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.

Aw thats's a lovely message naughtymummy- congratulations on passing!

I just ballsed up a bay park in the test centre!
The one thing, other than reverse park, I was quite confident on! There were a few of us doing it, and a girl on the other side did it almost as wonky as me- was it someone here?!
Are you blonde, drive a blue car and messed your bay park up this morning?! That was me laughing with you!

NAUGHTYMUMMY - thanks for posting that , i was just thinking whats the point ,that id be sitting tests forever ,that if i dont get the next one id give up. But youve just inspired me to keep going ...

Hello ladies.
I hope you don`t mind me joining.

I am almost thirty, from London and just learning to drive.
I have passed my theory test a year ago (thanks Nintendo DS!) and scored the full marks. :O

I have finally started with my practical lessons a month ago, so far 18 lessons with my (very patient) instructor.

I find the driving in London petrifying, and keep stalling the bloody car. My driving test is 13/9, so less than 2 months to go.

I am actually fairly bright but while driving all the sense of multitasking just leaves me. I can remember to check my mirrors, get my biting point ready, handbrake goes down.... then car jumps forward because I forgot to put it into first gear.. then I panic and stall car twice more (specially usefull @ roundabouts).

I have mastered emergency breaking(useful!)and reverse parking the first time. The corner manouvre is ok-ish. On Monday, it will be hill start.

I actually think, it is the other drivers which make us all nervous (at least in London). They are not patient at all...

Hello londongirl
Hope your hill start went ok?

Yout test is 3 days before mine
I'm so far off ready though, I'm debating whether to move it- but then if I do, I feel I may not even be ready then!

Agree with you about other drivers, even small things like speed bumps- surely they must know if they are behind an L plated car, the driver will be being encouraged to drive sloooowwly over the bumps, and therefore racing up behind them is not a good plan?!

Hi all!

Londongirl, welcome to the thread Agree re. drivers, some of them are plain awful. I had 2 of them tailgating me the other day and swerving to try and see if they could take over JUST because I was going at 30mph - as the signs said They flashed by as soon as they had room, WTF? The max speed was 30! Sometimes it seems the "L" plates put them off just in case we do something wrong

Blackfly, totally agree. Idiots!

Sugar, thanks for all the info. Yes, that's what we did, put DH as owner but me as main (and only) driver, as that's how things will be. I'm still a bit shocked at the prices, though, the cheapest I got was £742.

Naughtymummy, thanks for that message, and congrats on passing your test! Happy driving!

SOH, hi! How are things?

Drloves, I wish it were my age but it isn't, I'm 29. Hope your quotes don't look as bad as mine, fingers crossed!

I've been driving quite a lot (with DH) these last few days. My parking is not bad but my reversing is awful. Will have to practise more. I haven't booked my test yet, I'm procrastinating, girls

Waves to all

It's been quiet here. Hope everyone's busy driving around

I have a lesson tomorrow morning, it'll be full of manoeuvres so fingers crossed!!

Waves to all

Ahhh Ive found the thread again!!!

I passed my theory with flying colours, everybody said I had no chance because I hadnt revised. I read the highway code the night before and that did the job!!

Practical is booked for Tuesday 21st September at 10.40am

Have a lesson tomorrow 5pm, nice and busy!

I have no idea what my insurance costs... I know it cost me nothing to be added to the insurance on DH's car because when they said it wouldnt be anything extra he was like "are you sure? She cant drive! It's a BMW?!?"
I think im a named driver for my car though...

Refuse to drive DH's car now im sick of him flinching when I drive past cars.

Hello, tis SOH. Sorry I've been in absentia, have been backwards and forwards to the hospital for the last fortnight. DH just about recovered and then my Grandmother fell poorly and was admitted. She's much better and might even be discharged this weekend. She is 85 and a bit creaky, just moved from tablet controlled to insulin controlled diabetes so her body's struggling a bit.

Driving sort of took a back seat for a while. Did you see what I did there? Did you?

drloves, bugger. Just think of it of getting all the mistakes out of the way. I am expecting a perfect test from you soon.

I am VERY excited about the idea of a DS theory game. Will search in a minute. Bet it's not as good as mario though. Have learnt bugger all theory. Did read a good book about the social history of the UK between the World Wars though. Much more interesting.

I drove from my parents' house to our house last week, about 28 miles, some country, some city. Did okay. Do scream a little bit every time something comes in the opposite direction though. Even use 5th now. , haven't stalled once on an actual road yet. I make up for this faultless record by still veering left for no apparent reason and failing to come up slowly on the clutch every time when moving from 3rd to 4th or 4th to 5th.

