Run! Run to Kings Park while there's still time!

[sqbr]

Things you don't want to hear in the first minute of your driving test:
"It might work if you turn on the engine"
"No, I said left...Nng. Fine. I guess we'll have to do a different route then."

And then:
"You..haven't practiced reverse parking much have you?"
"So you do know you're supposed to look in your mirror before breaking, yes? Consider this a warning. From now on I will watch you like a hawk."
"So I make you nervous do I?" *starts deliberately clicking pen to make me nervous*

And then we got to the end, and all I had to do was forward park to the left, and I fluffed it so badly I had to do it three times to get remotely between the lines.

And then...HE PASSED ME ANYWAY!! WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

He emphasised several times to me and my driving instructor that I had only just passed and really need to work on various things but HAHAHA I DON'T CARE I HAVE IT NOW!!!

*dances the dance of joy*

(title refers to the license saying I'm not allowed to drive in Kings park for some reason(*))

(*)For those who got their licenses back in ze old dayz: I'm now on my L2s, and have to do 25 hours of supervised driving and then a stupid computer test to get onto my Ps. And apparently driving in Kings Park is up there with drunk driving and speeding for Things Learners Shouldn't Do.

Comments

[the-riviera-kid.livejournal.com]

Gratis!
Will there be some time in the future when you're allowed to drive in Kings Park?

[alias_sqbr]

No, it's a life ban. Still, at least I can drive everywhere else!

(See edited post :))

[capnoblivious.livejournal.com]

Is it you personally who's not allowed to drive in Kings Park? Or some sort of blanket prohibition? Maybe it applies to internal combustion engines and horseless carriages...

[alias_sqbr]

No, just me. I uh....don't like to talk about it.

(See edited post :))

[tevriel.livejournal.com]

CONGRATULATIONS!

And: because L-platers aren't allowed to drive in King's Park and I believe you're still on L plates under the current system.

[alias_sqbr]

Well, yes, but that doesn't explain why L-platers aren't allowed in Kings Park. timtek talks about it below, though.

[vegetus.livejournal.com]

Congrats! :)

[alias_sqbr]

Thanks!

[timtek.livejournal.com]

Grats!

The reason learners aren't allowed to drive in Kings Park is because, when there was no law saying you couldn't, everyone used to take their kids there to learn, and there was a huge spate of accidents from frothing rabid learners crashing into each other. So no more, they said!

[alias_sqbr]

Ahhhhhhhhhh I seeeee.

Thanks, oh most wise and knowledgeable of Tims :)

[ataxi.livejournal.com]

EVERYBODY RUN FOR YOUR LIVES Congratulations!

[alias_sqbr]

Ah c'mon, you're pretty safe all the way over there!

[theducks.livejournal.com]

Well done Sophie!

As soon as I got my P plates, like, literally, the first time I drove by myself, was in Kings Park.

Out of spite.

[alias_sqbr]

Sounds like a good plan to me!

[lilysea.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!!!!!

That's fantastic!!!

I am ever so pleased. (:

[alias_sqbr]

Me too!

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

I'm terrified!

[alias_sqbr]

That's a completely rational reaction.

[pedanther]

You mean you didn't have a license before now?Congratulations!

[alias_sqbr]

Thanks :P

[infamyanonymous.livejournal.com]

Woo, independance!

[theducks.livejournal.com]

She's still got 25 hours of supervised driving to go though!

That took me about 3 months.

[greyreviews.livejournal.com]

I would like to congratulate you, but from reading your post i couldnt honestly say that im happy to have another driver of your own confessed lack of confidence or ability driving around on roads that i may be on.

I wish you all the best in overcoming these problems and becoming a confident and safe driver, but i will reserve my congratulations until that day.

[alias_sqbr]

Bah. Things I lost points for in my test:
-occasionally not looking in rear view mirror when I should
-forgetting to turn off the indicator a few times
-being AMAZINGLY BAD at parking

Other than that I got pretty much 100%, including on driver confidence and general ability. Now the rear view mirror thing is kinda dangerous but as I said to him it was mainly due to nervousness of doing the test, since I have a huge neurosis about failing tests (at this point he decided to see if being more nervous would make me crack like an egg and cause an accident, which it didn't :P)

And me being terrible at parking (and taking directions) isn't dangerous for those around me, just irritating, as they watch me slowly (and carefully) reverse in and out trying to get straight. And is mainly the result of being unable to practice in our car properly since it's twice the size of the car I did the test in, I'm sure I'll improve with practice.

[stephbg.livejournal.com]

Go well, be safe.

[alias_sqbr]

Thanks

[auntpol.livejournal.com]

Haha, awesome!! I actually did drive in Kings Park when I had my log book, because that's where we were going at the time, and it seemed silly to stop the car and get out and change drivers. So we just took the L plates down instead. Which I suppose is a bigger offence, but really the chance of a cop pulling you over in Kings Park is fairly low. (They should amend the 2nd Phase Ls to say that you can drive in Kings Park, because there isn't the same reason that 1st Phase people can't drive there when you already essentially can drive.)

[alias_sqbr]

OMG you're a CRIMINAL :)

[nico-wolfwood.livejournal.com]

I don't believe it! You got 'em!!! (reading through the post, I kept dreading a confession of failiure but... you PASSED!!!) *breathes deeply* YAY!!!!!

[alias_sqbr]

Heh. It's called dramatic tension :)

I'd bug you about getting your license, but it's kinda moot now. I still beat you!

[emma-in-oz.livejournal.com]

Lucky you aren't under the proposed even newer system with 120 hours of supervised driving!

[alias_sqbr]

I know! Of course if I'd gotten my license back in 97 the first time I got my Ls I wouldn't have had to do a log book at all. But never mind :)

[greteldragon.livejournal.com]

You totally need to go hooning around Kings Park before you get your license. That'd be awesome.

(On a more serious note, well done! But you should practice the parking more, most accidents happen in carparks from memory, because [in my opinion] people lack the confidence or skill to do things right.)

You've led me to wonder how long it is before I can have L-platers driving me around. Because that sounds like a lot of fun. :D

[alias_sqbr]

Yeah, I definitely plan to practice parking.

And I will NOT be hooning in Kings Park. Bad greteldragon!

[ilumiari.livejournal.com]

I got failed on the spot cause I only looked left at a rail intersection instead of left and right. This was a railway that had fallen into disrepair, hadn't been used for more than 20 years.

It's unfair how there are such differing standards on the test, examiners can basically make up their criteria on the spot. Good luck getting your 25 hours!

[alias_sqbr]

Yeah, I think it'll actually make it easier to be a safe driver now that I don't have to try so hard to look like a safe driver.

Also, utterly off topic: I liked your answer of "exams" as a "challenge many other people do in november" :) And good luck with your health!

[shrydar.livejournal.com]

Run awaaaaaay :-)

Good luck with the parking practise.

[alias_sqbr]

Thanks :)

[fred-mouse.livejournal.com]

yay!

[alias_sqbr]

:)