Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

If you HATED learning to drive, did you ever start liking driving?

77 replies

ColonelCathcart · 20/08/2019 20:28

I hate it. I’m rubbish at it, I don’t like doing it. I find it so stressful. If you hated it, has that changed? Have you just accepted it? Or does it get better?

OP posts:
Pangur2 · 20/08/2019 20:31

I got much better and started enjoying it once I switched to automatic. I passed with a manual but never felt confident. I wish I had switched earlier!

Saucery · 20/08/2019 20:31

Gets better the more you do it. It was so liberating to go out the first time on my own after passing. Carried on ‘learning’ after that, but it became more second nature and enjoyable.

wendz86 · 20/08/2019 20:31

I hated learning to drive. Passed my test 12 years ago and never really had an issue with driving once i passed. Found the learning much more stressful.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Driving & parking
lorettalemon · 20/08/2019 20:32

Yes, I hated it, didn't want to do it and thought I'd never pass the test, it's one of the things I enjoy most 15 years later!

MmeBufo · 20/08/2019 20:32

I passed my test at 30, 12 years ago. It was hard work and I hated it.

I still dislike driving but l love that I can. Even though I don't drive if I don't have to it was absolutely worth learning.

TooOldForThisWhoCares · 20/08/2019 20:32

Yes I hated learning. It took forever and I was 28. (43 now). Thought I'd never get the hang of it. Now, although i don't like driving in busy cities, when I'm driving somewhere I'm familiar with, I often enjoy it. Music on loud (the only time I get to listen to music uninterrupted really) Not to mention the freedom driving gives me. I can guarantee that once you are driving by yourself, you'll get better and more confident so quickly.

Ohyesiam · 20/08/2019 20:32

Yes, I was like you, mow fine. But I prefer driving alone and I still can’t parallel parkGrin.
Keep your eye on what you’re doing it for, at some point your body goes onto auto and it gets less stressful.

TheTurn0fTheScrew · 20/08/2019 20:33

I'll be honest, 15 years after passing I still hate driving. However I do rather like being able to drive, and being master of my own destiny, and so it's worth it.

Dollywilde · 20/08/2019 20:33

I love it now but tbh I hate learning things when I don’t get them immediately Grin it’s fine now. You’ll get there!

simplyhaving · 20/08/2019 20:33

Me! Lessons were the worst thing in the world, I absolutely hated it and couldn't understand why what I was doing made the car do what it did, if you know what I mean! I barely managed to pass my test, then my cousin took me out driving one night and it just clicked into place. I think the pressure was off without the instructor scrutinising everything.

My husband is learning just now, and I'm dreading sharing the car (MY car) now. Hang in there!

TitianaTitsling · 20/08/2019 20:34

Hate driving and only do because l have to, but much better than being unable to!

Shirtyllama · 20/08/2019 20:34

Yes! Hated it, was rubbish, took several attempts before I passed. Didn't drive for several years, then something changed, I decided to buy a car and get into it, and somehow it became easy and (in the right conditions, eg a nice day, country road) sometimes even fun. Don't know what happened but I started to see driving, and myself as a driver, differently. Can definitely happen, state of mind. Helps if you can practice driving alone after passing test, without anyone critical or nervous in the car, or with a really kind and chilled friend. Hope it happens for you!

herbsmokedchicken · 20/08/2019 20:34

I still don’t enjoy driving, but two and a half years after passing my test I rarely get stressed or nervous now, only if I’m going somewhere unfamiliar or it’s bad driving conditions. On the whole I’m now absolutely fine with it.

Still much rather get the bus or walk tho! Hate having to constantly pay attention.

imtakingabath · 20/08/2019 20:34

It does get better the more you do it. On a pleasant route, when the sun is shining, and I have my music playing, I do genuinely enjoy the drive. And I failed my test 5 or 6 times! (They were taken several years apart so I lost count by the end!)

Aposterhasnoname · 20/08/2019 20:34

Yup, hated driving, and it took me years before I dared venture on the motorway. But a new job forced me to use the motorway daily, now I love it.

lazylinguist · 20/08/2019 20:35

The more you do it, the easier it gets. For me it also depends where I live! Living in a city I really hated driving. Now I live more rurally it's fine.

Stygimoloch · 20/08/2019 20:35

I DETESTED lessons. Used to worry about them all week and I’d get really worked up about them beforehand.

Passed my test and immediately I started to love driving. I already had a car at my parents so the day I passed, I insured it and away I went. Have been driving about 15 years now and I never thought I’d be the confident and competent driver I am now when I was having nervy and miserable lessons.

Georgiemcgeorgeface · 20/08/2019 20:38

Yep. And I hated driving for the first few years too. Then I got a job that involved lots of driving in a van and I had to suck it up and learned to love it! The more you do the more confident you'll become.

Knockthreetimes · 20/08/2019 20:39

Yes hated lessons so much used to get so worked up about them I couldn't sleep night before. Still didn't love it when first passed but now been 2 years and love it.

RangerLady · 20/08/2019 20:39

Yes! When I started learning at 17 (because everyone else was) I hated it so much I used to hope I'd trip and break my legal I wouldn't have to go!
Had to learn at 22 to get into dream job
Passed and had to drive small van with aid of rescue remedy. Got pretty competent at it and now 15 years on I enjoy drives of up to 1hr. It's peace from my kids generally

Newmumma83 · 20/08/2019 20:39

Started learning at 17 years .... hated it re took it up at 21 learning was still tough but loved it from a few months in, I wasn’t ready first time ... though my dad was a pretty tough teacher though .. country lanes ... out in the fog... the worst hill he could find for a hill start ( to the point the handbrake couldn’t hold car was a hills start from hell for a learner) ...

MrsDoylesTeaBags · 20/08/2019 20:40

I hated learning to drive, it used to make me feel so sick and anxious. I'd have to get changed after my lessons because I would sweat so much!
I really enjoy driving, I enjoy the freedom and independance it gives me and just being able to get out by myself sometimes.
I passed my test on the 5th time and had to drive to work straight after, but even getting in my car that first time by myself felt so liberating.
My last driving instructor was fantastic, very easy going and chatty which helped me greatly. keep up the good work, even if you don't think so you're always making progress.

Benes · 20/08/2019 20:40

Yes. I hated learning to drive and didn't particularly enjoy it when I passed my test. I absolutely love it now and I'm a really confident driver.

Keep it up! It's worth it.

SuperStellaElla · 20/08/2019 20:40

I hated learning to drive and found lessons really stressful - it was like a weight was lifted when I passed and didn’t have to think about the test anymore and now I find myself going on a drive to relax and switch off. It became a lot more enjoyable when I wasn’t being watched and didn’t have the pressure of a looming test.

feellikeanalien · 20/08/2019 20:41

Yes. I passed my test aged 30 and absolutely hated learning. I found it the hardest and most stressful test I've ever done. It was worse than my finals at uni and my professional exams.

It took a while but I enjoy it now and have driven all over the UK and Europe.

Swipe left for the next trending thread