(no subject)

[magog_83]

Does anyone else have people they just cannot drive in front of? I cannot drive when my parents are in the car. Not my mum on her own, she's fine, but my mum and dad definitely. I just had to give them a lift up the road in the rain and it was horribly embarrassing. There are two exits from the housing estate where I live onto the main road, one that's nice and wide and flat with good visibility and one on a hill, narrow and you can't see very far either side. GUESS WHICH ONE WE HAD TO USE TONIGHT. And it was Saturday evening rush hour traffic and pouring with rain. Ugh. It was awful. Every gear change was juddery, I rolled back on the junction, couldn't pull out for ages (even when a lorry driver stayed back for me) and then once I'd dropped them off I had to pull out into the road again and couldn't see a bloody thing and missed about four opportunities and got beeped at.

Last time I gave my dad a lift on his own I nearly ran over some poor woman on a pelican crossing because I was so busy trying to drive steady and at 30mph and not mess up my gear changes. They must wonder how I ever passed.

Excuse me while I go drink some wine. I shouldn't let this sort of thing bother me so much :( I drove all the way to my new job and back today with no problems whatsoever (about 12 miles each way) and normally I tootle around fine. Stupid modern world and its stupid cars.

Comments

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

THat's why I have an automatic. I was terrible at gear changing. In fact, when I hired the car for my trip, I made very sure it was automatic.

Sorry that it made you so upset. I'm sure your parents understand.

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

It's like 80% of the time they go smooth and normal, and then the rest it's like a kangaroo hop everytime I change up or down :( I have no problem remembering to do it or anything like that, I just bring my foot up too quickly or SOMETHING.

I'm drinking wine now and watching Doctor Who and eating a hot cross bun, things are a bit better <3

[sighnomore.livejournal.com]

One of the reasons I don't drive at all, despite having a license /unhelpful comment is unhelpful

Wine and Doctor Who sounds like a good plan <3

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

I was finally forced to learn when I was doing my phd because I needed to get to some out-of-the-way record offices. It's been 3 years and I still don't enjoy it!

Wine and DW worked VERY WELL. And then I wrote stupid fic and giggled inanely at my own jokes *is sad*

[sabriel75.livejournal.com]

Me too!

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to see I'm not alone in that!

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

There seems to be something about dads and driving. Mine is always reminding me to turn before I reach the junction and saying I should be using my handbreak and commenting on my parking :( It makes me so nervous!

[blondielox.livejournal.com]

I can barely drive with an instructor... I can change gear fine, but I'm awful at braking smoothly and knowing how much space I have around the car. Oh and I've stalled at least once in every lesson I've had. I think maybe it's because I'm scared of making mistakes in front of people, but...

I know that driving with my dad would be awful - he's so critical with my brother if he does something slightly different to what my dad would do, and I would just panic and make even more mistakes...

Cars are silly. Horseback would be so much easier, y/y? =) until we're thrown off *back to glaring at iPlayer*

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

Horseback would be WAY better! I could be galloping across the fields like Merlin and Arthur. All right, so sometimes it might be a bit wet, but it would be worth it to never have to cross another roundabout.

I never assess the space around my car right :( I always hang back because I think there isn't room and get beeped at, or try to go for it and it turns out... there isn't room. Then I have to do awkward reversing. My driving lessons were like an endless cycle of drama, honestly!

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

I can't drive in cities at all, the thought just terrifies me! I'm ok driving with mum most of the time, she tends to keep quiet and calm unless I do something really awful, but dad's always chiming in with the helpful tips and I get so nervous!

[xaritomene.livejournal.com]

I am absolutely fine driving with my parents, so long as it's in an automatic car. Thank god, the car I'll be driving for the foreseeable future is automatic - and I'm fine in a manual for most things, I just - and I know this sounds silly - I can't STOP. Not without being unable to start again. Seriously, sometimes *I* wonder how I passed.

Automatic car, though? Absolutely fine. Even my 91 year old grandma isn't afraid to drive with me, and she won't normally drive with anyone other than my mum. (I... may be rather over-proud of this fact. :D?)

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

I used to be TERRIBLE pulling out of junctions when I learned to drive. I would come to a halt and then just be unable to find the bite ever again. My instructor would get so stressed with me. Now, if I'm nervous, I tend to overcompensate and roar out of junctions probably frying my clutch :/ I will never know how I passed.

I've never even seen an automatic car, but I think if they don't have gears they MUST be easier than manual. I'm always kangaroo hopping along!

[jamie15.livejournal.com]

Awww, poor you! Don't worry, I think we all get into situations like this! At least I do ... I so cannot drive when my aunt is in the car, because I know she will just laugh and scoff at me whatever I do. So my subconscious mind makes doubly sure that I screw up royally. Last time I had to drive with her in the passenger seat I turned into the wrong side of the lane and nearly crashed into the barrier when going round the bend -.-! I swear I am not normally such a hazard to road traffic ...

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean there. I'm always a nervous driver, but mostly I get by ok. I mean, I'm not speeding everywhere or crashing into other cars or anything. But my parents in the car makes me feel like my driving is being judged. At Christmas I gave them a lift to my aunt's and parked about 2 feet from the curb, it was so embarrassing! Then dad just took over and 'did it himself' and I felt terrible. If it had just been me I would have realised my mistake and spent a minute or so adjusting until I was closer.

We all need horses like in Merlin!

[jamie15.livejournal.com]

Oh, poor you! That must have been horrible! But then, everybody must get into situations like that, right? And even our parents must have felt like that once!

By the way, speaking of driving, I think I just had one of the worst driving days in my life. I went to a neighbouring village by car today and took the satnav with me, because I thought I'd never find my way without it. I'm NEVER using one of those again! The journey there went quite okay, even though I took a few wrong turns but the return journey was just hell! I thought the thing was just going to guide me back to my town the way we came but instead I think it was trying to scar me for life ... it made me go onto the motorway! I've never felt more scared in my life than on the M25 ... O.o!

[jamie15.livejournal.com]

Oh, and horses would be awesome! Why did we ever have to switch to these metal contraptions that call themselves cars?

[a8c-sock.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

I always feel really nervous when my Dad is in the car and start checking the mirror constantly. Luckily since I have an automatic I don't have to wrry abotu gear changes. I used to stall all the time.

Having said that if I have my mother nad brother in car sometimes things get fraught as they start yelling intructions.

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

Yes, the instructions can be so stressful! Dad likes to remind me of every jucntion/bend/roundabout like I couldn't possibly remember if he didn't tell me. It makes me feel like my driving is being watched all the time :(

Everyone here seems to have automatics?!? I've never even seen one!

[a8c-sock.livejournal.com]

Yes! It just confuses things even more. I hate that feeling of being watched.

I come from a line of people with dodgy hips who have to drive automatics. I inherited my car from my grandmother. Everyone else I know has manuals.