It's daunting

Tipsy McSwagger

I'm 36 and decided to learn to drive a couple of months ago and have had 4 lessons so far and a few hours with the father in law. When I got behind the wheel for the first time in my instructors car I was totally inept and couldn't even turn round a bend. Now I can drive 80 mph down a road, indicate, slow down and turn left or right, I have definitely improved but nerves are leading to confusion which are leading to mistakes.

I was very disappointed with my last lesson mainly down to roundabouts. There is just so much to take in and do when approaching and driving through a roundabout that I get flustered. I also find it difficult to find the bite, stopping & starting, and my foot sometimes is still on the accelator when braking (it doesn't happen in my father in laws car). It's daunting.

M.J.M.C

Congrats on taking such a big step
Yeah it can be daunting, but just remember - nobody is a perfect driver so just be watching other people's driving as much as your own and stay safe

Tipsy McSwagger

M.J.M.C wrote: »

Congrats on taking such a big step
Yeah it can be daunting, but just remember - nobody is a perfect driver so just be watching other people's driving as much as your own and stay safe

The number 1 piece of advice seems to be to presume every other driver is an idiot

Blingy

Congrats as you have done the hardest part which is getting into the car for the first time and driving. All the things you mention will improve with lots of practice. Concentrate and take it slowly. It takes time to learn a new skill. Best of luck.

sogood

Yes, it can be daunting. There is a lot to take in and be aware of, but this all improves and becomes second nature over time. But give it time, it will happen. Just cast your mind back to some thing you had to learn at some time in the past. Do you remember thinking "I'm never going to do this!"?

But you did. Best of luck with it.

spurious

80 mph? You might slow down a bit.:)

I started driving cars in my 40s and my late father always said 'Expect them all to be morons, because many of them are'. He was right. You also eventually develop a sixth sense about the idiots on the road and can almost predict they will do something stupid.

Windorah

Stick with it! Iv heard people say they were born drivers and if that's the case I was born to be a pedestrian! Driving did not come easy to me!

I remember I used to feel like I needed a shower after driving lessons because I'd sweat so much from stress!!!

I also used to cry when my instructor brought me to one particular hill....

If I can learn to drive, anyone can!

Lots of practice and it will come... Look at all the idiots on the road. They have licenses!!

Tipsy McSwagger

Windorah wrote: »

Stick with it! Iv heard people say they were born drivers and if that's the case I was born to be a pedestrian! Driving did not come easy to me!

I remember I used to feel like I needed a shower after driving lessons because I'd sweat so much from stress!!!

I also used to cry when my instructor brought me to one particular hill....

If I can learn to drive, anyone can!

Lots of practice and it will come... Look at all the idiots on the road. They have licenses!!

Cheers.

matt70iu

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

I'm 36 and decided to learn to drive a couple of months ago and have had 4 lessons so far and a few hours with the father in law. When I got behind the wheel for the first time in my instructors car I was totally inept and couldn't even turn round a bend. Now I can drive 80 mph down a road, indicate, slow down and turn left or right, I have definitely improved but nerves are leading to confusion which are leading to mistakes.

I was very disappointed with my last lesson mainly down to roundabouts. There is just so much to take in and do when approaching and driving through a roundabout that I get flustered. I also find it difficult to find the bite, stopping & starting, and my foot sometimes is still on the accelator when braking (it doesn't happen in my father in laws car). It's daunting.

Remember that feeling as if it were yesterday. My first instructor pushed me too far before I was ready though. He had me driving on a busy road on my 2nd lesson!

I asked him to take me back off the road again till I was more comfortable with the controls etc. If it's too overwhelming, tell your instructor, remember it's your lesson:)

Best of luck

Tipsy McSwagger

The funny thing is he surprised me on the third lesson by doing the roundabouts near the end of my lesson, but I knew I was doing them on my fourth lesson and messed them up.

ProudDUB

Why not go somewhere late on a Sunday evening, where there are lots of roundabouts, but little traffic? Then you can practice going around them as much as you want, without feeling as if you are being a hassle to other drivers.

sopretty

ProudDUB wrote: »

Why not go somewhere late on a Sunday evening, where there are lots of roundabouts, but little traffic? Then you can practice going around them as much as you want, without feeling as if you are being a hassle to other drivers.

