How to stop cutting out under pressure

Troxck

So as the title says, I keep cutting out when at busy junctions, which annoys me because if there is no/little traffic I don't cut out. I feel under pressure from the traffic behind me. I have been driving for about 3-4 months and have done 7 lessons. I feel confident otherwise but then this happens and I just lose it all. Any advice at all the get rid of the "nerves"?

SamAK

First step - stop giving a damn what others think.
Keep letting the pressure get to you and you'll be driving in fear for the rest of your life. Anyway, it'll most likely disappear after a while.

biko

What you need is more practice. Once you feel confident that you're doing everything right the nervousness will go away.

spurious

There are people driving for years and years who still occasionally cut out. Don't see it as the end of the world and it won't be.

Days 298

Drive on Saturday mornings and Sundays. Find a steep hill and conquer it. You wont have trouble with the clutch again

whatlliwear

As someone said already try not to think about the people behind you. I started learning to drive 3 years ago and I felt exactly the same way. Just try and take your time and it will come to you after a bit of practice. Don't worry about the people behind- they had to learn once too

Troxck

Days 298 wrote: »

Drive on Saturday mornings and Sundays. Find a steep hill and conquer it. You wont have trouble with the clutch again

The thing is, it's not hill starts that get me, I can do them grand and I have never cut out when on a hill but once there's traffic behind me, I lose it and just cut out.

miss no stars

Troxck wrote: »

The thing is, it's not hill starts that get me, I can do them grand and I have never cut out when on a hill but once there's traffic behind me, I lose it and just cut out.

Getting good at hill starts without using the handbrake will plant it quite firmly in your muscle memory as to exactly where the biting point is. Alternatively, find somewhere quiet and spend an hour every day for a few days just moving off and holding on the clutch. You know how to move off, you just need to make the mechanics of it muscle memory.

Take your time at junctions, it doesn't matter how busy it is; you'll all get through eventually. If others haven't left themselves enough time then that's their problem! Just remember, every single driver on the road has been where you are. Even if they like to ignore/forget that, they've done the exact same. Oh and more haste less speed and all that...

jimgoose

Plenty good advice here. And remember, we all have two left feet occasionally. Best of luck! :cool:

Journeyman_1

Yep, its easy... practice, practice practice!!!

GraceC92

I'm the exact same! Started learning to drive back in October and I was grand in my instructor's car but once I got into my own I kept cutting out! On my third lesson I said it to my instructor and he literally spent nearly the whole lesson practicing stopping and starting with me and bringing me into busy areas. At the time I couldn't believe he was getting me to go into busy traffic when he knew how nervous I was but he knew exactly what he was doing! I feel so much more confident now even though the nerves do creep in sometimes! I know it's difficult but try not to think that others around you are judging you! I still struggle with this but it has gotten better with time and practice! Don't avoid busy areas, just get in there and try! Good luck

GreeBo

When you are going for a drive instead of just wandering around head into a car park or quiet road and practice just stopping and starting continuously, like 10 times in the space of 20m. You want to get to the stage where starting off and stopping is something that it doesnt even occur to you to think about, its 100% automatic.

And forget about everyone else, assuming you have your L-plates up then its their problem, we were all there.