DH is utterly fed up with the way people treat me as a learner. I can drive perfectly and they tut and veer round me at the first available opportunity. He was driving the other day and somebody pulled alongside us (windows down) and called him a 'fing useless learner' and told him to 'fck off the road'. He reached over calmly, took out his warrant card from the glovebox, held it up and politely explained he was no learner and would he like to be arrested? Guy screeched off. Twas v funny.

Right, DS lite...

It was free to add me to dh's insurance too (premium was only a couple of months away from renewal).

We're with LV. Find them very good.

Yes, it was free to add me to DH's insurance as a learner driver. However, his insurance doesn't accept the addition of a second car, so I had to shop around...

Ogre, yay! Fifth, well done you Oh, I can picture the face of the guy when your DH gently explained he was not a learner and asked if he would like to be arrested, ha! I'm also quite fed up with people overtaking JUST BECAUSE, even though I'm going at the right speed and not being a "burden" in any way. Asses! Weren't they learners?

Amazing, well done you! And well done on reading the HC I never touched the thing! iphone app mock test after mock test did the trick for me, and I passed with only 1 mistake Hope your DH relaxes a bit, tell him he's making YOU nervous.

Can I just clarify that dh wasn't driving along berating this prick chap? We'd pulled up at traffic lights.

Just marking my place on this scary fabulous thread as I intend to start lessons asap.
I am 46 [!] and have never driven but have 3 DDs and have moved further away from school so need to learn.
What do I need to do first? Apply for a provisional? I had one years ago does that matter?

Provisionals do expire. Is it 10yrs? Mine expired, had it at 17, am 29 now. Was also in my maiden name so I just ordered a new one (didn't specify it was a replacement or anything). Order one asap as they take up to 3 weeks to come through. If you have a passport with one of those ID thingies (most modern ones do, mine's 6yrs old and does) you can do it online, at the post office or the local DVLA office. Costs £50 which is just the first of many expenses. Don't be surprised if when you get it through it looks like a blardy mugshot. Mine's awful.

Obviously you'll then need insurance and l plates if you're going out with a family member but if you have lessons they have the insurance as part of your lesson price.

Do not be disheartened when the beginning bit's tough. I'm 4 weeks in and I swear the moving off without stalling and getting out of first is the hardest bit.

Welcome.

Hello again.
I loved the story OgreRebel, I can just imagine the man`s face :O
Provisional expires after 10 years, and also you only have 2 years after you pass your theory test to pass the practical one.

Back to driving this week, my instructor took me to 50!!! mph road on Monday, I have almost died, it was so scary. Afterwards I took a turn to 30mph road and it felt soo slow to be driving at that speed.
He said he did it to give me confidence. It seems to have worked, because today I was the "aggresive" driver, one tw*t tried push himself into my lane at the roundabout and I didnt let him. It was well funny although it earned me ticking off from instructor. Basically if this was a test I would have failed because I should have spotted him and let him in... he was causing accidental situation and I would fail bcause of that. Apart from that we almost had an accident. On another roundabout, I stopped and then slowly started creeping forward. Then there was a slowly driving car. I would have easily made it but instructor slammed the brakes and stalled my car . Apparently I need to let him through. Sometimes it feels like you cant win...
You go too slow, then too fast. Anyway, the rest of the two hours went fast and I was even enjoying the experience .
My 1st gear is definitelly smoother and I haven`t stalled the car once.
Good luck ladies, it will get better...

I was took on a 50 mile an hour road the first time I ever went behind the wheel. Was scary for the first mile or so but you're right about it feeling like you are crawling along once you get into a built up area.

My instructor says I drive like a teenage boy. I think thats bad! If im being overtaken I automatically put my foot down, I know I shouldnt but it seems like my foot has a mind of its own!

I seem to be actually driving now. Just need to fine tune my mirrors and stop relying on my instructor to be my eyes and I should be ok.

Hi all!

Sugar, hope the lesson went well

OR, how's your grandma? Hope she's out of hospital now and a bit better.

Amazing, at your foot having a mind of its own. But it's true, I also hate being overtaken for no reason, esp when we're all in a queue... where do they think they'll go?

Londongirl, I agree, sometimes you can't win, if you go because you go, if you wait too much because you wait too much I'm terrified of the possibility of the examiner hitting the brakes just because he was not sure of what I was going to do... I'm seriously thinking of taking the test in DH's car (or mine) Glad you enjoyed the rest of the lesson

Flymeto, welcome to the thread

Well, I've finally sorted my car insurance. I found a good deal with LV for £600 instead of £710 as they had first quoted me, just for adding DH as an additional driver I asked them whether the fact that he was an experienced driver with no claims etc had made the difference, and they said, "no, it's just because he's your husband" Well, it's cheaper so I don't care about the reason

Hope you're all having a good weekend, waves!

