Learning to drive.

[LaurieLaurie]

Jesus… you didn’t have my old instructor did you?
Mine used to make a big deal out of the fact that I lived in a terrace house, he’d regularly tell me that they’re full of problems, but cheap and affordable… and then he’d drive me past his detached four bed (not joking) .

He also said to me “Dubai is nice, if you can ever afford it”. I slipped it in convo once that I go to Florida each year and he asked “do you go in a group? It’s very expensive going there…” as if I couldn’t afford to go? and once when I said I was taking my mum to Gran Canaria, he said he went and it was cheap and nasty…

i mean the funniest thing was when he used to say “you could do with two hours a week, but you wouldn’t be able to afford that”. Baring in mind, we had NEVER discussed my finances and I’d never said that I couldn’t afford two hours! Yes I worked in a call centre, but I was on 19k and my partner was an IT engineer… i laugh about it now, but my god he was a knob!

I would have slammed the breaks on an exploded.

The only reason I’m sticking with mine is because he’s in his 40th year of teaching and everyone knows him/has passed with him so I’m trusting his judgment.

 

[Thank(space)you]

Good luck!
12 days until mine.

Thank you good luck to you too! How are you feeling about it?

A couple of my best friends work at car dealerships and they’ve told me not to get a car until I’ve passed so it’s not going to shit sat on the drive.

My plan is, to practice in it if I don't pass. Although I'm trying to think positively and tell myself I will pass haha

 

[Belulah]

That is amazing!! I’m only doing an hour! I’m going to ask about maybe doing two lessons a week when I next see her. I’m a teacher so have six weeks off now!

 

[Very traditional]

5 years ago I was paying £24 p/h and that was the average for my area (tiny town in South Wales!)

 

[LaurieLaurie]

Good luck for your test @LaurieLaurie and ditch/report him! The bloody weirdo.

It's 4 weeks until my test FML. Had a really good lesson today to cover my parking manoeuvres. Just honestly dreading my test.

Thank you.

 

[nightfeedz]

Failed my test today could have been a different story but I was only 5 minutes in, came up to a roundabout going 3rd exit and an ambulance pulled out of the second exit which I just didn’t expect and didn’t react in time! Probably would have reacted better if the ambulance had its sirens on but never mind! It’s horrible how quick your test can end! No dates available for my next test just gotta keep looking

Oh no! So sorry to hear that, sometimes it just seems down to luck. I hope you can get another test soon and get sorted.

I’ve been learning to drive for a while-confidence is a massive issue for me and I just don’t believe in myself that I can actually drive safely anyway I’ve had 3 instructors. My first one was an absolute knob, he was my mums friends dad and he just wasn’t nice at all, he would go to the shop half way through our lesson and I never felt I was learning anything. ( just to add I was learning automatic at this point because I was so scared of learning in a manual) but anyway I decided enough was enough and that I wanted to learn manual just so I always had that knowledge, my instructor was a family friend, he was okay but I felt like he was putting so much pressure on me, he would sometimes make “jokey” comments about my driving which just made me feel uncomfortable, anyway long story short he came into my house one day after a lesson and told my parents I needed a car for myself as he didn’t have time to teach me (his partner was having a baby) I took a break from driving after that and then started with the instructor I have now who is incredible and understands how I am, my anxiety and confidence with driving ect..

I had two tests last year, one I failed for reverse parallel park, and the other a reverse bay park I actually did the reverse bay park at the end of the test in the test centre, and my instructor said I was actually in the lines, was absolutely fine but then I just doubted myself and readjusted and failed ffs

a big thing for me overall is confidence with driving, I’m just terrified of going wrong, making a mistake, even my instructor says I put too much pressure on myself rather than being more chilled. If anyone has any tips on how to be more confident and comfortable with driving please help a girl out I’m hoping to a book a test soon, have got one in December as that was the earliest I could get, but do want one for end of July/early august, so let’s hope it’s third time lucky or I might give up

I could have written some of this, it is horrible feeling so scared! It seems like lots of practice is the only way through it!

 

[LaurieLaurie]

Have you had any notifications at all from it?

Yeah but not often. I opened the app this morning and there was a few days of tests on there and no notifications. My brother uses it and said the same yesterday.

Not worth the £10. I just check myself now

 

[megsmagoo]

My first instructor was exactly the same! Told me the day of my test he wasn't going to let me sit it too, then to add insult to injury asked me if I wanted to drive home. I didnt, I got out and walked!
He also told me I wouldn't be able to drive manual and that I should do automatic!
I got another instructor not long after but I had so many confidence issues I kept failing my test (2 fails, 1 I abandoned after 2 minutes). 3 and a bit years later I went back to it with a new instructor and passed first attempt with him!

