E
Extreme Velcro
Guest
Ok - another Saturday and off for another riding lesson. Feeling fine, not so many nerves although I am late and that's a bit stressful. Been a shitty week, but hey, looking forward to having some fun. NOT.
First of all, different bike. I like her, but she is brand brabd new and the clutch "takes" very late and I am having some problems. Solution, jus topne it up and go, which works.
VERY PATIENT AND WONDERFUL riding instructor feels that I am now comfortable (and so do I) with pulling away so its off to practise turns. Left hand turns YAY - right hand turn, complete freak out and crash boom bang, I hit the deck. Get up, brush myself off, apologise furiously and start all over again (of course, fell on the knee that is already screwed and which is now pretty swollen again - does that always happen?).
No probs - carry on. All cool, getting the hang of it again, now on to tight cirlces, not more u-turns but into the hard core stuff. Once again, beautiful little circles to the left (hubby pitched to give encouragement - thanks love, you came at the right time and no, you didn't have to leave, YOU don't make me nervous) and then the insturctor told me to start doing the same to the right - COMPLETELY FROZE - couldn't do it. That has never happended to me before with anything. Mind, body EVERY THING FROZE - we tried everything from talking ot walking it to patient encouragement to having a ciggie (I don't really smoke unless completely motherless) - couldn't do it. And then I really starting getting P......D off with myself and it all got even worse. Eventually I decided to walk away and fight another day, which will be next week.
However, I think my biggest problem is that I do not have a bike as yet to practise on, so this might be a waste of time until I get one. Hubby and I went to scout for something small and easy - we have found some possibles and we will work out finances to get me up and practising daily. Nothing fancy, its all about the practise until later in the year when I am confident and can buy my Yamaha or KLR. If anybody knows of something good, please mail me.
In the meantime though, may I praise the incredible good nature and patience of my riding instructor, Ivan, who is working together with Max Lange. Always calm, always nice, always patient and always working with me and how I feel - I cannot praise them both enough. I'm glad I found them. If I were in their shows, I would have gone over into "slap her silly" mode; but perhaps they weren't as irritated with me as I was with myself - at least, I would like to think so.
Thanks for listening, but now on to my queries. I am obviously still driving in what you call a cage, but I want to know if certain traffic idiosyncracies bother you as much as they bother me:
1. How did the we become a nation of right lane drivers - isn't the right lane for overtaking and then pulling over to continue driving in the left lane, especially if you are the slowest person on the road?
2. On that note, why drive in the right hand lane and when you come to your turn off (LEFT) do you then try to squeeze across three lanes of traffic? What, you were too stupid before?
3. When you stop practically dead in front of me with no indicator (actually, do cars still come with indicators - must ask when I buy a new one), and I then pull into the right hand lane to overtake, and you then pull out as well (still with no indicator), why do you get angry with me and show ME the finger? I had my indicator on - you're the .............
4. And the next person to try and jump the queue on to the M5 and who stops dead in front of me on the N1 so he/she can do so, when I am coming up at 120 kays behind her/him, I am going to mutilate !!!!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
I am sure it is just as bad or worse out of the cage, but jut wondered if you all felt the same about these little issues.
Again, thanks for being out there, thanks for your encouragement and just thanks for in a way giving me the push to learn how to ride and giving me the opportunity to talk - it helps a LOT....
and i really appreciate it.
First of all, different bike. I like her, but she is brand brabd new and the clutch "takes" very late and I am having some problems. Solution, jus topne it up and go, which works.
VERY PATIENT AND WONDERFUL riding instructor feels that I am now comfortable (and so do I) with pulling away so its off to practise turns. Left hand turns YAY - right hand turn, complete freak out and crash boom bang, I hit the deck. Get up, brush myself off, apologise furiously and start all over again (of course, fell on the knee that is already screwed and which is now pretty swollen again - does that always happen?).
No probs - carry on. All cool, getting the hang of it again, now on to tight cirlces, not more u-turns but into the hard core stuff. Once again, beautiful little circles to the left (hubby pitched to give encouragement - thanks love, you came at the right time and no, you didn't have to leave, YOU don't make me nervous) and then the insturctor told me to start doing the same to the right - COMPLETELY FROZE - couldn't do it. That has never happended to me before with anything. Mind, body EVERY THING FROZE - we tried everything from talking ot walking it to patient encouragement to having a ciggie (I don't really smoke unless completely motherless) - couldn't do it. And then I really starting getting P......D off with myself and it all got even worse. Eventually I decided to walk away and fight another day, which will be next week.
However, I think my biggest problem is that I do not have a bike as yet to practise on, so this might be a waste of time until I get one. Hubby and I went to scout for something small and easy - we have found some possibles and we will work out finances to get me up and practising daily. Nothing fancy, its all about the practise until later in the year when I am confident and can buy my Yamaha or KLR. If anybody knows of something good, please mail me.
In the meantime though, may I praise the incredible good nature and patience of my riding instructor, Ivan, who is working together with Max Lange. Always calm, always nice, always patient and always working with me and how I feel - I cannot praise them both enough. I'm glad I found them. If I were in their shows, I would have gone over into "slap her silly" mode; but perhaps they weren't as irritated with me as I was with myself - at least, I would like to think so.
Thanks for listening, but now on to my queries. I am obviously still driving in what you call a cage, but I want to know if certain traffic idiosyncracies bother you as much as they bother me:
1. How did the we become a nation of right lane drivers - isn't the right lane for overtaking and then pulling over to continue driving in the left lane, especially if you are the slowest person on the road?
2. On that note, why drive in the right hand lane and when you come to your turn off (LEFT) do you then try to squeeze across three lanes of traffic? What, you were too stupid before?
3. When you stop practically dead in front of me with no indicator (actually, do cars still come with indicators - must ask when I buy a new one), and I then pull into the right hand lane to overtake, and you then pull out as well (still with no indicator), why do you get angry with me and show ME the finger? I had my indicator on - you're the .............
4. And the next person to try and jump the queue on to the M5 and who stops dead in front of me on the N1 so he/she can do so, when I am coming up at 120 kays behind her/him, I am going to mutilate !!!!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
I am sure it is just as bad or worse out of the cage, but jut wondered if you all felt the same about these little issues.
Again, thanks for being out there, thanks for your encouragement and just thanks for in a way giving me the push to learn how to ride and giving me the opportunity to talk - it helps a LOT....
and i really appreciate it.
