Tag: Driving

Driving at Night.

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Driving

No this is not another driving disaster; in fact it is quite the opposite. Yes, surprisingly I have accomplished something successful in my driving career so far and that is driving in the dark.

I have driven in the dark before, but not a long distance.  So as I drove from Los Olivos to Ojai carrying my sleeping family in the car I enjoyed the sights.
As I smoothly traveled along the 101 highway I looked at the numerous lights that passed me by. Thinking about their similarities to the stars and how many reminded me of fireworks you may see on the 4th of July, I really wondered at their beauty.

Surrounded by wonder, the 101 had transformed from what I had previously seen in the day, The buildings that looked shabby and worn down in the day were now transformed into houses of wonder and light. Cat’s eyes that stood in the middle of the road glimmered like shining stars and the moon shone bright in the sky highlighting passing clouds and the land around me. It was really picturesque.

Drive in the dark if you ever want to see another light.

I’m an adult: this means I’m better than you.

Yourcupatea1 Comment

respect
As an adolescent I find myself continually being treated like a ‘kid.’ I’m 17, I can drive, make my own decisions, and yes I can dress myself. Yet to some adults they still feel that they are entitled to belittle and undermine me, all because of my age.

I’m independently applying for college and planning my life, an important future decision, yet according to some this is just not enough. I’m beginning to wonder when I will be respected as an adult.

In my eyes I reached my adulthood and gained my independence many years ago, but this is not the case in California. In England, at the age of 16 you are seen as an adult being charged higher fares. I guess age means different things in different countries and cultures. It seems that  in America you reach adulthood at the age of 18.

Some people still believe that with age comes great wisdom, but in my eyes I’m pretty wise already. I guess I will only find out these things with age, but for now I shall just enjoy being a teenager and hope for a little more respect.

 

Driving: I can drive.

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Thumbs Up

So far I have gradually been progressing through the processes of learning to drive. Ok I may have been a bit slow but I really am starting to get there and accomplish something.

The last few times I haven’t even stalled, and using the clutch has become second nature to me. Don’t get me wrong I still make mistakes but that’s only natural, I mean my Mum is 43 and she still makes mistakes on a weekly basis.

Seeing my improvement my dad gave me the task of driving to LAX to greet my Sister and Nan at the airport. Little did he know what he had let himself in for.

No I was not a dreadful driver, in fact I did pretty well. Apart from stalling twice at the end of my road I successfully completed the journey in one piece.

Ok I must admit that I did struggle with staying in a straight line a couple of times, but thankfully under the watchful gaze of my father I managed to master the steering.

After completing the journey to LAX successfully, I now believe I am entitled to say, I can drive.

Roadkill

vabenissimoLeave a comment

For my second driving experience, I was scared to drive from LA to Ojai.

My fear was not within the moment I entered seemingly endless and bloody competitive 101 freeway near Hollywood on Sunday, but with the thought of roadkill.

Neither words nor pictures can vividly describe my abhorrence and regret for the sights of remaining parts of helpless and lifeless animals on the roads.

During my first experience of driving, I had almost crashed my car against a mountainside due to two squirrels popping out of who-knows-where.

I know their lives are important. But please, my life is important too.

As much as I could, I want to save them and avoid harming them.

Thank Buddha, Allah, God, Jesus, and all other supernatural forces.

I did not end any innocent life, but just observed many. I mean six, all in one trip.

After my successful drive for two hours, I now lay with unavoidable exhaustion. But, my fingers and some parts of my brain remain active enough to google “how to avoid roadkill.”

And here is what I have found.

Reduce the speed and drive less.

These solutions being great help, I now lay not only weary but also hopeless.

Driving: Never put your foot on the accelerator during a U-turn.

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u turn
After paying a quick visit to the Pacific View Mall it was time to head towards Trader Joes. I successfully reversed out of the car park and got myself in the prime position to continue. Then my far too trusting dad threw me an ultimatum.

“Shall we practice a U-turn or go around and across the traffic lights.”

There is a term “tempting fate” and that is exactly what my Dad did by posing this question to me.

As you can guess I attempted the U-turn. Waiting at the traffic lights I prepared myself by looking at the threats posed by the road and the pavement next to me. In my opinion as long as I didn’t stall it would all turn out good, little did I know.

The lights turned green and I was ready to go, maybe a little too ready. First I put my foot down on the accelerator and got some revs. Next I gradually inched my foot off of the clutch.Somehow as I left I also forgot to decrease the pressure of my foot on the accelerator.

So as you probably predicted I go off speeding around the corner. I was having the time of my life.  Next to me my dad was yelling at the top of his lungs whilst gripping the seat.

I think he must have had an adrenaline rush, probably sparked by the realization that he was in a life death situation because next thing I know the steering wheel is out of my grip and he has turned the car.

“TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

“I thought I was doing fine.”

“GEORGIE YOU NEARLY TIPPED THE CAR!”

It is clear my driving escapades have in no way improved. Although, after much reflection my Dad did say after that he’s beginning to feel safer in the car.

