Learning to drive for ages?

[BabyUxX]

Hiya, so I'm 27 and first started driving back in 2017, I did 3 driving tests in 2018 and failed (for silly things). I stopped driving then and got back into it around 3 / 4 months ago now driving my own family car. I have my test booked for November so got quite alot of time yet to perfect on things! But my question is.. has anyone else taken a long time to learn to drive? I mean, I can drive fairly well but.. I am still making mistakes. Mistakes that with as many hours as I've done you probably wouldn't be expecting me to make, I am still bad at parking and sometimes lane discipline, I can't help but feel like these mistakes I just shouldn't be making and it's got me worried, what if I am just rubbish at driving and will never pass? I just don't get myself why I still make these mistakes, will I stop? 😩 honestly with me taking tests before you would think I am 100 percent ready but I just know my instructor has to come in sometimes and tell me I shouldn't be doing this or that. Has anyone else taken a while to pass and to stop making mistakes? I really hope I'm not the only one!

It took me 2 years, which isn't as long as you've said but it's longer than most people. I also failed 4 times because I was so worked up about the test and made silly mistakes. I thought I would never pass - after my 4th fail my instructor told me to try one more time and if I fail again to just give up. So I binned her for another instructor and passed the next time.

I took up driving lessons when I was 18. My first test was cancelled when I got to the test centre (2007, heavy rain and flooding). Failed my actual first test because I didn't check my mirrors enough (apparently, the rest of my sheet was clean, tip: make it obvious you're doing it!) My second test I can't even remember what I failed on. Third, I was too hesitant. I wonder why?! I was devastated and gave up.

I started again when I was 28. Passed first time. Obviously delighted! But the truth is you'll still make silly mistakes after you've passed. If anything, you learn more afterwards in the real world of driving. You just need to focus on getting through the test. I think anxiety plays a massive part in this. I think what helped me with my successful attempt was trying to treat the whole thing as not a big deal. If you fail, you fail. You can always take another one. Your instructor wouldn't put you forward for a test if they didn't think you were ready!

Just keep going, you'll get there! Good luck!

Me! I had some lessons at 18 but left for university shortly after and couldn't afford to continue lessons. I started again a few years later but found it too stressful as had other things going on at the same time.

I started up again properly in January 2020 but switched to an automatic car, which helped massively as I never managed to get comfortable with gear changes so it was one less thing to manage. I was horrendously nervous and continued to be up until I had to stop lessons due to covid. I picked it back up when things opened up again, and took a further 15 months and a failed test (on daft mistakes) to pass. I don't enjoy driving, but I can do it! You can too.

I think a lot of what you're experiencing would be helped with just lots of time practicing behind the wheel. Are you going out and practicing plenty?

Yep! I am 42 and learning finally. I am taking ages, I am just not a natural driver at all.
My driving instructor is very patient with me, I changed instructors and to Auto and it turns out my previous one wasn't very good and I am partially deaf so found gear changing tricky due to not being able to hear the engine, so hopefully will speed up now. But I have been learning for about 18 months and I am no where near passing my test. Infact due to waiting list times for an instructor, I have just had to rebook my Theory test as it runs out soon. 🤦‍♀️
I honestly hate learning to drive, I just feel shit after every lesson.