH!!! The other cars starting moving so my intention was to reverse back a bit, but I managed to missed reverse and went back into first! Oops! I only rolled forward a touch though but I was mortified! I'd done so well up until that point and I'd managed to totally bugger it up!

Nope, me and that car just don't get on.

I Did It!!

So I went against what I said yesterday about venturing out on my own until I can parallel park and I took my son to Beavers! I didn't go by myself because my daughter insisted on tagging along for the ride, but I didn't stall once!! Unlike when we went to pick him back up and drove to Morrisons where I managed to stall twice, with hubby in the passenger seat... I've told him it's him putting me off that makes me do it, but he's not buying it!

I think I'll be driving when required for a while though because I've developed a swollen knee, well the back of it anyway. I hurt it at work last year and it swelled like a balloon and was black and blue, but now it's simply swollen. I don't think the driving has anything to do with it, but it certainly felt worse when I got out of the car earlier.

On a more positive note, I'm feeling much more brave after todays achievement and don't think I'd have any more worries about venturing out alone! Only taken me a week!!

Woohoo!!

Let's see, it's now 1,2,3,4... 5 days since I passed my driving test and I think it's now safe to say that I can actually drive! I took the kids to church parade this morning, then went to Tesco, back to pick the kids up, then to town and home again! I've also just come back from B&Q though I will admit that both trips were taken with hubby sat beside me. I'm not brave enough to venture out on my own just yet! If I could actually parallel park by myself then perhaps I would, but I can't so I'm not.

I felt much more relaxed in the car today and I think it showed in my driving, though I did still manage to stall a couple of times. Blasted revs!! I've gone off the idea of getting a diesel car to make it easier on myself though, so that's gotta be a good sign, right..?

So You Thought You Were Safe??

I went out in our car again earlier, and all those who thought they were safe in Maryport were wrong! Ha!! I drove down to the harbour, sat for 5 minutes then drove back home again, via Dunmail Park garage for some juice.

I'm still not happy about driving it, but I was much better than last night, only stalling twice!!

I decided to go up through town so ended up at the traffic lights by the library. I'd already stalled on Corporation Road but I got through the lights no problem and didn't manage to do it again until I was sat at the lights by Debenhams! D'oh! My problem is judging the revs on the bite because it's so different!

Anyway, no more excitement after that and we got to Maryport in one piece, though we got behind a learner who was doing 30 through the 40 zone at Siddick. Still, everyone's got to learn!

Now on the way home from Maryport someone got right up my ass when I was going through Flimby. Hubby said it was because I was going too slow, but I was actually just over the speed limit! He then came out with a classic - "You've passed your test now, you don't need to stick to the limit, no-one else does!" Yes dear, but that's why there are so many crashes all the time...

This bloke was right up my ass all the way back to Dunmail Park, and had I been on my own, I'd have pulled over and swore at him as he passed!

I've put petrol in the car before, but this time I had to drive it onto the garage forecourt too, now that was interesting! To go really slow I've always gone into 1st, but now I've to do it in 2nd apparently. Mind you, the car was spluttering like mad so I went into 1st anyway. I was putting £10 in, but managed to go a penny over (oops!) so he made me put £11 in instead! Tee hee hee! Well he'll get a little bit longer out of it then!

So then it was back home again and surprise, surprise, no parking space ANYWHERE on the road so I had to go round the block and park somewhere else instead, bumping on the kerb to get parked. Sorry Nick! Needs must and all that!

Passed, But Now Forgotten..?

I went out earlier in our car after hubby finally phoned to sort the insurance last night! Now all I did was drive to the sorting office and back, but I managed to stall 3 times, once sitting at a junction and twice trying to do a 3 point turn on the car park!!

I was so annoyed with myself and although everyone keeps saying that I simply have to get used to the car, it makes me so upset because I know how well I could do it in my instructor's Yaris. I really want a smaller car to drive, but who's to say I wouldn't be exactly the same in that too? I guess I just got a good car to learn in with it being a diesel, harder to stall, and I didn't have to use the accelerator to keep my revs up for the manoeuvres like I do now.

I guess I'll just have to persevere till I get it, but it's so disheartening after Tuesday's complete high.

2nd Time Lucky..?

Well today was the date of my second test and I was determined not to tell ANYONE except my husband! I suppose he had to know by default, or he'd tickle me to death or something almost as bad!

