Very very long time sinc I posted anything - but here we are the graduate interns playing that funky music (the second half)
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Driving Number 10
Slight delay in posting about driving - apologies - finishing my degree has
taken over my brain!
So, we've been doing reversing round corners and into bay parking spaces. Interesting phenomena, not entirely sure I'll ever get it!
But on a plus, I am now driving from my home and back again and negotiating roundabouts :D
taken over my brain!
So, we've been doing reversing round corners and into bay parking spaces. Interesting phenomena, not entirely sure I'll ever get it!
But on a plus, I am now driving from my home and back again and negotiating roundabouts :D
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Driving Numbers 6 and 7
Apologies for the delay in writing - been trying a new healthy eating plan and it's taken over my mind!!!
There's not much to tell from Week 6 - just an overview of left and right turns and learning to signal the right way and move around the first 3 gears. All of which I think I managed pretty well!
It's last week that the problems began!
Last week was my introduction to reversing. Slightly unnerved by this concept, largely due to the amount of wobbling that occurs when I look behind me when cycling, and I could only conceive that the same would happen if I stopped looking forward in a car. Thankfully this was not the case as the steering wheel is a lot more stable than the handlebars of a bike. Funny that.
So it was not the actually moving that was the problem. It was competent at getting into the right gear, and I was quite capable of moving backwards (or rather the car was) and controlling this movement with the clutch. My problem came in the looking. It seems that part of reversing involves rather a lot of swinging your head round and round looking everywhere. Now I can understand the reasoning of this looking, seeing as though it's always good not to hit things, but would somebody please like to explain this to my body? This swinging head motion produced nothing but a feeling of nausea for me!
I would be deeply grateful to anyone who could relieve me of this nausea. I do indeed get travel/motion sick, but so far in my lessons this has not been a problem. Everyone says that once you're the driver you don't feel sick. Although there was a large part of me that didn't believe this, my experience until this point had proved it.
So now what do I do? Clearly feeling nauseous is not a great way to be in charge of a car. My doctor says they can't give me anything for it because they make you drowsy. My only hope is that the slight infection I had last week was the cause for my increased nausea, not just the head motions. Although I find that moving my head from side to side when not in a car still makes me feel sick to a certain extent! Hmm...
Other problems this week included not being able to tell whether we were coming in at too steep an angle when reversing round a corner. Although how you're supposed to tell this when your movement is very stop starty is beyond me. It became clearer as we moved faster. But all in all, I didn't enjoy this lesson, and am not looking forward to the next!
There's not much to tell from Week 6 - just an overview of left and right turns and learning to signal the right way and move around the first 3 gears. All of which I think I managed pretty well!
It's last week that the problems began!
Last week was my introduction to reversing. Slightly unnerved by this concept, largely due to the amount of wobbling that occurs when I look behind me when cycling, and I could only conceive that the same would happen if I stopped looking forward in a car. Thankfully this was not the case as the steering wheel is a lot more stable than the handlebars of a bike. Funny that.
So it was not the actually moving that was the problem. It was competent at getting into the right gear, and I was quite capable of moving backwards (or rather the car was) and controlling this movement with the clutch. My problem came in the looking. It seems that part of reversing involves rather a lot of swinging your head round and round looking everywhere. Now I can understand the reasoning of this looking, seeing as though it's always good not to hit things, but would somebody please like to explain this to my body? This swinging head motion produced nothing but a feeling of nausea for me!
I would be deeply grateful to anyone who could relieve me of this nausea. I do indeed get travel/motion sick, but so far in my lessons this has not been a problem. Everyone says that once you're the driver you don't feel sick. Although there was a large part of me that didn't believe this, my experience until this point had proved it.
So now what do I do? Clearly feeling nauseous is not a great way to be in charge of a car. My doctor says they can't give me anything for it because they make you drowsy. My only hope is that the slight infection I had last week was the cause for my increased nausea, not just the head motions. Although I find that moving my head from side to side when not in a car still makes me feel sick to a certain extent! Hmm...
Other problems this week included not being able to tell whether we were coming in at too steep an angle when reversing round a corner. Although how you're supposed to tell this when your movement is very stop starty is beyond me. It became clearer as we moved faster. But all in all, I didn't enjoy this lesson, and am not looking forward to the next!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Driving Number 5
Bit late this week, so I apologise if I've forgotten most of it!
After a quick circuit of left hand turns, making it up into third gear, we went on to right hand turns. A little more to think about here, especially which way to flick the signal switch, which on numerous occasions I seemed to manage to signal left for right hand turns. Hmm... must work on that!
