For thinking about learning to drive right now?

[nomoreheels]

Background: I am 36, 6 months P and have never so much as sat in a driver's seat of a car.

Why? Two main reasons. One, I had a moped accident when I was 16. I was thrown from the moped & while I was lucky not to have any serious injuries, I had the breath knocked out of me, lots of bruises & a serious scare. It left me very nervous for a long time. Second, I grew up in a large city with excellent public transport & there was never any pressing need to learn.

I did think about learning in the past few years, but my DP and I have not been lucky enough to own a car for around 7 years. (Apart from a banger which we had for precisely 4 weeks before some scallies broke into it, hot-wired & destroyed it & the insurers wrote it off for less than we paid for it, so we couldn't replace it.)

Anyhow. I'm working on a career change & it's become fairly apparent that I need to be able to drive if I want to be taken seriously in the long term. This line of work involves a lot of sourcing items & carting around equipment. Also, locations for work will vary wildly & could be at remote places with no public transport.

Am I completely mad to want to start driving lessons now before baby arrives? I'd like to get started while I'm still mobile. Of course it may all go out the window when she's here - has anyone learned to drive whilst looking after a newborn? I don't want to be unrealistic or waste money on lessons now & then get rusty because I can't get to lessons for a while after the birth. (This is my first so no idea how things will be.)

We also don't have a car for me to practise with - is this going to be a big problem? (My DP thinks so.) And I am pretty skint - but I think I can scrape some money together for lessons if I am determined.

I am just sick of not being able to drive, and weirdly it's taken being P to really motivate me to want to change career. After all, if I better myself & I'm happy, it's good for her too.

Any thoughts welcome.

I haven't take a test for a long long time, but don't you need to do a theory first?
Could you start with that and then see how you feel once you've passed that?
If you do decide to learn to drive, don't do it in an automatic. It seems the easy choice, but you won't then be able to drive a manual.

You could have few lessons now to get used to being behind the wheel, then do a weeks intensive course either asap or after the baby arrives (assuming you have someone who can look after her/him). Definitely worth spending some time practicing before an intensive course though. The intensive courses are quite pricey but the success rate is pretty high.

It would be easier if you can borrow a friends car to practice in? Have any of your friend got cars for their children who are currently learning themselves or are at university at the moment?

If you really work hard its possible to learn quickly, weekly you can forget things! I learnt, from scratch having never driven before, in 14 days with my dad teaching me. We used to do at least 2 hours driving a day, and when I did my test I'd never had a driving lesson. (1.5-2 hours is apparently better btw, as it takes 45ins ish to get into it, and then lesson is nearly finished)

Kreecher is right, you need to do your theory first. So I'd book it for asap, get a book and get DP to test you. As soon as you have your theory you can book practical which may have 6week waiting list unless someone cancels.

It will probably be easier to learn while pregnant than with a newborn, as getting out of the house for a few hours might be an issue!

I passed my driving test 4 days before #3 was born.

I think the theory test is only valid for a set length of time (but check that up) so I wouldn't do it until you're getting along with practical as it costs quite a bit.

You can get computer games for the theory as it's split into questions (multiple choice and mostly about common sense) eg. someone pulls out in front of you. Do you:
a. Follow them home and hit them when they get out of the car
b. Drive as close to them as possible flashing your lights and sounding your horn
c. Slow down and give them space
d. Speed up and overtake them immediately

and the other half which is hazard perception where you see a video of driving round and you have to click when you see a hazard. That's the bit you really need to have seen before.

You have to pass both halves to pass the theory exam.

Good luck.

I passed my test without a car to practise in, and I was (and still am) pretty crap. Just don't leave long gaps between lessons because you do forget things. So in your circumstances unless you can call on a lot of family support, I'd try and get some degree of competence under my belt before the baby arrives.

Your theory test is valid for 2 years and you don't have to pass it before you start taking driving lessons, however you do have to have passed it before you can book your driving test. So if you are thinking of doing an intensive course then make sure you have passed your theory test first!

YANBU once baby comes a car is very useful for getting from A-B. Do some studying for the theory test, I found it easier to get the CD and constantly practise with that. Then I would say find an automatic instructor and do an intensive course. Good Luck

Thanks all for the replies, lots of great advice & perspectives. I've been glossing the nursery hence the delay in responding.

I'm going to start by looking at the theory test, it's been years & years since I even looked at the highway code so I have lots of brushing up to do. Didn't you used to have to pass that to get your learner's permit though?

Will research an intensive course too. If I can find the cash & really apply myself, maybe I can get it sorted before bubs arrives...

Ps my DP works from home mostly, so would support me getting put to lessons & mnd the baby then, but as I'm planning to BF if I can, that will of course affect how I can get out. And unfortunately I don't really have any options for borrowing a car - most friends have toddlers & need it all the time. Might be able to cadge the odd afternoon though.

I think you are supposed to need 30 hours absolute minimum before your test, if you've never driven before. If you are breastfeeding an intensive course would be be difficult, but not impossible.

There is about six weeks wait for a practial test in most areas and about a month for a theory test (passed my test a few months ago so I remember this!)

Good luck, I hope you are one of these lucky people who has twenty hours tution and passes first time. Not like me....

I live in London and am learning to drive - I called to book a test this week and was told that the earliest date available would be in early June! I think it gets busier in summer, plus London test centres tend to be busier than elsewhere. You might get a cancellation earlier, but I think you need to keep ringing to check for that.

I've been told that it takes an average of 30 hrs tuition plus 15 hrs practice for a typical driver to pass. I think it also takes longer, the older you are. I've taken much more than 30 hrs and am a bit younger than you - personally I get quite stressed by driving so I've accepted that it will take me longer. I definitely wouldn't have managed to pass in three months but everyone is different.

I take 2-hr lessons which I think is much better than 1 hr as it takes me a while to get my brain into driving mode.

Definitely make use of all the driving CD-Roms you can find. There are a few free videos on Youtube as well.

BTW, I have a DS who is 12 and we've survived for years without me knowing how to drive (or a DP to ferry us around either)! So it's not absolutely essential to drive if you have a baby, though it depends on what public transport and local amenities are like where you are.

Another thing you might want to research first is the cost of owning/running a car and whether you'll be able to afford it once you pass.

I've been looking into it and it will cost a fortune to insure me as a new driver in my area, I'm really doubtful that I'll be able to afford it - although we have car clubs in London so it looks likely that I'll go down that route. Petrol/parking etc is getting really expensive and everyone I know has got caught out by clampers/fines occasionally as well.

Yanbu. I have put off learning for similar reasons to you, and now ds is here I feel quite isolated sometimes, definitely worth doing before the baby arrives is you can