 Now here's an idea. A simple, quick, and free one.. After each driving lesson, summarise for yourself what you did. And, more importantly, how you felt. Start with where you "were" before the lesson, and end with "where you'd got to" after it ended.
You don't have to write it down straightaway. Just do it in the following few hours. And keep it short. But here's the vital part. You must do it without using any of the following phrases: "At least I didn't ...", "I stalled N times, or the word "but". A few weeks on, look back to see how far you've come, and how positive you can be about your own driving accomplishments ! They're changing, aren't they? Nobody over the age of 40 calls the flashing amber globes on those striped poles "Belisha beacons". Anyway, they're being replaced by glowing LED halos. Good idea. (And have you noticed the tiny stripes on the street lamps installed to give more visibility either side of zebras ? Perhaps not so useful).
My point is, this new luminaire technology is saving energy but does anyone else find them too bright? Same with daytime running lights (DRLs), required of manufacturers since early in 2010. The illuminated striped poles, and some LED lamp-heads themselves, actually dazzle at night ... and prevent me from seeing dark-clad pedestrians waiting underneath them ! Eighty percent of cyclists injured in London are squashed by large lorries. If you think YOUR blindspots are large, watch this to see how little a driver can see if you're tempted to squeeze through ... Or just go alongside.
Just remember: if the truck driver can't see you, how can he avoid you?
I'm inclined to treat this (junction of Whitehill Lane with Shenley Lane, B31) as a pair of crossroads. To turn right, I'd hence signal only when moving over the first carriageway (traffic flowing towards the left). However, if traffic was coming from that direction, it may help them plan speed and lane options if they could see my right indicator flashing, so knew I intended to simply crossing their path and not join their road. (It'd also be a useful attention-grabber in poor lighting). What do YOU think?
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