Also, I would recommend booking an early morning test as the roads will be quieter than middle of the day. (In my area it was anyway ) I had 2 tests that were at 12/1ish and failed both as I felt so anxious as it was so busy. I passed my test when I booked an 8am test. It also meant I didn't have time to be stressing on the day while I was waiting. I had a two hour lesson prior to it so was literally up and out of the house driving!
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I was 52 when I passed my test too and it has changed my life, I’m 61 now. I stuck with manual although it took a very long time to get the hang of the gears. I wouldn’t like to work out what all the lessons cost me but it’s an investment.
It definitely depends where you live - round here the roads are bedlam until about 9.30 with all the commuters and parents doing school runs...and again from 2.30-3.30, and 4pm onwards. I found the quietest times was 11-12ish, had all my tests around that time.
Have just remembered what happened many years ago to a girl I knew - her test was first thing, about 9am. She drove out of the test centre, onto the main road and straight into a huge traffic jam. Water main had burst or something like that and traffic was gridlocked. This was in the days when tests were about 25 mins long. Basically they sat in almost stationary traffic for 20 mins, finally got to the nearest side road (still within sight of the test centre), he got her to turn down it, do a 3 point turn, back up to the junction, and then back to the test centre! She pased - and after that we all prayed for traffic jams on the day of our tests
Brilliant! Good luck!
Had my first lesson. Really pushed myself to do manoeuvres rather then putting them off. I was really nervous this morning.
Well done! The manoeuvres are difficult, so don't worry if you find them hard, that's natural - I still can't reverse into a bay or parallel park particularly well, even though I have a car with parking sensors and a reversing camera
every time I think I've done a good job I get out and realise I have the worst parked car in the car park!How’s everyone getting on with the learning? I’ve got my test coming up soon! I’m a key worker so it’s been a quick turnaround coming out of lockdown, praying I pass! I have a knee operation at the end of the month and it’s going to take about 6 weeks to recover and I don’t want to delay it anymore after a 4 month break - any tips for the nerves?!
Good Luck!! I’m hoping for a quick turn around after lock down.
how many lessons are you having a week?
thank you
At the moment about 6-8 hours! My instructor only started back up on the 3rd July and after a 4 month break I just want to make sure I’m as ready as possible.Im feeling ready and actually quite looking forward not driving with my instructor
I really like her but it’ll be nice to not feeling so watched. I know the examiner will be watching but they probably won’t be so vocal lolThat 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!
Ah nice! My instructor only does 2 hour lessons, I find them quite good personally because I get a bit more driving time. I put the money I would have spent on lessons aside each month in lockdown so I’ve got plenty to work with if I do fail
I learnt to drive for a full year before putting in for my test. By then I’d come across most things on the road that I could experience (emergency vehicles, bikes, horses etc etc). It was expensive to learn for so long but I’m glad that I did. I passed first time which I don’t think I would if I had done my test sooner
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 
I would use a word much stronger than assWow 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
Spending too much time doing it if you're feeling anxious wont help either. Your mind just puts a block on trying to learn. I was like that with my first instructor! I hated him and he made me feel horrendous so I just constantly messed up. Give yourself a wee break, even just like a week! Sometimes things just fall into place, for me not overthinking it was what really helped! I felt ready to sit the test i passed about 2 months before I sat it. Bachs rescue remedy for about a month before my test also helped
I would rather do ANYTHING than take my driving test again. I passed my theory no problems but nerves got the better of me on the practicals. My instructor was so frustrated as she said there was nothing left to teach me, it was nerves making me make silly mistakes. I tried all the usual over the counter calming treatments but after four attempts it had become such an issue! My MIL suggested hypnotherapy! I only had one session, felt a bit foolish but the hypnotherapist said it’s a very common fear. She was shocked when she asked me to imagine it was the morning of my test and watched as I got worked up right there and then and was nearly in tears just at the thought of it, she said it was no wonder I couldn’t pass. Driving is subconscious a lot of the time. She told me to get someone else to book my test ( I would literally start worrying weeks before ) and not tell me till an hour before and then to call her and she’d talk me through it. Well it worked and I finally passed.
Just wanted to say don’t give up, once you pass you’ll never look back.
Just wanted to say don’t give up, once you pass you’ll never look back.
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I had my second lesson after five months off (lockdown/broken leg) yesterday and it went very badly. I kept stalling at roundabouts.
My instructor is great but I feel he is losing patience with me. He told me that it was the worst I’ve ever driven. I am a nervous driver but he goes on about me being nervous which is unhelpful and a bit gas lighty as I’m usually fine nerves wise after an hour. I felt really despondent yesterday. I’m reasonably intelligent but unable to do this thing that everyone else is able to do. I find it hard to multitask in a car but can manage multi tasking brilliantly ar work!
I’m sick of learning to drive... I’ve been doing it every week for over a year. I’d sack the whole thing off of my mil wasn’t paying but I feel trapped into having to see it through to the end.
I just don’t seem to be improving. I’ve been learning to parallel park for months now and the penny hasn’t dropped.
Should I switch to automatic?!!
I’m so reassured to see others on this thread have struggled with the same issues as I have though.
My instructor is great but I feel he is losing patience with me. He told me that it was the worst I’ve ever driven. I am a nervous driver but he goes on about me being nervous which is unhelpful and a bit gas lighty as I’m usually fine nerves wise after an hour. I felt really despondent yesterday. I’m reasonably intelligent but unable to do this thing that everyone else is able to do. I find it hard to multitask in a car but can manage multi tasking brilliantly ar work!
I’m sick of learning to drive... I’ve been doing it every week for over a year. I’d sack the whole thing off of my mil wasn’t paying but I feel trapped into having to see it through to the end.
I just don’t seem to be improving. I’ve been learning to parallel park for months now and the penny hasn’t dropped.
Should I switch to automatic?!!
I’m so reassured to see others on this thread have struggled with the same issues as I have though.
Yep I’d consider switching to automatic, or at least just have a couple of lessons in an automatic to see if it helps. Gear sticks are on their way out I think, certainly going forward as we move towards electric cars and there are some cars now you can only buy as an automatic. I think it’s worth just trying and then you will know. Good luck!
Try a different instructor
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