Anyway, my instructor picked me up around 10:30 and we headed off for a bit of a practice beforehand. Now even though the lesson on Saturday had gone quite well, I still wanted to practice the parallel park, just in case. I managed to hit the kerb at one point, but I realised and pulled forward again for another go. Now I thought that that would've been an instant failure but apparently it isn't if you realise and don't actually mount the kerb!

That was all fine so we headed off for a bit of a drive before heading to the test centre.

The time came for my test and who should come out? Yep, the same examiner I'd had less than 4 weeks ago! Don't ask my how I knew, but I just KNEW that it was going to be me who he would ask for! This made me so determined that I was gonna pass and I actually thought to myself, right ya bugger, I'll show ya!!

So we headed off from the test centre after the 2 questions about the car and headed up into town. I felt much more relaxed this time, though he still asked me at the traffic lights by the library if I was all settled down now! I'm guessing it must be a standard procedure or something.

We got down to the mini roundabout at the multi storey and this time we approached in the right hand lane but carried on instead of turning off. I was almost on top of the traffic lights at the Washington Central and they dared to change so I instantly looked in my mirror and saw a car behind me. Now instant reaction told me to carry on because I was almost on top of the lights and he was too close for me to stop so I carried on! At this point I thought oh god! I shouldn't have done that! I've failed already! I carried on though and we headed onto Banklands. Here I got a minor because I was too close to a car as I turned onto the road. I knew myself there so I couldn't quibble that one.

We took a left onto Eldred Road and he got me to pull up in a safe place. Yep, on the hill!! He then explained that he wanted me to do a reverse round the next corner which was also downhill! At this point I was cursing him but I was still determined to show him I could do it! I got the manoeuvre done, though I picked up another minor there because I was a bit wide as a reversed round. Fair do's again, just didn't want to pick up too many more!

So we took a left and up the hill onto Newlands Lane, then a left again to get onto Hawkshead Avenue and a right onto Ashfield Road. I actually thought he was going to get me to do an emergency stop here, but he didn't ask me to stop or anything so I carried on. It was a left onto Westfield Drive, then back down towards the sports centre, with me hoping and praying that I didn't meet a fire engine again!! He got me to pull over again, but still no emergency stop!

We were off again and he got me to turn right onto Moorclose Road, then right again onto Poole Road. Now I'd already done the reverse round the corner so I was thinking parallel park, but hoping and praying it wasn't!! Nope, right down to the end of the road and back onto the main road. We headed along Solway Road down to Matalan roundabout where we turned right and headed for the TA Centre.

Here we turned left onto Harrington Road, then left again onto Vulcans Lane. He got me to pull up in between 2 parked cars, then told me to go again when I was ready. Now here's where I picked up another minor for undue hesitation! I could see a car coming, but it was going much slower than I thought, then when I thought about going I hesitated again! We eventually got out and we turned right at the traffic lights to head back into town. It was back down to the mini roundabout but this time I had to be in the left hand lane and we turned left to go passed Debenhams and the police station. Left again at Seaton roundabout, then right at the Northside roundabout to head up towards Tesco. We went straight over that roundabout, then took the right hand lane to head back round to the test centre.

Once we got back into the test centre, he asked me to park in a bay. The first attempt I TOTALLY messed up because the yellow line just DIDN'T come! I said I was going to try it again, and thought I was gonna mess it up again, but the line appeared and I was in the bay. So he got me to turn off the engine and take off my seatbelt while he sorted out the paperwork.

I was all prepared, feeling quietly confident but still having that traffic light incident in the back of my mind.

After a couple of minutes, he turned and said, I'm pleased to say you passed!!! biggrin.gif Words can't describe how I felt at that particular moment, or even now I've had the chance to calm down! I've had a HUGE grin from ear to ear ever since and I punched the air with delight when I saw my instructor!

So I guess this will be the end of my driving blog, now that I'm officially no longer a learner driver! I hope you've enjoyed reading about my mishaps, dramas, woes and excitement along the way, almost as much as I've enjoyed doing and reporting about them!

Last but not least, I'm dedicating this blog to my instructor Nick who got me through and had every faith in me, and to Liz, the instructor who gave me the confidence to get behind the wheel in the first place! I couldn't have done it without either of them! biggrin.gif

Right, so now that the Ls have gone, PLEASE stay out of my way or at least drive properly while I'm around!!

