About to have a driving lesson - terrified

[LaMadrilena]

Just here for some moral support, if anyone's around...

I learned to drive in the UK >10 years ago, then moved to Madrid 6 months later and didn't need a car. Then married and moved to a small town and have got public transport or been ferried around by my husband ever since. A couple of years ago I did some refresher classes, then had to start taking anti-anxiety medication and sleeping tablets for something unrelated, and that prevented me driving. Never took it up again.

Now I'm 5 months pregnant, off the pills, and suddenly driving is essential. So, I have a lesson in 3 hours, and despite being a 37-y-o with my shit in order and a responsable job, I'm crapping myself and nearly crying. I've got 0 confidence, I'm convinced I'm not capable of controlling a car, it's just something other people do, that I would never be able to.

Can anyone reassure me? Or give me a kick up the bum? Either is fine.

I was you a few years ago. Had put off learning to drive for ever then as time went on it got more and more of a frightening prospect to the point where I was terrified to learn as I just could not imagine myself ever being able to control a car or losing my fear. I was way older than you.

So I took a lot of lessons and it was a very slow and not easy process, I'll admit. It took me about 10 months at 3 hours of lessons a week and at times I despaired that it would ever click and I'd get there.

But I passed first time and love driving now. The process of learning is horrible but once everything has fallen into place (and it will eventually) it all becomes so much more enjoyable. I was just like you and thought it was a skill that I would never be able to master but you just need a good teacher, plenty of practice and it will all come good in the end.

Loads of moral support coming your way! Learning to drive is a scary business. I was TERRIFIED and hated my lessons, but I passed my test and have been driving for 2 years now. I absolutely swear to you that it gets better. The stress and terror now will be worth it for the freedom that driving gives you. Take it steady, it's a process so dont be too hard on yourself. And good luck!

Tell the instructor how you're feeling. They are very used to nerves. Hopefully after the first lesson is done you'll feel more confident. Best of luck.

Thanks for the support everyone. I will tell the instructor, but I honestly think I might cry when I do! When I was 26 and new everything, I really enjoyed driving, but I feel like a different person now, nervous and useless... Plus my DH is insisting on buying an ENORMOUS car in time for the baby's arrival. Good job it'll have parking sensors...

Another one like you, passed test at 17 then didn’t need a car until pregnant 10 years later. I KNEW I couldn’t do this without a car so just gave it a go. Within weeks I was happy driving and now I love it. After a couple of years we swapped to automatic and they are incredibly easy to drive - might be worth thinking about if you still don’t like it.

This was me a couple of years ago. I was truly terrified but then we adopted our son and suddenly I felt so pressured to drive. I learned in an automatic which helped massively and passed first time this time around at 32 (I had failed twice in my teens and never went back to it.) I am still a very anxious driver and a bit shit at parking but I'm so glad I did it as it's given me so much freedom. You can do this!

Aaaand....breathe! You were all right, it wasn't as bad as I'd convinced myself! More or less remembered where everything was, although it turns out I've been putting my seatbelt on wrong all these years... 🤔 Just have to get used to processing lots of information at once again.

Well done op. The hardest bit is over now. How on earth can you do your seatbelt wrong? I'm wondering if I do mine correctly now! 🤔

Apparently I leave it too loose around the stomach, so on impact I would already be on the steering wheel before the inertia mechanism bit. You should fasten the belt, then adjust the shoulder/chest part so the belt is well adjusted all the way up. Maybe just a habit I've unconsciously picked up since pregnancy, I honestly don't know!

I didn't drive for 5 years after passing my test. I had refresher lessons but they actually made me more nervous! After two, I decided to go for it and went driving with family instead. I felt loads more confident.