Please tell me driving gets easier

[whatstheworstthatcanhappen1]

I am nearly at the point of giving up, I passed my test about 10 months ago and get so anxious when driving or if a journey is coming up.

I particularly hate stopping on a hill, with traffic lights etc as I feel like the handbrake won't hold the car, I get so worked up before and after a journey. I have never made any big mistakes and don't stall it or even roll back when I am doing a hill start but I still get so anxious.

I am at the point where I am avoiding driving unless I have to or I go at times that will be quiet on the roads and this isn't why I wanted to pass my test!

Does it get easier and when did you find it did?

Does your car idle at quite low revs? That might account for the shaking. It's threatening to stall, so it needs a bit of gentle support from the accelerator.

Maybe try it on the flat first, with the clutch at biting point and a little bit of accelerator to keep the revs up so the car doesn't shake.

This is a bit harder to do on a hill if you're not using your handbrake, because you need to be able to move your foot from the brake to the accelerator (if you're not using the handbrake) to get the revs up, so practising on the flat should help.

Everyone stalls sometimes. Not stalling in driving lessons and tests becomes this big thing that makes you think stalling is the ultimate sin. Stalling is trivial. You just put the handbrake on, put the gears in neutral, then switch the engine on again. Easy peasy. No big deal. Takes seconds. I know it's a bit panic inducing if you do it when there is someone behind you waiting to move off at traffic lights, junction or roundabout, but they won't die if they have to wait 5 more seconds.

I was stupidly nervous about driving - passed my test but didn't buy a car or drive again until over three years after.

I got some refresher lessons and... an automatic. No more hill-starts (or at least the hill would have to be VERY steep), no stalling, no gear changes, no bloody biting point. I learned on a manual, but picked up an automatic really fast - just had to wedge my left leg under the seat for the first few lessons!

It gets easier.

I spent my first 6 months of driving avoiding turning right. I would go plan routes to just turn left or go round roundybouts. I could drive in my sleep now.

Little, often and regular rotes are best to start with. In the evenings drive to and from local shops or similar to build confidence.

I put off driving for years after passing. Then had to drive for work, so practised my work route in the evenings before starting. Now I truly love it and it feels like the car is an extension of my body.

Do you have p plates. These might make you feel better as those around you elk know you are a new driver abd will give you more time. I passed in December abd have driven only twice since. .. my anxiety is terrible and I also fear Hill starts. Even on the slightest incline.

Not everyone just gets in and goes! But you won't see the ones who haven't had the nerve to go out driving.

I barely drove at all for 7 years after I passed, mostly because I couldn't afford to run a car, but also, I made it no priority to be able to afford it. When I finally passed, (4th attempt,) I just burst into tears and said, "I never have to drive again!" My parents were keen for me to learn, because we lived on a farm, no public transport. They would make me drive when I went back home to keep my hand in. I didn't drive so much when I first got a car, because I lived in walking distance of work, and I didn't see any reason to stop walking there - no parking hassle or anything. I did take a couple of refresher lessons, including motorway driving. And it was a lot easier to go and see my parents, and not having to coordinate with them for lifts from the station.

Then I got a job further away, and was driving every day for about an hour each way, and it was doing that which really improved my confidence.

I think some of it was growing older, too - I still occasionally stall, but it really is occasional these days, and when I do - well, 15 years ago, I would have been getting red and flustered and worried about the cars behind me, but now I just shrug my shoulders, put the car in neutral and turn the ignition - any cars behind me can't go anywhere until I've got going again, so if they're getting pissed off, that's their problem, not mine. And as a result, I'm a lot calmer, and tend to get restarted far more quickly (and stall far less in the first place anyway.)

I'm quite a whizz with parallel parking these days, too - this is a result of living in a street where I have had no choice but to practise it every single day. And years of daily practice means I've got good at it. I still occasionally get it wrong, and have to pull out and start again, but the vast majority of times I'm good, and can even do it with an audience. But it's all taken practice - practice, practice, practice. It's the only way to get better at it.

Years ago I learnt in a lovely new car and passed my test after just six lessons. But I really couldn't drive! The only car I could afford was very old and very different from the car I learnt in. All cars feel different to drive even if you've been driving for years. I hated learning to drive and never thought the time would come when I could have the radio on in the car or allow someone to speak to me. It does get easier with time

Get an automatic. Only two pedals (stop and go) and no need to worry about gears means you can concentrate on steering and what other drivers are doing. Made all the difference in the world to my driving.

Do you drive every day? It sounds like you don't, but you really need to.

Download some really good upbeat music and just take yourself off for half and hour every day.

