To drive to this place tomorrow?

[birdsnotbees]

Need some advice. I passed my driving test a month ago. I have been learning for years as I can drive but am a nervous driver. I have been on the motorway since with my husband and was terrified but it was OK, and have been driving as much as I can.

Now, I need to go to a meeting tomorrow that I can't get to except by car (I have checked) - my dad was going to come with me but has changed his mind. So I'll be on my own. I've never driven to this place before. I've found a route that avoids the motorway, it's about 2 hours. Shall I drive there or shall I wimp out and cancel the meeting?? I'm scared just thinking about it.

I passed my test when I was about 23, and a month after I drove to Wales, in a hire car, on a Friday evening, from Kent. M20, M25, M4 and I had to pick my cousin up from Reading Uni on the way...and it took 8 hours all in all due to roadwords on the M4. Just take it easy - you will be fine.

Just grit your teeth and drive, the longer you leave it the worse it will get. The only way you will get more confident is by making these journeys on your own. Stop halfway for a coffee if you want but go!

I passed my test only last week and listened to this hypnosis video before it, it really helped to calm me down and during the test I kept repeating the things he said in my head.

Give it a go, it only takes 20 minutes

Do you have an android or iPhone as you can get a free satnav for them now. I have an iPhone and use Waze which is fantastic. Just remember to take a car charging cable if you do as I didn't and the battery ran out half way through the journey and I'm no good at reading maps. Finally made it about 2 hours later than I should have but it actually made me more confident as I forgot about driving and was concentrating on finding my way (I wasn't reading a map as I also forgot that haha).
Good luck op and you need to drive to gain confidence so do it if you can.

yabu to avoid motorway if avoiding motorway adds more than 20 minutes to your total journey.

I really don't see the big deal difference between driving on motorways & dual C-ways.

Take the route you feel happiest with. I don't do motorways either, and I've been driving for years. I'd rather a quieter, longer route, where I feel more control. I feel intimidated by the speeds on motorways.

If there's one type of road-driving I could avoid forever more it would be narrow twisty single lane country roads, at national speed limits.

Especially with high stone walls both sides... and in Wales or the Lakes. Local drivers breathing down your arse, finding it incomprehensible why you wouldn't want to go above 45 around the steep sharp bend.

Motorways are a doddle.

How did it go birds?

Ragged- presumably you don't live rurally then
I love windy twisty country roads

I don't like city roads or dual carriageways particularly

I may be on so those drivers here but to be fair it's often people doing 20 on bits I would do 60 on. At least they could get up to 40 on those.

*one of those

Sadly, I do live rurally!
but luckily not in a place with high stone walls both sides & lots of up and down can't-see-over-the-brow.

The morning commuters are the worst around here for wanting to drive 70 in the 50 zone (single carriageway up and down road).

Do it! I was exactly the same when I passed my test (after 5 attempts) but I made myself drive everywhere and I've never looked back.

You'll be fine and have such a sense of achievement afterwards

Ragged- I've just seen we actually live in the same county. This is where I discover we met at one of the meet ups

a tomtom has enabled me to go places i could never go before. As that is one less thing to worry about

The motorway is less scary IMO. Just a straight road it's country bends that scare the shit out of me

I am boring and never go to meet ups. Do you notice the 'Always 40' drivers; like that's the speed they stick to regardless of road type?
You have a Cute puppy. :).

Thank you. He's a pesky dog now

I call them the 40 40 drivers and it's becoming prime time for them. Often Holiday makers who don't seem to realise that it's the road you drive every day on your school run and you need to get there rather than admire the scenery. Grockle season.

I'm a nervous driver (passed about ten years ago but not had a car very much). I find it easier without a sat nav. I prefer to look at a map, see where I'm going before hand and then I just concentrate on the drive without having distractions.

I DID IT!!!! Thanks everyone for so much help, support, kick up the backside and good ideas - I used quite a few of them.

It was a fairly epic journey: three motorways, a single A road up a veeeerrrry twisty-turny mountain pass, and a dual carriage way.

Took my time, pulled off in laybys when (inevitably) some arse was driving right up behind me trying to get me to speed, and only had a few hairy moments. Sat nav was brilliant actually, though I'd memorised the route anyway.

SO THANK YOU all. I was so nervous the sweat was actually running down my arms (ew) but hey, I bloody well did it.

Well done. A real confidence boost hopefully

OP you rock, well done!

Well done!

Thank you Rhinos, Amateur & Blue - yes, feel loads more confident (actually found it less stressful to do it without my shouty husband in the car). Never, ever thought I could do it but I DID!!!