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.

Yaaaaaaaaaaaay!!! Well done Turkey!!! Soooo happy for you!! Happy driving!

Onefish , so sorry you didnt pass your test , but i know you will get it next time.
ONLY 3 points is bloody brilliant ...its so unfair you didnt get it because of speeding twat ...
Turkeyboots glad you got it ! ...well done ,i have a we bit of...
9 days until i sit test ....

Thanks all for your support. I am feeling a bit better about the whole thing. I have rebooked a test for 14th September. I will keep looking for a short notice cancellation, but as my baby is due in 4 weeks it is a bit complicated! My MIL will be here from Oz in September so she will be able to look after the baby for me while I do the test.

God, am I being hopelessly optimistic thinking that I'll be able to do a driving test then? Baby is due on the 5th and I am planning a home birth. Obviously there could be complications but hopefully not. What do you guys think?

Turkeyboots - well done you! I bet it is a massive relief.

It is unfortunately not possible to book more than one test at any one time - I have tried that!

I did a bay park in the test centre today. Went very well, was feeling v pleased...then accelerated instead of braked, and nearly took us through test centre wall! Thankful for dual controls today!
I blame the shoes...

Shame onefish, would have made things a bit easier if it was possible to doublebook!

I just re-read your test date onefish, it's 2 days before mine

Hi all,

Sugar, all the best for Tuesday and the mock test

PC, how are you? Hope DH is feeling better. I also did that, until DH suggested I spent some time on with the car stopped, just going from gear to gear without looking. It has improved, although fifth is still the one I always get wrong

Blackfly, well done on the bay parking. I did something similar today, I kept going forward instead of backward when doing a reverse around the corner manoeuvre, it turns out I was on 1st, not reverse

Onefish, hope a cancellation comes up and you can book your test sooner, or not maybe, if the baby arrives by then! I don't think you're being unrealistically optimistic, because if you for some reason you need more time or can't leave the baby with MIL or something, you just re-schedule it. I think it's great that you're being positive about it, that's the only way forward

Driving today didn't go too well, I was a bit distracted and all the manoeuvres were awful! Thankfully I was with DH and not my instructor.

Waves to all!

Well done to Turkey for passing! And commiserations to OneFish - it sounds like you did really well though, speeding tossers notwithstanding! I hope you get a test date that suits ASAP.

I had a terrible drive last night with DH. We were at my mum's, and she'd asked us to drop something off round the corner on our way home, so I drove us there. I was only in the car for about 2 minutes, on quiet roads that I know like the back of my hand, but, oh it was just horrible! DH was, er, not particularly supportive, shall we say.

I had to reverse out of my mum's drive without the use of the rearview mirror (as there was too much stuff in the boot) and as I was driving out of my mums street, round lots of parked cars, DH leaned over and flicked the lights on (I hadn't checked they were on). It totally distracted me, and I didn't see a car coming the other way, and they had to stop for me.

He got grumpy with me cause I'd forgotten the lights, and not seen the car, and I said it was his fault for distracting me. It then just turned into a big argument and I burst into tears, daft mare that I am. But it was horrible. I know that I have to get back in the car with him soon or it might put me off, but I don't really want to

My instructor's on hols, so DH is my only option if I want to practise.

Anyone else had arguments with their DH about driving?

had a particuarly rubbish lesson today ... stalled at roundabouts twice , started to roll back on a hill start and totally buggered up a parallel park..shiteola...ive only got 4 lessons before the test and dh cant take me out in our car -it needs to go to garage for a new clutch.. ....HELP!

sorry you had a crappy lesson today drloves, it's crazy how you can do something one lesson, and balls it up the next isn't it? If you're worried, would your instuctor squeeze you in for a couple more lessons? (Not that I'm saying you need them, just if it will improve your confidence)

I forgot which way to turn the steering wheel when reversing round a corner today!

It's so annoying when you know how how to do it, your instructor knows you know how to do it, but yout hands and feet let you down!

Gauchita glad it's not just me!

Blackfly - exactly ! I sometimes have to think where is left or right when the instructor tells me to turn.
.
IF i dont get it this time, im giving up and buying a bus pass.

Congratulations turkey. Brilliant news.

And OneFish, that's officially rubbish. Sounds like you did so well otherwise too. It's crap that you can't control the idiots around you.

I'm no longer a PlasticCenturion, back to my usual name. DH is much better and we're back to driving on normal roads. We've been every day for about 5 days now. I even do roundabouts and supermarket carparks. I'm still veering left when changing gear. I don't look down though, I know where the gears are. Just a quirk that needs ironing out.

I have a new problem today. Yesterday and today we tried bay parking. I cannot do it. My main problem is that I'm a short arse and can't see anything. I look out the back window but actually can see nothing, certainly not the lines of the bay. To see them I have to lift myself up on my elbows about 6 inches. I can't drive like that. What do I do? Sit on a cushion? I can guess where the bay is, go back a bit and once I'm there use the wing mirrors to straighten but it's not what I'm supposed to be doing is it?

Other stuff is improving though. I can use 4th gear (5th doesn't exist as far as I'm concerned) and I can do 45mph without screeching.

Arguments though? Hundreds. And still swearing like a trooper. Here's an idea bottle blonde woman in jag. Don't stop behind a learner on a hill so close that your lights are on my bumper and then gesticulate and swear at me when I roll back a few inches before pulling off. The l plates are there for your benefit. And no you didn't need to zoom round me with your ugly and badly painted middle finger on show. I appreciate you are perfect and always were but sod the feck off.

SOH what a bitch! ( Her, not you!)

