Last Saturday my dad taught me more about backing up and judging distances. (Living on a hill is ideal for this sort of thing!) He patiently worked with me, walking (and sometimes jogging when I actually sped up a little!) alongside the car as I drove up and down the hill. His kindness and his confidence in me meant so very much, and he even got me to drive away from the house and out on a short stretch of freeway. It wasn't so bad after all with my daddy by my side! =)
And then on Monday I had my second lesson with Eureka Driving School... I confess to being a bit nervous, knowing that my instructor wanted us to practice mountain driving, and knowing she would expect me to just get in the car and go.
I discovered something - I really enjoy driving in the country, with fewer cars around and beautiful scenery! Of course, I know I still have to watch out for critters. I've got to work on using my peripheral vision and not just focusing straight ahead and looking in the rear-view mirror. And I've got to remember to accelerate when going uphill (I'm still slower than I ought to be, in general).
However, it was awesome driving up and out of the fog! We found some sunshine after a while:
I wished we could stay up there and have a picnic or something! I got a picture as a souvenir of the sunshine (and my driving lesson), though!
Then back down the mountain we went... My instructor and I had a nice conversation during the total 2 hours of driving. =) She's a Christian, as well, and it was great talking about church and such together!
And when we got back to town, she helped me to face one of my bigger driving fears: crossing non-stop highway traffic. I still have a lot to learn, but we survived, so that's saying something!! We also practiced some lane changes - again, I've got my work cut out for me, but she gave me some great tips and helped me keep going.
My last 2-hour lesson is scheduled for early August. Since I'm over 18, I can take my driving test whenever I feel ready, so maybe I'll try for my license after that last lesson... We'll see! Until then, I'll hopefully get a lot of practice in. We're going on vacation soon, so I'm sure that will open up some driving opportunities!
Well, that's it for now, but I'm sure the adventure has only just begun...! ;)
8 comments:
Good for you. Glad to hear that it's going well. Each and every time you get in that car and drive, it will get a little easier. Keep going and don't look back. You can do it, just believe in yourself.
Lotti,
Aww, thank you so much! :) I'm super grateful for the encouragement!
~Amber
Oh Amber, I had a problem with keeping my speed too. Now it's like second nature and I rarely have to check the speedometer - which I would do constantly and in the process of trying to focus in on the exact number I'd either slow done or drift, lol! The first time I drove to my cousins house, who lives 30 min away in a more rural part of RI, I guess I was going too slow because I got passed constantly! You'll learn just like I did :)
As I was running some errands today I thought of you as I was driving, trying to think of some tips I could pass along ;) One tip is, do NOT trust other peoples turn signals! You could be waiting to turn and a car could be coming up on your left or right with their blinker on, so you figure you can go because they'll be turning down the street you're exiting. Then you realize too late they either forgot their blinker was on or they meant it for another street -and getting t-boned is one of the scariest accidents to get into (not that I speak from experience, praise the Lord!). Not to alarm you or make you more nervous, I'm just telling you what I was told when I was driving. Anyway, it's what my mom told me and I still follow her sound advice! Just wait until you see them actually turning or you can go if you see them give you the little "high beam flick" but, and regardless if you're getting beeped at from cars behind you, it is best to err on the side of caution! Ok, I'm done ;)
I'm so happy this lesson went well for you and that your instructor is a Christian! Praise God! And your dad is so cute! You are a blessed girl indeed :)
Continued prayers are with you, dear friend!!
Blessings,
Amanda
Keep up the good work! And thanks for keeping us posted! You'll be a pro before you know it!
I really enjoy reading about your driving adventures, Amber! Keep up the good work, you'll be getting that license before you know it!
And I agree 100% with Amanda's advice -- I've seen this happen too many times, where someone is approaching me with their blinker on to turn, but I wait just to be sure, and they never turned. They kept going straight. It's a good thing I waited, or they would have hit me. And this has happened several times.
Have a great weekend, Amber! : )
Amanda,
Aww, that's so sweet of you to think of me! :) I appreciate the advice about being cautious when it comes to others' turn signals - my mom said she agrees with your advice. :) And I appreciate your understanding! Hopefully in time I'll be better at maintaining a constant speed and being at the speed I'm supposed to be!
I'm definitely blessed - with a Christian instructor, my daddy's patience, and your (and others') prayers! :)
~Amber
Thanks, Julie!
It's really my pleasure to keep ya'll posted, as I'm blessed by everyone's kind comments! :)
~Amber
Michelle,
I'm so glad! :) Thank you so much!!
And that advice is definitely good to keep in mind while I'm learning!
I hope you have a great weekend, as well! :)
~Amber
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