Driving Lessons

Off for another lesson in an hour. Spent the last hour reminiscing how I used to drive everywhere in the States. Will hold the memories of the drive-through del Taco and the resulting bacon-cheddar-chipotle fries in my mind.

I expect to do better today. 

That's the spirit! 

That's the spirit! 

And if the lesson goes badly you can always drink some afterwards

Seriously though, good luck Nan.

The law of averages is in my favor. With as many things that I've done wrong that have been pointed out to me, I'm eventually going to get to the point of having the correct things being pointed out.

And I'll be damned if I'm going to worry about hand-over-hand on the steering wheel when turning today. I've been doing it that way for 50 years, and one more day of doing it isn't going to hurt anything. Instructor says that's the "wrong" way to do it, but if I am trying to focus on that I'm not focusing on the road. So the road wins, today!

Bacon-Cheddar-Chipotle-Fries... BCCF....BCCF....BCCF...BCCF   

Possibly! However, I had to phone multiple instructors to get someone who was available. Nan, if we lived closer I would take you out myself. It hasn’t been long since I went through your driving ordeal.


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What a great chance to park on all the double yellow lines and LITERALLY drive Rick Crazy.

What a great chance to park on all the double yellow lines and LITERALLY drive Rick Crazy.

Don’t forget the disabled bays! 🤣


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Technically, I've got the equivalent of a blue badge for those, so....

It went well enough.  The secret?  BCCF and driving like a little old lady.  And using the TomTom. That was great - it was loud, clear, and I could follow exactly what it said.

Reversed ok into a bay, but was probably too close to the line.

My one major fault - I was about to do a manoever that would be pretty much required in California - zipping across two lanes to be going onto the two opposite lanes - divided by a grassy median. Clear to my right, more than enough room on my left to slot into the gap in the approaching cars. If I was in Cali and had not taken that slot, I'd have been marked for hesitating.  I started to go here and got the brakes slammed on.

And I look over my shoulders too much, apparently. I use the mirrors ok, but need to not look over my shoulders. (I don't wanna die.)

SO, reminder to self. Drive like a little old lady. No zipping across and slotting in to match speed.

Technically, I've got the equivalent of a blue badge for those, so....

It went well enough.  The secret?  BCCF and driving like a little old lady.  And using the TomTom. That was great - it was loud, clear, and I could follow exactly what it said.

Reversed ok into a bay, but was probably too close to the line.

My one major fault - I was about to do a manoever that would be pretty much required in California - zipping across two lanes to be going onto the two opposite lanes - divided by a grassy median. Clear to my right, more than enough room on my left to slot into the gap in the approaching cars. If I was in Cali and had not taken that slot, I'd have been marked for hesitating.  I started to go here and got the brakes slammed on.

And I look over my shoulders too much, apparently. I use the mirrors ok, but need to not look over my shoulders. (I don't wanna die.)

SO, reminder to self. Drive like a little old lady. No zipping across and slotting in to match speed.

I like "drive like an old lady"! I'm going to start using that for myself. 

It sounds like you're doing well! I'm going through lessons myself, and I've also been frustrated with my own progress. Then again, I think I overestimated how much goes into driving manual, especially in congested areas and during heavy traffic hours. Lessons 4 & 5 are coming up next week (I have doubled up as well), so hopefully I'll make some nice progress.

Hang in there! You'll nail your practical test soon enough! 

I hope so. It's booked for mid-December.

I hope so. It's booked for mid-December.

It sounds like you're doing mock practicals with your instructor, so you're on the right track! 

I would not feel offended at being told not to cross your hands when turning the wheel or zipping across 2 lanes too quickly or looking over your shoulder too often.  You are being taught how to pass a British driving test where the vast majority of folks the examiner sees are novices. Once you have passed your test then you can go back to driving how you prefer. You will certainly not get a ticket for looking back too frequently or crossing your hands when turning the wheel. You may get a ticket for "improper lane management" if you are a bit aggressive zipping in and out.

I once attended an advanced driving classroom lecture while working in Louisiana and better use of the mirrors and not looking over the shoulder too long was something that was taught. At 40 or 50 mph you travel a remarkably long way in the time it takes to turn your head and glance backwards.

