I just found out from my Mill Hill driving instructor that the driving test changed on the 4th of October! He sent me a text asking if I had passed and obtained my full licence since he hadn't heard from me for a while.
On giving him a call, I now found out that I will have to do something new called independent driving on the test. I think i'm going to have to use some of my holiday time to get this driving lessons thing sorted out, as otherwise I will not make the time available to get the required tuition, because I even stopped preparing for the theory test which I already booked and had to cancel at the last minute.
Independent Driving Video
My work is going well, and I'm grateful that I do have a job, but I also want to get this UK licence as well so something's got to give.
I'll update this blog if anything happens soon.
Driving lessons break is BAD!
I can't believe that it is almost one year since I last sat in a car's driver seat.
For this very reason last saturday I had a lesson with a different driving school in Hampstead Heath because I wanted to find out how much I still remembered as I still haven't decided if I'm going to be returning to taking regular driving lessons so I'm not ready to face my old instructor (nothing wrong with him, just too embaraced that I feel I've let him down for not sticking to my original commitment).
The driving lesson was only one hour long, and while I haven't totally forgotten everything I've been taught, the first 15 minutes or so where very frightning and nervous for me. I was making a lot of basic mistakes, improper use of POM routine, even MSM at Junctions was rubbish, I forgot which way to turn the steering while performing the turn in the road, sometimes it was like I had never been taught these things, and I was totally disappointed with the parallel parking maneuver, as I didn't manage to get it right at all, I should have gone over the video below before the lesson, but I thought I would be fine.
The break from lessons has not been totally a easy choice of mine, it's just that work was really getting hard and demanding and since I last wrote, I've now taken on more responsibilities, and since I'm lucky to have a job in the current economic climate, I can't put it at risk by not using the little time I get to rest and have a life of my own, afterall I don't really need to drive a car living in Hampstead NW3 london.
I reckon that it will take me at least 6 more lessons to get back to the stage I was last year or maybe more.
For the time being, no more driving lessons, so my learning to drive blog will not be updated for a while.
For this very reason last saturday I had a lesson with a different driving school in Hampstead Heath because I wanted to find out how much I still remembered as I still haven't decided if I'm going to be returning to taking regular driving lessons so I'm not ready to face my old instructor (nothing wrong with him, just too embaraced that I feel I've let him down for not sticking to my original commitment).
The driving lesson was only one hour long, and while I haven't totally forgotten everything I've been taught, the first 15 minutes or so where very frightning and nervous for me. I was making a lot of basic mistakes, improper use of POM routine, even MSM at Junctions was rubbish, I forgot which way to turn the steering while performing the turn in the road, sometimes it was like I had never been taught these things, and I was totally disappointed with the parallel parking maneuver, as I didn't manage to get it right at all, I should have gone over the video below before the lesson, but I thought I would be fine.
The break from lessons has not been totally a easy choice of mine, it's just that work was really getting hard and demanding and since I last wrote, I've now taken on more responsibilities, and since I'm lucky to have a job in the current economic climate, I can't put it at risk by not using the little time I get to rest and have a life of my own, afterall I don't really need to drive a car living in Hampstead NW3 london.
I reckon that it will take me at least 6 more lessons to get back to the stage I was last year or maybe more.
For the time being, no more driving lessons, so my learning to drive blog will not be updated for a while.
Driving Lessons 2010
Happy new year 2010 to all of you! I haven't had any driving lessons for over 6 months and as we enter a new decade, I'm reminded of my dream of getting a full British licence so I can rent or hire a car when required, be it here in Hampstead, or when in holiday in the USA or spain (I have family there).
My Mill Hill based driving instructor sent me a text wishing me the best for 2010, and that kind of reminded me, that I had been learning to drive last year and that I needed to give thought to whether I will continue with my quest this year.
My work situation has improved a bit, and I should be able to juggle my career with taking driving lessons, but I am really going to have to think this through, as I don't want to waste money and have to stop midway again. Last year just before I started my tuition and this driving lessons blog, there had been a strong motivation to learn and pass the DSA test, I had just returned from a trip to the US, and it was impossible for the family I lived with to go anywhere without a car (taxi fares would be too much as they lived out of town) and this made me think of acquiring this life skill even though I don't currently have a need for a car since public transport links are pretty good here in Hampsstead (despite the fare increases in 2010 by transport for London TFL).
I will let you know when I resume lessons, as obviously I will start updating this blog again, but in the meantime I wish all of you in my shoes who are thinking or working towards their goal of a license success and al the best for the year 2010 ahead.
My Mill Hill based driving instructor sent me a text wishing me the best for 2010, and that kind of reminded me, that I had been learning to drive last year and that I needed to give thought to whether I will continue with my quest this year.
My work situation has improved a bit, and I should be able to juggle my career with taking driving lessons, but I am really going to have to think this through, as I don't want to waste money and have to stop midway again. Last year just before I started my tuition and this driving lessons blog, there had been a strong motivation to learn and pass the DSA test, I had just returned from a trip to the US, and it was impossible for the family I lived with to go anywhere without a car (taxi fares would be too much as they lived out of town) and this made me think of acquiring this life skill even though I don't currently have a need for a car since public transport links are pretty good here in Hampsstead (despite the fare increases in 2010 by transport for London TFL).
I will let you know when I resume lessons, as obviously I will start updating this blog again, but in the meantime I wish all of you in my shoes who are thinking or working towards their goal of a license success and al the best for the year 2010 ahead.