When to give up P plates?

[Meckity1]

I was thinking of having P plates for a year, but a lot of friends have been telling me to get rid after a few months.

I've been driving around 4 months, getting quicker out of junctions, still terrified and lacking confidence on dual carriageways and motorways.

Never used them and have never met anyone who has.

Thanks for all the comments.

When I've been on a National Speed limit or 60mph, I've been able to keep up to the limit, and the couple of times on the motorway my instructor didn't have me doing seventy, just staying in the slow lane. I found joining tough, but once I was on, I was fine.

I am worried about being a hazard, so perhaps I should get some more practice in, and maybe book some more lessons when my instructor is better. I need to work out when the local motorways are quiet and practice getting on and off.

I also need to find a stretch of dual carriageway that has a speedlimit higher than 40mph. I swear that's the main part of the problem on the stretch nearest me - how many dual carriageways are 40mph? But there are a lot of sharp bends.

I'm fine on my normal route, and I like to think that if you were behind me, you wouldn't think anything was off. I guess I need to get more confidence and experience, and it's probably best to keep the P plates for now.

Ditch them now. I got used to the motorways in an evening when it was quieter. I live near junction 24 so I used to drive to ikea and back around 8pm.

Honestly if your instructor let you take your test having never even gotten up to 70, never having driven in the dark without streetlights and not covered changing lanes then I really don't think much of his teaching tbh. He's really let you down there. I took over a year to pass my test due to nerves and panic attacks over tests but during that time, I drove in rain, ice, down country lanes in the pitch dark, on dual carriage ways at 70, over taking when I could, level crossings and when the law changed I had motorway experience too (fucking spaghetti junction) and a couple of 4 hour lessons to drive into central London with its special kind of wankery.

She would never have let me go to test if I was terrified of changing lanes. I think he has massively let you down and you should take a few lessons or do pass plus with a better instructor.

DDs driving instructor told her not to use them, his reasoning was that you've passed your test and if you use P plates other drivers will likely not be more patient with you! She didn't and drives just fine

@delilahbucket I might try that. I was thinking Sunday morning, perhaps going into Leeds on the M601.

I've got to crack that IKEA junction before it gets icy. The school run takes me past some seriously steep slopes with traffic lights at the top. That part of the A62 is an alternative, and possibly more likely to be gritted.

It's funny, I'm fine on those steep hills at the traffic lights, and if I stall, I just get over it and get moving (I don't stall much these days). I'm fine with hill starts and steep corners and stuff like that. I don't stress in the local country lanes and I've navigated some serious double parking. It's just the dual carriageways and motorways.

This was years ago but mine only lasted a couple of weeks. Risky drivers kept overtaking me in them, it was awful. Stopped happening as soon as the P plates went.

Junction 27 is sooo much better now they’ve changed the layout.... as long as you follow the road markings and signs you should be okay OP.. I come through birstall every morning and I’d personally try it later at night to gain confidence. Sunday’s on the m621 toward Leeds can actually be quite busy, junction 27 also gets busy too because of the retail park.

Take the P off when you are ready.... I’ll keep an eye out for you in the morning 😋

@thesnapandfartisinfallible I did most of my lessons in Heckmondwike. The driving round there has its challenges, but it's short of dual carriageways and changing lanes on the test routes. The tricky bits around there are unmarked junctions and turning back on yourself 45 degrees uphill. He was teaching me to pass my test, and there wasn't much chance of me getting tested changing lanes. We've been out a few times since, but none of the local non-motorways are over 60mph that I know of, and I've belted along a few, but I worry about driving along there.

I need to get out there. He took me to Keighley, where I hadn't been for thirty years, along a national speed limit bypass, into an unfamiliar town centre and had me find and park up in Morrisons. I was fine. But I don't know about getting my courage up to go again.

Stanningley bypass near pudsey owlcotes is 60mph before it goes down to 40 closer to the city centre, that also might give you a bit of a go on a by pass?

@Nearlyfriyay987654 I apologise in advance. I'll be the one with the P plates indicating madly because I've got into the wrong lane again.

So far I've been in the wrong lane in Halifax, Huddersfield, Hebden Bridge, Dewsbury, Leeds and Keighley. I ought to be used to it.

@Nearlyfriyay987654 I've been on there a few times, and I'm fine once I'm on the thing. I belt along at 60mph when traffic allows and it's okay. The slip road, however, is becoming an issue. I think I'm making myself nervous about it, by making a big deal when actually the slip road isn't as bad as Leeds ring road.

Thanks for the support. I need to start using that road more.

He was supposed to teach you to drive, not just pass a test.

I honestly think you just need to build some confidence, have you thought of pass plus as some have mentioned? Or maybe motorway lessons.
I’ve been driving for 10 years and learnt after uni, but I learnt in Wakefield.... my sense of direction isn’t great (A LOT worse in pregnancy!!!), i live a few miles from ikea and ended up at the white rose centre an hour later after getting soooo lost!!!!
But I have done extra driving courses over the years which has boosted my confidence no end. Might be worth a look into it?