I don't really look behind me when I'm bay parking- other than to check for people, I only use mirrors (I'm shortish too!)
My instructor has taught me to line up my shoulder and a line 3 spaces before I want to turn, slow reverse, full lock and then straighten up when car is facing forward. ( dunno if that makes sense?!) But then I don't look at the lines, because if I'm looking for them sometimes I steer into them ( if that makes sense?!)

Sorry if gobbledy gook!

blackfly, DH says if/when I have a few professional lessons they'll show me all that lining myself up bit. I think one of my main problems (apart from being vertically challenged) is the fact that I'm really good at reversing round the corner and used to being able to ease into the turn, whereas bay parking is a sharp and full lock. I'm not quick enough as I'm too busy fiddling with the fricking clutch. And I can't actually see what I'm aiming at.

Ah got ya, I'm the opposite, hate, hate corner reversing! I can get round ok, but get confused when I'm there and can't remember how to turn the wheel to straighten up!

Hi all!

Blackfly, same here! My instructor says "think about a supermarket trolley and its wheels" and I end up not knowing where to turn the wheel anyway once I'm past the corner Argh!

SOH, well done you on going at 45 and facing roundabouts. I can see it's been a great week wrt driving So happy for you. Glad to hear DH is getting better. Ohhhhh that silly moo! Angry on your behalf... idiot (her, not you, of course).

Drloves, sorry you had a hard lesson today. I don't know what to suggest except second what blackfly said, maybe ask your instructor for some extra lessons?

Picklepants, ohhh yes Lots and lots of arguments! At worst times I end up shouting and swearing a lot Today, for example, I had to exit the entrance of DD's nursery and it faces a road where you have cars coming on both sides, and 100 yards each way you have bends, so you can't see too well... it's VERY hard to find a gap and today it was at least 4 minutes or more till I found one. DH got frustrated as I missed a gap that he thought was good (but it was too tiny, tbh) so when I actually managed to exit, thanks to someone who flashed their headlights giving me way, he went "go go go go go now". I went ballistic So don't worry, you're not the only one

I had a lesson today and it was good overall, I need to do more manoeuvres as I'm getting them all wrong. And for some reason I'm getting better at roundabouts but worse at mini roundabouts Oh well

Waves to all, hope you have a nice weekend.

My BIL passed on Monday last week and the only reason he did according to him was his absolute excitement at what he would be doing later that day. He's desperately, absolutely, ridiculously smitten with his new girlfriend. They met dancing together in Swan Lake for English National Ballet and she's had to go home to Australia. A few hours after the test he flew out to see her for a month. He was so excited and focussed on that that he just did the driving without thinking.

So, to that end, I reckon on the day of your test planning something really brilliant for later is the way to go. Or hiring somebody who looks a lot like you to take the test for you. I'll do one or the other.

I'll do you all a deal. I'll do reverse parking for all of you, if you'll do bay parking for me.

What a brilliant thread - may I join? It might just motivate me to keep going with driving lessons.

I'm ttalloo, 39, learning to drive for more than a year now and hating it mostly. I think I've had about 80 lessons, but I've lost count and I keep rescheduling my theory test (my instructor thinks that this is so that I can't pass it and then have no excuse to do the driving test). I just can't get the hang of doing so many things at once (seeing, thinking, moving hands and feet, reacting, and getting distracted by nice houses, badly dressed women, and the thought of what I am going to cook for dinner).

I'm only learning to drive because it would be handy now that we have two DSs but I'm not that motivated - I live in London and I've always had to commute to work so driving has never been that important to me.

And roundabouts paralyse me with fear. Shouldn't there be a law banning them on hills?!

I quite like roundabouts actually. Welcome. I like the fact that traffic's only going one way, the rules are pretty clear, circles are nice, generally no pedestrians wandering out or nice houses to gawp at...

Corner reversing is sooooo easy. I can do it with my eyes shut. But then dh shouts. I'll do all corner reversing and roundabouts for those willing to reverse park and/or use 5th for me.

Theory test is something I just can't be bothered with. It's dull. I don't care enough. I'd rather have an earl grey and read a good book.

Hi all!

SOH, what are you using for your theory test? I was bored to death about it even before I had started, like you. But I used an interactive DVD at first, which made things more visual and "entertaining", and then I discovered some iphone apps and that made a difference completely. I would do mock tests everywhere! When putting DD to bed, in the loo If you want, I can send you the DVD by post, it's not the newest version but it's good for practice anyway. Let me know. Oh, that idea of booking something reaaaaaally fun for after the test is good. Whatever can keep your mind off the bloody test and the examiner will do for me!

Ttalloo, welcome. Booking your theory test might give you the little nudge you need.

Sugar, will be thinking of you on Tuesday for your mock test. Thanks for that link, btw! I watched them all I watched the one that says "what to expect of your practical test" and I got all nervous and panicky just by picturing it!

I'm starting to be less nervous at roundabouts. It helps when people signal correctly

Waves to all!

It's taking me so long to get ready for the theory test because I am sooooo bored by it. Within three tube stops my eyes are closing and when I go back to what I've already read, I remember hardly any of it.

And I do want to get it out of the way if only so that I can get back to the Marian Keyes book I was in the middle of reading when I first started preparing for it - I promised myself that I wouldn't read a proper book again until I had passed it, and it's been three months of nothing but highway code, traffic signals and theory test books. Grrrr!

Is it an age thing? I haven't had to study for anything since finals at university 17 years ago (gulp) and it's a bit of a shock to realise that my brain doesn't have the sponge-like qualities it used to.

SOH , im actually good at reverse park, turn in road and bay parking, ....can i swap you for a roundabout ? .
its ok to use the mirrors doing reverse park , as long as you look out windows too .