First Automatic Driving Lesson - Steering

[xfilesjunkie]

Hello.

Firstly. I'm a 21 y.o guy. No kids...on Mumsnet LOL - why? because I've found the advice here very helpful. In fact I had so much trouble learning in a manual I was getting nowhere and the advise her helped me switch to auto transmission.

Today I had my first lesson. It was with an independent instructor. A nice older gentleman, more laid back (in a good way) to my previous AA instructor who was young and very new to teaching learners.

Anyway the switch felt amazing. I wizzed off and picked up some speed in no time, something which I never could do in a manual because the clutch and gears caused me no end of bother.

Now the clutch and gears are out the way one thing that is a real issue is my steering - turning left and right. It's frustrating "feed the wheel" logic is simple to me when said but my hands don't want to do it or get CONFUSED!

I'm hoping this is because It my first real proper attempt away from gears. I evidently need some practice at it ...I just wondered if any other people here had steering issues to start ... turning and knowing how much by etc.

I would appreciate all advise!

The biggest problem I had when learning to drive was staying under the speed limit.

Perhaps if you consider why you "feed the wheel" it might come more naturally. The object is to always remain in control of the car , think about how much you can do with your arms outstretched, at 10 and 2. Why not try with an unbreakable plate as a pretend steering wheel?

Now, try twisting the plate around so your arms cross. How much control do you have now? How much less movement do you have from that position?

I was learning to drive 27 years ago, so it can be hard to remember the order the knowledge comes in, but the fact you are now aware of how hard it s means you have moved from the stage of " unconscious ignorance" to the stage of "conscious ignorance" in management speak. I.e. you've gone from "not knowing what you don't know" to "knowing what you don't know".

The next stage is "conscious knowledge" where you will "know what you know"

Good luck

@mikkii - Never looked at it like that. The "conscious knowledge" hopefully will come haha. I just beat myself up about it all the time.

Beating yourself up won't help.

It is much easier driving an automatic. I passed in a manual, as did DH, but he hates manual. I got the same as sometimes we swap cars, also, with 3DCs it is one less thing to think about.

You may choose to go back to a manual later, we always hire a manual on holiday as it is much cheaper.

Good luck

Don't get disheartened; I suspect that not worrying about the gears means you are able to go much faster than you might have otherwise done with gear issues - which makes the steering harder to control as everything moves more quickly.

I oversteered a lot at the start - thought you had to fling the wheel round when actually a lot of the time it only needs to move a tiny bit.

I actually think I'm better now than DH to whom it came much more easily. He crosses hands and makes me feel sick as the car gets thrown around the corners. I have no idea how he ever passed! It took me longer to learn it all but that made me do it properly. :)

I found learning to drive a bit of a shock. I had sailed through school exams and found everything easy in my life up until then. Suddenly there was this thing I wasn't very quick to pick up and that was disheartening....but I got there in the end and so will you. Just persevere. One lesson in an automatic is nothing.

Thank you ^^ for that.

I guess it will come in time. I just feel silly because steering when you watch it looks the easiest thing in the world. I watch my Dad driving but coming to do it is like :-/

Yes, but how long has he been driving? For me it's 27 years, that is how long I've known DH pluses DS plus DD1!

Just remember, your dad had to learn once, and the roads are much busier now