to not want to drive anymore....

[Misslea19]

Okay so I passed my test 3 months ago, my lessons went great without any major problems and I was over the moon when I passed. The main reason for me wanting to learn to drive was to be able to take my children on days out, I don’t need a car for work as it’s within walking distance so Monday to Friday I don’t drive, saturdays I sometimes drive but only locally and sundays just to get shopping. So I really don’t drive that much. Here comes my problem........ I keep stalling not every time and probably not as bad as I think, I overthink, ALOT! But yesterday I stalled pretty bad...... I was in a que of traffic waiting to turn right at a crossroads with a yellow box junction. The vehicle in front entered the box and I went to follow but stalled the front part of my car was on the box I quickly started again but then literally stalled straightaway the lights turned red then and the vehicle behind me was right behind me. I literally felt like everyone was looking at me probably thinking what an idiot. When my lights turned green again I was able to move off and got home fine. I’ve spent the night thinking it over, feeling like the worst person in the world. I feel so embarrassed and like a complete failure and like I shouldn’t even be driving and that I’ve let my children down. I’m not sure why I’ve posted this, I just needed to get it all out.....

Meant manual car where I failed 4 tests, doh.

I’ve driven for years and I still stall sometimes!

It might have become a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy, you’re worrying about stalling which might be distracting you from what gear you’re in etc and making you more likely to stall.
Please don’t worry about it, if another driver makes a mistake in front of you how often do you think about it later? Never I bet. It happens! The good thing about driving is you or the other cars are soon going in different directions so nobody gives much thought once you or them have gone. Everyone just wants to get to their destination.
Driving is a great way to be independent and means you can reach a lot more places than on foot/public transport, you’ll get more confident I promise - but only if you persevere. Maybe you could get a few extra lessons in with an instructor to get your confidence up? After I passed I did one with my old instructor the first time I did the motorway.

I stall sometimes. My car is temperamental about doing the right speed in third. Over time you’ll develop the skill of restarting the engine before you’ve even stopped. Keep going :)

I changed from an aged Renault Scenic with a 1.4l engine to an aged Renault Scenic with a 1.6l engine a couple of years ago. Because they were identical internally (and externally too - both the same colour!) even now I still stall regularly, because I keep forgetting the biting point on the clutch of this one is slightly lower. That's after 30 years of pretty well daily driving, and for the last 15 years I've been driving for about half the working day. The upside is that it's far quicker accelerating up the big hills that surround us around my town though!

I had an automatic for a couple of years, a car I was given rather than chose. It was brilliant in stop-start town traffic but not much fun on the open road.

Second pps advice - try moving your seat one notch further forward, and keep practising. And yes, learning to past the driving test is slightly different to learning to drive under normal conditions. We never ever stop learning and anyone who says they're a perfect driver is an arrogant tosser.

When I passed my test I had a car which wouldn't start for ten minutes if it was stalled. That's 10 minutes of sitting at a traffic light, sweating, as other cars drove round me flashing their lights, sounding their horns and throwing up hand signals

It was hideous. I hated that car so much.
The more you worry about stalling, the more you stall

I remember one awful day when my two young children were squabbling in the back of the car. I was praying I would make it through the lights before they turned red. Of course I didn't make it. while waiting for it to turn green, the kids squabbling got louder as I willed myself not to stall.

I stalled.

I remember screaming at the kids, this is your fault, and them being very quiet all the way home.

It wasnt their fault. Or mine. You are a new driver

Relax. It will get easier.

@EnchantingRaven

get an automatic car I’d never go back to a Manuel.

Personally I LOVE a Manuel myself!

¿Que?

I'm forever stalling DP's car, as it has a different 'bite point' on the clutch pedal than mine. Likely the same with you, you're still more tuned to your learner car than your actual car. The clutch lever springs can be different too - I had a rental car recently which was easy to control except at the bite point which it always tried to shoot past. Ridiculous.

I'd suggest just practicing it a bunch. Park up in a quiet road. Pull away. Park up. Pull away. Park up. Doing all the checks of course! Eventually you'll program your left leg to basically do it by itself.

I’ve been passed my test 6 years nearly and I’ve got no confidence whatsoever with driving. Only take son to school and do a bit of shopping. I understand completely where your coming from. Three months isn’t really that long to have been driving so it does get better the more you drive. Just don’t think about the other people behind you. They were novice drivers once so don’t worry and don’t get worked up. Take a deep breath and carry on 😊

Bless you - it takes time when you pass your test because generally you are more nervous anyway because you are on your own without an instructor.

I would suggest trying to get a bit more practice - go when the roads are quiet so that you can take your time.

Definitely check the position of the seat again though as it does make a massive difference.

If it makes you feel any better, I really hated learning to drive - it didn't come naturally at all! I passed on my second test but then it took me a good 12 months to really feel at ease driving. I often thought of giving it up but persevered due to living rurally.

I am now in my 14th year of driving and it honestly feels like the most natural thing in the world and I can swap between my manual and my husband's automatic without a thought - it will come eventually!

@littledoll33

Hahaha stupid autocorrect!!

UPDATE
Okay so I went out today and I’m pleased to say it went much better!......... and I didn’t stall at all
I just sat in my car at first and did some checks. I’m only 5ft 1 so my legs are pretty short haha so when I pressed the clutch, I found that to be able to depress it all the way down I had to completely straighten my leg and point my toes like ballerina . So I moved my seat forward a notch and tadaa..... I could rest the heel of my foot on the floor whilst completely depressing the clutch and had much better control of it. Whilst out I also added a bit more gas when moving off just to be sure

It’s funny because as some of you have said about fear of stalling, my thoughts just before entering the box were ‘omg what if I stall in the box, please don’t stall here!’ Then.....BAM!....I stalled

I’m feeling much better today and starting to see the funny side of Fridays ‘incident’
I’ve also decided that as the days are getting lighter now I’m actually going to go out every day after work to practice and work up to going on motorways. I’m supposed to be driving to the Lake District in May. I did some lessons on the motorway whilst learning to drive and found them not too bad but then I was in a dual control car and had an instructor with me so I want to feel comfortable on them before I have to go there.

I just want to say thank you all very much again for all the advice, comments and help and I have taken it ALL onboard.

What my instructor got me to do was go somewhere quiet and flat and practise pulling away in second or even third gear. Once you master the control required to get it to move off in third, you'll very rarely stall in first. The car makes more fuss about it and you get so attuned that you can feel the point at which you know you are not going to get away with this and save it before you stall. It's probably not good for the engine but it does teach you finer control.

Drive everyday, whether you need to or not, it will help build your confidence OP.

When I first passed my test I used to go out in the evenings on my own and just drive around for an hour to practice. You will get used to the car and not stall it so much once you are accustomed to it. It's not unusual to stall a strange/new car more than you should!

Don't give up now, keep going!

Well done!

Sounds like your sorted. Stalling and wobbly confidence is totally normal...as you say self-fulfilling prophecy plays a part in all that.

Well done !!