Thankfully I only stalled a couple of times, although it was to my dismay as I hoped to be the person that never stalled. Hey ho, just need to keep the revs up. I think it may have been a confidence issue. A cockyness issue in fact, as I sped up in my manouvers trying to seemless carry out my instructors instructions (well there's a mouthful) at the speed of a 'normal' driver. It appears I need to wait for myself to catch up.
My other problem this week (perhaps related to the over-confidence) seemed to be changing gear. Not changing gear in itself or forgetting the clutch nor going fast/slow enough, but simply grabbing the handbreak instead of the gear stick. Fatal flaw indeed. Again thankfully I managed to rectify my mistake before putting the handbreak on - which would indeed of had interesting consequences.
On a positive note, my foot/pedal control is excellent and coming on in leaps and bounds. I have control!
Next week I have been promised the delight of mixing left and right turns in our little jaunts. Looks like it would be a good plan to learn my left and right when it comes to signalling for this.
After a quick circuit of left hand turns, making it up into third gear, we went on to right hand turns. A little more to think about here, especially which way to flick the signal switch, which on numerous occasions I seemed to manage to signal left for right hand turns. Hmm... must work on that!
Thankfully I only stalled a couple of times, although it was to my dismay as I hoped to be the person that never stalled. Hey ho, just need to keep the revs up. I think it may have been a confidence issue. A cockyness issue in fact, as I sped up in my manouvers trying to seemless carry out my instructors instructions (well there's a mouthful) at the speed of a 'normal' driver. It appears I need to wait for myself to catch up.
My other problem this week (perhaps related to the over-confidence) seemed to be changing gear. Not changing gear in itself or forgetting the clutch nor going fast/slow enough, but simply grabbing the handbreak instead of the gear stick. Fatal flaw indeed. Again thankfully I managed to rectify my mistake before putting the handbreak on - which would indeed of had interesting consequences.
On a positive note, my foot/pedal control is excellent and coming on in leaps and bounds. I have control!
Next week I have been promised the delight of mixing left and right turns in our little jaunts. Looks like it would be a good plan to learn my left and right when it comes to signalling for this.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Driving Number 4
Bit of a break between posts as unfortunately I was very sick last week and had to miss my driving lesson! Disappointing.
So today was largely recap of the old left hand turns. Feeling slightly apprehensive after the break, I seemed to settle back into it quicker than I thought.
I do believe that it's a mark of my evolving maturity that I told my instructor what I needed (e.g. 'can we go round the block one more time to cement this in my mind?') rather than just meekly going along with what she said. It's almost come as a shock to me that I have my own mind, and that it's thoughts are worth listening to (at times)!
Having mastered mirror, signal, manouver and left turn in first gear, complete with handbreak stop at the junction, along with giving way behind parked cars, we decided to take it up a gear. Literally. So we set off, we get into second gear, happily go along until a car whizzes into the road forcing me to stop behind a parked car. So we carry on in first. Once we have turned we aim to speed up into second again. I manage the speed, push down the clush and the car makes an awful revving noise and jumps - horrible. I'm like, 'I don't know what I'm doing wrong!!' So we turn into a side road to discuss. Turns out you're supposed to take your foot of the accelerator as you put the clutch down. Oh. That'd explain it. D'oh.
So today I avoid my instructor squealing at me, and just squealed myself. I have to say though, I did notice a marked improvement in my confidence and reaction times. It's not taking quite as long to carry out the instructions I'm given, my feet and hands are starting to move automatically. Whoo. I started the lesson thinking I'll never get it, and left the lesson thinking, 'ah ha, here we go!'
I only hit the curb once. Guess that's good going. Especially since my clutch control of just rolling into position at junctions and when parking is so excellent! ;) he he.
Right hand turns next week me thinks.
So today was largely recap of the old left hand turns. Feeling slightly apprehensive after the break, I seemed to settle back into it quicker than I thought.
I do believe that it's a mark of my evolving maturity that I told my instructor what I needed (e.g. 'can we go round the block one more time to cement this in my mind?') rather than just meekly going along with what she said. It's almost come as a shock to me that I have my own mind, and that it's thoughts are worth listening to (at times)!
Having mastered mirror, signal, manouver and left turn in first gear, complete with handbreak stop at the junction, along with giving way behind parked cars, we decided to take it up a gear. Literally. So we set off, we get into second gear, happily go along until a car whizzes into the road forcing me to stop behind a parked car. So we carry on in first. Once we have turned we aim to speed up into second again. I manage the speed, push down the clush and the car makes an awful revving noise and jumps - horrible. I'm like, 'I don't know what I'm doing wrong!!' So we turn into a side road to discuss. Turns out you're supposed to take your foot of the accelerator as you put the clutch down. Oh. That'd explain it. D'oh.
