Completely agree with this. Doing the test itself is really great experience even if you don’t pass it on that particular day. It allows you to experience the test and then you know exactly what it’s like when you take it again if needs be. I’d absolutely be taking the booked test, no question.
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Yes he did, I had an off week last week (was unwell so not my best driving - I just had an infected piercing) anyway after that he said about postponing my test and this week was to determine if he felt I was ready
Take the test. If you pass then fantastic, if you don’t pass then just view it as that weeks lesson and carry on. You’ve got nothing to loose by taking the test. If your instructor won’t allow you to use his car, call around and ask other instructors if they have any availability- don’t tell them the whole story, just say your instructor has messed you around and you’ve got a test booked but no car. It may actually be a good thing if you take a few lessons with a different instructor to get their feedback
100% agree with this.
He said you were ready when you originally booked it and is now messing you around. As an absolute minimum I would have a lesson with a different instructor to get their view
Just thought id add my own story and hope I can help someone out 
Started to learn at 17, had 2 instructors and 20+ lessons and simply couldnt drive. My brain couldnt cope with gears, speed, mirrors, I was a nervous wreck the whole time so I quit.
January last year I decided to try again at age 32! Had 4 lessons with the most amazing, calm, patient instructor then lockdown hit 2 weeks after I passed my theory 1st time. Test was booked for April that obviously got cancelled. I bought a cheap run around car, insured it, slapped L plates on and had my dad take me out once a week. Had 2 lessons and passed 1st time in August! With 4 minors for stalling x2, clearance and speed approaching a junction.
I am a very anxious person, massive overthinker and worrier soI never thought I could drive. I was still nervous for months after passing (and no one tells you about that first solo drive after your test! I even had my kids in the car!) Now im almost 10 months in and ive gained so much confidence, I drove 400 miles to Scotland and 400 back on motorways, weve been on holidays to the coasts, Ive driven on busy roads, country roads, dirt roads! And i am VERY good at parallel and reverse bay parking thanks to my instructor!
You are very much able to do anything you set your mind to, no matter your age, experience, confidence or skills, its just about pushing yourself and not giving up
Started to learn at 17, had 2 instructors and 20+ lessons and simply couldnt drive. My brain couldnt cope with gears, speed, mirrors, I was a nervous wreck the whole time so I quit.
January last year I decided to try again at age 32! Had 4 lessons with the most amazing, calm, patient instructor then lockdown hit 2 weeks after I passed my theory 1st time. Test was booked for April that obviously got cancelled. I bought a cheap run around car, insured it, slapped L plates on and had my dad take me out once a week. Had 2 lessons and passed 1st time in August! With 4 minors for stalling x2, clearance and speed approaching a junction.
I am a very anxious person, massive overthinker and worrier soI never thought I could drive. I was still nervous for months after passing (and no one tells you about that first solo drive after your test! I even had my kids in the car!) Now im almost 10 months in and ive gained so much confidence, I drove 400 miles to Scotland and 400 back on motorways, weve been on holidays to the coasts, Ive driven on busy roads, country roads, dirt roads! And i am VERY good at parallel and reverse bay parking thanks to my instructor!
You are very much able to do anything you set your mind to, no matter your age, experience, confidence or skills, its just about pushing yourself and not giving up
What a great story! Thank you so so much for sharing. It sounds like you and your family have been really enjoying the freedom I look forward to having too one dayJust thought id add my own story and hope I can help someone out
Started to learn at 17, had 2 instructors and 20+ lessons and simply couldnt drive. My brain couldnt cope with gears, speed, mirrors, I was a nervous wreck the whole time so I quit.
January last year I decided to try again at age 32! Had 4 lessons with the most amazing, calm, patient instructor then lockdown hit 2 weeks after I passed my theory 1st time. Test was booked for April that obviously got cancelled. I bought a cheap run around car, insured it, slapped L plates on and had my dad take me out once a week. Had 2 lessons and passed 1st time in August! With 4 minors for stalling x2, clearance and speed approaching a junction.
I am a very anxious person, massive overthinker and worrier soI never thought I could drive. I was still nervous for months after passing (and no one tells you about that first solo drive after your test! I even had my kids in the car!) Now im almost 10 months in and ive gained so much confidence, I drove 400 miles to Scotland and 400 back on motorways, weve been on holidays to the coasts, Ive driven on busy roads, country roads, dirt roads! And i am VERY good at parallel and reverse bay parking thanks to my instructor!
