Driving lesson victories and woes.

[ItWillNeverWork]

So I'm learning to drive at the moment with four lessons a week. It's going well overall and I'm progressing faster than most, apparently. Today, however, I had a really crappy lesson with lots of stalling. It's always when other cars are about too. It's like my brain just seizes up and refuses to do what it's told. Anyway, it's just one lesson, and the last one was pretty good so maybe it was just an off day.

So what are your own learner-driver worries and successes? Share them here and get a bit of comfort, support or even bragging/congratulations.

 

[fractionMan]

Get an automatic. That's what I've done.

They're a piece of piss to drive. Seriously, it's sooo much harder to fuck up in an automatic.

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

Get an automatic. That's what I've done.

They're a piece of piss to drive. Seriously, it's sooo much harder to fuck up in an automatic.

Can you get automatic vans? Main reason I'm learning to drive, tbh.

 

[Plumdaff]

With me, it just took time. It was a useful lesson in acceptance, sometimes I just had shitty lessons.
You're teaching your body a physical skill. A lot of it is repetition and forward planning.

I think the fact that I was forced to take longer, having a baby in the middle of learning, paid dividends in the end, as I was a much more confident driver after I passed.

Have night lessons, try to have lessons in all weather within reason, if you're not feeling challenged or progressing consider whether you're with the right instructor. I found two hour classes twice a week was best but it does bloody cost.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Get an automatic. That's what I've done.

They're a piece of piss to drive. Seriously, it's sooo much harder to fuck up in an automatic.

Don't you have to pass the test in a manual? At least if you want to have that option in the future.

 

[Sirena]

I'm glad I passed mine a few years ago. Then, the Highway Code was a slim booklet. Now, I understand it's a hefty volume.

In my test, I got asked three questions from the Highway Code and I get all of them wrong but I passed anyway because the Tester was happy I was a confident driver.

 

[pogofish]

Can you get automatic vans? Main reason I'm learning to drive, tbh.

You do but if you are looking to drive for a living, they are like hen's teeth. Similarly, even if you do find one for yourself, the potential for financial-hell as a result of a fucked second-hand automatic is a lot worse than for a manual.

Lastly, if you do pass your test on an auto, you will be limited to driving autos until you retake your test on a geared vehicle, so keep going for that first.

If you are mainly stalling and gear-crunching when other vehicles are about, its maybe a stress/nervousness thing rather than your inability to drive. Try looking into ways of destressing/not getting wound-up by other road users (sometimes not an easy task, I know!)

 

[pogofish]

I'm glad I passed mine a few years ago. Then, the Highway Code was a slim booklet. Now, I understand it's a hefty volume.

You are actually advised to re-read the Highway Code every so-often, to keep abreast with any changes. Its not a read once and forget thing!

 

[TopCat]

Machine control comes with practice. Don't fret and don't start training on an automatic. Study the Highway code, be aware of all other road users. it will be fine.

 

[fractionMan]

You do but if you are looking to drive for a living, they are like hen's teeth. Similarly, even if you do find one for yourself, the potential for financial-hell as a result of a fucked second-hand automatic is a lot worse than for a manual.

Lastly, if you do pass your test on an auto, you will be limited to driving autos until you retake your test on a geared vehicle, so keep going for that first.

If you are mainly stalling and gear-crunching when other vehicles are about, its maybe a stress/nervousness thing rather than your inability to drive. Try looking into ways of destressing/not getting wound-up by other road users (sometimes not an easy task, I know!)

I failed three times. Gears suck.

 

[fractionMan]

Can you get automatic vans? Main reason I'm learning to drive, tbh.

yup. But if its for work then like you say in the UK you need a manual.

 

[pogofish]

I failed three times. Gears suck.

True that for some folk there is no other way to get through their test.

 

[fractionMan]

True that for some folk there is no other way to get through their test.

yup, I suck at driving

It's also true that for 90% of the population there's zero reason to learn to drive a manual.

You don't have to write your own web browser either. The technology is there, so why bother?

 

[DexterTCN]

So I'm learning to drive at the moment with four lessons a week. It's going well overall and I'm progressing faster than most, apparently. Today, however, I had a really crappy lesson with lots of stalling. It's always when other cars are about too. It's like my brain just seizes up and refuses to do what it's told. Anyway, it's just one lesson, and the last one was pretty good so maybe it was just an off day.

So what are your own learner-driver worries and successes? Share them here and get a bit of comfort, support or even bragging/congratulations.

Firstly...you always have a down-swing before you get better.

Secondly...my experience (and it is a brag).

Never gave a toss about driving. One day, aged 29, a mate offers me a car for £100. I buy it.

After two lessons...and about 8 hours driving illegally...a neighbour notices I have a car and says a take-away in a nearby town is looking for a delivery driver (assuming I have a license and just got a car).

Sure, I say.

6 months later I take another 6 lessons and pass the test (total lessons...8). After that I give up the delivery job. Driving can be stress relief and stress causing.

