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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Second driving lesson

8 replies

LearningToDrive123 · 05/09/2025 20:29

Hi all, hope you're having a nice Fri evening. So, I've started learning to drive (in an automatic). I've passed the theory and have my practical already booked for early February (I was advised to do this by my instructor, due to the long wait times currently for tests). I'd like to ask when it all starts to feel easier? My first lesson went well, we just drove around an industrial estate and I felt quite confident. My second lesson, he had me driving on actual roads with actual other cars 😂 and it was pretty terrifying! I was concentrating so hard on driving the actual car that remembering to stay in the correct position in the road, check mirrors, indicate etc felt like so much to take in. I also panicked a bit going past parked cars incase I hit them and struggled to understand the layout of the road and where I was meant to be. My instructor is so lovely, patient, encouraging and told me I did brilliantly. We went on two roundabouts and I drove myself home but he had to take the wheel and help me quite a lot. I'm not expecting to be Lewis Hamilton after two lessons but is it normal to feel like this and will it get better? I am 33 so a bit older for a learner. I'll be doing 2x 2 hour lessons a week, so 20hrs a month. I have a special needs child so really need to be driving for his sake. Thanks everyone for reading. X

OP posts:
Thelnebriati · 05/09/2025 20:33

The thing that helped me get over my nerves was having an actual route and a destination for each lesson instead of just driving round aimlessly, so ask your instructor to try that.
Good luck!

Willowkins · 05/09/2025 20:36

It's normal to feel like this when you start driving on the road and so is getting a bit of help from the instructor. It should get better in as you get used to the space around you and you'll need less help.

LearningToDrive123 · 05/09/2025 21:04

Thank you both 💓

OP posts:
DelilahBucket · 05/09/2025 21:10

It's completely normal to feel like this, it's still really early. On my first lesson my instructor took me off on a drive I didn't think I would be doing on my first one. I had a three hour lesson, so once we'd got the basics down, off we went. It was more of a test to see how I got on. With one three hour lesson a week and some weekend driving with DH I passed my test three months later. It can be good sometimes to be thrown in at the deep end 😀.

AgentPidge · 05/09/2025 21:16

It's something totally new to you so it's hardly surprising that it takes you a while to get used to it. I'm impressed that you drove on an actual road in your second lesson. I was still going round the carpark then. I've been driving over 30 years and I still hate roundabouts!
At the end of one of my lessons I pulled up at the kerb outside my house and hit the accelerator instead of the brake and hit the kerb very hard. Oops!

Moveoverdarlin · 05/09/2025 21:23

Good luck, it will get easier. It’ll all be worth it in the end.

LearningToDrive123 · 05/09/2025 23:42

Thank you! Feeling much better now x

OP posts:
outerspacepotato · 05/09/2025 23:48

It gets easier and easier the more time you put in and once you get the mental road map of your area in your head, that helps a lot too.

Good luck!

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