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.

Hi all

Hidetheelephant, welcome to the thread I second (or third ) that 2-hs lessons at the beginning might seem like too long. I definitely remember having splitting headaches after each, as others have mentioned. Maybe at the beginning some 1-hs lessons and then you can increase the time?

So the upcoming tests are London on 13th and Bounty on 16th

OMG, you mean I am next? The pressure is on, I will start eating those CALMS pills next...
How are you coping Bounty?

Hidetheelephant - the wine is a great help after a lesson, you will feel like you have just done 2 hours in the gym, all wiped out

Have you always done 2 x 2 hour lessons or did you do just 1 x 2 hour lesson to begin with?

Not coping at all London, I dread to think how I'll be the night before.
Already I can't sleep properly, and I keep getting an upset stomach.
Kind of wish I'd never started now!
It's made worse by my instructor being away, so no-one to honestly tell me if I should postpone it. (Don't feel properly ready)

How are you doing?

Hidetheelephant I started off doing 1 hour twice a week, sometimes 3. Then, because of lack of childcare in the school hols, I started doing 2 hours once a week. I do prefer them tbh, though the time dragged the first lesson.

Well well well ....im away from MN for a few days and it all happens !

Congratulations Gauchita !
i knew you`d be next to pass ! .
...4 MINORS ....thats superb ! .

Who`s next to sit the test ?

Thanks Sugar, reassuring to know it's not a Very Bad Sign!

I honestly can't imagine how you, and everyone else managed to stay calm enough to sit the whole test- let alone pass!

Full of admiration for everyone here who's taken a test, regardless of the outcome.

Bounty, as someone who was feeling exactly that last week up until Wednesday, I can tell you Sugar is right, it's normal. I was freaking out up until the very moment I jumped into the car with the examiner. God knows why suddenly I felt really calm (adrenaline?). I know it's easier to say "don't worry" once you've been over the situation but trust yourself, you'll handle the situation when the moment comes

Droves, I can now back!

Hidetheelephant, I started with 1-hs lessons at first, then incrased the time to 2hs.

Yesterday I drove on the motorway for the first time I guess it'll take some time to get used to that one

Waves to all, hope you have a nice weekend

Bounty- I am feeling strangely calm. Work has kept me very busy so I had no time really to think about the test.

Just waiting for my lesson, I have two hours today and two hours on Thursday and then that`s it.

I think the mock test has made me more confident in my driving ability or it might have been the hypnotherapy tape I keep listening to

Droves- I am next and then Bounty

Hidetheelephant - yes always, except in the past few weeks because of change in instructor. I took me exactly 3 months to do 40 hours worth...

Just had my lesson and almost walked away half way through.
My instructor is stressing me out, there is this atmosphere of anger in the car constantly.

All started well with chock a block traffic (Twickenham rugby is on)and each roundabout has cars full to the burst.

It was stressful but not too much.
Then we get to this kind of quieter roads and it`s like this non stop instructions from the guy, too early braking, too close to the curb, too many stops for people, pretty much everything was pointed out (nothing hazardous).
Of course the more he has done it, the more mistakes I did.

At some point I caught myself with red burning cheeks (something that hasn`t happened since primary school).

I feel like cancelling the next week lesson and just turn up for the test, because my self-confidence will be gone in the next two hours.
I think thats why I did good on mock (except mirrors), I dont have him constantly nagging. I feel that he should just let me get on with my style of driving and correct me if I am doing something hazardous.
I mean if it doesn`t endanger anyone, what does it matter whether I am breaking 7 metres ahead or 5 as long as I do it safely and stop before white line?

Rant over, sorry needed to get this out of my chest.

Ohh poor you London, sounded an awful lesson.
Has your instructor got more tetchy the closer your test gets? (wonder if they get nervous too for their students) it's awful that you can feel anger in the car, he should be boosting your confidence now, not making you feel like crap.

I don't have any advice, would hate to suggest the wrong thing, but hope you're feeling a bit better now.

Bounty, I think he just hates his job. Apparently he has been DI for 6 years, and when I first met him, one of his first sentences was "I have been doing this for 6 years, way too long" (in a serious voice). He doesn`t seem to be the patient type either.
Today, he decided to show me how to do a corner in a new way, just to confuse me

I am less angry now so I will decide on Thursday whether I will go ahead with the lesson.
I just want to pass next week so I don`t have to go through this anymore.

How many more lessons do you have?

London you poor thing. Sorry to hear he was not very helpful today. A cousin of ours used to live in Twickenham and it can have quite a bit of traffic, yes.

I guess at the moment you have to focus on yourself, don't let him/his attitude get to you. Things like these can give you a great boost to focus on the test and "block" him, as you say. I don't know what else to advise but I'm also on your behalf.

He sounds fun(!)

Good idea to wait and see how you feel, though showing you a new way now to do a corner was a bit mad wasn't it?!

Fingers tightly crossed that you won't have to see him after the 13th!

I'm not sure how many lessons I have yet (that alone scares me!) my instructor is back from hols wed and I have a 2hr lesson with him on thursday.
Will try and get 3 more in after that if I can, corner reverse still not 100% so I really need to get that sorted!

Is it a company that uses different instructors? Perhaps you could have a few lessons with one of those before your test?

I failed 2 tests, mainly cos of nerves and fight drive for about 6 months as even though I am really good driver I lost my confidence. Finally started lessons again with my lovely instructor and passed my test while 12 weeks pregnant! Had yo warn examiner i was suffering from morning sickness.
I just kept in my head that if all the people on the road driving can do it then so can I. Oh and it does get easier doing everything at once.

Sugar, congratulations! It was taking them a LONG time to fix the car so glad to know it's sorted now. DH "escorted" me the other day He drove behind me and somehow it made me feel less scared while driving on my own for the first time You'll be fine! Enjoy the drive!

Sugar, Ok, on your way over there (with DH) can you drive his car so that you "get used to" the motorway but have him next to you to help?

Having driven on the motorway yesterday myself I can say it did help to have DH next to me at the beginning. Especially when overtaking and having to "step on it" a bit to gain motorway speed

Argh, I went to bed and suddenly remembered that, Sugar, that your DH drove a truck. I think I remember you saying (but might be wrong) that you lived near Huddersfield, let me know if I/we can be of any help if you don't feel ok about driving on the motorway on you own. Tomorrow is Sunday so we're available