You are very much able to do anything you set your mind to, no matter your age, experience, confidence or skills, its just about pushing yourself and not giving up
Amazing story, thank you for sharing! So pleased you passed! You sounded like how I used to be. Up until only a few months ago I used to dread my lessons and just hated being on the road! My confidence has massively improved. My only issue now is lane discipline on roundabouts. I used to be scared of approaching roundabouts because of the judgement you have to quickly make, but I'm alot better at that now! So normal roundabouts I'm fine with, but huge roundabouts with lanes I dislike now because I just struggle to work out and understand what lane I need to be in, but my instructor is going to focus on roundabouts with me next lesson and I'm going round all the test roundabouts with my bf too, so I will get there just like I did with every other driving fear I had!Just thought id add my own story and hope I can help someone out
Started to learn at 17, had 2 instructors and 20+ lessons and simply couldnt drive. My brain couldnt cope with gears, speed, mirrors, I was a nervous wreck the whole time so I quit.
January last year I decided to try again at age 32! Had 4 lessons with the most amazing, calm, patient instructor then lockdown hit 2 weeks after I passed my theory 1st time. Test was booked for April that obviously got cancelled. I bought a cheap run around car, insured it, slapped L plates on and had my dad take me out once a week. Had 2 lessons and passed 1st time in August! With 4 minors for stalling x2, clearance and speed approaching a junction.
I am a very anxious person, massive overthinker and worrier soI never thought I could drive. I was still nervous for months after passing (and no one tells you about that first solo drive after your test! I even had my kids in the car!) Now im almost 10 months in and ive gained so much confidence, I drove 400 miles to Scotland and 400 back on motorways, weve been on holidays to the coasts, Ive driven on busy roads, country roads, dirt roads! And i am VERY good at parallel and reverse bay parking thanks to my instructor!
You are very much able to do anything you set your mind to, no matter your age, experience, confidence or skills, its just about pushing yourself and not giving up
I love hearing these inspirational storiesJust thought id add my own story and hope I can help someone out
Started to learn at 17, had 2 instructors and 20+ lessons and simply couldnt drive. My brain couldnt cope with gears, speed, mirrors, I was a nervous wreck the whole time so I quit.
January last year I decided to try again at age 32! Had 4 lessons with the most amazing, calm, patient instructor then lockdown hit 2 weeks after I passed my theory 1st time. Test was booked for April that obviously got cancelled. I bought a cheap run around car, insured it, slapped L plates on and had my dad take me out once a week. Had 2 lessons and passed 1st time in August! With 4 minors for stalling x2, clearance and speed approaching a junction.
I am a very anxious person, massive overthinker and worrier soI never thought I could drive. I was still nervous for months after passing (and no one tells you about that first solo drive after your test! I even had my kids in the car!) Now im almost 10 months in and ive gained so much confidence, I drove 400 miles to Scotland and 400 back on motorways, weve been on holidays to the coasts, Ive driven on busy roads, country roads, dirt roads! And i am VERY good at parallel and reverse bay parking thanks to my instructor!
You are very much able to do anything you set your mind to, no matter your age, experience, confidence or skills, its just about pushing yourself and not giving up
good for you. I swear, I used to behave like everyone in the world could drive no worries except for me. I thought it was such a big deal that I was in my 20s then 30s and still couldn’t drive, but since actively learning and speaking to various different instructors and driving schools not one person has said a thing about my age. It is normal to learn to drive at any age!
This thread has helped so much, I’m no longer letting myself believe that driving is easy and natural for everyone but me. Can’t wait for that sweet sweet independence.
I had a stressful driving lesson yesterday because the steering of the wheel just isn't coming to me. It stresses me out so much and I'm so tense with how I grab onto the wheel for dear life but I can't seem to stop. I feel like I'm going to kill someone because I don't know when to steer the wheel or I'm too slow. Tempted to just pack it in but I don't want to give up. Feeling pretty meh about it today though.
How many lessons have you had?
So far...
1 x 1 hrs
3 x 1.5 hours
I just don't like to not get things first time which is a bit silly especially when learning to drive but it's getting me down if I'm honest.
Can you cycle a bike?
if so, Imagine how you ride a bike. You cycle along and you keep your eyes on what’s infront and gently tweak the handlebars as you go to keep yourself in the correct place on the road or path and you use the handlebars to go around obstacles or to turn corners etc
it’s the same principle in the car.
can you get access to a family member or friends car?? If you can, get them to take you to somewhere safe like an empty car park at night or wherever- somewhere off the road and somewhere empty. Get in the car and just practice moving the car - get to know how it feels to go hard left or right, rag it around a bit to get to grips with how handle the car.
also please tell your instructor how you feel and ask if you could do the above with him/her?
You've only just started out, give yourself time. I feel your frustration though as I am very much the same!
Feeling so rubbish about driving tomorrow. What's the point? I've been having lessons for 2 years and i still am not rest ready. Just feeling like I'm wasting my time and my money.
