Do you feel comfortable driving?

[SSSandy]

Do you drive a car where you are?

I did try it when I first came to Berlin but I was never a very confident driver and I felt too stressed driving here. Seems I get on people's nerves because I don't drive fast enough or take too long getting into a parking spot.

However being on public transport here is a great way into depression, so I'm thinking I must take some driving lessons and get back into driving. Never liked driving on to the autobahns, always felt like people were not going to let me in, though they must have seeing as how I didn't crash!

I learned driving in France between Narbonne and Montpellier and the driving instructor just kept shouting "faster faster.." or putting his foot down on his peddals to make me go faster. It was really hot aswell and he made me overtake all the time. I was exhausted after each lesson. Took the exam and failed of course so I went back to the lake district on holiday and enrolled in a drivingschool and took the exam. The whole time the instructor kept shouting "slower slower.." and I really scared him a couple of times with my overtaking techniques! Got my british driving licence in the end! Wouldn't like to drive in Berlin though with all the building sites and trams and cyclists, was surprised to see how many of those there are. Might get myself a bike actually - there are quite a few bike lanes and the pavements are really wide around here so you can cycle there if the road is busy.

I'd be drenched in sweat after those French driving lessons! Have to say that confirms my impression of the French approach to driving...

I'm nervous about the cyclists here - and the buses - and well the other drivers too to be honest!

I´d much rather be a passenger with a prudent drive than a dare-devil one. After just a little practice (maybe just doing certain routes till you´re confident) you will feel better about your driving!

I was a very reluctant driver in the UK. Passed my test on the third try the week before we moved to Vietnam. Didn't drive for 6 years. Moved to Bulgaria and managed to get a driver for some of the time. Then when we were moving here to Budapest DH told me there was no way I would have a driver. Panic stations! Tried a few times to drive with DH and we just argued.

So one afternoon when DH was away and car was outside the door I was invited to a friend's house and I just thought "sod it" I'll drive. The key for me was that it was an automatic car. I got there in one piece feeling very proud of myself. The look on my friend's face was priceless!

I now drive everywhere and love it. I find driving a automatic MUCH easier. I even hier automatics when I go home to Ireland. The freedom is amazing.

Mind you if I am going somewhere and I know I will struggle to find it then I take a taxi!

BudaBabe
Ooh I want to have my own driver

That's encouraging reading, so I may still get there, huh? I think the automatic is a great idea. Mind you Berlin is flat so not that much gear changing involved here. I'm thinking I may pay for some lessons, just practice the school run and a couple of other easy trips. Are you any good at parking?

A friend of mine. SAHM of many years and rather stuck in her small town finally got confifident enough to drive when she bought an automatic as well. She finds the GPS really helpful as well. Have you considered that Budababe?

I can't wait to get to Qatar because its one of the Arab states where women CAN drive. Which is great because I can't drive at all and really want to....

Driving with dp.....

Flew into Jerez and we're driving along the (not crowded) motorways to the coast. This would be a good place to get in a bit of practice I think and offer to drive for a bit. So we swop seats (pulling over to the side of the road first of course).

I'm behind the wheel, dd in the back protesting: "Mummy you're not supposed to drive, Daddy drives". Two minutes later dp starts SCREAMING and I mean SCREAMING at me: Go faster. Seems I have to drive bang on the maximum speed limit allowed, anything slightly under it and he goes beserk. Seems I need to go OVER the speed limit whenever I catch sight of a truck on the horizon. Every truck has to be overtaken. I was so whacked and stressed it was unbelievable. So pulled over in the end and let him get on with it.

Talk about back seat drivers. He often threatens to let me get in some driving practice on country roads when we head out of town at the weekends.

NO thanks. Are all men like this?