Taking the 'H' out of 'L' plates

Driving on the Beach

by Siberspace ^Pro @ 2007-07-31 – 14:21:03

Yesterday I studied my LDC driving skills work book on the beach. Go to www.learnerdriving.com for more details.

I live minutes away from the beach in Kemptown, Brighton so it's like having access to a huge pond and a garden; even if that garden is covered in shingle.

My instructor advised me to study the lesson in advance and so I do it the night before, not exactly the model student.

Tonight I will be doing reverse parking. My task in a nutshell:

1. Pull up along side vehicle I wish to park behind
2. Check it is safe to proceed
3. Put gear in reverse, move back until front wheels of my car are level with the back of other car and steer left until wheel locks and car is at 45degree angle to the curb, steer right until wheel locks
4. Move forward to make sure enough room between your car and the other car.

Piece of cake?

Poetry in Motion

by Siberspace ^Pro @ 2007-07-29 – 17:45:37

Life is all about movement, we live sometimes in the slow lane, sometimes in the fast lane and at the age of 17 I was terrified of learning to drive. I had already experienced three crashes in a friend's mini, he was too busy checking out the hotties walking along the pavement, that I was put off learning to drive.

My parents insisted though and signed me up for a couple of lessons with one of the larger companies. A big mistake! The instructor was more nervous than I was at that age and kept grabbing the wheel at every opportunity to keep me in the right lane. I assured him I had not been drinking. I was only 17 for God's sake.

My father was just as nervous and I had regular tantrums by getting out of the driver's seat, slamming the car door and walking home from the local Sainbury's car park in floods of tears.

Then after 10 lessons I stopped. It made me sick to even contemplate the test. I moved to London years later to study Russian. London is a place where a car is a hindrance rather than a help and there were other forms of transport to become interested in like helicopters, boats and trains all of which I have had some experience of driving.

I'm a bit of a speed freak too and a right menace on a bicycle. I laughed at Hot Fuzz and Officer Nick Angel's 'Advanced Cycling' qualification but I should be banned from cycling as I spend so much time cutting corners by cycling on the pavements when approaching junctions.

That's why I am very serious about learning to drive well and safe.

Introduction

by Siberspace ^Pro @ 2007-07-28 – 15:24:22

I want to devote this blog to my new enthusiasm for learning to drive which would not be possible without the assistance of my brilliant instructor, Steve.

I have already had a few lessons and I love it. Each week I cannot wait to get back behind the wheel. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone who is brave enough to take me out between lessons so I have to wait impatiently each week for my hour lesson on a Tuesday.

This week I had a few problems with gear changes. Steve told me not to drive like a Formula One Driver and not to crunch the gears. He said to me 'think of the gear stick as if it were a husky's nose. Would you force a husky's nose away from you like that?' Ever so sheepish, I thought of a husky's nose and moved from 2nd to 3rd gear with a gentle push. Steve told me it was a text book gear change.

Steve's got the patience of a saint with me and my tendency to panic at the sight of a red light, pedestrian crossing the road or a white van driver. He's also an inventive and enthusiastic instructor who has more faith in my abilities than I do so I will keep you posted.