I love my current car which has blind spot indicators that light up in the door mirrors whenever a car is there, and if I indicate to pull out as a car is passing me those indicators blink like crazy in case I actually do start to change lanes.

I'd like this to be absolutely clear - I in no way feel "offended" by anything the guy said to do or not do. He's doing his job, is very patient, and, if I could only hear him better, I'd say he's probably as good a driving instructor as they come. I'd recommend him to anyone.   He's doing exactly what I'm paying for him to be doing. He knows his stuff.

I am excruciatingly aware that I'm prepping for a UK license. If it were any of the 50 US licenses there'd be no issues at all. And yes, you can travel a long way at 50mph with your head turned.  I was trained to always check with a sideways glance when changing lanes, and I've been doing it 50 years, so that's not going to disappear overnight. (We're not talking a full exorcist manoever here, either, just a quick check.) Same with the hand-over-hand on a turn. That is how I was taught to do it. It's now completely instinctive. And if I drove in Los Angeles in the manner in which I'm being taught now, it'd be dangerous. So, there's an adjustment window I'm climbing through to get my license, and which I will then close firmly again once I have it.  I don't anticipate renewing the license in 10 years, as I consider that at that age I probably should not be driving in the city.

There is no "going back" to driving as I prefer, in the strict sense. I have no intention of driving in the UK unless I find myself in an emergency situation. I don't want a car. I don't need a car. I only need this license so that I can rent a car when I'm back in the States, as my Cali license became invalid when I moved out of the state. Or, perhaps, if Brexit forces us to have to leave I may need to rent a car for a time somewhere in the EU. Or back in the USA. I don't want to be landing somewhere where I cannot drive, especially if it's in the USA. I'd have to spend a small fortune on cabs, if there even were any available. 

That being said, having a car that warns you of dangers in your blind spot or when reversing is just amazing! The last car I drove in the USA was a rental. It had a backup camera on it, and impact warning tones. It was fantastic. And I used to turn my nose up at the Tom Tom things, saying that people should be able to read a freaking map. I am now officially eating my words. That thing is amazingly helpful. 

My instructor didn't bother teaching me how to drive because she knew I already knew how. She just worked with me on what I needed to do to pass and to help me get comfortable driving on the wrong side and shifting from the wrong side and remembering to look over my left shoulder and not my right when reversing! haha. Where as the guy I had before made me really nervous.  HE was an ex cop and VERY strict about how I drove.

Female instructor was great, had the same name as me which is why I remembered seeing her car driving about. My test evaluator (or whatever you call them) was great too. He even told me when I was safe to go in a really busy roundabout (he shouldn't have) and just told me I needed to signal earlier than I was on roundabouts. haha.

I love hearing about all the things your instructor is telling you in real time as you go through this experience. I too grew up with the hand-over-hand turning of the steering wheel but having read elsewhere and now hearing you go through this and them making it a big point, I started being more conscious of not doing it myself now while I'm still here in the US so that when we do go over there, the muscle memory will already be built up and it won't feel so foreign.

I'm picking up these little things here and there as you document them so I can start thinking about them NOW!. Although I don't think they'd appreciate me getting used to driving on the left side of the road here now. haha

Just back. I was so proud of myself. I parallel parked no problem, just zipped into the spot fine. I have ~NEVER~ been able to parallel park. Except that it was 'all wrong' because I didn't look back enough once I had gotten well underway. And then I got so rattled I blew through a mini-roundabout, and went on the pavement (which didn't appear to be pavement) on a left turn. And I automatically do hand-over-hand when doing a hard steer around a corner. I am never going to get a license at this rate. I'm awful at this new stuff.      I just want to be able to drive in the USA so I can go home to visit.     Will try again in a couple of days.

How do you get on with your instructor?  I'm worried about the fact that a minor correction rattled you and the rest of your lesson was "all wrong".  Maybe you need someone else, who can express what needs fixing without making you feel stressed.  They are all just people.  Can you try a different one?

ETA: Now that I've read the rest of the thread, I say again, I know your instructor knows his stuff.  They all do.  To become licensed, they take a MUCH more rigorous test than we do.  But that doesn't mean he's a good fit for you.  I couldn't hear my first instructor (and he couldn't hear me).  I didn't bother with a second lesson with him.  I just went on to someone else.