How long did it take you to drive??

[charlottexox]

Basically, I posted on here about a week or 2 ago and my recent driving instructor telling me it would take me about 2 years to pass, which came to a conclusion after 10 lessons
As you can gather, it's put me off trying again and made me feel really bad about myself.
So I'm wondering if anyone did actually take that long??
I'll be leaning in an automatic car due to having mild cerybal palsy.
I am so determined to drive as I have a nearly 2 year old and due my 2nd DD in October. We live in a village so I find it very, very isolating most days even when the buses run. Although buses here are only once every hour
I've left a few voicemails for some other automatic driving instructors but none of them have gotten back to me yet!

I passed within 6 months. I think I had about 30 hours worth of lessons in total in the end, but always used to do double lessons (2 hour slots at a time). If I had done them singularly then I suppose maybe it would have taken twice as long?

It took me about a year, but I had several months without lessons - I had about 50 hours.

I was extremely nervous (I cried during my first few lessons) and learned in a manual.

Years but I stopped and started due to the cost of lessons. It was worth the failed theory and practical tests, it didn't come easily to me.
Worth every hour and penny as I drive every day and would have severely limited my job market.

24 hour long lessons back when I was 18 no other driving time

I think you were advised to find a new instructor on your original thread which at the time I thought was good advice

Could you get your car before you pass and practice between lessons? It might speed the process up for you

Are there any charities that could recommend instructors to you? It does seem an awful lot of lessons especially in an automatic

I took under 2 weeks to pass my driving test but that was 20 odd years ago and my mum is a driving instructor plus I didn't have to take theory test. My mum teaches automatic and I don't think any of her pupils have taken 2 years recently. Keep looking for another instructor and ask for recommendations locally. Good luck and keep going. Don't be put off by this instructor.

I did a 2-week intensive driving course which did the trick.

About 30 hours which I completed in about five months. Two years seems excessive without good reason.

15 lessons and about same time in practice with DP
It was over 30 years ago
Both my DC have passed more recently with about 25 lessons each and practice with me (in lead up to test I took them out every other day for up to an hour)
We all passed first time

Can you ask your instructor what they're basing that estimate on?

I did an intensive course, started in the morning of day 1 and passed in the afternoon of day 4 (about six hours of driving during the day). I was very determined to pass, which helped, as I was incredibly motivated (I needed to drive for work).

Have you already passed the theory test? If you can get that done (I had to pass mine before I could book the intensive course) then that's another thing ticked off.

I’ve been learning since Feb and hope to pass this summer. My instructor says I’ll probably have about 45 hours max of lessons. I think it depends how many lessons you have a week - I have around 3 hours a week m, but if you only had an hour a week it could take a year or so.

Haven't passed yet...Been learning in a manual for over a year but due to my work weekly lessons are impossible. I haven't had any outside practise of that, that would be too big an ask of my poor friends. No idea how many lessons I have had, but I am rubbish. I don't like being in cars at the best of times! I think I am only keeping at it as I have spent a fortune already and to quit would seem a waste. I can't actually afford a car but hey, it's ok I don't do the Mumsnet sin of demanding lifts - as said I really am not keen on being in cars.

Some people take to it easily, I haven't. Passed the Theory test with no problem, some struggle with that. Meh, I have two degrees but am just not a natural driver. Take your time OP and good luck!

It took me two years. That was with a few gaps due to holidays/needing a break, one lesson per week, and I was seriously terrible, terrified and dreaded lessons. I passed on my third test.

Just under 6 months of two hour lessons. My nearest test centre was half an hour away, so used to drive over, spend an hour in that town and then drive home. This worked well as I live in a rural area, so got experience of different types of road, traffic etc.

Took me about that long between first lesson and passing, what with moving house (and therefor having to change instructor) and getting married in the middle. Oh, and failing a number of times and having to wait a couple of months each time to rebook....

I'm coming up 2 years with no breaks from it. Mine is mostly due to anxiety and just generally being a slow learner. Really hoping to pass soon.

3 months BUT I had 4 hours of lessons a week and drove to/from school every day with DM in the car (about 20 minutes each way) plus anywhere the family was going at the weekend that didn’t involve a motorway. Failed the first test, got a cancellation 3 days later and passed.

It’s the hours of driving you do, not the amount of days on the calendar that make a difference. From your PP I think I remember you were only doing an hour a week, that would be a struggle for anyone.

Keep calling the instructors until they pick up. You can do this!!!

It took me 15 lessons and 4 months to pass x

It took me 10 tests to pass. I stopped and started multiple times due to cost. I'm sure the examiner just felt sorry for me in the end! I'm still not a great driver (can't parallel park or reverse into a space) but eventually by the luck of the draw I got a test where I wasn't asked to do those things.

Think it sounds you've already dowb the right path by finding a new instructor!

I took my test 30 years ago... About 20 lessons as and when I could afford them.
I also did have about 5 hours practise with my mum

Two YEARS? Jeezo, this instructor sees you as a cash cow - ditch them and find a new one.

I probably had about 20 hours of formal instruction - in two hour blocks - before my first test (which I failed because a woman with a pram walked behind me when I was reversing round a corner!), then another four or so before my second test, which I passed (with no minors!).

In saying that, I was 18 when I passed my test (and I had been driving, ahem, 'unofficially' for a few years before that - brought up in the country, learned to drive as soon as my feet could reach the pedals), and I think it does become more difficult the older you get.

Almost 5 years! And my husband is quickly catching me up. I think 2 years is reasonable if you are not a natural as the test is hard.

It took me about 2 years to pass. Mainly due to lack of confidence behind the wheel I think. I passed on my third test.

Cost a bloody fortune, but I do feel like I was a better driver than most when I did eventually pass, ha ha!

In the UK 6 months and 4 tests for the car and I failed the motorcycle test twice and stopped trying.

In the USA no lessons or preparation for the test just did it and passed.......And for the motorcycle license if I sit and watch a PowerPoint presentation I can skip the motorcycle test. Which saves a load of time.

My son's learning at the moment. He's had weekly lessons since early May last year, he's only missed two weeks after having surgery in December. He's failed one test and as there's an almost 4 month wait for tests here he doesn't have his second one booked until the end of June so the lessons continue. He has his 51st lesson next week.

It took me just shy of 18 months. But I was test-ready in terms of my driving ability in a year. I failed my first test through completely daft mistakes, all nerves. Saying two years after only 10 lessons seems pretty negative. For me, driving clicked somewhere between 6 months and a year of lessons - before then I struggled a bit.