357/365 : A Bit Too Advanced

Where do I start...

Today we were to meet our instructors downstairs after breakfast at 9:00am however today somebody else had joined the group that was also learning on an automatic so we were partnered up. To protect the innocent we shall call him 'London Boy'. He was in fact from London however I should have known something was up when I saw him in a Liverpool FC kit!

I was quite excited actually as he was to drive first so I could sit in the back and study a bit more for my Theory Test which was scheduled for around 1:00pm that afternoon.

Oh my goodness!!

I honestly thought I was going to die with this guy behind the wheel.

He had wanted to take the test in an automatic because he says he took previous lessons in a manual and failed his test because of the gears. Well I will tell you right now that he did not fail just because of his clutch control, this man was the worst driver I have ever witnessed!

He could not even drive in a straight line. The instructor had to jerk the wheel away from parked cars at least 10 times in two hours, he ran up on the curb twice, almost hit a lady getting out of her car and never braked when making a turn. He could not ease on the gas or the brake, he was very harsh on the peddles. I had my seat belt on in the back seat and at one point he braked so sharply that it dug into the side of my neck!

All of the above happened in a very quiet industrial area and I was scared enough... but then the instructor let him go out into traffic and it was even worse! He would slam on the gas and speed up if somebody tried to overtake him, he always stayed about an inch away from parked cars and the side of the road. Oh... and he stops in the MIDDLE of roundabouts! One of the worst things was when we were at a stop light and the two lanes were going to merge into one shortly after the lights. Well he decided to slam on the gas and then cut in front of the truck next to us. The instructor was just staring at him in disbelief and what did 'London Boy' say? He said "You are looking at me as if to say that move was a bit too advanced". This guy was the biggest tool I have met!

I swear I thought I was going to die.

When it was my time to drive he started complaining that I got to drive. The instructor explained that it is normally 3 hours each and while you are in the back seat you still learning because you are watching and listening what is going on. But he was having none of it. He complained the entire time and it was quite hard for me to concentrate.

Needless to say I finally made it to the Theory Test center and took my tests. On the Theory questions I got 47 out of 50 right (the pass mark is 43) and on the Hazard Perception I got 53 out of 75 (the pass mark is 44). I was SO happy to have passed... now back out for more driving.

London Boy drove for about another hour and yet again complained when it was my turn. Then the instructor got a call from the head honcho guy. Next thing I know they are asking me if I would feel comfortable taking my Practical Driving test tomorrow (Wednesday) instead of Thursday?!? They said a space opened up at the Preston test center and that they get really good results from there and that they both think I am ready... So I said yes. Yikes!

After we got back to the B & B the head honcho guy came and got me and asked if we could go do a mock test so that he could point out what I needed to work on the next day before my test. Well... he had me do all 4 manoeuvres (instead of just 2 of them as they would on the real test) and I did great on them all however I FAILED the mock test because I cut into the right lane when going straight on a roundabout, that is dangerous driving and would be a fail. *ugh*

He said basically I am doing really well I just need to practice my Bay Parking a bit more and roundabouts.

I am way nervous!!

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