Learning to drive driving you mad?

[ShowOfHands]

So here it is, a learning to drive thread.

I think there are a few of us. I predict much swearing. Is it only me that goes one step forwards, only to go 8 steps backwards?

I'm SOH, have been learning for the grand total of a fortnight. DH is teaching me. My aim is to be driving by the end of September when dd is supposed to start nursery and they change the driving test again.

I live rurally (very rurally) and rely on dh for lifts everywhere. Even a supermarket trip is reliant upon him being home from work. And as he's a police officer, he's never home on time, works long hours and as a consequence, we're fairly isolated.

I am trying to focus on the new lease of life for us.

I don't have a provisional licence yet (still waiting for it) but live on private land with tracks of about 3 miles so am driving round a farm atm.

I'll kick off the swearing so there's no illusion of standing on ceremony. How the buggery feck do you look in 3 mirrors, one windscreen, at the speedometer and not cry all at the same time? Answers on a postcard.

Wow, lots of replies since my last visit here.

Ladies, my great instructor has abandoned me three weeks before my test (family emergency).

I will be meeting my new instructor next week.I don`t like the situation much + I have mock test booked for next week too...

Oh no, londongirl, that's a shame. Bad timing! But don't worry yourself too much - wait until you meet your new instructor, they might be just as good. Also, if this was going to happen, it's good that it didn't happen even closer to your test...you do have time to get used to a new instructor - not much, but a bit of time! Good luck with your mock test

Ooer, I seem to have killed the thread

Well, I am going to go on (drumroll please) a motorway today - eeek. Although to be fair, it's a bit of a cheat - apparently I will come on to the motorway, drive about 12 or 13 miles in the left lane and then come off again. No lane changing or anything, thank goodness.

The reason is that I'm trying to learn DH's route to work. If I do that, then on the Mondays and Fridays I'm off work I can drive DH to work and pick him up; then I will have the car on my days off - result!

Wish me luck please, I'm feeling rather green with nerves.

I hope everyone is doing well

Hi all!

Nyx, sounds like a good plan! Good luck! You'll do it great, I'm sure I don't mind 2-hour lessons, one hour is too little if we want to do a mock test as I don't live that close to where the test routes are Next Tuesday I'll have 1.30hs let's see how that goes.

Londongirl, sorry to hear that. Don't panic, maybe your new instructor will be great In any case if you really feel he/she is not the right person so close to the test you could maybe change the test date? Let us know how it goes.

Blackfly, hi! Nice to hear from you

Heart, that is unacceptable behaviour from an instructor, reputable company or not! I hope he stopped harassing you by text and you managed to talk to agency again and get it sorted.

Liberty, what an awful roundabout, what you mention about people just going for it otherwise they stay there forever is scary! The fact the ground is not marked either doesn't help, as most times you have arrows on the ground that let you know the way you have to take... I'd say 1st is left, 2nd is straight ahead (so you position yourself on the left when entering and don't signal left when entering but when you pass the first exit) and the rest are right (you position yourself on the right when entering and then signal and move left after/while you pass the exit before yours) Ugh I hope that's clear and I didn't make you go in front of the screen

Sugar, hope your car is fixed and ready to go soon!

Hi to everyone else!

Right, mock test yesterday I failed, which is what I expected to be honest. I had 3 serious faults and then a few minors. I was SO nervous, I never thought I was going to be that nervous on a mock test, really. My instructor played the part of "silent, serious examiner", just in case I get one of those and I made mistakes I had never made before

Argh, I left the indicator on after not one but TWO roundabouts. The worst thing is I did those roundabouts perfectly! I was so angry at myself. Then in one last roundabout I crossed over to the other lane I had never done that!!! OH, the shame.

I'm very nervous now, I suddenly find myself doubting too much, and I'm tempted to postpone my test. Argh!!! I don't know what to do. I have another lesson on Tuesday, we'll see how it goes.

Hope everyone's having a nice weekend!

Hope all went well on t'motorway Nyx!

Aw Gauchita, sorry about your mock test, what a pain doing things you've never done before- so typical eh?!
Good luck with the next one, bet you've got rid of the shaky bits now

I have a friend who hit the curb while driving during the lesson before her test- and passed her test.
I'm sure you'll be fine for your test. See how the next mock goes? Fingers crossed for you!

It's blackfly btw!

Hi ladies,

Nyx, hope your flight of freedom went well

Bounty, love the new name, well the office rang me up after i explained i had lost faith in the company i was refused my money back. No big shock really, luckily for me is that i have studied law and have looked over the t&c, so now i just have to put it in writing.

Gauchita, sorry about your mock test but at least you know the things to watch out for now, when i get nervous i forget all about my signals . Hopefully you will feel better after tuesday, and just try not to panic. Have you thought about taking Kalms?

Goth, GOODLUCK on your test (not sure when it is)

London, i hope you feel better this week about the car/instructor situation.

