driving

I like Driving in My Car

April 16, 2019 by Anne Sweet 9 Comments

Driving

Yesterday I drove my car. That’s not huge news, but I haven’t driven since before the accident last October. I wasn’t driving then, and hadn’t driven more than once or twice in the preceding months, but that seems a pivotal point.

I have never really felt comfortable driving with my hands, but I’ve always enjoyed driving and the freedom it brings. Getting from A to Z is so much easier by car. But I don’t drive alone since my illness. I can’t lift my wheelchair out of the boot, and if anything happened where I became unable to continue driving I’d be stuck.

It was a sudden decision to drive yesterday. I wanted to go to visit my brother who lives about two miles away. A quick and easy drive. And I did it.

Dilemma

This made me think even more about our car dilemma. We get a car on Motability. This means that in return for the disability benefit I get for being unable to walk can be used in exchange for the three year lease of a new car with insurance and breakdown recovery included. We are due a new car this year.

I know I don’t always talk about everyone but we are actually a family of seven living together. Sometimes, we want to go out with more than five of us in the car. This means either a taxi to help or Graham has to make two journeys. It would be nice to go out more as an extended family without this issue so we have made the decision to get a bigger car, one with seven seats.

This decision comes with drawbacks. Seven seat cars require a deposit and with limited funds it means we are limited to which we can choose. (I’m talking thousands of pounds here.) There are actually only two cars we can afford and we have been weighing up the pros and cons. The one we finally decided on we have discovered that we cannot have it as an automatic car. The implications of this means that we cannot have hand controls fitted and I won’t be able to drive it.

The other car is still an option and we will take a look at it before making a final decision. The main issue is that it won’t have enough room for my wheelchair if we all use the car. So, we can all go out together but I won’t be able to get very far when we get to wherever we are going. We may find that the wheelchair can be fitted in somehow, or maybe my manual chair will fit. That’s why we are going to view it.

So, here is my dilemma. We get a car that is most useful for us as a family but I won’t be able to drive it. It’s only for three years, and so many things can happen in that time. So maybe we won’t need seven seats by then and I can go back to driving. Do, I sacrifice driving for three years?

The answer is there really. Why should we not get the type of car we really need, just because I will miss driving. I can’t even go anywhere alone, I need another driver with me.

Still, it’s another thing that I must give up because of this stupid rare condition.

Welcome Home Bernard

January 22, 2019 by Anne Sweet 15 Comments

Welcome Home Bernard!

It took 4 months and nearly two weeks, but Bernard is now back home. I’ve not driven him yet, but I may give it a go soon. I’m really nervous, I used to love driving so much, but I’ve never really got used to driving with my hands.

We only have Bernard until September, then our lease is up and we can choose a new car. Graham has his eye on a Volvo. I thought it would be cool to get a WAV so I could just drive my wheelchair on, that was until I saw the cost…eeek! I think I’ll just stick to getting a new wheelchair and a hoist in the boot of the new car.

In Other News

I think getting Bernard back was the big news of the last week, nothing much else has happened.

I was glad to give my heart monitor back. As I suspected I had a good week with no problems, so they’ll probably give me the all clear. I am 99% sure it was my medication causing the issues, and I’ve stopped it now.

The monitor gave me some lovely sores, I think I’m a bit allergic to those sticky pads they use, I always get a rash whenever I have an ECG.

Wool Addict

My hooks have been busy this week. I’ve almost completed a dragon hooded scarf from a pattern from the lovely Tracey at Hooks and Dragon I can’t wait to show it off.

I’m also in the process of piecing together the CAL (crochet along) blanket that I started last February. I really don’t like the sewing part, but I will finish it after all my hard work, I have to.

I’ve also got the wool for a toy zebra, and the girls fell in love with a pattern for an axolotyl which they want me to make.

I’m going to be a little bit busy.

The Simple Car Maintenance Tasks Drivers Can and Can’t Do

January 18, 2018 by Anne Sweet 2 Comments

I remember, many moons ago, I was having an issue with my car battery. My car was refusing to start some mornings and I would have to ask a neighbour to give me a jump start. It was obvious the battery wasn’t holding power and I needed a new one. Feeling confident that I could change it myself I went to a car shop which was only a five minute walk away to buy a new battery. Little did I realise just how heavy car batteries are and that five minute walk home carrying a battery was a complete nightmare. In the future I’ll be sure to go to Kwik Fit where they run a battery testing service and I won’t get caught out again.

Do you look after your car or do you take it to the garage at the first hint of anything needing doing to it? For many years I was quite proud of the things I learnt to do to look after my car. My brother showed me how to change a wheel but although I have never had to do it, at least I would know what to do.

There are new changes proposed to the driving test where new drivers are supposed to know basic maintenance of their cars. The AA conducted a Survey of over 18,000 drivers and found out that;

68% of drivers were unsure of how to change the oil and oil filter.
53% were unsure of how to check if the power steering is working.
38% were unsure to check that there is a safe level of brake fluid.
35% were unsure of how to change a flat tyre by fitting a spare wheel.
26% were unsure of how to change a window screen wiper blade and how to top up the cooling system with anti-freeze
21% were unsure of how to check the tyre tread depth.
15% were unsure of how to top up the engine oil.
9% were unsure of how to check the tyre pressure
8% were unsure of how to check the engine oil level
5% were unsure of how to top up the windscreen washer fluid
4% were unsure of how to open the bonnet of their car.

Only today I witnessed someone having to help another driver to top up their windscreen washer fluid!