I find it frightening that so many people are driving with little or no confidence. Hesitant, anxious drivers can be a danger to themselves or others.

Do additional courses until you are confident. The stories on this thread (refusing 'point blank to parallel park' or turn right or 'avoiding roundabouts and slip roads') are frankly ridiculous and prove that they were not really ready to pass their test in the first place.

I'd also recommend getting an automatic car as its so much easier to drive when you don't have to worry about gears and a clutch. I became much less anxious once I changed over.

You need to drive every day and at different times with varying routes to get past your nerves. Good luck - I'm sure you can do this after all the effort you put into passing your test.

Reality yes but there are thousands of new drivers every year. They are reliant on the experienced ones to make allowances until it becomes second nature. The P plates are are brilliant idea and i always give those drivers extra space/ tolerance / time to move off.

We were all new to it once...

I love driving! I'd probably be a lot thinner and fitter if I didn't. But I really do love it. I'd happily drive for a living, I'm happy driving 100s of miles in a day, even with eth kids in the car, but there's just one hill! I learned to drive in a manual, but went to an automatic years ago. I've recently gone back to a manual, after 15 years and I HATE that damn hill! I even sometimes avoid it at rush hour, I'm actually not even sure which way is quicker, but I avoid it because I hate the hill start, pulling out into a fast road with very little vision.

Anyway, stick with it, it'll be worth it in the end.

It WILL get easier, as long as you don't let nerves stop you trying. If you're nervous about hill starts, try to find a quiet road to practise on. One day you will find you have got from A to B without even thinking about the actual driving process, I promise - and I was a nervous driver at first.

I passed my test way back in 1964 and the test you passed was a lot harder.

I'm just wondering how you know this. Have you also taken a test recently?

I find it frightening that so many people are driving with little or no confidence. Hesitant, anxious drivers can be a danger to themselves or others

I totally agree, I find it terrifying that we have to share the roads with some of the posters on this thread. Some people should realise that driving is not for them, these are the ones that kill people.

To answer the original question, sorry I pressed enter too early...

The only way it will get easier is if you drive, drive, drive. Drive all the time in loads of different places and roads. It's the only way.

It definitely does get easier! I've been driving around the same amount of time, and learning better clutch control makes hill starts a lot easier especially when it is a quick stop and there isn't enough time to put the handbrake on, then get ready to move off again which I can find quite stressful when the roads are busy!

I'm not the most confident at parking, and only am I now reversing into spaces and parallel parking when I know the space is definitely big enough and I have time to get in the spot well. It's all practice and eventually I know I'll make it into those smaller spaces when I nail the technique.

ps. even as a new-ish driver I get the fear by the amount of terrible drivers on the road, and many have P plates as if it excuses the awful driving! We all passed the test, we all know HOW to drive, just putting it into practice is what its all about!

We all passed the test, we all know HOW to drive

Well, we all demonstrated that for a 40 minute period we met the absolute minimum standard. There are clearly people on the road who should never have passed and people who have remained at that absolute bare minimum. Scary stuff. Personally I think that we should have to sit an advanced test 2 years after passing the initial test to weed out those who haven't honed their skills in that time.

This is not a driving problem, this is an anxiety problem.

I could have written your post! Passed my test, didnt drive for quite a while and was then terrified! I will now drive anywhere and really enjoy it. The major thing for me was changing the car for an automatic. Its just so much easier and 100% of my concentration is on the road and other users, not 90% with the other 10% fretting about what gear I am in and if it is the correct one. No problem with hill starts either! Is that something you could consider? I cannot tell you what a difference it made for me!

Some people should realise that driving is not for them, these are the ones that kill people.

No, the ones who kill people are the over-confident ones, driving too fast and/or recklessly. Someone who is careful is not a danger, speed limits are not something to beat. People get killed by idiots, who ignored motorbikes or cyclists, who are on their bloody phone, who are distracted, and who believe they have a racing car and the skills of a formula 1 driver, which clearly they haven't and somehow believe they own the road.

Of course, you are a danger if you are too slow on the motorway, and you really shouldn't be there.

OP, chill. You have to let emergency vehicles go through. Otherwise, don't worry and keep practicing. An automatic is a good idea, but I think they are more expensive. Still worth it.

I passed in Jan, and had that feeling that it was always going to be hard for a while. I don't know if my tactic is the best, but I just went for it, drove as much as I could. Also, my parents are a few hours a way and my grandmother is in Scotland, so I just did loads of big journeys. I feel quite confident now (except when parking, but my dad's been driving 50 years and never improved on that front)