the kindness of driving instructors

Yesterday, in preparation for the operation and the need to drive with my right foot, I had another lesson.

This time it was around the streets of Churton Park (which incidentally is a place I’d never seen before). Blimey what a lot of new houses and empty streets.

ER no not completely empty.

It was stressful, but I did successfully navigate a few crescents and narrowly miss a car coming from my left while I tried to ascertain whether or not my foot would accelerate me fast enough to get out of the giveaway sign before the one on the right got close.

I am aware that if I stray into using both feet as the instructor suggested I’ll get completely confused. It’s not my conscious mind but my unconscious one that gets confused. I’m acutely aware that I have to keep the left separate from the right. It also brings up those old emotions about learning to drive.

The confusion was added to it all when I changed accelerators to drive home and put my foot on the accelerator (not the clutch) in very old memories (I drove a manual for 40 years). As I drove home I had to really concentrate on not using the right foot. Weird.

The driving instructor had a wee chat with me about whether or not it was worth going through all that trauma again. The email I received when I got home (from his wife) says

Dear Cheryl,
Wayne has said not to worry about payment for today.
He was pleased to help you sort out your concerns.
Kind regards,
Christine

A1 Driving School, Wellington.