Learning to drive #2

[LeWylde]

Good luck, you feeling good about it?

My first attempt is in a month and already panicking. Ive changed instructor and all sorts in the past 2 years but fingers crossed it's all starting to click. My last lesson was awful though

I’m feeling alright about it overall. I definitely wasn’t ready to pass the first time around
Hope it all goes well for you!

 

[jawidjanqndn]

I passed early Jan! X

 

[hogwartsgraduate]

I passed early Jan! X

Well done!!!!

 

[SoulDestroyer]

I’m on a waiting list for an automatic driving instructor (8months wait!) so I’ve bought a little car and my dads taking me out. I feel a bit unsafe as the car obvs doesn’t have dual controls. I practised in an empty car park tonight and at one point hit the accelerator instead of the brake thank goodness I was in an empty place!
If anyone’s learnt mostly with family (or at least to begin with) what sort of things did you try? There’s not many quiet roads around me. Did you just go for it on roads with traffic or stick to quiet places?

 

[jawidjanqndn]

I’m on a waiting list for an automatic driving instructor (8months wait!) so I’ve bought a little car and my dads taking me out. I feel a bit unsafe as the car obvs doesn’t have dual controls. I practised in an empty car park tonight and at one point hit the accelerator instead of the brake thank goodness I was in an empty place!
If anyone’s learnt mostly with family (or at least to begin with) what sort of things did you try? There’s not many quiet roads around me. Did you just go for it on roads with traffic or stick to quiet places?

I think it’s so hard starting fresh with your parents with no lessons first as I feel those first few lessons really get your confidence up. Definitely try empty car parks & stick to quiet places until you get your confidence up - it’s important to remember that your dad needs to build his confidence too! It’s so easy to bicker and you will probably clash so many times but just stay patient!

maybe watch some YouTube videos, I learnt for majority with my dad and it made us closer in the end

 

[Hinchhater1442]

Have my first lesson in forever today, and decided to try automatic to see if I get on with it better. I’m worried being 20 weeks pregnant will slow down my learning this time but I’ve been waiting to restart lessons for so long!! Frustrating to read that available tests are months and months away too

 

[hogwartsgraduate]

Good luck with your lesson - how did you get on?

I've got my practical test tomorrow morning - had a lesson today and I'm trying hard to convince myself to be confident but I can feel my heart beating already

 

[LeWylde]

Good luck with your lesson - how did you get on?

I've got my practical test tomorrow morning - had a lesson today and I'm trying hard to convince myself to be confident but I can feel my heart beating already

Good luck and don’t stress! I failed my first test but it’ll all be okay. You got this

 

[Hinchhater1442]

Good luck with your lesson - how did you get on?

I've got my practical test tomorrow morning - had a lesson today and I'm trying hard to convince myself to be confident but I can feel my heart beating already

Thank you! It went loads better than expected, and she was super positive which made me feel better.

Good luck for your test!!

 

[hogwartsgraduate]

Unfortunately I failed ... X

 

[LeWylde]

Unfortunately I failed ... X

Don’t beat yourself up! I failed first time and have my second attempt scheduled for next month.

Did they explain to you why they failed you? Maybe that’s a really good point of what you can work on.

 

[hogwartsgraduate]

Don’t beat yourself up! I failed first time and have my second attempt scheduled for next month.

Did they explain to you why they failed you? Maybe that’s a really good point of what you can work on.

They did yeah - basically roundabout lane, someone tried to undertake me and I got a major as he then had to brake. Also I came off a roundabout into second lane dual carriageway and didn't get over too left in time. Devastated atm

 

[LeWylde]

They did yeah - basically roundabout lane, someone tried to undertake me and I got a major as he then had to brake. Also I came off a roundabout into second lane dual carriageway and didn't get over too left in time. Devastated atm

Oh that’s frustrating. Roundabouts are really hard so don’t beat yourself up too much.
Next time it’ll go your way so just try and practice as much as you can before then

 

[hogwartsgraduate]

Hope so, I only got a negative covid test yesterday and felt pretty rough for the past week with it so I don't think I was fully 'on par'. Going to take a week to gather myself and then try and find a test in near future and try again. Theory runs out in June so hope to at least get one more try in.

 

[SoulDestroyer]

I passed my first cyclist tonight and I went so wide and gave them so much room that I nearly ended up in the bushes at the opposite side of the road

 

[Irishgirl14]

Wait do you still have to reverse round a corner on test? Mine is very soon and haven’t learnt that

In Ireland you do

 

[SoulDestroyer]

Does anyone else get criticism for going too fast? Is this common? It's all I'm hearing when driving!
I never thought this would be me, I thought I'd be too terrified to go anything above 20mph but apparently I'm too quick. But when I'm driving I feel like I'm going slow and have to keep watching the speedo. I feel as though I'm watching the speedo more than the road itself!

 

[JLXRD]

So I passed 14 months ago but I’ve only just got around to buying a car and I’m honestly back to bricking it every time I get in.

I can drive but I am finding seeing where I need to be in lanes so so hard 🥲 just don’t know if I’m ever going to feel confident to go out on my own at this rate. Wishing I hadn’t left it so long.

 

[gossipgal21]

So I passed 14 months ago but I’ve only just got around to buying a car and I’m honestly back to bricking it every time I get in.

I can drive but I am finding seeing where I need to be in lanes so so hard 🥲 just don’t know if I’m ever going to feel confident to go out on my own at this rate. Wishing I hadn’t left it so long.

I can relate in a way although I didn’t have a gap between passing and driving, I’ve found it’s taken me a long time to feel remotely confident driving on my own. Can you build up with just going out on short drives every day in places you know?

how do you mean seeing where you are in lands - do you mean knowing which lane to be in or your actual position in the lane?

Even though you can obviously drive would it be worth seeing if anyone could sit with you (if you feel that wouldnt make you worse!) just to help your confidence?

In theory I love the freedom of driving but in an ideal world I don’t think I would choose to do it!

 

[jawidjanqndn]

So I passed 14 months ago but I’ve only just got around to buying a car and I’m honestly back to bricking it every time I get in.

I can drive but I am finding seeing where I need to be in lanes so so hard 🥲 just don’t know if I’m ever going to feel confident to go out on my own at this rate. Wishing I hadn’t left it so long.

There’s a thread on here for driving anxiety and it’s honestly made me feel so much better knowing I’m not alone, definitely take a look as I’m the exact same! Only passed 4-5 months ago and still really struggle with my confidence.