Lesson 29, total of 56 hours driving , mock test number four.

Good things:

• show me/ tell me was fine
• parallel park was good: first turn was a bit late but was not detrimental, good use of brake to control car during second turn and car did not speed up, good distance away from car in front and good distance from kerb

Not so great things:

• minors one and two: handbrake usage, car rolled backwards a couple of times before moving off, this is not good if a pedestrian walks behind the car and crosses the road as I would knock into them
• I should use the handbrake more often, even at the slightest incline, if there is any chance that the car may roll backwards
• minor three: brake usage, not quite sure what this was about, I supposed I should brake more gently…?
• minor four: positioning, too close to parked car at one point
• when meeting traffic if I don’t know don’t go, wait and tuck myself in, if I can go then proceed slowly
• minor five: at a roundabout I was slowing down but then slammed the brakes when I thought a car on the right was going to join the roundabout, the car decided to exit their first exit
• I should be more aware of cars behind me when braking, also do not slam brakes harshly

Possible bad things:

• hesitation and emerging near a box junction: I was trying to emerge onto a road with a box junction, but didn’t as a car was driving very fast. I waited, and more cars came, I continued waiting for a space so I could join the road, and when I eventually joined the road the car was part out of the box junction and part inside
• I should have prepared the car and emerged regardless of the speed of the first car, as it was quite far down the road, and would have avoided this whole situation with being partially in the box junction
• being overtaken: when being overtaken, slow down to provide enough stopping distance between me and the car in front
• speed: I was below 30mph the majority of the time, but not all the time
• I should keep just below 30mph so there is no chance of going over 30mph
• pulling over: I pulled over opposite a parked car, if it had been busier I would have caused an obstruction and made it difficult for myself to move off
• I should find a space to pull over, then mirror and signal, then slowly move  into the space; the space should be easy to move off from

Tips to self:

• safety over destination
• exaggerate/ slow down mirror checks, do not stare at one thing or one mirror
• maintain progress but don’t rush, take time and don’t panic
• speed: keep just below 30mph, impatient cars can overtake me, but I should not be so slow as to invite all cars to overtake
• my instructor’s favourite words: anticipate and plan