The Yips
I've put in for my driving test. Its a while away yet, and no, I'm not going to disclose the exact date. Obviously if I pass (unlikely), you'll hear about it in minute triumphant detail; if I fail, you might not ever hear about it again.
Anyway, on today's lesson Mick (my driving instructor) decided to take me round the same route as another pupil of his who'd passed the test yesterday. He'd sat in the back of the car during test at his pupil's request, so had plenty of time to observe the route taken.
It all went fine to start with - a perfect parallel park to begin with followed by a nice drive down to the centre of York and through to the test centre at Osbaldwick.
And then I got the yips.
Nothing major, just lots of little things that I either failed to do or didn't do correctly and the more I drove, the worse it got. Things that I can do perfectly, like my left reverse and the turn in the road I suddenly became worse than useless at.
But the moment we left the test centre area and headed off back to Acomb, it was back to normal and I started driving nicely again.
Quite a few weeks yet to get this sorted, but I have a feeling that Doug is going to have to take some time off nearer my test so I can get some more hours in. I'm really missing my Friday lesson, and if I don't pass first time I will start to regret offering to give that lesson up.
Ho hum.
3 Comments:
maybe you can get your extra practice time in at the test center. turn the yips into yaps (whatever the hell that means).
The Saturday before my daughter's driving test I took her to the bureau's parking lot where they do their behind-the-wheel test (before getting out in real traffic) and had her go through the course for about an hour, repeating each manuver time and time again. She knew most of the required stuff (except parallel parking - that's almost nonexistant here now) but I wanted her to get used to the course. She passed her test with flying colors and commented later that having practiced there made her much more comfortable - i.e. much less nervous.
I bet you'll do great.
I still get the yips as a licensed driver. I relax, sit back in the driving seat and remind myself I'm one of the best drivers in the universe and that I love driving (the second one, at least, is usually true).
Tell yourself you're a good driver. Tell yourself repeatedly until the test. And get lots of driving in before the test: the more experience you have, the better a driver you are.
Good luck!!
you often have to do a reverse bay park at the test centre, but you can't practice there during the day and they lock the carpark at weekends to stop you sneaking in and having a go when they're not looking.
Bastards!
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