(this is a re-post because some little birdy, in a strange confusional post-driving state, clicked the wrong button and deleted the whole thing 
)
• It now takes me less than 30 seconds to restart the car after a stop sign/red traffic light.
• For three times, despite the driving instructor's warning, I realized I can center the manhole like a man.
• Need to make peace with the steering wheel. Once or twice, during a jittery corner turn, I was asked taoistically where I thought I was going. Replied in kind that I wasn't going anywhere because I was already there.
• Rotaries. Sigh. Correct driving procedures require me to turn on the left signal light, then the right — while curving around the damn circle and looking out for other cars. Once, I fumbled too long with the signal lights and forgot to look where I was heading... until the instructor, invoking Santa Maria Cleopatra, grabbed the wheel and made me realize I was going straight for some nice red flowers behind the guard rail. Prior to this, it was a bank and the cheeky fella quipped that I might have a future in armed robbery.
• Have acquired the nasty habit of forgetting my foot on the gas pedal while taking corners/curves.
• A mental note to be nicer to the computer: like the pc when it goes into RAM-overload from sophisticated video games, I tend to get so confused with the footwork, the gears and signal lights while crossing intersections and going around rotaries that for a few seconds my brain hangs, shuts downs and then restarts Windows on its own. It's a rather bizarre sensation because, in those few seconds, I have no idea where I am, what I'm doing and where I'm headed.
Written driving exam update:
Have been rescheduled to take the test sometime in the first week of August. Have been studying every night and also dreaming of studying every night. Hopefully, between the two I'll managed to learn something and pass the test.
)• It now takes me less than 30 seconds to restart the car after a stop sign/red traffic light.
• For three times, despite the driving instructor's warning, I realized I can center the manhole like a man.
• Need to make peace with the steering wheel. Once or twice, during a jittery corner turn, I was asked taoistically where I thought I was going. Replied in kind that I wasn't going anywhere because I was already there.
• Rotaries. Sigh. Correct driving procedures require me to turn on the left signal light, then the right — while curving around the damn circle and looking out for other cars. Once, I fumbled too long with the signal lights and forgot to look where I was heading... until the instructor, invoking Santa Maria Cleopatra, grabbed the wheel and made me realize I was going straight for some nice red flowers behind the guard rail. Prior to this, it was a bank and the cheeky fella quipped that I might have a future in armed robbery.
• Have acquired the nasty habit of forgetting my foot on the gas pedal while taking corners/curves.
• A mental note to be nicer to the computer: like the pc when it goes into RAM-overload from sophisticated video games, I tend to get so confused with the footwork, the gears and signal lights while crossing intersections and going around rotaries that for a few seconds my brain hangs, shuts downs and then restarts Windows on its own. It's a rather bizarre sensation because, in those few seconds, I have no idea where I am, what I'm doing and where I'm headed.
Written driving exam update:
Have been rescheduled to take the test sometime in the first week of August. Have been studying every night and also dreaming of studying every night. Hopefully, between the two I'll managed to learn something and pass the test.
7 comments:
Perhaps you could outfit your car with a joystick instead of a steering wheel. I bet you'd drive superbly.
Until you found a target to shoot. :)
Your driving antics are so funny!
Are you sure you need to drive in Venice, after all? I mean, is this really necessary???
Arlene, keep at the driving...you will get it sorted and the jingling of keys in pocket and arm out car window in sunshine will make it so worth it :0)
My first outing by myself after having passed my driving test involved circling a tree in a cul-de-sac roundabout...I got my gas and brake pedals mixed up too and ended up against a lamp post....learning to drive brings to mind the line about 'picking up and dusting down'... :0))
i think you should drive up to vienna, arlene. (she said with a totally straight face.)
m
carl, a joystick? i used to do flight simulations with that. sadly, i never survived for more than one minute.
lauren, i'm afraid so. realized it when the hubby got sick. public transportation in this part of italy sucks.
yay!! liz, i'm absolutely *delighted* to find another someone who gets the pedals wrong. you're my idol!!!!
michi, remind me to take you and sepp around for a drive should you come to venice. i'm planning to advertise my driving as the most excited, gut-wrenching ride in --erm-- disneyland. **evil smile**
a.
Arlene! Too funny. Hon, if it is in Paris that you are wanting to drive-- DON'T! For goodness sakes.
When I was there I was amazed by the drivers, and sirens.
Phew!
I've never been to Italy, but I'll bet they have the same drivers.
When I took my second test (after allowing one license to expire) the instructor asked me to turn the blinkers on so she could see if they worked. She was still standing by the windshield when I hit the wrong lever and sprayed her with the windshield washer. oops! Mybad.
Good luck, hon.
KL
I read 'rotaries' as rosaries - though given your antics, maybe that isn't so far off the track ;)
Post a Comment