Wow that instructor sounds like an ass, im glad you found someone who was a good fit for you.

gradually getting more nervous now, feel like I’m making silly mistakes and massively overthinking. Instructor isn’t helping either, I’ll be quite when my lessons are over to be honest, think I’m spending too much time with her will have been 10 hours this week

 

[Rippedjeanmaybe]

Gears and clutch are one in one though. I didn't realise you guys were specifically talking about confusion relating to gears vs. speed etc. Change my original comment from "gears" to "manual" lol. Either way, an automatic *is* easier. There's absolutely no denying that. I have zero intention of ever driving one and I personally think you forgo an element of control for the sake of ease, but it is still easier, especially for new drivers. I do think it makes a lot more sense to learn in a manual and then drive an auto knowing you can do both but a lot of people simply wouldn't drive if that were their only option.

I had 0 lessons which is why I highly recommend YouTube videos, basically free driving lessons. Watch the YouTube, practice it under your own supervision, repeat. It's comforting watching other learners get flustered by the same things you are too. I sat in on 2 of my partner's lessons and I think the instructor was a bit full-on. All my friends telling me stories of the instructor grabbing the wheel or preventing them from stalling by dipping the clutch, or the worst - instructors encouraging people to move off using only the clutch?! 2 people I know still stall a year after passing because they think you don't need to put revs in. I didn't progress to roads until I felt comfortable (started in an empty Tesco car park and thought I'd crash going 5mph LOL) but I think knowing I only had myself to rely on, not dual controls, made me learn quicker tbh.

Yes and no, you use gears and clutch together, but one is a stick you move into position, the other is about finding the bite point and learning how much to rev ect. Yes automatic is definitely easier (although I’ve never tried it), but manual isn’t too hard either. I agree with what you’ve said, I always tell people it’s better to just grin and bear it and get your test passed in a manual, because that way you have options when you’ve passed and you can choose automatic if you want to. Whereas if you choose automatic then you’re stuck with that unless you go and do more lessons and another test.

there wasn’t anyone I knew that had a car I could practice in and I couldn’t afford a car when I was learning, so sadly I had to have the lessons. I had two driving instructors and neither of them ever stepped in (maybe I didn’t need them to?), I am also a really untrusting person so I never ever relied on the dual controls! as I say, the only thing I found hard in the beginning was positioning in the road and just general nerves because of other drivers ect. Considering I have dyspraxia, I found the actual basis fairly easy.

 

[under the ivy]

Whatever you feel needs most work? Have you been doing mock tests with your instructor on your lessons?

I have yeah

 

[SunshineDreamer]

I went on an intensive driving course as soon as I was old enough to get my license. I passed first time, however I was far from confident and I hated driving for the longest time. My sister, it took her 3 attempts to pass and she is so confident and absolutely loves driving.

All these years later, I still don’t really like driving (and I put that down to one rather serious accident) and am much happier being a passenger.

 

[Thank(space)you]

My instructor is annoyed I'm self isolating as my child has covid-19 symptoms. He's saying how do I expect to pass my test if I'm cancelling lessons

 

[LaurieLaurie]

I’ve seen a service where you can pay them to get you a cancellation. I’m not sure if it’s legit but might be worth looking into.

It’s just apps and notifications. Best to just keep checking

 

[BettyCrockerr]

My child had me up most of the night, I've had around 4 hours sleep. Am I okay to drive today for my lesson? I'm too scared to cancel so close to my test but also very scared I'll have a shit lesson due to being so tired

You’ll be fine x

 

[LaurieLaurie]

My best friend switched to auto and loves it.. He’s car mad, works with cars and struggles with manual now

 

[under the ivy]

I’ve been looking at practical tests tonight and there’s absolutely nothing! That’s worrying. I’m going to keep checking and just pray I get in!

 

[Thank(space)you]

Learning to drive #2

Previous thread here: https://tattle.life/threads/learning-to-drive.7063/page-51

tattle.life

New thread

 

[BettyCrockerr]

Thank you for your reply. It'll be my 5th lesson today and fair play to my instructor he does his best to talk me through the steps but I just don't think driving is coming to me as quickly it does to some people. I am struggling with the steering and that's one of the main part of driving so I am feeling pretty useless. I don't really feel like I'm learning very much in my lessons which are 1.5 hours each time either. I've been feeling anxious and dread since waking up.

What is it about the steering that you are struggling with?

 

[TheGlossy]

With this whole sanitary pass regulation, I'm seriously hoping the Irish government won't also extend it to driving lessons/tests although I have a feeling they will (if we don't wind up in another lockdown in September, that is).

 

[Thank(space)you]

Where do you live? When I took my test, I was the one who had to book it - not my instructor. How can your instructor try to re-book on your behalf??

Everyone is nervous before the test, that is completely natural and normal. What were your 7 majors??

I'm in Somerset, UK.

I can't remember all of the majors but the ones I remember are:

*didn't stop at a closed junction
*did stop at an open junction
*didn't accelerate quick enough onto a roundabout which caused a car to slow down
*mounted the pavement during a parallel park
* looking in my mirrors only when joining a dual carriageway from a slip road, rather than also looking over my shoulder.