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 tiger - my instructor charges £150 for pass plus (or £130 in my own car - I don't think the difference would have covered the petrol though!). I had 4 hours of lessons in credit as I was block-booking before my test, so only had to pay £70.
I know my instructor likes to do it all in one go, but don't think they all do.

I'm about to drive to work for the first time! I normally walk, but want to do a test drive in case I'm ever going anywhere AFTER work. I'm not worried about the drive itself, more about the parking - it's a very narrow fiddly car-park. I've decided to try and reverse into a space so I'm not worried about getting out again all day!

Oh and don't worry - in my last mock test before the actual test I had 3 major faults - one of which was steering into the curb as I was too busy looking in the mirror, one was stopping at a green light, and another one was totally cocking up a busy crossroads and getting stuck in the middle of the flow of traffic - I just figured the more silly mistakes I made the less likely I am to do them again!

Thanks Ruby. That's what my instructor keeps saying to me too. But its hard for me to believe it somehow... I asked him today if he'd be willing to do future lessons in my car rather. He said yes. He said he'd charge me 1for it per lesson. That sounds better lol. Also I raised the issue of finding a 2 hr driving session very exhausting and would prefer not to have the hour lesson before a test, which he said was fine. I'm so glad now... I'll be learning in my car so I no longer stress out about switching cars. I don't care how long it takes. I've put too much money into this to throw it all away by giving up now.

Oh I know how stressful parking can be. I was trying to park in a tight space in a carpark last week and was sweating all the way through. It was a baypark and I normally can do bayparks but somehow just lost it that day...My husband was trying to cheer me on. He does try lol... bless him.

My shiny new pink driving licence has finally arrived - I feel like a grown-up now! (Even better, I was asked for ID on the day it came buying a bottle of gin - so not only did I get totally flattered as I am actually 34, I got to wave around my real driving licence with a big grin on my face! )

I've made a discovery about parking - it's almost ENJOYABLE without DP in the car lol! I can take my time, don't have anyone shouting "WATCH IT!!" at me when I'm nowhere near the car on either side, and can take as long to straighten up as I like! I might send him off into Sainsbury's at the weekend to make a start whilst I find a space haha! (I was brave today and reversed into a space between two cars! It was a wide space, and it took me about 10mins of going backwards and forwards before I was straight enough to satisfy my perfectionism, but that's beside the point...)

I love my new found freedom - I've been taking full advantage, I went to a yoga workshop after work today that I never would have made it to in time if I didn't drive.

Tiger - hope it's going OK - it's great your instructor will let you use your car, I really felt more comfortable in mine for the test, and only had one set of controls to remember which came in very handy as the heavens opened half way through and I probably would have put the lights on instead of the wipers in my instructor's car!

Ruby, good on you. My next test 11 Aug... I feel like I'm living vicariously through your new driving experiences lol... All the things you can do now without using the bus or train... or the husband. Lol...oh well I am going to the test with no expectations. I'll do my best, que sera sera...

Get the test done asap, if the new proposed changes come into place the whole learning /test procedure is going to get very difficult and expensive especially in N.I
Learners will have to do a minimum of 1 year of lessons prior to taking the test
Newly passed drivers will have to display a P plate instead of the old R plate for a full year
Newly passed drivers 21 years old or less will not be able to carry passengers under 21 years for a full year
On the positive side the learning and restricted speed will go up from 45 mph to 70 mph max.
Motorcycle testing will also be getting a lot hardr and a lot more expensive

Thanks Bureni. I am in England. When are these changes happening?

I failed again today. Second time now. This time I got done for driving too slow and not checking at an unmarked crossroads.

A bit :( about it. But not as crushed as last time. Also I was less nervous today compared to the last time. Well, back to the drawing board... Booking anotger test.

Hi tiger I'll keep you company, I've got my test in September.
Think Bureni is talking about NI, not here (phew!)
I'm sorry to hear you failed again, I failed my test three times previously (in my yoof) so this is no.4
Never mind, when are you booking for now?

Thanks sossiges. My next test is on October the 2nd. It's the nearest possible date available from today. When is yours? Have you been having refresher lessons? I do feel a bit flat now after failing twice for different things. I just can't see myself getting excited about the next test. All feels a bit like going through the motions... thinking one day I will pass, if I keep putting in for a test. Don't know if I'd try again if I've taken it 10 times and still don't get it.

That said, I do feel like I've taken a long time on this whole driving thing. I took my theory few years ago, took a few lessons, then gave up as my first instructor was so harsh. Only started driving lessons again last May, and resat my theory in March this year. I should have just stuck with it back then. I might have passed by now. Hope you stick with it Sossiges :) The fees just get more and more expensive... it's so not worth it if it goes any higher!

Well, I had a big gap (20 years) since first learning to drive and now, so I've really started all over again from scratch this time (but I was more nervous this time, which hasn't helped). I've been learning since January, and if I don't pass in September (4th), I'll just keep at it until I do, I'm so fed up with having no transport.

Leave it a few days to get over the and then maybe watch a driving dvd, or read a driving book to get your enthusiasm up again. Mine really waned after failing my 2nd test, by the time I got to my 3rd, I couldn't have cared less about driving. I'd just had enough. Go on the 2pass website, loads of driving chat on there, might help. One lady passed on the 10th attempt. If it takes 11 or 12, does it really matter, if you pass? And we will!