I was finally getting to a place where I wasn't hating my lessons and I was believing in myself and that I can drive and now it's like all the wind has been knocked out from my sails.
I have messaged my driving instructor asking if we can have a chat tomorrow.
I was finally getting to a place where I wasn't hating my lessons and I was believing in myself and that I can drive and now it's like all the wind has been knocked out from my sails.
I have messaged my driving instructor asking if we can have a chat tomorrow.
Did you make enquiries about using a different instructors car for your test?? I’d seriously try to get a few lessons in with a different person. It could just be that you just need someone with a different approach.
also, and more generally for a lot of people on this thread - stop over thinking it. It’s just driving, it’s just a skill you need to learn, like any other.
in your case, If your instructor said you were test ready and allowed/encouraged you to
book your test for the date in June then you are ready for your test. Take the test! Like I’ve said before, take the test and if you pass on the day that’s awesome and if you don’t then you have the experience of the test under your belt for the next time. in my case, that’s all I needed. I took my 1st test, was really nervou, didn’t feel 100% ready but had a go - I failed, but then booked a second test and felt so much better because I knew what it was like and kind of just had a far more relaxed attitude to it, passed it second time with flying colours.
Hello guys 
I wanted to join in as I’m just about to embark on starting lessons again and am so anxious. I had my theory test today and passed so now I really need to find an instructor again but I’m so worried.
I have had a few lessons in a manual but quickly realised I couldnt do it so been doing auto almost exclusively. am 28 but first started learning at 23, took my theory in 2016 and passed then had some lessons with an instructor who shouted at me a lot and made me cry every lesson. Unfortunately I really took this to heart and my confidence is very low with driving because of this.
Eventually I gave up because I just had dread in the pit of my stomach before every lesson. I then tried a few more lessons with another instructor and even took my test twice but failed due to really stupid mistakes which I know I made because of nerves and panic (on one of them, I drove the wrong way down a busy road
)
Anyway, then I had a big life change in 2017 and moved away. Theory expired. And here we are.
Glad to see this thread because I often feel very alone about not being able to drive and quite embarrassed, even though it is normal, I yet don’t have any friends who have left it as late as me so will be good to chat with others who are learning too x
I wanted to join in as I’m just about to embark on starting lessons again and am so anxious. I had my theory test today and passed so now I really need to find an instructor again but I’m so worried.
I have had a few lessons in a manual but quickly realised I couldnt do it so been doing auto almost exclusively. am 28 but first started learning at 23, took my theory in 2016 and passed then had some lessons with an instructor who shouted at me a lot and made me cry every lesson. Unfortunately I really took this to heart and my confidence is very low with driving because of this.
Eventually I gave up because I just had dread in the pit of my stomach before every lesson. I then tried a few more lessons with another instructor and even took my test twice but failed due to really stupid mistakes which I know I made because of nerves and panic (on one of them, I drove the wrong way down a busy road
)Anyway, then I had a big life change in 2017 and moved away. Theory expired. And here we are.
Glad to see this thread because I often feel very alone about not being able to drive and quite embarrassed, even though it is normal, I yet don’t have any friends who have left it as late as me so will be good to chat with others who are learning too x
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I'm the same age as you, definitely know how you feel regarding leaving it lateHello guys
I wanted to join in as I’m just about to embark on starting lessons again and am so anxious. I had my theory test today and passed so now I really need to find an instructor again but I’m so worried.
I have had a few lessons in a manual but quickly realised I couldnt do it so been doing auto almost exclusively. am 28 but first started learning at 23, took my theory in 2016 and passed then had some lessons with an instructor who shouted at me a lot and made me cry every lesson. Unfortunately I really took this to heart and my confidence is very low with driving because of this.
Eventually I gave up because I just had dread in the pit of my stomach before every lesson. I then tried a few more lessons with another instructor and even took my test twice but failed due to really stupid mistakes which I know I made because of nerves and panic (on one of them, I drove the wrong way down a busy road
Anyway, then I had a big life change in 2017 and moved away. Theory expired. And here we are.
Glad to see this thread because I often feel very alone about not being able to drive and quite embarrassed, even though it is normal, I yet don’t have any friends who have left it as late as me so will be good to chat with others who are learning too x
I had a good chat with my instructor today about how I'm feeling, we did some driving and I'm feeling a bit better about the whole situation now
That’s great to hear x
Definitely go for it, my instructor said I wasn’t ready but I bleeping was, I paid sooo much money for lessons that I don’t think I actually needed in hindsight now I think about it, but I was in the happy passed bubble so didn’t question it. My leg was shaking like mad for the first five minutes
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