Hello everyone!

I've not posted for a little while because I had a serious confidence crisis and decided to give up.
A van with hazards on suddenly pulled off on the other side of the road and drove straight on the side of me! I braked hard at the same time as instructor did ( nearly wet myself for real!) it didn't hit us, carried on with hazards on but I was on a 2 hour lesson, and this was within the 1st minute, cos we were on my street, so I spent 1hr 59 min close to tears (wimp!)

Got home, and though sod this, it's all too frightening out there!
But I'm dusted down now, and it's all good again, so it's back in the saddle seat for me!

Going to have a look at a car tomorrow, it's a banger, but I just want it to practice my corner reverse and right turns in! Getting a bit panicked now, don't want the test here and me still taking rights a bit wide!

OR- that's hilarious, good on your DH, shame other people have to be such tossers though eh?

Sugar- I get the toilet trouble too!

Hope everything is going well for everyone

Oh, blackfly, That must have been terrifying for you. I'm so sorry it put you off for a few days, and you felt like giving up. I would have wept my way through the lesson without a doubt, what an utter ass (the other driver, that is). Glad to know you're back behind the wheel now

Thanks Gauchita- seems a lifetime ago, but it was only tuesday!
The lesson was just so awful, I don't normally have 2 hour lessons either. Because of the school hols I had to try to fit around when my mum can babysit- just seemed to go onnnn and onnnn.
Suppose I had to experience a big fright sooner or later though!

Got a lift home from the doctors today from a friend I hadn't seen for a few months. Was so great to see her in her car, we used to do the school run together, and get soaking in the rain together- neither of us with a driving licence and cursing the fact!
She passed her test 10 weeks ago age 34, and is driving like she was born to.

It'll be all of us soon!

Blackfly, I can only imagine. After such fright you must have been left quite shaken, and understandably so. I do the same, work lessons around DH's timetable so that he can stay with DD (no family near).

Aw, well done your friend! I can't wait to pass but at the same time, the idea of driving on my own (and with DD on the back seat!) scares the c... out of me! Hope I'm not alone in this feeling

Learning to drive driving you mad - NO, BUT THE FUCKING DVLA ARE.

Between 2000 and 2005 I applied for and received my provisional licence. At that time I had a different surname and was living at a different address.

In 2006 I got married and in 2007 my husband and I moved into our first house. My surname changed and so did my address, so, my provisional driving licence also had to change.

I filled in the relevant form, sent off my driving licence with paper counterpart, my passport (which is in my married name) and my marriage certificate. These were all sent back to me with no explanation as to why my details couldn't be changed.

I sent everything back to the DVLA a further 4 times and each time they sent everything back with no explanation.

Now even though I held a provisional driving licence, it was more for ID and I'd never learnt to drive.

In 2008 my husband and I had our first child and I decided to start learning to drive. I sent everything to the DVLA and yet again, everything was sent back. I went ahead with the lessons in my maiden name and old address. I wasn't really gelling with my instructor, or getting anything out of the lessons and as I was learning with BSM, it was becoming quite costly, so I gave up.

In January of this year, my husband and I found out that we were expecting our third child (miscarried second in November 2009), due 14th October. I decided to get serious about driving, with the intention of passing the theory and practical before the baby is born.

Because of all the aforementioned trouble with amending the details on my provisional, I decided to just apply for a new one, which I received within a week.

Unfortunately, they had me down as a MISS not MRS and I was told by the DSA, DVLA and BSM that this would affect my being able to take the theory and practical tests. So the same day I received it, I sent it back to be amended. That was the beginning of July.

I have been taking drving lessons with BSM since the start of May and I'm ready to take my theory. My instructor feels I am very close to being able to take the practical and assures me that I am a much better driver than I think I am.

However, I cannot do either until I get a driving licence from the muppets at the DVLA.

Every Friday I call to chase it up and every Friday I'm told something different.

Firstly, they couldn't tell me where it was. Then they told me I was being investigated for having 2 provisional drving licences, then they told me it was with the medical department as I had a medical condition - this came as a suprise as aside from being pregnant, I don't have any medical conditions and to the best of my knowledge pregnancy is not classed as a medical condition. The Friday before last I was told that it had been sent out and last Friday I was told that it was being dealt with.

I am very to say the least.

The customer services manager has been written to, as has the cheif executive and I have asked him to pass this on to the relevant complaints body.