If you've an industrial estate near you, they are abandoned usually in the evenings and weekends and frequently have roundabouts. Handy to get used to the roundabouts in a calmer environment.

Tipsy McSwagger

Haven't bought a car yet but that's something I will do once I get one.

I Am_Not_Ice

I began driving at 29 and genuinely thought I was one of those poor unfortunates who would need to take the test at least ten times before passing; I was a bag of nerves every time I sat behind the wheel, prone to every mistake in the book. As disheartening as those early days were, my confidence did improve, and I began to believe in my ability to drive competently and safely. As it turns out, it was a case of third time's a charm and I finally passed my test last October, three and a half years after taking my first lesson. I can honestly say that one of the best moments of my life was watching the tester fill in my Certificate of Competency - I felt like doing a jig on the middle of the office! Yes it is daunting, but you can do it. Scratch that, you WILL do it.

Best of luck!

Tipsy McSwagger

I Am_Not_Ice wrote: »

I began driving at 29 and genuinely thought I was one of those poor unfortunates who would need to take the test at least ten times before passing; I was a bag of nerves every time I sat behind the wheel, prone to every mistake in the book. As disheartening as those early days were, my confidence did improve, and I began to believe in my ability to drive competently and safely. As it turns out, it was a case of third time's a charm and I finally passed my test last October, three and a half years after taking my first lesson. I can honestly say that one of the best moments of my life was watching the tester fill in my Certificate of Competency - I felt like doing a jig on the middle of the office! Yes it is daunting, but you can do it. Scratch that, you WILL do it.

Best of luck!

Thanks, it helps a lot when others say it was very hard for them and it's not just me

I Am_Not_Ice

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

Thanks, it helps a lot when others say it was very hard for them and it's not just me

No problem. The best advice I can give you is to just practice; drive as often as you can, practicing your maneuvers as you go along. That might sound a tad trite, but it's true. It took me two failed tests to realize that I needed to drive every day, even if it was only as far as the local shops - every little helps. You will make mistakes, we all do. I stalled my car more times in that first year of driving than I care to remember. I still make silly mistakes, even with a full license, but the trick is to not be put off by them. Just have faith and you'll be motoring in no time!

Tipsy McSwagger

5th lesson today and handled the roundabouts a lot better than last time. Still need a lot of work on my stopping & starting though.

matt70iu

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

5th lesson today and handled the roundabouts a lot better than last time. Still need a lot of work on my stopping & starting though.

Give it time. Clutch control is a very difficult thing to master and biting points vary vastly from car to car. Remembering to put the clutch in before you stall was a sticking point for me if I remember correctly:)

Keep at it and you confidence will grow!

Matt

Tipsy McSwagger

matt70iu wrote: »

Give it time. Clutch control is a very difficult thing to master and biting points vary vastly from car to car. Remembering to put the clutch in before you stall was a sticking point for me if I remember correctly:)

Keep at it and you confidence will grow!

Matt

When I was practising stopping I was putting the clutch down just before fully braking and not clutch & brake at the same time. I found this way a lot easier to stop the car but my instructor wants me to clutch & brake at the same time which is hard to do.

ProudDUB

Two words.

Automatic car.

matt70iu

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

When I was practising stopping I was putting the clutch down just before fully braking and not clutch & brake at the same time. I found this way a lot easier to stop the car but my instructor wants me to clutch & brake at the same time which is hard to do.

Yeah my instructor used to tell me to listen for when the car is about to cut out then put the clutch down, problem is I used to cut out before I got the chance:) You'll get the hang of it!

ProudDUB wrote: »

Two words.

Automatic car.

Know a lad that went down this route. He said his reason was something along the lines of when he was a kid, he had developed an impression of driving that consists of push one pedal to go and push one pedal to stop.

Guess I can see the logic. I much much much prefer a manual, unless I'm driving a twin turbo auto:)

ProudDUB

matt70iu wrote: »

Yeah my instructor used to tell me to listen for when the car is about to cut out then put the clutch down, problem is I used to cut out before I got the chance:) You'll get the hang of it!



