woohoooo got out for a quick pootle this am. My Mate - he used to be a traffic cop - bikes & cars - now in accident Investigation escorted me for a quick trip We've sort of sussed out how I get out onto the main road...basically get to the top of the drive & then start as if I've just been parked on the right side of the road (so long as no vans are parked there - which they usually are..however, I'll suss that one when it happens!!)...there's usually a good view of the traffic coming up the hill, just not so much a good one of them flying down the hill! (think am gonna have to post piccys just to show you what I mean!!  ) So anyway, got up the road to Hade Edge Brass band car park & did some slow manouevers - intially it just wasn't happening - doing the feet up U turns & circles etc. However Andy said I was sitting too far forward - almost on the tank - I thought it enabled me to get my feet on the floor a bit better, but he said that it was affecting the centre of balance which was why I was having probs with my U turns - basically he said that you know you see some women in cars where they're sat right up to the steering wheel - they can't properly control the steering like that - well he said it was the same being on the bike & that if I slid backwards a bit it would be far easier - so I did & it didn't make too much difference to my feet beeing on the floor, but by hell did it make a difference to my circles & U turns!!! So we then started doing figure of 8's !!! ...eeek...thinks I!! however, I managed em & got to grips with the clutch & was getting better at doing em...wooohooooo So we then had a bit of time before Andy had to get off, so we did a quick circuit of the moors - & ended up at that junction I mentioned in my Day 4 exploits (the left turn)......Bugger!!...ok deep breath, take me time & Yaaaayyyy I did it!!! - still a tad wide (but nowhere near as bad as the first time!!!) Did another left hander no probs & then come up to do a right hander...gets to the junction where she decided she didn't wanna find first & ended up in False Neutral!!! took me ages to get her into first - luckily it's really quiet countrry roads, so I didn't have anyone up me arse (ooooo err missus!!  ) Anyway, finally got her into first & did me right hand turn - yaaaaayyyyyy no probs . So coming through the wibbly bits back down to my house, left turn into the close & left turn into the drive - no probs at all. Parks up, but cos of the camber on the drive, I was worried that she'd fall over, so back peddles her a bit to try & get her more over the drive & onto somewhere leveller - Oh no thinks she - she's still madly in love with the edge of the drive & that nice camber!!! so backwards & down we go (on the right!) so I'm laying there half suspended by the bushes with the bike lying across me!!!  Luckily Andy was there to heave her off me otherwise I'd have still been there now!!!...more Bike whispering methinks!!!....think he should have taken a piccy - think that would have won the BM piccy comp for funniest moment!                                                                                                                                                                               

Wooo hoooo Stella !  well done  You're doing really well. Nice bit of advice about the *not sitting on the tank!* lol   Shame Andy didn't tell you not to hang about in bushes!      Yep...definately worthy of some pics methinks.  Glad you're not still in the bushes ! lol x                                                                                                                                                                             

Hi Been reading your 'exploits' since you started. And I think your doing great and it's great to see your Perseverance! Your road/drive sounds like a nightmare for a learner!!!! At least you managed U turns and figure of 8's. Although I can corner and manouver roundabouts and have good balance( so i been told) I still can't get them right *sigh Just keep at 'em I guess!!!                                                                                                                                                                             

i fell into the lady's bush nxt door once!                                                                                                                                                                             

yeah well we all know about your exploits TM   Next time out am gonna try & negotiate the Roundabout that's up the road - at the end of the Woodhead Pass - however, there does tend to be a lot of HGV's on that road!!! But it's a decent sized -ish) roundabout to get to grips with..just have to look out for any deisel!!   Silvi- am thinking about putting all my Day 'n' exploits together into an on-line blog or a Learners guide to Bike riding & how not to do it                                                                                                                                                                              

Another successful trip out on the bike - yay!   You've a way to go to catch me up for toppling off though!  And you've only toppled on your drive which sounds a NIGHTMARE - remind me NEVER to come visit on the bike!   Off out on mine later - taking it back over to Leeds in the evening rush hour... gulp, on my own, double gulp!                                                                                                                                                                              

Rachel, you looked confident on Sunday and you've got through a good few miles now.    You will be fine                                                                                                                                                                               

  Well done Stella , keep at it girl it's worth it.   I just wish I still had my bike cos I'd be glad to ride out with ya to help you gain more confidence. Unfortunately my bike died before I had chance to pass my test and lack of money dictates that I remain a pedestrian, I can't even get a lift anywhere lol                                                                                                                                                                              

Thanks very much for the vote of confidence Kaz.  However all my commuting has been done mid morning and mid afternoon to avoid the rush hour and/or I've had Geoff/Mark/Ian with me (sometimes with radio contact).   Sunday I was nicely sandwiched between 3 big bikes which really does help your confidence.   Keep at it Stella, really looking forward to a pootle in the near future with my fellow L platers.   Must be soul destroying Kwak to not be able to replace your bike.                                                                                                                                                                              

Nice one stella..and there is a meet this sun not far from you..u might even wanna venture out to that:-)   awww kwak whats happened to ya bike hun?                                                                                                                                                                             

Well done Stella, its definately coming on, (no pun intended), just remember to keep oput of your bush(). Soon be blasting past us all doing a wheelie on a busa. :)

Comfies Kawk.

Keep at it Roachy, when starting you really can feel vulnerable on those dinky wee machines, just keep at it. :)