Learning to drive

[rosiela]

Does it ever become enjoyable?!

I have had maybe 6ish lessons so far, 2 hrs once a week. I don’t actually mind them but find myself dreading them beforehand.

I don’t think I’m a very good learner as my personality type is one that expects very high standards from myself and I’m not good at being bad at something so I stress out about making mistakes even though obviously I will make them!

I can’t get to grips yet with looking at so many different places at once, and have no idea how anyone ever does it. My instructor keeps saying it’s just a case of confidence and practice, which I’m sure must be right, it just feels so difficult!

Did anyone else struggle and then found that it just clicked?

[sw16]

I used to hate having lessons. I got so stressed especially at traffic lights or roundabouts. It was just a case of building confidence and getting used to it and now it's just second nature and I don't even think about it. I passed my test on the first go!

[klr15]

Yes, that was me when I was learning to drive!

I had planned to have driving lessons at around 19, didn’t get the courage until I was 22, I only did it because my best friend was, although she was having automatic lessons and I was having manual.

I had about 25 hours with my first instructor, I would feel sick leading up to it, shaking ect even had to stop a couple of times and i hated all my lessons.

He upset me one lesson by making fun of me so I ditched him and got another instructor, who frankly saved my learning to drive plans as he was brilliant.

Don’t get me wrong, I still suffered with nerves before hand but my confidence grew with him and I passed my test last July after around a year with him.

I am a still a bit of an odd driver, I don’t enjoy it, but I am confident, I don’t get nerves or anything now unless I need to use a busy car park (I usually avoid now!)

You will get there, the more practice you have at driving the more confidence you get because you know you know what you’re doing! Just trust in yourself and you’ll get there!

[Bianca]

Hi

Are you getting lots of practice in-between lessons? I think it clicks more easily and smoothly the more you do it. ...As new neural pathways are formed.

Lessons are important, but practice is equally as important.

[rosiela]

Roundabouts are my enemy just now, I find them really tricky and then when there’s a gap I nearly miss it by being slow. I’m just thinking how does this become second nature?

I’m having automatic lessons and most family friends etc drive manual so a bit tricky for practicing in between at the moment.

[Bianca]

Originally Posted by rosiela

Roundabouts are my enemy just now, I find them really tricky and then when there’s a gap I nearly miss it by being slow. I’m just thinking how does this become second nature?

I’m having automatic lessons and most family friends etc drive manual so a bit tricky for practicing in between at the moment.

See more...

You might need a few extra lessons, then? And to be patient with yourself!

If you can find a way to practice - that speeds up it becoming second nature. Like learning a musical instrument or speaking a new language - the more you do it, the more natural it becomes for you.

It can also help if you can go somewhere very quiet to practise the basics of driving your car, without the extra issues of junctions, busy traffic, roundabouts etc.. That'll make it easier for you when you are out on busier roads with more to think about.

[rosiela]

Yes I might book more lessons per week as I get into it if I can’t get anyone to practice with.

Saying that I haven’t even done that many lessons yet so I’m probably just overthinking it!

So far, I feel okay while driving straight along a road and doing basic turns so maybe I can just do that forever more.

[Lola]

It took me ages to pass my test years ago and DD was the same when she learnt. Now it’s second nature and I can’t imagine not driving. Just be patient.

[ERICSMUM]

You need patience, learning to drive is very difficult. Personally I went through 2 or 3 instructors without making much progress. Then my next instructor really ‘clicked’ and I started enjoying the lessons and got more confident.

I agree with suggestions of more practice, otherwise it’s easy to forget stuff inbetween lessons !

[archibald]

I think that it's an insane idea to get people to learn how to drive actually on the road. It would make much more sense to me to learn the mechanics of driving in a safe environment, then once you can drive, learn the road stuff. I had been driving for years before I was 17, so moving off/changing gear/reversing etc was already there. All I had to do was concentrate on the highway code type of stuff. It must be so difficult to learn to do the both together.