Sugar, how long will it take to get the car sorted? Not long i hope.

As always it's a long one

Hope your letter manages to get some results Heart, lucky you've studied law- bet they didn't know that! Good luck!

Hope your lesson went better today Gauchita.

I have 22 days left until my test (plenty of time?) but I now can't sleep for worrying.
It's actually taking everything over now, can't think of anything else. So unhealthy

I've driven over the curb twice coming out of the test centre now- never done it before.
Can't reverse round a corner & do my observations at the same time.
And there is a big weird roundabout that I've totally freaked out about both times I've been on it.
Hopefully won't get that one on my test- but need to fix it anyway, because I might want to go to Morrisons on me own one day!

Hope everyone else is doing well!

Hi all!

Thebounty, (love the new name btw) thanks for your kind words It's typical, huh? Test comes close and we start doing things we never did before! Wrong, I mean, we do them wrong! I totally get what you mean, I was so frustrated with myself the other day, I couldn't believe it. I can't think of anything else now either... all day long, I even had a dream last night about it

Heart, hope the letter knocks some sense into these people Hope the nutter is not texting you anymore.

Right, I had another lesson today. My instructor saw how nervous and frustrated about the other day I was that he decided to take me for a drive and then do manoeuvres and all the rest without actually "testing" me. The result: I would have passed had it been a mock test Argh! Why oh why does the human brain does this? I have mock test Thursday and Friday and then next time I meet him is one hour before the test Bl**dy bank holiday in the middle

It's horrible to feel you can actually do it, you can drive, but at the same time that because of this feeling of anxiety + nerves + fear you can fail your test! This time next week I'm going to need some hand holding, girls... I'll be in tears!

Hope you're having a good week and you're driving/practising loads!

Waves!

Hi there, can I join?

I started my driving lessons again at the beginning of July. My last ones where nearly 9 years ago. I have one 2hr lesson a week and I've had 6 so because he had a holiday in the middle. I've got another one later this morning, when my instructor will be putting me in for my test, the waiting list here is about 2 months so I will be doing the new test with the independant drive.
The car I'm learning in is a Honda Civic, which is a nice car, but the spoiler across the back window does restrict the view out of it. I've done all my manouvers, but cannot stand the reverse round a bend. I have to look out the back screen into a magnifying square that he has and hate it. He doesn't want me using my side mirrors for it, which I can do it so much better with, and still do my checks. My argument with this is, I'm not going to have this magnifying glass in my car if I pass, so what will I do then??? My dh says then I can do it the way I like then, but it just annoys me. Am I making sense? I'm prattling on a bit arn't I.
I do like my driving instructor, he does the speed awareness and driver improvemnt courses for the police here, so he must be ok. He does talk though, which is great in some ways, but when I'm concentrating and he expects a reply its not good. I've even started to zone him out, which isn't good incase hes giving me instructions.

Does anyone else still get really nervous before an ordinary lesson? I do and have no idea how I will cope on a test. I bought some Kalms tablets the other week, and the took a little bit of edge off it, but not much, and I really don't think my docs will give me anything for my test day.

Todays lesson is more about appropriate speed, like I did last week and lots of manouvers. Next week is a mock test with him, and I have another with his driving instructor friend in September, so things are going to start moving quicker now. I'll be glad when they're over cos it seems to be taking over my life.
If you've got this far and not screaming at the computer for me to get on with it, thanks :o
Good luck to everyone

Well lesson went ok. Another long independant drive today to the test centre. even went inside, and I was really nervous and it wasn't even my test. Test is booked for October 17, they first said September 14 nearly had a thousand fits.

Hi mariew!
Glad todays lesson went well!
Can't understand your instructor not letting you use wing mirrors. Does he mean not at all, or just not for checking behind you?
I have to use wing mirrors to check on the curb, but I look out back window to do my obs (which I'm crap at!) does he know that you're struggling to see?
My dad used to have a Honda Civic, and they do seem to have restricted visability at the back. I'm learning in a Mercedes A Class, which seems to have big blind spots on the sides ( that may just be me though!) wonder why they design cars like that?

See you have no reason to worry about prattling- I do it too- and I have more to come!

With the talking, is he approachable enough for you to just say you can't concentrate when you're talking- maybe make a joke of it if you feel a bit unfomfortable saying it?

Gauchita- so glad your lesson went well, if only it were possible to turn off emotions sometimes!
We'll all be here, for hand holding and moral support!

I had a great lesson today (for a change!)
Have some new contact lenses, which are so much better for driving in, reversed twice round a corner, and did my observations at the same time!
Came out of the test centre without hitting the curb!
Did an emergency stop! Oh, I really loved it-that I can do!
It was so nice to come home without a cloud hanging over me for a change, and my instuctor said it's all clicking together now!

Hope it lasts...

Hope alls going well!

