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.

I did it!!! I am a driver!!!

Haven`t slept a wink last night. In the morning I was a mess. As soon as I got driving I just relaxed.

The examiner was this really nice guy. He chatted to me about the traffic, work holidays and other drivers.

I got 8 minors. I almost broke down over manouvres (reverse park and reverse corner) as they didn`t go according to plan. I somehow pulled myself together, certain I have failed.

No dual carriageway or big roundabout (after the test instructor told me they don`t tend to go to either of these first thing in the morning due to traffic).

The instructor voluntarily was not in the car as he has a cough and didn`t want this to be interpreted as a help.
I was pleased as this gave me less to stress about.

Now where is that champagne???

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!

Woohoooooooo!!! Well done London!!!! HUGE Congratulations!!!!

Woohoooo!
Well done London!!!!!

WELL DONE LONDON!!!!!! Hip hip hooray!!!!

Congratulations - you will NEVER have to do a driving lesson EVER AGAIN!

Thanks all...
Now bounty is next. No pressure just relax, you will pass..
a big smile is seen

Nyx, have you done pass plus???

Thanks nyx. After getting massively wound up, the instructor had got the time wrong and the lesson is at 2.30pm this afternoon.

well done London on passing! That hopefully will be me one day.

Iggly, good luck on your first lesson! That WILL be you soon

Hi Iggly good luck on your first lesson- and yes perfectly normal to feel nervous.
I still feel like a kid who's messing around in a car I shouldn't be!

Meant to ask how you got on on the motorway Gauchita, hope it went well?

I had an unexpected mock today, tried to run a red light never done that before!
Hit the curb on a turn in the road (never done that before either!
And then 6 minors.
Wasn't much fun.

Thanks everyone. First lesson was two hours and drove in various circles for about 90 mins. I am very tired! But it was good fun - even though I managed to steer into a bush at one point and struggled with keeping the car in a straight line when changing gear I only stalled once! But dodgy on the clutch and brakes.

Well done Londongirl !

Congratulations on passing your test !

YOUR NEXT BOUNTY !

Hi all!

Iggly, glad to hear the lesson went well. Nerves are COMPLETELY normal. I'm still nervous every single time and I've passed You only stalled once! That's bl**dy fantastic!! I kept stalling quite frequently for weeks!

Bounty, that's normal. On the countdown to my test I mounted a kerb, kept stalling, crossed a red light, the first and the third I had never done before! I didn't pass any of my mock tests, as Sugar says, a bad dress rehearsal, a great performance

Sugar, well done you, I haven't jumped on the motorway on my own yet, only with DH. I sympathise with jelly legs

Hi to every one else!

Right, we went to London on Saturday morning. I told DH I would drive first as I didn't want to drive into London . We had a slight shower at that time, which as soon as I joined the motorway turned into torrential rain! There was so much spray, rain, etc that I had to put the wipers on full mode. Visibility was cr*p and I was holding the wheel as if my life depended on it Despite this rough start, the whole experience was very very good as after the rain stopped I felt completely relaxed something that hadn't happened on a motorway before. I drove almost all the way to London!

We had a great time there, got to see friends and I even drove half the way back as well Back to normal now!

Waves to all

Thanks all again...
Gauchita, I did all my driving in London, I can tell you, it`s quite heart attack scenario most of the time, specially narrow streets and all the other crazy drivers.
Glad you got on ok!

Hello everybody. London, I have not done pass plus, despite a 'congratulations' card from my driving instructor a few days after I'd passed my test, with a big handwritten spiel all about what a good idea it would be! I figured that (a) can't afford it just now, (b) I've driven in the dark, in the rain and on the motorway...plus, I just totally did not ever want to do a lesson again

Well done on the motorway and your driving in the dark, SugarMouse! And well done on your London trip, Gauchita. I can't imagine driving in London, Glasgow's bad enough

Iggly, I laughed when you said about keeping the car straight when changing gear - that was something my instructor had to remind me about LOADS of times

My progress...I drove in heels yesterday! Well, wedge heels, but quite high ones really. It was ok, but the soles of the boots meant that I couldn't really feel the pedals at all - that was weird, I will have to get used to that if I want to wear anything but cheap plimsolls from now on!

Am off to bed shortly but hope everyone's doing well

Bounty has a tets today I think...
Bounty please update us when you finish
Best luck, you can do it!

Have to run as I'm taking DD for a jab but I wanted to say

GOOD LUCK BOUNTY!!!

You CAN do it!!!!

Back later, waves!

Good luck Bounty!!! I'm thinking of you and sending good driving vibes

Fingers are crossed for you

Thanks London, Gauchita and Nyx.

I failed
4 minors and 1 serious (overtook cyclist and veered into right lane)
Gutted!

On the plus side my manoeuvers were "crystal clear" according to the examiner. even my corner reverse!

Kind of glad it's over now, can get back to life (iykwim)
Next available date is 3 December

Hope everyone is going well

Have a new test booked for 6th december at 10.14am

Oh Bounty, such a shame. If you didn`t make the serious fault you would have been there
Well, at least it gives you more time to practice. Hope you are not disheartened :-)

I'm not feeling as bad as I thought. Keep thinking why the bloody hell didn't I stay behind the bike (he was quite far over) should have just waited!

The examiner was really nice, didn't really chat but was just 'nice' didn't expect him to be, I actually said to my instructor "don't want that one with the grumpy eyebrows" must remember not to judge an examiner by his brows again!

It's no consolation, because it's horrible for them too, but my instructor said no-one who came back during my test had passed either.
I saw an examiner walking back to test centre!

Hope you're enoying your new found freedom!

Oh Bounty gutted for you. There are no words that can seem "right" in these cases but 4 minors sound very very good. Hopefully you'll get a cancellation so that you get an earlier date.