So today I avoid my instructor squealing at me, and just squealed myself. I have to say though, I did notice a marked improvement in my confidence and reaction times. It's not taking quite as long to carry out the instructions I'm given, my feet and hands are starting to move automatically. Whoo. I started the lesson thinking I'll never get it, and left the lesson thinking, 'ah ha, here we go!'
I only hit the curb once. Guess that's good going. Especially since my clutch control of just rolling into position at junctions and when parking is so excellent! ;) he he.
Right hand turns next week me thinks.
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Driving Number 3
So today we were doing left-hand turns. I underestimated the difficulty of this!
After finding a suitable section in the estate (away from parked cars and other people) we sat and discussed what I was to do. Simply, we were to approach the junction (mirror, signal, manouver ma larky) and then stop at it having turned left in line with the curb. Then having looked everywhere again, turn and repeat at the next junction, going round in circles.
It seemed simple, but that wasn't counting for the parked cars, lorries, workmen, other road users who seemed to be in the mood to make me life as hard as possible! I hope that I am more considerate to learners when I pass! Didn't feel at all panicked by any situation though, as quite simply I couldn't do anything anyway! Just plod along at my slow speed!
Going round in circles was good practice, but by the end of the hour my left leg had had quite enough from all the clutch control creeping and insisted on shaking and being in spasm. Hmm.
A number of times I could sense panic in my instructors voice as she squeeked, 'not too near the parked car' and her voice became more high pitched as she grabbed the wheel. You really have to turn that thing further than you think! I also had it upside down at some point which confused me.
Truely I'm not sure how my brain is going to be able to cope with doing different things with my eyes, arms and legs. I thought being a drummer would help, but not so far!
All in all though, I do appear to be a good creeper.
After finding a suitable section in the estate (away from parked cars and other people) we sat and discussed what I was to do. Simply, we were to approach the junction (mirror, signal, manouver ma larky) and then stop at it having turned left in line with the curb. Then having looked everywhere again, turn and repeat at the next junction, going round in circles.
It seemed simple, but that wasn't counting for the parked cars, lorries, workmen, other road users who seemed to be in the mood to make me life as hard as possible! I hope that I am more considerate to learners when I pass! Didn't feel at all panicked by any situation though, as quite simply I couldn't do anything anyway! Just plod along at my slow speed!
Going round in circles was good practice, but by the end of the hour my left leg had had quite enough from all the clutch control creeping and insisted on shaking and being in spasm. Hmm.
A number of times I could sense panic in my instructors voice as she squeeked, 'not too near the parked car' and her voice became more high pitched as she grabbed the wheel. You really have to turn that thing further than you think! I also had it upside down at some point which confused me.
Truely I'm not sure how my brain is going to be able to cope with doing different things with my eyes, arms and legs. I thought being a drummer would help, but not so far!
All in all though, I do appear to be a good creeper.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Driving Number 2
Second lesson. Feeling less nervous this week and more excited - let me on that open road!!
Today we looked mainly at changing gear and creeping. It felt great to just fly along the road (making it to 25miles an hour!) and there wasn't much other traffic to deal with so it was stress free! I managed to pull over and stop the car a couple of times, only driving on the verge once!
Changing gear was entertaining. My intructor asked me to change into second and my mind malfunctioned and I went into third - oops! So she asked me to try going back into second and I ended up in forth! Lol! Following this we sat parked and practiced moving the gear stick - he he - you don't have to move it as wildly as I thought! I had no more problems after that, obviously I just needed to get used to the feeling of it.
I enjoyed creeping after making jokes about whether it meant following pedestrians along the path (which I'm not sure my instructor got). It made the whole 'biting point' on the clutch make sense, and gave me quite a good feeling of control of the car (what big beasts they are compared to bikes!).
After travelling along at my slow speed, I do find it weird then being driven home by the instructor a lot faster! Ah well, week two done!
Today we looked mainly at changing gear and creeping. It felt great to just fly along the road (making it to 25miles an hour!) and there wasn't much other traffic to deal with so it was stress free! I managed to pull over and stop the car a couple of times, only driving on the verge once!
Changing gear was entertaining. My intructor asked me to change into second and my mind malfunctioned and I went into third - oops! So she asked me to try going back into second and I ended up in forth! Lol! Following this we sat parked and practiced moving the gear stick - he he - you don't have to move it as wildly as I thought! I had no more problems after that, obviously I just needed to get used to the feeling of it.
I enjoyed creeping after making jokes about whether it meant following pedestrians along the path (which I'm not sure my instructor got). It made the whole 'biting point' on the clutch make sense, and gave me quite a good feeling of control of the car (what big beasts they are compared to bikes!).
After travelling along at my slow speed, I do find it weird then being driven home by the instructor a lot faster! Ah well, week two done!
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