Yet Another Dream!!

I dreamt last night that I was on a driving lesson and I had to go to a shop at the beginning for some contraption or other. I had to take my shoes off and for some reason I had to chop small chunks of wood into 2 with one hit, Karate Kid stylee! Anyway, the bloke had to go get something for me, which was taking AGES and in the end up we left because it was eating up my lesson time! My instructor was female too, even though he's most definitely male in real life!

46 1/4 Hours.

We had lots more parallel parks today because that's my least favourite of all the manoeuvres, though I did actually do quite well each time!

Now forgive me for not running through the full lesson minute by minute but it was nearly 8 hours ago and basically, I can't remember it now!

I surprised myself quite early on in the lesson though as I managed to turn onto Wastwater Avenue without stalling like I remember doing on my last attempt quite a while ago! I think I've got my clutch control down to a tee now, so that helped immensely.

We did a parallel park halfway up the hill, which was very bad of my instructor to suggest, though not as bad as the turn in the road on the hill a few weeks back, which I told him earlier he still hasn't been forgiven for!! Anyway, I got halfway in and a bus came along, as well as many cars behind me, so I got myself halfway in so that the bus could get passed and stopped while all this movement was going on. Once they'd all gone, I carried on. Well, tried to anyway! Even though we were on a hill, the car just sat there! I'd expected it to roll back so didn't use my clutch, but it didn't budge AT ALL! I was quite stunned actually, but after thinking about it since I've come home, I reckon it was most probably the angle I was sitting at and the way the front wheels were facing. Of course I could be talking complete and utter twaddle, but it sounded good to me!

I got in there quite well and was almost straight, so we headed up the hill and did another one at the top. Not a problem there, I'd even go as far as saying it was perfect!

We headed up through Salterbeck and onto the road that is setback from Moorclose Road to do a reverse round a corner. Now as I was setting off, we spotted a dog behind us, so decided to sit and wait to see what it would do. I thought kids on bikes were annoying, but this dog was twice as bad and twice as nosy!! Each time I went to move, it ran behind me and came and sat on the road beside me, looking up to see what I was doing! Most people will probably think I was mad, but I was actually talking to it, asking what it was doing and telling it to shift so we could get away! Off it trotted again, back onto the pavement, so off we went again and it ran behind me to come and sit down again!! This must've happened about 3 or 4 times, before it eventually wandered off round the corner behind me and we could get away! Let's hope I don't get taken that way for my test, or at least that the dog is safely tucked away indoors at the time!

We had another go at parallel parking up there while the opportunity was there to be had and that one was fine too, so it was off up into Harrington and along my favourite road, Scaw Road. It really is awful that road and I can't understand why it's a national speed limit! It scares me to death!! Coming out of there we turned right like on my test, and my instructor said I was going through my gears too fast so that was my problem on my test, that and the 3rd gear incident...

Anyway, we carried on up that road and turned right at Dobies garage, (that was an experience and a half!!) then came back down into Harrington to go along the same stretch of road. This time when we headed along Scaw Road, there was a car parked just around the last bend, which decided to pull off just as I reached it! Eejit! Bad enough it was parked just after the corner!! This time, I got up to 3rd gear and he said to sit in that till I almost reached 50, then jump to 5th! Now as I said, if I did that in our Vectra, hubby would slap my wrist, but it worked much better than trying to go through 4th! Must remember that then!

This time we turned right then left onto the industrial estate, and then right up to the roundabout, right again and headed back down to Dobies garage where we turned right again to get back down to Scaw Road. Back down there (have to say, I prefer going the other way on there!) and right at the mini roundabout to head back to Workington.

We got to the bottom of the hill and LOADS of cars were coming the other way so we were sat for quite a while, waiting for a gap to get through, then halfway up the hill we encountered a truck/wagon type thing (I think!) coming the other way! At this point, I should've stopped, (yep, on the hill!!) but I slowed down and squeezed through, just! Must not do that on the test...

So we headed back down to Mossbay and did another parallel park down a side road, then did a hill start on St Mary's hill, this time minus the roll and clutch burning and everything, thank god!! We did end up behind a learner driver though which I was dreading at junctions, just in case they stalled and I got stuck on the hill!! Listen me, not even passed my test yet and I'm having a go at learners!!

