Page 26 | Another Path - part IV

321zyx · 2021-05-01T19:24:44+00:00

Apologies if I've done this wrong! I seemed to have filled up the last thread, hopefully the abbreviated title is ok!

LoonvanBoon · 08/06/2021 11:12

Sorry to hear about your daughter, @bendmeoverbackwards, though thank goodness all the assessments are over now. I hope she's better soon and that all the rest of you are okay - are you fully vaccinated? DH and I have our 2nd AZ jabs this weekend.

BigWoollyJumpers · 08/06/2021 11:16

@Moominmammacat

SeasonFinale "Did you warn the year 12 Mum of the perils of choosing 2 Scottish unis?" ... what is this peril?

This year in particular (although I think they have previous form) they rejected thousands of top students, and left it until the very last week to do so. So waiting on two very last minute offers/rejections, is both stressful and disheartening.

BigWoollyJumpers · 08/06/2021 11:20

Our sad news of the week is that DD's boyfriend had to go into hospital for an emergency burst appendix . She was so upset, he only told her he had a "tummy ache" and was going to the doctor, and then was whisked to surgery immediately. He is fine thank goodness, but what bad timing. They are having to cancel their first trip away together, which was DD's 18th b'day treat from us. Trying to re-book now for July is a challenge, and also of course, more expensive.

In other news driving lessons have finally resumed, hoorah, having been postponed by the pandemic, and then by DD whilst she did her assessments. We are going out in my car for the first time this afternoon, eeeeekkkkkk .

bendmeoverbackwards · 08/06/2021 11:24

@LoonvanBoon Dh is fully vaccinated, I’ve had one dose.

I’m more worried about dds 1 and 3 getting it - they both have dance shows coming up. We all had PCR tests which were negative at the weekend which is good but there’s a chance flue could still be incubating it.

bendmeoverbackwards · 08/06/2021 11:26

@BigWoollyJumpers so sorry to hear about DD’s boyfriend. What a shame for them both! I hope you manage to rearrange the trip. Poor lad, hope he recovers well.

Good luck with the driving!

IrmaFayLear · 08/06/2021 11:57

Nothing - nothing - is more hair raising than that first trip out with a dc driving your car without dual controls

I was gripping the seat and my mouth was bone dry.

BigWoollyJumpers · 08/06/2021 14:53

@IrmaFayLear

Nothing - nothing - is more hair raising than that first trip out with a dc driving your car without dual controls

I was gripping the seat and my mouth was bone dry.

With DD1 my Mini was literally a few weeks old...... I remember gripping the seat too, and sweating, lots....

It's always me of course. DH wouldn't go out with DD's if you paid him, and he makes sure he always has very expensive automatics, so that lets him off. Grrrrrr.

My precious Mini is now 6 years old, so less stressy this time, hopefully. Will let you know how I (she) gets on .

Thanks bend and hoping your DD gets well soon. Hasn't this year just been one thing after another? I suppose it is the same for all of us to a greater or lesser degree.

bendmeoverbackwards · 08/06/2021 15:02

@IrmaFayLear

Nothing - nothing - is more hair raising than that first trip out with a dc driving your car without dual controls

I was gripping the seat and my mouth was bone dry.

I would add to that - when your dc first goes out for a drive ALONE after passing their test!

Notagardener · 08/06/2021 15:43

yeah, sitting in when they learn to drive..... It's not just scary, but you have to try hard and not show your frear. Not scream when they nearly hit something or shout when they drive through orange....

IrmaFayLear · 08/06/2021 18:27

Ds had this terrible habit of accelerating whenever approaching roundabout or junction in order to avoid having to change down the gears. My eyes were on stalks as we sped towards certain crushedness…

I agree about driving solo. Even ds’s driving instructor was surprised when he passed.

Pumpkintopf · 08/06/2021 18:46

You are all so brave taking your dcs out in cars without dual controls! I haven't been brave enough to do this at all yet. DS has some more lessons coming up in July - he also delayed until the assessments were all done - but I have been considering whether maybe we should take him out to try to get him some more practice in. What are your top tips, those of you who have experience with this horror?!

@BigWoollyJumpers so sorry to hear about your DDs bf and the trip. Hope you manage to get it rebooked.

looptheloopinahulahoop · 08/06/2021 19:04

@IrmaFayLear

Nothing - nothing - is more hair raising than that first trip out with a dc driving your car without dual controls

I was gripping the seat and my mouth was bone dry.

My son passed his test today and my car is insured for him from tomorrow. It's going to be fun ;) I let his instructor do the hair-raising bit. You really need to be a very laid back sort of person to be a driving instructor.

He's not going out on his own in it though - not to start with. Partly because he passed on a manual and my car is a hybrid, so automatic and he need to learn to keep his left leg out of the way.

Xenia · 08/06/2021 20:07

We've done it 5 times, take driving theory test on or soon after 17th birthday, pass test aged 17 in all 5 cases. However my older son deserves some credit with the twins - he collected them every day from school when they turned 17 and let them drive home with the L plates on. That daily drive was some of their best practice as well as the instructor all 5 had.
Congratulations to the loop son. My twins share a car (one with gears) although occasionally I have put one on my automatic car's (volvo estate) insurance for a weekend if he wants to drive it for something with me or they did once drive it to their brother's house with something very large inside which their little car would not fit. Why can't I remember what that item was? May be furniture?

