(Chicken) winging it

Now, I've picked up some rather bad habits in my time (smoking, an attraction to all things pink and/or sparkly and a serious cheese addiction to name a few) but never have my flaws been exposed so quickly or as precisely as in recent days. 

Now, as avid (hah!) readers of this blog may be aware, I have recently decided to add a new string to my bow and start driving lessons. Yes indeed, local pedestrians, cyclists & other associated road users beware, for this Sophie is hitting the road, though hopefully not literally. I am now on lesson number four, having grasped the skills of starting, stopping (unfortunately, often too far behind the line), 1st, 2nd and even the dizzy heights of 3rd gear, as well as managing, if not conquering, the roundabout. However, it seems despite all of this progress having been made, I have, somewhere in my 34 yars of passengering in cars, I have picked up some Very Bad Habits. 

Now Ron (dear Ron my driving instructor, he of much patience and thankfully dual controls) assures me that while bad habits are common, they are understandably not helpful in passing the test. Almost everyone who gets into his car, so Ron says, has picked up a bad habit or two, and I am no different. And while my driving sin is not listed up there with murder or coveting my neighbours ox (thankfully unlikely seeing as I live on the 3rd floor of a small block of flats), it appears driving one handedly is still a sin nevertheless, and one to be ditched post haste. 

Now where I've picked this up I do not know. Picking up a bad habit within the first 30 minutes of being behind the wheel for the first time does seem especially quick to me, but Ron thankfully has chosen to point the finger at those who I have driven with most, and I am afraid I think that would have to lay the blame at my mothers door (when in doubt, blame the parents) as much of my passengerial life has been spent with her. However while she may have faults (well, who doesn't?) am pretty sure chicken winging is not one of them. A reckless driver she aint. Perhaps it's one too many long road trips with mates displaying a casual disregard of controlling the vehicle, or, more likely Hollywood movies featuring convertibles & handsome chaps with a penchant for artfully draping an arm out the window as they bask in some tasty Californian sunshine.  Either ways, it's a habit that sees me driving like a late 90s hip hop artist squaring up for a drive-by. Neither the look nor the habit is a good one, but it is a habit Ron informs me, that must be broken... soon. Incidentally my mate Louise says the same about buying all my home accessories in various charming (in my mind) shades of pink, however one thing at a time peoples, and lets tackle the most life endangering one first.

Now personally, I'm not quite sure how to tackle this rather gargantuan task. Sellotaping my hands to the steering wheel? Even I as a novice driver can see the potential pitfalls in this, not least driving what those silly American call a 'stick shift'. A short, sharp, shock to the seat of my pants whenever my hand comes off the wheel for more than 3 seconds? A good idea perhaps, until one considers the possible consequences of yelping & twitching with my foot over the accelerator. Am not sure. Answers on a postcard please, but in the meantime, should any of you, dear readers, happen to see a rather wild eyed, red haired learner driver with only one hand on the wheel, I suggest you start considering the possibility of an immediate three point turn. Just don't forget to mirror, signal and only then manoeuvre when it is safe to do so, checking your blind spot first naturally.