Anyway, we got out without any problems, headed back down Wastwater Avenue and into town, via the crossroads at the library, which I got through no problem because there were no cars coming towards me! Hehehehe! As we turned right though, the other traffic lights were on red, so I sat back from the junction so I wasn't blocking it, and waited for them to turn to green again. Now as we were waiting, a woman on a motorised chair crossed over and got stuck halfway across! The lights changed to green but I couldn't go anywhere because she was still stuck there, no thanks to the people who'd crossed at the same time who looked back and started laughing!

She eventually got away and we headed down to the mini roundabout at the multi storey at which we turned right onto John Street. No problems here because there were no buses, but I still edged along carefully because there was a car. At the stop junction we turned left and then turned left at Kwik Fit to get back to the roundabout. This time we wanted to go straight ahead, up the hill, so I checked there was nothing coming and a car emerged from my left. Now it was indicating right, so I assumed it was going to come passed me and carried on, to which my instructor said I should've waited and he came right round it!! Now to me, I had right of way there, so he should've waited anyway, but I suppose once he was on the roundabout, I had to give way to him, even though I thought he was turning off in my direction. Oh well, just hope I don't get anyone like that on my test!

I think this was round about the end of the lesson so we headed home and did another parallel park on my road, once again, it was fine! Woohoo! I'm actually getting to like doing them now, it'll be a different story once I get into the Vectra doing them though, if the last attempts are anything to go by!!

45 Hours.

It was back out with my instructor today and we focused on parallel parks with a couple of hill starts, just to keep me right.

First off it was round to the test centre for a practice in bay parking. I got the first attempt totally wrong, but the subsequent attempts were all fine, though I did have to watch when he got me to park in the second bay because there was a car next to me! All was fine there though so we headed off towards Maryport.

We pulled into St Helen's Industrial Estate, just before Siddick for a refresher turn in the road, then it was into Siddick for some parallel parks. The first was rather wonky, but the next was ok, so we headed to Flimby and did some more there. I seemed to get better as I went along so that's upped my confidence a bit on that manoeuvre.

Off we went again, up the hill towards Camerton/Seaton where my instructor got me to pull over for a couple of hill starts. Thankfully both were ok, though I did roll a little when I was pulling up for the first! Oops!

So it was off to Seaton for my "favourite" corner to reverse round. It really is awful, but I can't remember the name of the road! Anyway, I pulled up too close to the kerb in the first place, so I tried to drive past it a little before turning, then managed to make a total hash of it, the car rolled down rather fast and I ended up snaking round! Needless to say we had another go and that was much better.

Off again and we headed for the hill by the shops, which I managed to negotiate rather well, then had to use my handbrake because there were loads of cars approaching from the left! D'oh!

Next it was down into town and onto John Street for the stop junction. That was fine, though I did stop a little short of the junction and had to nudge forward to see! Left onto Harrington Road, right over the mini roundabout and right onto Banklands, having to use clutch control because of an oncoming car!

My instructor was hoping for a parallel park but there weren't any opportunities so we took a right down Mason Street to the other stop junction. All was fine there so we took the left again.

I had a choice between crossroads and Matalan roundabout here so I opted for the roundabout because I really hate it! I don't like the fact that you can see right round it, because I always hesitate trying to figure out where everyone is going!

We took a right on the roundabout and another right onto Senhouse Street, right and left onto Queen Street where my instructor very kindly told me to take a right onto Napier Street. Grrr! He was hoping for a parallel park on there but a car was coming the other way so we couldn't! Hehehe! We headed to my road and did one there instead.

Next week I think it'll be more of the same because there isn't really anything else my instructor can teach me, I just need to get that flaming test passed!!

Nightmares!

For weeks before my first test I was having nightmares about it, and this time round is no different!

Last night I dreamt that I was out with the examiner, driving along quite happily when a motorcycle decided to over-take. I didn't notice it, so almost ran him off the road and the examiner informed me that I'd failed because I hadn't sorted my mirrors before setting off, hence almost hitting the poor bloke!!

I also managed to scrape the car along a wall, almost pulling off my wing mirror!

I truly will be glad when it's all over!! Assuming I pass this time round of course...