 

[marty21]

You are actually advised to re-read the Highway Code every so-often, to keep abreast with any changes. Its not a read once and forget thing!

 

[marty21]

I failed three times. Gears suck.

I failed 5 times (gave up after 3rd for about 10 years) passed on the 6th attempt - I'll always remember Chingford with affection (for no.6 test, not for 4 and 5 ) gears were a bugger to master, but once you do, you wonder why you had a problem with them in the first place

 

[Ax^]

tis learning to drive atm


don't use bill plant..


stuck with the f_ckers due to having spent to much time with an audi a3 with an automatic handbrake

plus like any chain of instructors they tend to try ever attempt to use you as a cash cow

 

[dessiato]

I took four lessons and passed first time. I first learned to drive as a kid on some waste land near us so by the time I took the test I had driven for many years. I'd had my first accident at fourteen, driven Lincolnshire to London and back at sixteen.

 

[Cid]

I failed 5 times (gave up after 3rd for about 10 years) passed on the 6th attempt - I'll always remember Chingford with affection (for no.6 test, not for 4 and 5 ) gears were a bugger to master, but once you do, you wonder why you had a problem with them in the first place

Yeah, exactly that... Think I failed 3/4 times (didn't help that I developed some sort of deep-seated fear of the examiner - kept getting the same guy). With gears I think it's as much about the hours you put in getting everything into muscle memory as it is about any innate ability. Also things get much easier as soon as you pass the test, simply because the dread you've been feeling for the past x years has been replaced by overwhelming relief.

 

[Mungy]

back in 2002/3 I was having driving lessons. I was really nervous. One lesson I am approaching temporary traffic lights and said to the instructor "Erm there are traffic light here what do I do now?"
he was on his mobile phone talking to someone. "they weren't here before" he said.
He was on his mobile phone, the fucking bastard. It all shit me up and I haven't driven since.

I'm going to start lessons again though, living in rural Wales it is kind of necessary. It will be an automatic.

 

[Artaxerxes]

I'm applying for a provisional again soon (original expired 4 years ago) which shows how long I've been meaning to drive. I've taken about 10 lessons in my life, I can do it but I just can't be fagged learning to do it as a regular thing, or buying a car which is why I've put it off (plus, London, I have no space to sleep, where the fuck do I put a car?)

The intent is going to be to get the code bit done then spend on a few days intensive course to get it out of the way and get the test passed, anyone tried anything similar?

 

[Kanda]

Steal cars/diggers and shit when young. Done me well

 

[marty21]

Yeah, exactly that... Think I failed 3/4 times (didn't help that I developed some sort of deep-seated fear of the examiner - kept getting the same guy). With gears I think it's as much about the hours you put in getting everything into muscle memory as it is about any innate ability. Also things get much easier as soon as you pass the test, simply because the dread you've been feeling for the past x years has been replaced by overwhelming relief.

examiner 4 who failed me, passed me on attempt 6 - it actually put me at ease when I recognised him - there had been a real change of style between my 3rd failure in about 1987 and my 4th failure 10 years later - previously they had been sgt major types and and they just made me more nervous. 10 years later they were chatty and friendly and it did put me more at ease (even though I managed to fail twice more )

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

Just finished a two-hour session and I have to say I was the bees knees. The driving lesson went well too.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Steal cars/diggers and shit when young. Done me well

Or, learn to drive tractors on the farm when you're a kid.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Just finished a two-hour session and I have to say I was the bees knees. The driving lesson went well too.

Good Luck!

With practice it'll all drop into place and you won't even have to think about shifting and such.

 

[el-ahrairah]

i'm learning at the moment. until today i'd had 5 lessons and it had all gone really well, the instructor was like " you're a natural, you will be an easy pass" but today's lesson did not go well. i was a bit hungover and my timing was well off. after a couple of near misses i lost my nerve and kept fucking up more! ho hum, will try not to be in pain for the next one.

 

[gentlegreen]

Ride motorcycles for 7 years then buy a Reliant 3 wheeler and drive it round the block to find out how it works - then take another 7 years to get around to taking your test.
What I wish I'd done was ride a push bike for 7 years before getting on a motorcycle at 17 ...
But based on my current experience, I might never have found the motivation to add an engine.

But it's useful knowledge for a cyclist to have, and I will need to drive again at some point.

 

[weltweit]

I learnt to ride motorbikes, learnt about roadcraft & passed my test first time, then I learnt to drive a car, having driven tractors, I had some lessons and then passed my car test first time.

Don't do your test in an automatic! It limits you far too much. A decent driving instructor will be able to teach you how to drive with a stick shift easily. You need a good instructor, that is all.

 

[killer b]

I'm winning at driving lessons right now. I passed my theory test last week (having failed to even open a copy of the highway code ) and my instructor reckons I'll be good for the test in the next few weeks! AND it's really good fun driving and I'm kicking myself I didn't learn before now.