The website you gave me was good Sossiges. Thank you. I feel a bit more motivated not to give up now.I suppose you are right. We will get there in the end. The nerves don't do me any favours though. I chewed chewing gum while doing the test today to help calm my nerves. Of course I have no idea if that was off putting to the examiner or not. It did help with my nerves. I parked superbly today, lol... something which I always stressed out about. I felt much calmer and clearer thinking today than the previous test. I felt it was a good drive though, for a test. I didn't feel myself jumping out of my skin during the test. Every single mistake he said I made were things which... I would not have done differently on a drive with my instructor or husband, i.e.in a relaxed situation. My instrucotr said it sounds like just bad luck on my part and my husband said the examiner was being a bit unfair because I am driving a big car which is a 7 seater and surely he couldn't be expecting me to go to top speed on roads with lots of parked vehicles.

I got done for speeding the first time, second time I got done for not being fast enough. Well I was this close to throwing the towel in today but my husband and instructor told me not to give up. The next test is at the same time as a school run so the roads will be quite full maybe. My husband said that's good. Then they can't penalise me for driving slower lol I just hate how expensive this is... and how hit and miss it seems. Or maybe I really drove rubbishly. I do think that the next test I have I am going to take along my instructor or husband to sit at the back.

If you thought it was a good drive and you felt less nervous, then it probably was a good drive. Was the crossroads a serious? I don't think chewing gum would put the examiner off unless you were doing that really loud 'cracking' noise with it and making him jump
I think it's a good idea to take someone with you on test, especially your instructor as then they can sort out any driving mistakes afterwards. I have heard that rush hour tests are good, more traffic so less time for the tricky bits (like parallel parking) .

Another suggestion - "Pass your practical driving test" by David Barker - lots of what not to do and funny stories, worth a read if you can get it.

You are not allowed to throw in the towel. End of.

Thanks Sossiges. I really needed that crack up my backside lol. I hope both of us will stick at this and never give up.

Have a practical driving DVD. Which shamefully I have never "found time" to watch. Now I have one whole month and more ahead of me before the test. No excuse not to watch it now :) And I will have to get that book you mentioned. Sounds like it will be good for me!

What dvd have you got? I have "The visual guide to passing your practical driving test" which is pretty good (really step by step) but the music is pants and puts me off watching it and I have "Ultimate driving craft" by Chris Gilbert (ambitious!) which I think is great, not geared towards passing L test as such but more on improving driving overall, which can only be a good thing.

When's your next lesson, tiger?

Ah yes that's right. That's the DVD I've got.

My next lesson is not scheduled at all. Instructor has cancer and has been booked into theatre for major surgery in September for it and doesn't know how long he will take to recover before he is fit to work again. He was told he'd need at least 6 weeks. So I don't think I will be having any lessons from him leading up to the test actually... I am considering going with another instructor but I feel confident in my car most so I don't know if I go with another instructor, would he/she be happy to teach in my car. But it might actually be good to have a lesson with a different instructor.

I meant go with another instructor in the meantime, whilst my current one is out of action.

I see what you mean, tricky. Maybe practise in your own car would be better at this late stage??
Hope your DI's op goes ok.

Yeah hope he will be fine. He had appendicitis last xmas and the docs discovered the cancer unexpectedly during the op. I was 8mths into learning and he was telling me to book a test but I kept saying no because I thought if I had more practise I would pass easier. (Oh well if only I knew better...)

How is everything going Sossiges? Your test isn't that far off...a matter of weeks. 2 or 3 weeks? Hope you manage to get your practise in.

Ha yes only 3 more lessons to go until the test (and that's including the one the night before), I was thinking about putting it off last night, to get some more practice in [chicken]. I kept stalling on my last lesson, it's only just sunk in that I need more gas and less clutch when pulling away ffs [huge eyeroll] and roundabouts are still a nightmare. We had a good go on the dual carriageway even though the rain was coming down in sheets. The speedo will keep creeping up to 75, I definitely think it's got a mind of it's own...
I am worried! Instructor isn't and I can't figure out why!

It's like that with me too. I get worried but my instructor is calm. Actually my instructor is just a really cool, calm guy. He never ever loses it. He's fab lol...

Just keep at the lessons. Try and get more practise if you can. That will help sooth some nerves if you are worried you are not getting enough practise in. I also worry about not getting enough practise in, then experience has shown that some of the best drives I've ever had with my instructor were times when I've not had any practise or lessons due to circumstances, for as long as 3 weeks! Can't figure that one out either lol...

Practise - huh! Our car is huge compared to instructor's car and totally different, the clutch is jerky, brakes aren't as sharp and the acceleration's nothing like as good. I went out with my DH for a practise run, but there was rather a lot of stalling and not doing things fast enough (or too fast) for his liking, so I don't much feel like going again (have been before but only with several months between attempts as it all ends in tears). I find it hard enough getting used to a different car without being lectured on what I'm doing wrong! Humph! I'm sure he means well but if he was teaching me to drive, I'd have given up long ago