Driving - Even more advanced than last week

What a total change! It's not raining. I know, shocking isn't it. This lesson was done in the heat of a warm spring day. No rain what so ever, although as I type the sky is become rather grey so the least I say about the weather the better.
Today, there was no 'being driven to a quiet place to swap over.' The reason being the Silver Lining was parked facing out into a rather empty car park. Nice way to start off. It showed that not only can I drive out of a parking space but that I can also unlock the car. You know what that's like...and who knows. It may come up on the test.
The Silver Lining and I were prised and ready. Ready to be taken to more places I hadn't been before, just like last week. I drove out of the car park and into a set of traffic lights. Nothing peculiar, everything is all coming along nicely now. I then went across the roundabout I had got beeped at last week and carried on down a main road, just nudging 40mph. I then had approach a set of traffic lights that I had not negotiated before. Again this wasn't really too tricky, but at the end of this road was another roundabout. They seem to get everywhere. I really wish they were magic. That'd make things a lot more...er...magical! Although, that said, I did manage to get the indication right this time without my instructor taking over. However, I did cut the corner very finely, but I still managed to get across with no one being seriously hurt, psychically or emotionally. Down this road, I had to keep my eyes peeled for people coming out at junctions and that included ambulances and fire engines with their big shouty lights and sirens. Luckily, there wasn't a fire or an accident so I could carry on. At this point, I knew how I was doing. Everything is becoming easier. Things like hovering over the brake just in case; braking then setting the clutch, getting ready to stop and change gear at the lights and not missing gears (I missed third yet again but with 5th so that is reasonably acceptable). After passing these traffic lights, being aware of buses and going over a bridge, I encountered what looked like a slow moving shed on wheels. I now hope that the shed will come up on the hazard perception, because I dealt with that little garden hardware quite well. Although though really with the next obstacle: A hill. I couldn't really tell if the engine needed more power and being in 3rd, I thought it was alright. Alan shifted into 2nd and the car changed with a jolt. I thought the engine didn't seem to like it either, but it gave me a bit more power up said hill. It was very steep so, go me, even though I didn't really do much.
More traffic lights followed around what is known as The Cathedral Quarter of Lincoln, albeit, on the edge of the Quarter. More like the Cathedral Eighth. This part of Lincoln links onto Hull (A15). I then had to go around a very quiet estate that I didn't know was there. I've been living in Lincoln for 18 years and I had no idea. It was full of good practices though, such as mini-roundabouts (just because they're small, doesn't make them any less menacing); give ways and narrow, sweepy roads. I then went back onto the A15 before going out into the country looking for things like the national speed limit sign. I liked this sign. It meant I could use 5th gear and it not be mistake. I darted along the roads very nimbly all this time, the sun beating down on me which makes a change to rain. Country roads done, now for the highlight: The Bypass, A46.
I covered a bit of the A46 last week but that was only a single carriage way. This part of the bypass was dual so this mean I could go all the way up to 70, even though I played it safe and stuck to 65 as the '46 is rather notorious for accidents. Luckily (again) the ambulance or the fire engine wasn't needed! I liked this bit. Not even a roundabout phased me. Nor two. Three? Nuhuh. 4? Nope. Roundabouts are becoming easier! All with indicating and changing gear whilst turning!
I'm now back down to the built up area I covered in my first lesson. There was something I didn't expect though. One idiot, and I'm not using the term loosely, his IQ must have been in the minus', tried to creep out of a junction when it was far too late making Alan use his brake a-la Emergency Stop. I, nor he, was expecting it. It wasn't my fault. Stupid man. Doesn't deserve to be driving in his mental state.
Onwards we went, covering more traffic lights and stopping and starting. It was at this point, I learned something new. Something I hadn't known before, which is a bit embarrassing because I'm a car fanatic. I learned that the clutch can be used to move the car. I thought the clutch didn't do anything apart from let you change gear. Now it drives the car! That sounds a bit ridiculous. This makes it easier for me as when I was edging forward before, I was using the accelerator too. Now I know not to. That's genius! Although what followed afterwards was not genius...

All that was left was to do was follow part of the route I did last week, wait for temporary traffic lights to change, watch out for a speed camera and get back to were I started. Simple really...
Next week though, I do the challenging stuff - Maneuvers. And that includes learning how to spell Manoeuvres correctly...