IS HE CRAZY?

Teenage Driving

yourgingerkid2 Comments

For most teenagers, a driver’s license represents freedom. It’s the ability to drive ourselves where we please and not be confined by our parents inability to transport us and their uncooperative moods. However in my case it’s a rather scary step up.

This last break I passed my drivers test and got my license and it’s needless to say that I am a happy kid. However the idea of driving on the open road honestly is terrifying.

Maybe I’m the odd one out when it comes to the average teenagers opinion on driving, but it’s scary!

According to this site, “The number of drivers ages 15-20 involved in fatal crashes totaled 5,864 in 2008, down 16% from 6,982 in 2007 and down 26% from 7,987 in 1998.” That should be enough to scare any new driver.

When I drive with my friends or even by myself I feel like everyone else out there is only thinking about themselves and their destination. It pretty much looks like this image below.

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Driving:An update.

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Jesus

Although it may seem to some that I remain a disastrous driver I beg to differ.

Yesterday I drove a circle route to Ventura and back hitting two main freeways, the  101 and 126, and I survived.

How, you wonder? If I’m honest I do not know the answer to this question. I mean I have considered the fact that maybe god is favoring me but I think the simple solution is maybe, just maybe, I’m improving at driving.

Don’t get me wrong I did make a few mistakes. These were mainly getting too carried away and breaking speed limits and occasionally thinking I was in England and nearly turning into the wrong lane, but otherwise it was all good and I made it home in one piece.

My next aim is to drive to LAX in order to surprise my Nan and sister at the airport. I have 3 weeks to get practicing, lets hope I make it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsDyejLG0c4

Driving.

Yourcupatea3 Comments

Pothole

So fortunately for my Dad I have now successfully began to drive like a legal driver. Yes you did hear me correctly I can drive and  I have even passed the stalling stage.

Don’t get me wrong I still have my problems and I lack a bit of control, but otherwise it is going good. I have days when I do brilliantly but there are others when I just have to ruin the clean record and do something wrong.

On Saturday I had an early start for my SAT. I woke up got changed quickly and thought it may have been a good idea to drive to school, half asleep. The consequences of this bad decision were that I nearly reversed into a tree, I pulled off the road into some pot holes and I drove a bit too fast around some sharp corners. The main thing is I survived and so did my car. But for my pride’s sake lets just blame all these mistakes on the early morning and my lack of knowledge on how to demist my car. This experience may sound slightly dreadful but we have to look at the positives in the situation, I stalled once.

Those who have read my driving blogs in the past probably will not be assured that I can now drive but i’m sure you can all say that I have progressed significantly. Ok, granted I have only been practicing in the back roads of Ojai but still I haven’t crashed nor stalled nearly as many times as before. So it’s out to the main roads of Ojai this week. All I can say is watch out Ojai Avenue.

Round 3: Driving Disaster.

Yourcupatea3 Comments

Driving
Stalling a car five times in a row is not cool.

Driving past the Topa Topa Ranch for the fourth time I was confident that I had successfully perfected the route.

The gears, stops, and keeping on the road were all finicky mistakes that needed changing but I was sure that this was the time that I would prove myself as the brilliant driver I was destined to be. I was wrong.

Cruising up to the stop sign I efficiently switched into second gear and began to slow. Greeting the white line I stopped perfectly.

Slowly I took my foot of the clutch pushing my right foot onto the gas. Stall.

Peering around it seemed that a once derelict crossroads had transformed into a now raging road (otherwise known as a death zone).

Ok you can do this Georgie. I turned off the ignition and once again go through the simultaneous steps to start the car. Edging my foot off the clutch I get ready to go. Stall.

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Round 2: Stick Shift.

Yourcupatea1 Comment

Driving
So after my slightly traumatizing first driving lesson I was quite reluctant to once again get behind the wheel and drive.

I was convinced that I’d never be able to drive and that I’d be stuck with a pushbike for the rest of my life. Yes the environment would love that but my legs certainly would not.

So after much thought, a new car, a promised lunch out and some clothes shopping, I thought it was once again time to hit the road.

“Sorry” I cried as I once again stalled, “I’ll remember next time.”

“Don’t hit the curb, remember this is a new car.” Although these phrases were often repeated and may give the impression that it was another dramatic drive, in fact it was quite the opposite.

List of driving skills mastered:

Steering

3 point turns

Hill Starts

Missing cars

Windy Roads

Avoiding near death experiences

The clutch

Going into gears 1 and 2

Parking successfully

Yes, proudly I managed quite a few little skills on my second lesson and I even had a lot of fun. There’s still hope for me yet.

Although encountering numerous monster trucks, naked men (yes both me and my dad were quite shocked with that one), gangs and oh those dreaded potholes, we survived and luckily so did the people of Santa Paula. I could drive!! (Kind of).

As I waved goodbye to the future prospect of being immobile, (except for a pushbike and maybe a Zimmer frame, if I could get a license) I smiled gleefully.

Here’s a video that sums up how I was feeling after my second driving experience.
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