h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I got myself a bike, a little CG125, quite neglected judging by the amount of surface rust on it, and the dent in the tank (looks like it's been dropped, or something has been dropped on it!)

Anyway, it works, and my partner bought himself a (wait for it) - Cagiva Mito Evolution! Only a two-stroke 125cc, but hell, the acceleration on it! Needless to say, he WON'T be doing his CBT on it!

Now we are on the subject of the CBT, we both booked up at the same time to do it, with a non-profit making group who take a one-off payment, and you can take as many lessons as you need to get it right. So for instance, my partner will need just two mornings to pass, as he has done this before. I will need three at least, maybe more, but the surprising thing is that my first lesson went extremely well! Bearing in mind I have never even driven a car before, the bloke teaching me thought I was a natural! I just hope I can keep it up!!

Anyway, great fun when we did it, and my partner goes out for his road testing next Sunday, whereas I will be learning more control skills, having a bit of highway code testing, and my instructor hopes that by the third week I'll be out on the road too. Fingers crossed!!

I had my second lesson last Sunday, and although I did blindingly well on the u-turn and emergency stop (once I didn't anticipate the signal!), I was getting wound up with the figure-of-eight maneouvre. I DID manage to do it first time, but the big boss of the group wanted me to do it in 2nd gear, and that's when my confidence failed. Several attempts later, and a couple of squashed cones, and I decided to call it a day.

Now I am cacking myself over the next session, my confidence keeps failing me, and the instructor wants me to go out on the road for an hour next Sunday! ARGH! I have to practice the OSMPSL on left and right turns, which he says should only take about 30 minutes, and do a theory test, AND have another go at the figure of eight , but it's the road bit I am scared about - I have NEVER been out on the road on a bicycle even, the closest I have been on the road is when I cross it to get to the other side. I really MUST keep my calm and stop worrying, but it's sooooo difficult! Even my partner got nervous on his road session, the bike he was using wasn't going into 3rd gear and he got flustered, so they had to go back and change bikes. Now he has to do 20 minutes on Sunday, and hopefully he should get his certificate!

I need a hug. No, wait, I need VALIUM!

I had my third lesson on Sunday, I wasn't feeling too good to start off with, and that didn't help my confidence much, I had to do the figure of eight again, and I managed it a couple of times okay, then we moved onto the OSMPSL maneouvres, I understood what the instructor wanted me to do, but again, my confidence was failing and I was panicking with everything. Then my instructor had to take another pupil out on the road, so a different instructor taught me, and he seemed to get me doing the maneouvres better. He then got me to slow down and stop a few times, and I had to do the emergency stop again for some reason, dunno why.
I had some theory to do, then I had to go home, so I didn't get out on the road after all. I am glad, but I am still scared about it, and wondering if my confidence will hold out enough to get through this all.

Whilst I was training, my partner had to go out for twenty minutes to make up the time he missed last week, and he got his certificate, which means he's pleased as punch and riding around at leisure now!

Our mate Dave brought his friend down to see how we were doing, and his mate (an experienced biker) didn't believe I had never ridden a bike before, as he thought I had good balance on it! Oh well, if I can overcome my nerves, maybe I'll manage to get through this! I hope so, because I'm being left out of things at the moment!

I think I could still do with the valium though, along with a big bottle of gin! 'Mother's Ruin' - arf arf!