@thesnapandfartisinfallible I get what you mean. I really needed the license for the school run, which I've now done so many times that I think I'm safe on it, so we focused on that. I planned to have further lessons, but he's been poorly. I guess I just need to woman up.

I'm originally from York and did lots of driving on the A64. How come you didn't have lots of lessons changing lanes etc? I know the dual carriageway through Leeds (often drive from York to Kirkstall Rd Cinema) so get what you are saying about the speed, but agree with the above poster. Your driving instructor really should have done more dual carriageway lessons.

I passed my test in 1998 and last year was the first time I tackled the M25 (being a northerner I never had a reason to drive on it before). This was a Friday evening during rush hour. I didn't know which lane to be in or the road layout.

I hate driving on unfamiliar roads (be that the M25 or a strange town/city), but my tactic is to stick to the lane Im in when busy and if it transpires Im in the wrong lane I keep going and turn round when I can (this may be turn down a street and come back again or take the next junction off on the motorway)

Changing lanes will come with time.

He was supposed to teach you to drive, not just pass a test.
This ^^
Anyone can get someone competent enough in the main test routes for the test centre. It's not teaching them to drive. The idea anyone worried about driving at 70mph and gets anxious about changing lanes has recently passed a test is concerning.

OP
We all have moments when we get in the wrong lane in an unfamiliar area, but they are the exception not the norm and part of being a competent driver is being calm enough to deal with it, not getting anxious and stressed because that's how accidents happen (think - I'm in the wrong lane and it's not safe to get out now, shit happens so I'll follow it round and find somewhere to turn around or work it out Vs I'm in the wrong lane so I'll stop in the middle of traffic with my indicators in forcing everyone else to stop whilst I panic about what to do next).

My instructor took me round the Leeds ring road to practice roundabouts. It was really useful. About a month after I passed my test I drove into the centre of Leeds. It certainly isn't for the faint hearted and I took wrong turns repeatedly.
Face your fears and do all the trips you don't want to. Otherwise you'll put things off forever. I knew a woman who had been driving for six years, but she still actively avoided parallel parking, reverse parking, motorways and basically navigating to somewhere she didn't know, because she had never done these things since passing her test. It defeats the point of learning to drive in the first place.

@Nearlyfriyay987654 I haven't been to Wakefield yet, but I'll get in the wrong lane there I'm sure.

I swear I have less confidence now than I did the day I passed. I can drive in all sorts of places and I don't get flustered if I'm wrong. I took the same wrong turn both going into Headingley and coming out of Headingley and even used the same cul de sac for the three point turn to get back, and I took it as an adventure. And if you've driven in Wakefield then you'll know about driving around Heckmondwike and Dewsbury. It's hills and turns all the way, and I'm fine. It's just the multi lane stuff.

It must have been fun finding the White Rose. I got lost looking for Dewsbury Moor Country Park (which is shut, but it didn't say that on the map).

Thanks for the boost.

@RunningNinja79 Kirkstall Road is a thing of wonder all by itself when you get to the really weird junctions around Morrisons. I'm fine. I did most of my lessons around Heckmondwike, and it's lots of hills and difficult turns.

I'm actually fine if I've taken a wrong route. Like you say, you find somewhere safe to turn around and until then you enjoy what you see as you go. I just need to get over it and practice. And respect to you for going on the A64. It looks very complicated.

@delilahbucket you're absolutely right. In my defence, I always reverse park if I can, I parallel parked today, and I'm trying to go somewhere new every week. I reverse around corners like a boss - practice from all the wrong turns and from some interesting road layouts when I'm dropping off my son's friends.

Leeds City Centre terrifies me. I suppose that's why I have to go.

You're absolutely right. I need to work out how to stay calm. I'm fine when weird things happen on 'normal' roads, and I just work around stuff. I'm just worried about the multi lane stuff.

I'm going to work out how to practice more, at safe times.

OP, I live near Wakefield and frequently drive into Leeds. It is incredibly easy to get in the wrong lane when you don't know the road,
despite what the road signs are saying (Dewsbury can be a bloody nightmare!). Don't worry what other people think, getting the lane wrong is common in the areas you mention, Leeds is renown for it.

Leeds city centre is not actually that bad, it's congested and slow and people tend to let you in.

The A64 is not a bad road, once you are on, it is pretty straightforward. It's fairly quiet on Sundays. Or try the A1/M62 east bound towards Hull at weekends, once you are past Pontefract it's a nice road, fairly quiet and very little freight at weekends.

To be fair OP if you were in front of me hesitating at junctions/roundabouts when I can see that it's safe to move out, jumping lanes & cutting in because you weren't sure where you were supposed to be or driving at night along unlit country roads at 20 miles below the speed limit irrespective of your P plates my first thought would be "are they handing out licences in lucky bags these days" and judging by the standard I've seen recently I genuinely think they are.

P plates are a waste of time - if you need them then you shouldn't be on the roads whether you've passed a test or not! Driving is a practical skill and instructors should be mindful of this & plan their lessons accordingly so that their students are equipped with the skills to drive on the roads not just the test routes.

I chucked mine after it made people cut me up etc.