To think learning to drive in London is easier than elsewhere?

Lime Bikes!

I think it's maybe more what you know? I live fairly rural and you couldn't pay me to drive into central london. But I can happily do country lanes, motorways, general busy town driving. I went to Colchester recently and got to navigate this monstrosity. That was a learning experience 🤣 (but actually fine once you figure it out)

You certainly are simple susanne.

London test centres had some of the lowest pass rates in the country when I was learning (I think other big cities such as Birmingham might have featured too), so the data would disagree with you.

London driving is absolutely bonkers, expect the unexpected at all times and pray for some luck too. It’s also so aggressive, I was always being told off for not being confident enough when I learnt in London. “If you hesitate you will cause an accident” and likewise leaving space to the car in front at a junction. Perfectly normal and encouraged elsewhere but in London I was told I shouldn’t see be able to see their bumper.

God no, London is by far the most stressful place I've ever driven.

Harder in London or busy city because of the increased number of other road users and increased likelihood of unpredictable events from pedestrians, busses, cyclists, (bad) drivers etc.
There is just so much more going on. You have to think and react quicker. It’s busy all around you.

If you know the country roads surrounding your test centre and have practiced there, it’s far more predictable & less chance of another road user doing things that challenge your reactions.

@HermioneWeasleymassive generalisation and untrue in the main. The trick to London driving is being very chilled and accepting you won’t get anywhere very fast 😊

I passed first time South East London having driven out of the test centre straight on the crazy south circular and then a dual carriageway and back. The obligatory reverse parking and 3 point turn was just off the dual carriageway.
Hardly easy @simplesusanne.

I disagree. My test had a bit of everything, including 70mph dual carriageway. I passed first time. I went on a fast country road a couple of weeks later, and found it difficult and stressful. The lane wasn’t much wider than my car, there was a fair drop into the gutter on the left, and I was going at up to 60mph, with traffic whizzing past in the opposite lane with inches to spare.

I agree. Streatham high road is nuts

I find country roads and motorways much easier than city centres and outer London, and I'm a confident driver (although I will admit that I only go on the M25 if I really, really have to). Driving at 70mph is much easier than trying not to get stuck in a yellow box, or endlessly toggling between 20mph and 30mph.

Nothing would possess me to drive in central London. I've been a passenger with DD and I felt as though we were taking our lives in our hands whenever she changed lanes-which was often

Ha no. There’s loads of traffic, roundabouts and hazards galore! Plus you can go on some roads that are like motorways but at a slower speed limit. Roads can be very narrow.
I know many people who have driven for decades that won’t drive in London. I learned in London but also drive in country roads.

I passed in the Mill Hill area of London, my memory is that it had lots of roundabouts.

I would love OP to visit my local "motorway", Streatham high road, and see the absolute madness that happens there on a regular basis. I have seen - multiple times - people driving or cycling the wrong way for convenience reasons. Plus half my neighbourhood doesn't seem to think using the traffic lights is necessary to cross said motorway. It's insane. I never see this madness when I visit my parents outside of London.

Why did you bother learning if you had no need to drive?

Yep, I learned in east London. But apparently I can only do city driving and absolutely hate motorways and dual carriageways. I had white knuckles at the one bit where the limit was up to 40

Yeah, I moved from London to Devon and can confirm that driving is entirely stress-free here. No tight corners, hardly any traffic. The worst that happens is sitting behind a tractor on a country lane. Even in towns, there are hardly any tricky junctions.
Driving in London is madness especially anywhere near Croydon, Archway or East London. Doesn't matter how slow you go when you have cars turning into you, scooters whizzing past and people running out into the road unexpectedly.

Reminds me of the time as a learner when I ended up having to drive around Marble Arch despite my then boyfriend convincing me that wasn’t where we were heading. Terrifying!!

@scalt one route my driving instructor used to take me on went up to 50 & then quickly dropped down. I hated it! Luckily my test route was mainly 20!

I took my test in London. Didn't get out of second gear. No roundabouts. Passed first time. 1985. Haven't driven since but have a forty years clean licence!

I learnt to drive in SW London and the main challenges were bus lanes, multiple multi lane roundabouts and driving on roads densely lined by parked cars on either sides where some fool would invariably open their car door without looking.

I drive in London all the time and would rather make my way through central London than drive on narrow country roads - I suppose it’s what you know as many of my friends who live in rural areas won’t ever drive in London.

I do think that it's generally a bit easier to do a test in heavy traffic - there's a lot of time spent then in a condition where you can't really do much wrong. I say this partially because I've always thought a convenient traffic jam was part of why I passed my test first time (I'm a good driver now, I promise!)

I disagree. I used to be a driving instructor in south London. Many of the "London" test centres are towards the outer reaches, so there are still fast roads nearby. I had lots of pupils from "inner" south London (areas such as Kennington), and to give them any experience of driving above 30mph, I had to give them lessons lasting at least two hours, or ask them to get an underground train to meet me in a test area near some fast roads. Lots of them found fast roads a big shock, as there simply weren't any in inner London.

With vast areas of London now being 20mph, including the main roads, I can't imagine how anyone learns in London now. The same roads on which I was trying to encourage pupils "let's see if we can get that speed up to 30" are now reduced to a crawl, where if you drive by the book, you get overtaken by buses.

And then the ultra-confusing bus lanes. Many of them are now "at all times", but then, pupils could fail for not driving in a bus lane when it was allowed, because of the rule about always keeping to the left. I avoided test centres that had bus lanes.

This is so true … you need to know the local rules not just want the Highway Code and driving standards agency say you should do, especially on some of the big roundabouts / junctions on the North Circular!