to weep like a small child after bloomin' rubbish driving lesson this morning?

[nickytwotimes]

I was SHITE.

Crossroads. This is where I gave up last 2 times.

I'll never manage to learn! I am hopeless at driving! And I am 6 and a half mths pg and will never make it before baby is born.

Ta.

Total foggy brain, yes.

The dangerous people are those who passed first time. Especially 17 year old boys. And that is reflected in the price of insurance.

You will pass, eventually. You need to develop a thick skin around this. (sympathy squared, nicely tinged with that feeling of been there, done that and hated every minute but won't have to do it again).

I passed fourth time, having cried in many of my lessons - and the test I finally passed.

On this test, the one I passed, the examiner had to get me to pull over and told me to get a grip. I think they passed me out of pity.

You'll be fine, in the end.

Oooh I know this feeling. I cried after lots of lessons and, memorably, during one. I had to get out of the car and have a cigarette!

It was ALWAYS worse when I had PMT so I can't even begin to think what it must be like when you're pregnant.

I felt crap during every lesson, but passed first time and love it now, whizzing around. It really does all become unconscious.

Awww. Have a hug. I really sympathise.

Oh I remember this too. The sweaty hands! I had a damp patch on each thigh after each lesson with the rubbing the sweat off my hands every two minutes!

HUGE sympathy to nickytwotimes as I hated learning to drive. Whoever said to try changing your instructor was right - I had the most amazingly laid back instructor, from the western isles, he had such a strong accent and this made him talk r e a l l y s l o w l y which was brilliant as I never felt he was barking instructions at me in a panic.

My tips for crossroads and roundabouts. Go as slowly as you need to. Other cars can see you're in a learner's car and although this brings out the w*nker in some people, most people will be patient. I found that concentrating on keeping my shoulders down/relaxed while doing the stressful bits made it come easier.

I was also one of those drivers that never felt even slightly confident until I had passed and was driving by myself, it took a few months but now it really is second nature. Good luck to everyone who is doing it (including my sister if she sees this thread!)

I have had 114 hours of lessons so far and am still nowhere near test standard. The very thought of driving without dual controls makes me feel ill.

But - I'm just going to keep at it until it does become second nature. However long it takes. Eighteen months already!

If it makes you feel any better, it took me 3 years of lessons before I eventually passed my tenth (yes, I made double numbers - I am special) test!

Four years on, and two of those with an automatic car, I no longer have to gee myself up for a journey of any length and as long as I'm familiar with the route I feel relatively confident. However, if I have to go on any of the major A-roads/motorways, I revert to hyperventilating/micro-route-planning mode.

I know that I'll get over this eventually with practice.... It's just the thought of practicing brings me out in a cold sweat...

If I can pass my test - I'm sure anyone can! Best of luck... xxx

I know exactly how you feel. Am learning to drive and having two hour lessons a week, my first few lessons I stalled constantly. I once tried to pull away 10 times and almost cried because I just couldn't!

Still stall now and again but have learnt to take my time which is what you should do!

Don't get upset, you will get there in the end!