Your car is your responsibility and although you may rely on your garage to fix any issues there are many maintenance tasks that you should be able to perform yourself.
Do you know how to do the things on the list above?

photo courtesy of Matheus-Ferrero-1 on Unsplash

Disclosure: collaborative post

Word of the Week – Cold

December 1, 2017 by Anne Sweet 6 Comments

Brrrr hasn’t it been cold this week! I’ve really noticed it and as someone who normally prefers the colder months, yes, even snow, I’m quite annoyed that my body can no longer stand it. Cold hurts!

Our house is generally warm but I don’t like having the heating on all the time so I like to wrap up warm inside. I’ve been busy crocheting a blanket that I’m going to keep on the sofa so when I get cold I can just snuggle up in it. It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever crocheted and it’s coming along lovely. It’s kept me busy too.

This week we also had some visitors from Cornwall. When I was little my older brother was friends with this man who lived locally, then he moved away and they drifted apart, not seeing or speaking to each other for years.Then they discovered Facebook and got in touch again. I love that Facebook is so good for this, I’ve re-connected with a few of my childhood and school friends. Anyway, we have been speaking to this friend of my brother’s for quite a few years on Facebook so when he said he was coming to our town we agreed to meet up with him and his wife. We had a lovely afternoon catching up in ‘real life.’

Yesterday we decided to do a little more Christmas shopping, I wanted to get board games for the kids and Smyths are doing an offer of 3 for 2 on board games. As I needed 3, this was perfect. We have a Smyths store about 10 mins drive away and I decided that I’d like to drive. I think this might be the first time in about six months that I have been behind the wheel. I was so nervous, but once in the driving seat my nerves left me and I was fine. Of course I was quite happy for hubby to get back behind the wheel for the journey home. One way was enough. We parked almost directly by the entrance to Smyths but while I waited for hubby to put my wheelchair together I got really cold and when we got in the shop I just couldn’t stop shivering. Hubby got worried that I was having a spasm in the shop but I was just seriously cold.

Last Saturday we had a lovely day at Hatton Enchanted Christmas Kingdom and although the weather was bright and dry it was incredibly cold. I really do think that being in a wheelchair is much colder than walking around. I’ll have to invest in thermals or a blanket.

Well, it’s December today so I guess you have to expect the weather to be really cold. I’ve not seen any snow yet though!

Back Seat Driver

July 6, 2017 by Anne Sweet 8 Comments

I’m not sure why they call it a back seat driver, I sat in the back seat yesterday while my husband drove and for the first time ever I managed to keep my mouth shut!!

Hands up though, I am the worst back seat driver ever, if they could give and award for it then mine would certainly be gold!

Yesterday evening I had a call from a friend.
“I’ve got my driving test next week and I wondered if you would take a drive with me so I can get some extra practice?”

MY Worst Nightmare!!

I couldn’t even get in the car when my husband was learning. Thankfully I couldn’t get him insured in my car until he passed his test so I had a good excuse. But I am seriously scared of being in a car with a learner driver. A driving instructor would be my nightmare job.

I had to let her down, I hope she understands. I just couldn’t do it. I hope she passes her test, I really do. I have everything crossed for her.

When my husband first passed his test I was a nervous wreck getting in the car with him. In his first six months of driving he’s had two bumps, that’s two black marks on our insurance policy. I haven’t had a bump in nearly 20 years! I am a very careful driver though and I hate it when I see someone else not being so careful. I don’t even have to be in the car to notice, oh yes, I saw you cutting off the corner or speeding up the crossing and braking hard at the last minute. You wouldn’t catch me doing that.

My husband is a good driver but he’s most definitely a MAN driver. The seat is pushed back so he can relax in it and he loves having just one had on the wheel. I have to drive with one hand on the wheel because as a hand driver my other hand is on the accelerator/brake, but I have a knob on the wheel to make one handed steering easier. He takes off my knob when driving but still thinks he can control the wheel with one hand, while fiddling with the radio with the other.

I do feel more comfortable in the car now but I often notice that he will pull off at an island when I probably would have waited a little longer, he speeds up to junction and stops suddenly (one of my pet hates) he stops suddenly at traffic lights as if he hasn’t been paying attention, and he edges out of junctions impatiently. He also gets angry with other drivers and throws insults at them.

And me? I can’t keep my mouth shut. I’m telling him all the time, which way to go, to slow down, to be patient, to look out for the lights, to watch that car coming from the right, that he’s in the wrong lane going around an island. I just can’t help myself. I drive him nuts and we often end up arguing.

Then I apologise because I am trying not to be critical but to help him drive better.
He accepts my apology and we turn it all into a joke.

I never used to be like this. I was driven around for many years before I started driving myself and I never once opened my mouth in criticism. I think being a driver makes me more aware and more critical.

I don’t speak when I’m other cars but I do notice. I notice taxi drivers that are speeding or taking too much notice of their radio rather than the road. But I wouldn’t dare tell a taxi driver off.

I hope my husband understands. I do think he’s taken to driving really well and in just six months he’s achieved loads. When we went on holiday he drove for hours on the motorway and country lanes and he did brilliantly. I felt relaxed enough to take in the view. I only got panicky once when he went down a very steep and bendy incline a little too fast. I’m pretty sure he felt he was in complete control but I felt my stomach in my mouth. I think I may have been scared if I’d been driving too.

He rarely panics, even when lost. I panic terribly when I lose my way. To be fair we are both as bad as each other when it comes to directions, so it doesn’t matter who’s driving and who’s giving directions, we always get it wrong. Thankfully we can laugh about it (after the argument.)

What about you? Are you a back seat driver? Is your partner? Would you have the patience to teach someone else to drive? I’m sure I’m not the only one.

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