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.

Oh my, that sounds "argh!", of course you're worked up about it. OK, if you have to do it, then we have to work on calming you down, thinking practically and coldly and just taking it one roundabout at a time (with your DH's support, if the meds haven't made him too groggy). Do supermarkets close at 4 on Sundays there?

You can do it, that's what you have to think and repeat yourself from now until you set off. It's moments like these that sometimes help and give that little nudge that is needed, think about it that way.

Ok, do you think you can do it? I do

can i join ?
i hate roundabouts too , and white vans.
i failed my first test because of a white van , on a large ,scary roundabout.
Have another test booked for the 15th ,and have lost all confidence . Am resorting to hypnostism to pass this time. hopefully it will stop the nerves on the day and help me remember what in supposed to do instead of my brain turning to mush.
During my test , i lost all power of control over my feet/hand-eye coordination.

drloves, good luck. Hypnotism is a good idea I think. Are you seeing somebody for it? I do know a couple of people who have taken beta blockers on the day and it works for them. My BIL has his test tomorrow and is currently a ball of nerves.

Gauchita, I can't do it. Still here. Shops do close at 4pm. I'm going to cycle to the village and beg painkillers from somebody. There must be somebody with some ibuprofen in their cupboard.

Just a small hijack to SOH to say at poor dh and his accident. Tell him he has to be better soon (by the 24th at the very least ).

As you were ladies. I passed on my third attempt. I remember it as a particularly tedious time and totally nervewracking, good luck to you all.

Aww, tmam. Where have you been. You don't email, you don't, er, visit. No, that's not practical is it?

Thank you. DH is asleep and has been since the accident. It's the diazepam, having a v funny effect on him. He genuinely has forgotten Wednesday and Thursday of last week. Think I could shave my head and he wouldn't notice. Actually...

Email me expat. I've missed you. I think the hope was that I would be driving to the meetup (all motorways excepted). Well that won't be happening. I struggle with getting off the farm.

PC, hope you managed to find something in the village. TBH, it doesn't sound like your DH can be a co-pilot at the moment, according to your last post. Poor him, hope he's not in too much pain/discomfort. (Oh, I've never heard "while" used that way up to now, which doesn't mean they don't do it But I agree, it does sound odd).

Drloves, welcome to the thread I read the thread you had started before your test, at your examiner on your behalf. Silly silly woman (or man, can't remember). Glad you have a new test date, everything crossed for then.

PC Im using a hypnotism MP3 down load i got from here http:?//www.hypnosisaudio.com/tape23.htm?gclid=CKGn8a7p76ECFZqX2AodoDjglw

its quite relaxing actually...am out on lesson first thing so should find out if it helps with the nerves

Oh god, my test is at 11.11am tomorrow. Third time lucky, I hope...

oh pile of pants ....that link didnt work...
google divinity publishing ltd instead . sorry for the rubbish link.

Good Luck Onefishtwofish !

Thanks drloves.

Do you know, I am more scared about my driving test than about the imminent arrival of my first baby (EDD 5th August)!

11.11am is a brilliant time. V precise. Best of luck. Will think of you.

I tried hypnobirthing cds while pg. They made me fall asleep every time.

SugarMousePink, oddly enough I've suggested the next time we go out we do it on the local industrial estate in an evening. DH isn't well enough to supervise atm but maybe in a couple of days. Shouldn't have even tried yesterday. Doesn't 'while' sound odd to you when you use it in that context? Do you say 'until' ever? And do you use while correctly ie 'while I was eating my sandwich' or do you substitute with until? I didn't understand it in the 3yrs I lived oop north.

Onefish, everything crossed for you here! Best of luck!

Drloves, good luck at the lesson tomorrow. Let us know how the hypnosis worked.

PC, I also tried hypnotherapy while PG and fell asleep all the time, it did help, though, so not complaining at all

Sugar, hi!

Waves to all!

actually onefish my instructor told me that the tests that are before 1 pm have a better chance of passes because the roads are quieter and everyone is "fresh in the morning" .
I did the easybirth hypnotherapy with ds2 and it worked ...so i thought id try it for driving too .

I always have my lessons on either a Friday morning or afternoon. Lots of busy Friday traffic! When booking test im going for a Tuesday morning, it'll hopefully be so blimming quiet I'll breeze through!!

Was in the car driving at 11.11am today in sympathy with you OneFish. Am fretting for you. Where are you?

And having a baby is a breeze compared to driving. Bite point easy to locate for a start.

Onefish, I've been thinking of you since this morning and still have everything crossed for you. Hope it all went well.

PC, how are you? Did you manage to get something from the village yesterday? Hope your DH is feeling a bit better.

Waves to all

Yes, got ibuprofen thankfully from the lovely lady with the cairn terrier (must remember her name). DH has stopped the diazepam. He can't function and while he's in more pain now, we've got some anti-inflammatory rub from the pharmacy and he's sticking with codeine. He's gone to work. 11 years I've been with him, this week is the first time off I've ever known him take. He shouldn't be there now but he's determined. And awake which is a vast improvement. Work have put him on light duties, so just in the office instead of out policing proper.

We went out driving this morning and I was very proud of myself. Did 45mph, which let's face it is crap, but felt like a big leap for me. Hadn't done more than 30ish before. Drove for about half an hour, passed cars, vans, bikes, had to stop in passing points, reverse a bit to let people past etc. Of course that's the way it goes, one good lesson to 5 bad. But I felt in control. Which is nice.

Picked up a weird habit though. When I change gear, I always veer left very slightly. Why is that?

Aargh - failed for the third time. I was moving off and checked my blind spot, but then failed to pull away quickly enough and a car came speeding up behind me.

Bugger. Apart from that it went quite well, I only got 3 faults.

Next available test is 7th October - the system is a joke. Back to checking the website for cancellations every 5 minutes.

Onefish - sorry to hear that. Can you try a different test centre?

Drloves - glad to hear any theory which supports me passing my test tomorrow morning!

Really want to pass and get it over with. Just hope DS is feeling better today and doesn't decide to wake up for a hour at 3am again.

Onefish, sorry to hear that, how annoying that the other car didn't slow down a bit. I think you're right, checking the website for earlier dates is a good idea.

Turkey, good luck for tomorrow, will be thinking of you.

Back later, DD needs her dinner.

Sorry onefish
Shame there's not a 'speeding tosser' sensor on cars. Hope you get another test date quickly. It's a crazy time to wait, 10 weeks is the earliest date I could get too.

I wonder if you are allowed to book 2 tests, 10 days apart and cancel the 2nd if not needed? I don't know whether to try it out?

Good luck today Turkeyboots.Hope all goes well.

Hurray! I passed! Got an easy route which helped, and on the one tricky part got stuck behind a learner doing 15mph! Did stall the car at a roundabout though, but didn't seem to be held against me.

Very relieved. Just have to be brave enough to go out on my own now...

Good luck to everyone else!

Woohooo! Well done turkeyboots!
Really pleased for you!