BigWoollyJumpers · 08/06/2021 22:01

DD1 took lessons, then some practice in mine also on the school run, great practice but only passed second time, although still 17. She forgot to stop at a roundabout on her test , she was so pissed off and upset, that was a case of familiarity breeding contempt, as it was our local roundabout which never has any traffic! Automatic failure even though she had no other points against her.

Irma How I remember well the worn carpet where I repeatedly stamped my foot down on the invisible brake .

It took forever for DD2 to get her provisional because the computer said no, so it got stuck in Covid hell at the DVLA. Then we couldn't get lessons, then the instructor prioritised uni students, then second lockdown, then assessments..... so she only got 5 lessons in the whole last year, and is now more or less starting outright again. This time though, I will put in the hours for her, as it would be lovely if she could pass before Sept. Her on-line test thing is booked, and we will try to bring it forward, but not her practical yet.... the chances are slim. Locally, the instructor says none of his students are getting test slots at the moment, sigh.

As it turns out AirB&B host is being unhelpful. Believe it or not, the host changed since they booked it, a new owner. T&C's were changed, and they are now saying no to a refund, as DD and BF are first time customers...... AirB&B themselves are being helpful, but the new owners are not. May have to use BF dad, who happens to be a lawyer. Never rains, but it pours.....

BigWoollyJumpers · 08/06/2021 22:02

@Xenia

We've done it 5 times, take driving theory test on or soon after 17th birthday, pass test aged 17 in all 5 cases. However my older son deserves some credit with the twins - he collected them every day from school when they turned 17 and let them drive home with the L plates on. That daily drive was some of their best practice as well as the instructor all 5 had. Congratulations to the loop son. My twins share a car (one with gears) although occasionally I have put one on my automatic car's (volvo estate) insurance for a weekend if he wants to drive it for something with me or they did once drive it to their brother's house with something very large inside which their little car would not fit. Why can't I remember what that item was? May be furniture?

Ah, the good old days

.

BigWoollyJumpers · 08/06/2021 22:03

looptheloopinahulahoop Well done for getting that done and dusted this year..... one or two of DD's friends have managed, but most haven't.

chopc · 08/06/2021 22:47

@Pumpkintopf - I asked DS instructor when he thought he is ready for DS to come out with us without the dual controls. I wasn't brave

Notagardener · 09/06/2021 07:11

dc tried to book a practical test, nothing available at all....(a month ago instructor already mentioned it was booked full till October)

chopc · 09/06/2021 07:43

@Notagardener have you tried using a cancellation app such as testi?

Revengeofthepangolins · 09/06/2021 07:58

A friend whose first year university daughter couldn’t find a date before about nov has bitten the bullet and bought a lesson and test package from a driving school out in Enfield, near a test centre - five lessons to get to know the test area and then the exam. The driving schools can book cancellation slots as AN Other

Xenia · 09/06/2021 08:35

Yes, mine were so lucky to pass tests in non covid times. It has been dreadful since March 2020. It is so unfair. I went to university in England when I was 17 as I was a year young at school. I wanted to pass my test before and I could only start in upper sixth. I failed first time and then there was a four month wait for a retest slot (none of these online booking cancellation tools there are these days) but luckily passed about 2 weeks before i went away.

On the cancellation apps mmy twins found them very good - actually I should say twin as his twin brother who is a very cautious driver is the only one of any of us to pass first time (he is nothing like as good a driver as his twin who failed). Anyway the one doing the retest got a slot - we paid extra for the version that checks every 5 rather than 15 minutes for slots but I may be remembering that incorrectly. he took it just before his AS exams, days before but at least had passed in lower sixth (in non covid times). Good luck to those trying to get a slot in this dreadful time.

Yesterday my son started a summer paralegal job (paid so is a really worker now) and even just simple things like the office is open and he commutes there by tube on a long journey and they took him out for a drink after work last night - all those normal things have not been possible for young people. He was just saying last night it would be so hard to ask the questions he needs to if the people were not around to ask.

BigWoollyJumpers · 09/06/2021 10:01

Now we hope that the June 21st freedom date is not put back. I assume if it is, all leavers and proms are off . Just devastated for this year.

bendmeoverbackwards · 09/06/2021 10:12

@BigWoollyJumpers

Now we hope that the June 21st freedom date is not put back. I assume if it is, all leavers and proms are off

. Just devastated for this year.

Oh I hope it doesn’t come to that, DD’s prom is 12th July. I have bought her a dress ☹️

bendmeoverbackwards · 09/06/2021 10:16

@Revengeofthepangolins

A friend whose first year university daughter couldn’t find a date before about nov has bitten the bullet and bought a lesson and test package from a driving school out in Enfield, near a test centre - five lessons to get to know the test area and then the exam. The driving schools can book cancellation slots as AN Other

That’s useful to know, thanks @Revengeofthepangolins. Poor dd was supposed to do her theory test on Monday but had to cancel due to covid. Rebooked for 6th July but I’m going to try and get her a cancellation. She really wanted to pass before uni but that’s looking increasingly unlikely now.

bendmeoverbackwards · 09/06/2021 10:16

Annoying you can’t book the practical test until you’ve passed the theory.