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.

Working feeling your frustration cancelled due to ice here,Gah more stressing over the damn thing!

Sorry Cicatrice and working

And at the weather cancelling your tests working and killermouse.
Horrible for you to have gone through all the nerves and then get cancelled.
Hope the weather improves quickly for you.

Ohh Santamouse poor you

What a bloody arse, hoping for karma here too.
Glad you and your car are ok though.

I keep meaning to ask on here, but forget all the time...
How long does it take for your driving licence to come. I still don't have mine it's been 4 weeks (and 5 days!) since I passed.
I'm being all anxious and thinking "maybe they changed their minds"

What a rotten time for it to happen.
£100! All because of a stupid mans stupidness
Gutted for you.

It must have been so scary.
I nearly hit a wall last week (accelerated instead of braked) and was shaking like a leaf for hours, so can't imagine how shaken up you must have been.

Hope you manage to get it fixed soon though.

Oh and thankyou, I'll give the DVLA a ring tomorrow.

Hellooooo again everyone! I completely and utterly lost this thread, it dropped off my 'i'm on' threads for no apparent reason ages ago.

Well done to those who have passed! And much sympathy to those who haven't - I absolutely detest that 'failed the test' feeling, it's one of the worst in the world. But don't give up, it's so wonderful when it eventually goes right!

Working and Killermouse, have you had your tests yet? Thinking about you with fingers crossed x

Santa - oh no! Poor you, that sounds awful. And incredibly frustrating about the horrible barsteward who just drove away - what a shithead. I'm glad you're okay but feel for you about the cost of repairs.

My wee car (well, DH and mine but really I feel it's mine, even though he has it most of the time!) - is a yellow peugeot 107. It's tiny, looks like just one step up from a smart car, but it's wonderful and I love it. And it has a dent and a chip of paint off the passenger door I think it was kids playing football near it - it didn't happen while either of us were driving. DH has bought the 'proper' paint to cover up the chip and I am supposed to be doing it (am neater than he is!) but have lost the paint - how am I going to tell DH?? I will have to find it. This is what I get for having a house that is very much needing decluttered and tidied.

Hope everyone is doing well. If you are feeling gloomy about driving, please don't hide away - perhaps sharing your stresses here and letting us perhaps give advice will help?

Cheerio for now - am off to put another cardigan on and try to dig out the Christmas tree from the end cupboard

Hi nyx had my test yesterday and failed,completely messed up rrc,then didn't check mirror properly before changing lane-was too busy reading the road sign.Was gutted but at least I know what to expect next time!Booked in again for Jan,so hoping to start the new year on a high.

Tried to drive last night,maybe too soon after test,and just sat shaking,couldn't get the key in,my hands were so sweaty I couldn't make the steering wheel work,have a lesson today so hoping that helps with the confidence,can't let it all crumble now,It's cost too flipping much for a start!

Love the sound of your little car,my face colour for cars too(mines white this time).

Sugarmousepink-hope your car is sorted,and the accident hasn't affected your confidence!

Working and Cicatrice-do you both have tests booked,and think it was cicatrice have you done your theory again yet?

To everyone else,hope your all progressing well and getting near to taking tests!

Just popping back in. Sorry to hear about your tests Kmouse, Working and Cicatrice, better luck next time. I've been there (several times) and I know how much it sucks.

Sugarmousepink- Poor you! Glad it wasn't too serious, but you must have been petrified.

As for me, I'm still saving for my wheels, here's hoping 2011 brings me a little car.

Hi, just adding myself to the thread. Think I posted several months back when I was intending to start lessons again...well, I have now started and it's going okay.

Sorry to hear about people's failed tests/ near misses, etc, though.

Aw Killermouse, I'm sorry about your test. How did your lesson go on Friday - did you get your confidence back? I'm sure you won't feel like you're having to wait too long if you have a re-test date in January - good luck with that, as you say, now you know what to expect!

GothAnne - I hope you do get a little car soon, it's soooo much fun driving around! Mind you, I don't know how I'd feel about driving a bigger car, since I've only ever driven tiny ones

Hello SnowyGonzalez! Glad to hear you've started lessons, I hope the snow hasn't scuppered things for you too much.

Lesson was a good idea,just drove about and we went over what I had failed on,felt much more confident and been back out & about in my car.Have a few more lessons booked in and hoping the weather doesn't affect them too much this time!Thanks for the good luck-am hoping to get a cancellation again,but even if I don't its mid Jan so not long to wait.

hey guys - i followed this thread but never posted....though i managed to pass my test first time a couple of weeks ago with 4 minors.

saw this today and thought of this thread!!

Ooh, just found this thread.

I'm going to start lessons in the next week or 2 hopefully. Had 5-6 lessons when I was 18, am now 27!

Hoping to get it nailed fairly quickly if I can. Speaking to instructor on Monday, but hoping to do 4-5hrs a week...or more if we can squidge them in! We'll see.

Good luck with it littlereindeer,sure you will be fine!I'm hoping my next attempt will be a pass,by this time next week I will know-eek!

I'm glad you feel more confident Killermouse - you'll get it next time

Littlereindeer - congrats on starting lessons! I don't mean to sound negative but I thought the same way you did, about squeezing in all the lessons you can per week - but found it very hard work and two a week were quite sufficient for me If you had lessons before, you will probably nail the basics pretty quickly. Good luck!

How's it going Snowy?

Happy new year to everyone!

Thanks for the heads up Nyx. Will see what my instructor suggests and how I feel. Having a trial lesson first, so I'm hoping that'll give me a feel for how I'll find lessons again.

I'm really looking forward to it at the min. But waiting for The Fear to set in!

Ok, officially scared now...1st lesson booked for Saturday

I felt all confident and like I knew what I was doing, until the second I put the phone down having booked the lesson.

Now I'm shitting myself really nervous!

Nooooooo you'll be FINE littlereindeer

Well done on booking your lesson! You'll need to come on and tell us how you get on.

Booking your test now...that's when The Fear will kick in

Hey Muthahubbard, I've just noticed your post now - sorry! Well done on passing your test, what a great Christmas present

I've just gone through all those stories from the link you posted and some of them are hilarious!

Gah cancelled again due to the frost-me and my instructor are cursed,he turned up with a flat,so I used my car,get to test centre all cancelled.Back from lesson and he has to change wheel-going home via the tyre place,what a combo eh!so waiting again for a new test date.
Good luck with your first lesson littlereindeer,you'll be fine!

does anyone do 5 hours of lessons a week? I really want to pass by the summer so am thinking of trying to cram in as many lessons as possible.

I wanted to do that, nappy, and started off with 3 or 4 per week but tbh, I found it absolutely knackering. Perhaps I'm not used to concentrating that hard

hi..i failed my test last week.7 minors and a serious.first 5 mins in2 my test i knew i had failed.at a roundabout sum1 pulled out same time as me.i never even saw them!rest of test went well but legs were shaking all thru it lol.went on a lesson yesterday first 1 since test n legs started shaking again with nerves.done everything wrong.instructor said my confidence is dented cos i failed.will need 2 get it bak cos next test is 11th february.