(no subject)

[eiffel_71]

First driving lesson this afternoon. It went OK. Peter, my instructor, drove us out to one of the car parks at Stokes Bay. We started with 'cockpit drill' - check that the doors are closed, the hand brake is on and the gear's in neutral, that you can see everything out of the mirrors, and that you and anyone under 14 have seat belts on - then he ran me through the pedals, steering wheel and the ignition. I got a bonus point for knowing what the brake pedal does beside slowing the car down (turns on the brake lights).

I spent the next hour or so driving around the car park under Peter's guidance, with the odd stop to allow people arriving or leaving in the car park to clear away. I had a few difficulties getting starts right - taking the clutch up to the 'bite' and keeping it there, while also keeping the accelerator (the gas as he calls it) at the right level - and some of my stops were juddering halts, but by the end I was doing OK as far as the pedals, handbrake and gears go, although my steering remains primitive.

Comments

[magenta01.livejournal.com]

Hey, well done for starting learning! I started a few weeks ago, its very odd indeed isn't it :) I had trouble keeping my feet in one place too, I ended up wearing different shoes and for some reason problem solved.

Have you been to www.2pass.co.uk? Ooh now I've got someone to talk to about learning that doesn't laugh when I say "I drove on a dual carriage way, it was scary" lol. Best of luck learning!!!!

[moonhot97.livejournal.com]

My instructor said I needed to change my shoes for next time! He reckoned they were so wide that I was stepping on the brake and the gas at the same time, and the soles were too thick for me to get a proper feel of the pedals.

I've not heard of that web site, will take a look. I can't imagine being let loose on the roads in the foreseeable future.

Thanks for the good wishes *x*

[cherrybomb07.livejournal.com]

Oh God, I keep trying to pluck up the courage to book my first lesson! It's ridiculous really, but the longer I put it off, the more nervous I get :S Glad to hear your first lesson was in a car park, I imagined just being let loose on the roads which would be horrific...

[moonhot97.livejournal.com]

Do go ahead and book a lesson, it's nowhere near as scary as you think beforehand. I was all apprehension ahead of this afternoon but then the actual experience was OK. Any instructor worth their salt won't let you loose on the road before you feel ready.

[magenta01.livejournal.com]

Book it! Took me till 33 till I started learning and I'm seriously kicking myself I didn't start learning earlier (5 lessons in now). I have to say, my instructor didn't think my first lesson through well, first time behind the hill was on an incline and beside a building site with workies standing outside!!! It's all been great since and I honestly look forward to my next lesson, even thinking of increasing them. Good luck!!!

[magenta01.livejournal.com]

that's behind the wheel, not hill. geez its late!

[cherrybomb07.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad it's not just me who didn't dive straight in aged 17! All my friends take the piss out of me for not being able to drive (I'm 23), they're so hilarious :S I really must do it though. If only to shut them up!

[littlemissalien.livejournal.com]

They all call it 'gas' because it's quicker to say. Good luck with it, it'll be second nature in no time! :)

[moonhot97.livejournal.com]

Thanks babe *mwah*

[celestialweasel.livejournal.com]

I think they call it the 'gas' pedal because it doesn't really cause the car to accelerate, certainly not proportionally to how much you press it, the acceleration is effect rather than cause IYSWIM

[ladymissloki.livejournal.com]

If I can drive, ANYONE can drive. Go get 'em tiger!