U-turns

Apparently I’m not alone in disliking U-turns! To me, the A14 is barely wide enough to do a U-Turn, and I’m talking all 4 lanes!
There’s something about them that makes me nervous. The scary thought of mounting pavements; sending pedestrians scattering; ending up in someone’s garden.
I’ve decided as well as avoiding dual-carriageways, I’m probably going to get off and push my bike round should the need arise after test!
On our ride round I had a lady look me straight in the eye and then walk out in front of me, which didn’t faze me one bit, but give me an empty road and an instruction to do a U-turn and I can feel a panic coming on.
We started off on a nice wide road. After a few attempts, which weren’t entirely hideous, we found a narrower road.
Rob told me this was the widest road they use for test, so I’m not looking forward to seeing the narrowest.
A couple of reasonable U-turns, then a couple of wobbly, foot-down mess-ups. I had to finish on a good one. I refused to let them get the better of me. When I don’t look at the kerb opposite, sit up straight, and basically don’t panic, they’re improving. Slightly.

Making Progress

My first full lesson on the 500 and I’m looking forward to it.
It sounds a bit silly, but sitting on the bigger bike, I feel a slight sense of achievement! Despite the L-plates and orange vest, I somehow feel a bit more confident, a little less novice, a bit more credible.
The lesson started with a little more familiarisation with the new bike, a couple of Emergency stops which went well, some hill starts, which again went well…and then the scary bit. Dual carriageway.
We’d done a little bit before, but not really any distance and not up to speed.
Rob showed me the new test centre; and we talked about the types of road I’d encounter on test.
The location of the test centre makes dual carriageway extremely accessible in the half hour-ish long test.
Rob talked about the importance of making progress wherever possible. He said the examiner would expect 70mph if it were safe and overtaking if it was appropriate.
He advised I rode at a speed I felt comfortable with today, and off we went.
Coming onto the A14, starting to build up speed, I decided that there was no point in delaying the inevitable. If it was safe to do 70mph, I may as well do it and get used to it.
I moved out into the right hand lane and started to overtake a line of lorries. Not only did I have the head wind which felt like hundreds of mini jabs, tapping my head back, I now was aware of the pressure around the lorries. My arms and legs ached from gripping the bike so tight!
When we eventually stopped and I mentioned getting blown about to Rob, he said he hadn’t noticed much wind! What to me, felt like a force 10 gale trying to prise me off the bike, was nothing out of the ordinary to someone who rides a bike regularly. It didn’t help that my bike had no fairing, which left me more open to the elements.
It was good experience, but I don’t feel that dual carriageway riding is going to be the best bit about riding a bike.