Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

38 replies

simplesusanne · 20/02/2026 19:38

Lots of London test centres don’t have roads much more than 50mph, or narrow country lanes

OP posts:
YourSassyPanda · 20/02/2026 19:56

Driving in London is insane. Good luck changing lanes when you need to. I detest it.

MagneticSquirrel · 20/02/2026 19:54

Nope! Way more cyclists, scooters, mopeds around doing random things. You can fail for getting stuck behind a bus, fail for not being assertive enough, eg not squeezing past another car coming in on our narrow roads whereas outside of London everyone waits politely and takes turns.

Driving outside of London is so much easier - I learned in London and find driving everywhere else so easy, country roads are no problem hardly see anyone on them anyway!!!

CraftyNavySeal · 20/02/2026 19:47

Ex DP had bits of the north circular in his test so absolutely not.

Mulledjuice · 20/02/2026 19:46

I wouldnt have thought so - London roads are bonkers. There is (in my experience as a pedestrian, cyclist, and a motorist) a bigger difference between what the Highway Code and what road users do and expect, than in other areas.

HermioneWeasley · 20/02/2026 19:45

Nope. London drivers are super aggressive

waterbobble · 20/02/2026 19:44

It’s the yellow boxes, changing lanes if in the wrong one, bikes etc that are the issue.

Passed my test in London first time with 1 minor

MrsKateColumbo · 20/02/2026 19:44

I learned in London but come from a small city in thr countryside. I find driving easier in my home city as far fewer cyclists and moped drivers doing crazy things. However I dont love single track country lanes!

I took my test in Ashford/Staines randomly as that was the centre that had availability.

I think suburban driving is my fave!

Dinosuarlady2026 · 20/02/2026 19:43

But if you look at the most common reasons for failing, high speed roads and country lanes aren’t high up the list.
a lot more can go wrong on busy high streets than country roads

WhereAreWeNow · 20/02/2026 19:42

Failed 5 times in London. Passed in Cambridge.

Egglio · 20/02/2026 19:42

I'll add my data to this. Failed my test four times in South East London. Passed first time in Devon.

FaceEatingLeopard · 20/02/2026 19:40

Wow. Profound.

🤓

NoArmaniNoPunani · 20/02/2026 19:40

I learnt in south London and I still absolutely hate country roads. I'll take a longer route if I can avoid them

Londonrach1 · 20/02/2026 19:39

Lol. Nope. Country Lanes are easy but depends on how you learn I suppose