Monday

Let's talk about driving

If you follow me on Twitter, you have probably read all about my driving escapades. By escapades, I mean completely and utterly freaking out! I have now had 20 hours and I am still terrible! 

Steering is the worst thing for me. I veer too much to the left, so I overcompensate by steering too much to the right. It's a miracle I haven't glided into an oncoming car yet! Roundabouts are pretty much hell for me. I'm about two lessons away from accidentally steering right into the middle of one! 

Bizarrely, I'm great at reverse parking and three point turns. Seriously, I've never made a mistake with either. I've never stalled doing them, or hit the kerb, or ended up wonky. Aren't they supposed to be the hardest things? Yet I can't even drive in a straight line! 

Oh, and if I've learned one important lesson, it's that you can't stop for pigeons. Especially not at a roundabout. Erm, not that that happened or anything... 

21 comments :

  1. Eeh I'm so excited to start driving! Knowing me ill be the same as you by driving rubbishly along roads (and probably worse than you by hitting kerbs!)

    Laura
    X

    http://brightanddandy.blogspot.com

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    1. I'm amazed that I haven't hit a kerb yet!

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  2. Oh wow, you poor thing! I used to do something similar but i grew out of it after a few lessons. is that the right phrase - grew out? Either way, im sure youll get there! Was meant to take my second test on friday but it was cancelled due to strikes..waiting on a new date now. So annoying! good job on the manoveres , I love doing them too :)
    x

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    1. Oh no, that must be so annoying! I imagine you just want to get it over and done with!

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  3. One lesson you'll be driving and suddenly thing "oh! I get it now!!" My trouble was that I didn't really understand the clutch for ages, then one lesson I realised what it did and why I needed it. To make your car move, to stop your car and to change gear. Simples. I kept over complicating it! x

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    1. I hope that day comes soon! I've had something like 20 hours, at least!

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  4. It took me literally nearly 100 hours of lessons, a year and a half and two tests to pass. I would always veer to the left when there was an oncoming car, panic at junctions and roundabouts, but I was bizarrely good at 3 point turns and hill starts. I braked on the city ringroad for a cat. I was told I nearly caused an accident, but there was no way I was going to hit that kitty!

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    1. I'm pretty certain I'm going to be that way too! I panic at roundabouts too. I don't want to go, but eventually I think "AAARGH I'M JUST GONNA GO!" and then I stall because I'm trying to move too quickly.

      I would definitely brake for the cat too!

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  5. Don't worry- I know a girl who failed her driving test for driving the wrong way around a roundabout, so you aren't THAT bad. When I passed my driving test, no one believed me when I told them- I had to remind them that I only told them about the stupid things I did, not the good stuff! And I stop for pheasants, and duck when birds come towards me too. You'll get there sooner or later, don't worry! x

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    1. THAT'S AMAZING! How did she even manage that? That fact will always make me feel better. Thank you!

      I'm not going to tell anyone when I have my test. That way, if I end up failing 7 times, I won't have the humiliation of telling them each time!

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  6. My problem with driving is looking in the mirrors at the wrong time - I'm sure my instructor must think I'm the vainest girl in town! Haha :) xx

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    1. I look AT the mirrors, but realised last week that I'm not actually looking in them. I'm just in the habit of looking towards them because I know that's what I should do. I'd better fix that before I crash into someone!

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  7. My ex boyfriend swears he nearly lost control of the car one day after I screamed because there was a hedgehog on the road! And I always slow down for birds if they're in the way!

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  8. I hate roundabouts so much! I never know what to do and all the people going around just freaks me out.

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    1. My biggest problem is multi-lane roundabouts. I always veer into the right lane... Even if there are cars in it!

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  9. I don't know how to drive and am terrified to learn! u_u

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    1. I'm not going to lie, I find it pretty scary! I've put it off for 7 years as I was so scared!

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  10. It took my eight goes to pass my test, and now I've ended up with an Automatic, much easier but a total accident. It was kind of frustrating because I knew I could drive and they don't care how much you've paid to do it. Still, I'm definitely glad I did it and didn't give up, it's so nice to get from Point A to Point B on my own terms :) x

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  11. You sound exactly like me driving. I took me about 50 or 60 hours of lessons and 2 tests to pass. I still hate driving, I've always done amazingly well at manoeuvres but normal driving scares the hell out of me, manoeuvres I think are easier because it's just you and the car, rarely do you need to worry about anything else! I just think of everything bad that could possibly happen, it took me ages to get over roundabouts and I still get nervous with them. The key is to relax, which is completely impossible I realise but meh, I started to ask my instructor to let me start off driving really easy, straight roads and getting harder as the lesson progressed, I also had 2 hour lessons which I found were better because they allowed me to relax into them more. Also I had the same issues with steering, we went to a park and he literally had me driving in circles and 8 shapes for an hour, that helped, if it's really worrying you ask your instructor whether you can go somewhere to work on just that for a while. Don't be afraid to ask to ask him for specific focus lessons, mine was all ears after broke down in tears 2 weeks in a row haha good luck! xx

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  12. I am just starting to learn properly too. I am getting good at driving on the road, I need to work on checking my mirrors frequently. I was so bad at parking at first but I am slowly getting better. It just takes practice. And you have to remember to be confident. That's really key to it all I think.

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