Bad Luck Runs

[Rhubarb]

If anyone is having a run of bad luck they might like to take consolation from what has happened to us over the weekend!

Sunday - dh takes dd to his parents farm for the day, I've got bad hayfever so I stay at home. He puts dd in the front passenger seat for a change. On the way home a speeding car smashes into the back of him on a roundabout and shunts him into the path of an oncoming car, then the speeding car speeds off! Dh's car is totalled, he stands to lose his no claims as his car hit someone else's, and the driver of the other vehicle has still not been traced! Luckily no-one was hurt, just thankful dd was in the front! So we have no car. Dh's work have lent him a van, but we can't put a child seat in it so we can't take dd anywhere!

Monday AM - Dh has borrowed his mum's car but is faffing about trying to pick up the loaned van from work and to drop dd off at his mums. I try to organise him and her and then rush to get to the school (working voluntary), as I leave the school in the afternoon I realise that I have locked myself out! Dh is working 30 miles away and cannot get home until around 6pm. I have a driving lesson so I sit on my doorstep waiting for instructor to arrive.

Monday PM - Driving lesson does not go well (unsurprisingly) and make a few tiny errors (rushing to change gears, being a bit wide on my reverse left). My test is booked for 8th July. At end of lesson the instructor tells me that I will fail the test and he will therefore refuse to take me for it in his car. He only want guaranteed pass students or it will look bad on his record. I have only that day to cancel or change the lesson or I lose my money. I cannot cancel or change the lesson as I am locked out of my house. Having had a tense argument in the car with arrogant t**spot of an instructor, I get the train to make my way to dh's parents house to wait for him there. They live on a farm...I have bad hayfever...my anti-histamines are in my house which I am locked out of. So rounded off my terrible two days!

I am now desperately trying to find another instructor to take me for the test as it is too late to cancel now. Have bollocked the driving school (The AA) and not happy with their customer services at all.

So does this count as 3 bad things to happen, or should I await another one? And does a run of good luck follow a run of bad luck? And is bad luck infectious?

sorry you had a bad weekend I have had bad hayfever too so I know how you feel on that count. Your driving instructor sounds like a right prat-are you sure they are allowed to do this? What have the driving school said?surely they dont agree with his actions. At least your dh and dd are ok.

So sorry Rhubarb - that is outrageous of the driving instructor - do follow it up with the AA and let us know what happens. Good luck.

Apparently he is within his rights to do this. The driving school day that if an instructor feels that a pupil is not ready for their test, they can advise that pupil not to take it. However adequate notice should be given, and he damn well should NOT refuse to take me for my test at all! If I were a bad driver I could understand, but the faults I am making are all minor ones, and even a perfect driver could make a serious fault on their test and fail. But don't worry, I'm not letting the bloody AA get away with this lightly! That's the beauty of pregnancy hormones at times, they enable you to stick up for yourself!

yes I grew two horns and a tail when I was pregnant

Damn cheek - its one thing suggesting that you might not be quite ready and not to book test too soon, but not when the test is booked !! Keep fighting; let us know if you want us to boycott the AA.

Rhubarb, things can only get better, surely?! Much sympathy on the car front - know the feeling but at least your dh and dd weren't hurt. Feel sure the driving instructor can't get away with this - if he didn't think you were ready he shouldn't have put you in for a test.

I would have cried. i did it all the time in the latter stages...

rhubarb, sadly your driving instuctor sounds typical to me (though I know there are some great ones out there)
You won't be the only student of his to be give this news, I'm sure. I think it's awful that the instructors performance and employability is so dependent on how many of their students pass the test. It means the best students get all the attention and the other 90% are let down.

I have had all sorts of bad driving instructor experiences. ie came back home specialy from a christmas spent with my parents in order to get some last minute lessons in before my test only to find the instructor had 'double booked' me and couldn't see me after all. He didn't think I'd pass anyway, so he was probably concentrating on the students who would pass. So much stress. I was a very S..L...O...W learner. I'm absolutely sure you're not as untestable as I was.

Really sorry to hear about your car. Hope you get things sorted soon.

Well I have been onto the AA again and lodged a formal complaint, but they are sticking by their instructor, even though he didn't give me any notice to change the test date and was an arrogant tw*t. I have now found an instructor who is willing to take me for my test, he was recommended by a friend. Trouble is, he can only take me for a lesson the day before the test and he has a mini - which I've never driven before! I'm just very worried in case I let him down, he's doing me a huge favour I know, and for that I really really want to pass, but am afraid that nerves will get the better of me and I will cock everything up!

Dh has got a letter this morning from the solicitors, but as I don't open his post I will have to wait until he gets home to see what it says. Fingers crossed that he manages to get his brother's old car on the road this weekend. We tried to do our food shopping with the van last night - nightmare! Dd had to sit in the front, restrained only by a lapbelt, and the shopping spilled out all over the back of the van - squashed bread and cakes everywhere!

Ah well, at least I have my house keys today, I might tie them to my jeans or something!