Hello,

first lesson with my new instructor today. The man commented that my driving is acually good, but just as he said it I took the corner way too fast and almost crashed into the parked car. Why oh why do people have to park the cars so close to the road turn?
Otherwise it`s been real fun, he showed me different technique for sweeping corner and pararel parking and it worked!

A friend sent me this video, ladies, it is in Polish but you will understand it. Hope any blond ladies don`t get offended, but this is hillarious, I am sure you will spot your driving in some of the bits. Enjoy!

Bad news here. I failed again today. Only got 6 minors but completely fluffed up reversing round a corner.

Oh nooo, I'm sorry GothAnne.
Bloody corners! Bet you are fine in lessons too...
There should be another way, these tests seem so soul destroying.

Have you rebooked?

Yes. Booked for 21st Oct but will check daily for a cancellation.

Oh, GothAnne sorry to hear that. Over here the waiting list is like that but cancellations do come up daily, hope you find one soon. I know this is un-MN but if you need one right now accept this ((hug))

Thebounty, thanks for your kind words

Mariew, welcome to the thread

I was horrible today at my second mock, one serious, which was to mount the kerb when trying to exit a junction How how how?! So frustrated I ended up crying almost at the end of the test, just horrible. I have another one tomorrow and then that's that until next Wednesday. I feel like I'm bound to fail.

Waves to all

sorry you failed Gothanne. your next test is the same day as mine, I got the dates mixed up on my last thread and its on the 21st. I hate the reverse round the corner, I just can't seem to get it right.

Gauchita, my hairdresser was telling me this week, she was messing everything up on the run up to her test, even the lesson right before it, yet passed the test first time, so its not uncommon. I just went into the test centre on Tuesday to look around and I was nervous, so dont know how the hell I'm going to cope.

Hello everyone! I'm sorry about your test, GothAnne - it's devastating, isn't it? Nightmare. But fingers crossed for your next, and I hope you get a cancellation and get it a bit sooner.

Bounty, sounds like you're doing well! Hope it keeps going right for you

I have driven on the motorway! Also in heavy rain, also when there were tailbacks. Woo! I didn't mind it too much, however it is just a 10 minute drive. Don't think I'd like to do too much of it in the near future.

I drove home from my sister's house this evening and have realised that my night vision is absolutely crap. I found myself almost squinting. I'm fine during the day (have reasonably new glasses!) but I didn't like driving in the dark AT ALL. I wonder if I will get used to it?

Good luck everyone - I'm sorry this is just a short one, it's past my bedtime and I'd best be off - g'night!

Morning!

Nyx, glad the driving is going well I've never driven at night but I guess you're right, it's something we'll eventually get used to...

Mariew, sounds like a common occurrence then Brain freezing before or at test How are the lessons going?

Well, mock test number three was a bit better than number 2 but I still failed, 1 serious . Listen to this one, I tried to get the car on reverse WITHOUT going on the clutch Seriously, I can't believe my brain, I didn't even do that when I first started learning

That's it now, I can't change the test anymore so we'll see what happens I'll drive as much as I can this weekend, for some reason now I can't seem to get parallel parking at all

Hope you all have a nice weekend

Waves

Oh, Mariew, I meant to say, it does seem odd your instructor doesn't let you look at the wing mirrors, we're supposed to look at them, or give them a glance (not stare) as far as I know. They're there for a reason! Silly man I forgot to ask my instructor yesterday but I'll ask him to be sure

Hi ladies. I have just failed my 3rd test and am simple devastated. I just don't seem to be getting the left reverse although many times i do it so well i can't believe it is me. I need this license so badly as Dh does not have one and we don't have a car and life with the DC is all about walking and public transport!
I will probably be doing another test out of sheer despair and you have all heard the test is changing although my instructor reckons it will be easier.
On my third test i actually got a left reverse and a parallel park, can you believe it? I did the parallel park perfectly and thought to myself : wow I may just do it thsi time as i expeceted to get for my 2nd one the 3 point turn which again i am good at but my luck had it and i got the dreaded left reverse which i totally messed up.
oh well..don't you just hate this feeling of sheer helplessness?

:(

gypsy, so sorry to hear that; and yes, that feeling is awful Be kind to yourself, hope you get a new date soon.

thanks Gauchita..i am so angry with myself for stuffing thinsg 3 times but there is only so much i can do! i haven't booked a new test yet..not sure what to do..DH advises I keep practising with my instructor till i am 100% sure before re booking ,but can we ever be so sure? sigh!

Hi everyone ! Im so sorry to those who have failed their tests ...i failed my first two and felt like giving up ...got there eventually though !. The worst thing is its usually things that you can do , but fluff up on the test day ...its the nerves !

On the positive side , the more tests you sit , the less the nerves get you iykwim?.
Keep at it , dont give up ....you will pass in the end !

Mariew ...wow at you learning in a honda civic !
They are quite powerful cars ...and from what i know mostly 1.6 engins .Thats a lot of power for a learner !(DH had one and i wasnt allowed near it )