Today was my first on-road test practice. My instructor already scheduled my on road test, I should be taking it some time around the end of this month. My learner’s permit expires early October. We went up to St. Louis today, all the way to the entrance of the Le Niol and Pascal Village roads.
The instructor allowed me to drive independently uphill, and I noticed I was losing some momentum before the Chinese Embassy area because I had shifted to third gear. So I slowed down a little and then shifted back to second gear and I was able to move up smoothly. The car had an extra passenger so that might explain why third gear was enough at Bel Air road, but not quite, up the St. Louis road.
I also went around the bus station, English River and back through Castor road. Castor road will apparently be in the on road test. There, he told me to stop and pull up the handbrake, and then balance normally until I feel some sort of slight nudge (the car rises up slightly) and then I can pull down the handbrake and the car will move.
This use of this exercise is specifically for uphill roads as far as I know. Let’s say for whatever reason I had to stop while driving uphill. I will have to pull the handbrake up so that the car doesn’t roll down and hit the car behind me. I will then have to do this handbrake acceleration thing so that the car moves forward (as opposed to backwards) as soon as I release the handbrake.
I’ve never been placed in a situation like that. But we’ll see.
Earlier today I entered a slightly heated debate with the instructor. He was telling the other passenger that it was my first time on the road. I interrupted saying “Erm…no I’ve driven on the road before” and he kept saying “no she (me) doesn’t get me…I mean she’s been doing the cones and this is her first time in the road…” why do I even bother. I’ve written an account for every single driving lesson I’ve had here on my blog. I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned quite a number of roads I’ve driven around on.
Maybe he was talking about on-road test practice? Not sure.
My sister says this guy forgets people after he teaches them. Not sure if it’s true or not but whatever. Anyway, I ought to mention that I’ve also paid him in advance for 5 more lessons…so I have about 8 lessons to go before I have to pay again. But I might structure it in a way so that I won’t have to pay for another 5 lessons. I don’t take lessons on Fridays and I skip some Mondays or Thursdays so I will try to drive about 2-3 times a week from now on.
These driving lessons are also really messing up my schedule.
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WYSIWYG! I'm a simple person trying to live the simplest life possible - it seems to be the most difficult thing to achieve! I'm an internet enthusiast and I've been a webmaster since early 2007. I like: blogging, developing sites using open source software, social media, computer games, '80s music, comedy & horror, animals, crunching on M&Ms peanut and Smarties!