Know a lad that went down this route. He said his reason was something along the lines of when he was a kid, he had developed an impression of driving that consists of push one pedal to go and push one pedal to stop.

Guess I can see the logic. I much much much prefer a manual, unless I'm driving a twin turbo auto:)

Well each to their own. I can drive both, but I much prefer an automatic, especially for all the stop/start driving that you have to do in Dublin. A lot of us are NOT petrol heads. We don't secretly think that we are Aryton Senna every time we get behind the wheel of a car. Some of us don't even know, (or care) what the phrase 'turbo charged' even means. (Shocking right? )

Some of us just want to get from A to B in the easiest, most hassle free way possible. If you are one of those people for whom driving/changing gears/finding the biting point, does not come easy to you, an automatic car can remove a lot of the every day stress from your driving. People on here are ridiculously biased against automatic cars. The vast majority of the prejudices that people have about them, just aren't true imo.

matt70iu

ProudDUB wrote: »

Well each to their own. I can drive both, but I much prefer an automatic, especially for all the stop/start driving that you have to do in Dublin. A lot of us are NOT petrol heads. We don't secretly think that we are Aryton Senna every time we get behind the wheel of a car. Some of us don't even know or care what the phrase 'turbo charged' even means. (Shocking right? )

Some of us just want to get from A to B in the easiest, most hassle free way possible. If you are one of those people for whom driving/changing gears/finding the biting point, does not come easy to you, an automatic car can remove a lot of the every day stress from your driving. People on here are ridiculously biased against automatic cars. The vast majority of the prejudices that people have about them, just aren't true imo.

Well as you said, each to their own:) I wouldn't describe myself as a "petrol head" but I do like my cars. I also prefer the extra control of driving a manual.

From what I've seen on boards the main issue many have with autos is the fact that most cars are manual and if you were to pass your test with an auto, you can only drive an auto.

I personally have no downer on them, I just prefer a manual and can see why you may prefer an auto in Dublin traffic, which often is a nightmare!

kelfy

I began learning to drive in December and it took me a good six lessons before I felt comfortable! I did feel like a complete driving dunce. I'm still not a qualified driver but I'm not bad by any means. I still get freaked out if I am first in a line of traffic etc.
However, I have really started to notice that many qualified drivers are not very safe or efficient at all. I try to remember that I have just as much of a right to be on the road as anyone else, and any decision I make is the safest option, not the fastest!
I think driving is something that you need to always be improving - just because you pass your test does not mean you are a good driver, and many people have said things to me along the lines of "drive one way for your test and then drive however you like".

It took me a lot of practice to get to the stage where changing gears and setting off and braking happened without me having to think about them a lot. I was a bit worried it would never happen but it does. I used to feel very squeezed for time approaching a red light or slowing down and thinking "agh I have to gear down and indicate at the same time and I can't concentrate on the two at once!". Now it has become a more automatic process and I am much more relaxed!

It's not a bad idea to try and make it into a more enjoyable experience for yourself each lesson. I tried to do this by writing a little driving log after each lesson and before each one to keep track of what I had done well or needed to work on. I try to read over the rules of the road also to keep it fresh in my head - I find I know the rules but once I am in the car I get the panic mind blank! I also think of the options being able to drive will open up and trips I can make in Ireland in the car.

J_R

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

When I was practising stopping I was putting the clutch down just before fully braking and not clutch & brake at the same time. I found this way a lot easier to stop the car but my instructor wants me to clutch & brake at the same time which is hard to do.

Hi,

Alternatively,

In two words - change instructor.

Its crazy that he has you approaching roundabouts when you are unsure which foot to move first. A learner should only have to concentrate on one thing at a time. In your situation you should only be concentrating on the traffic, your feet being mostly controlled by your subconscience.

Go on a quiet road, select a landmark ahead, say a signpost. Assume that is the entrance of a roundabout. Slow down, so that at the signpost you are at the speed necessary to negotiate your imaginary roundabout. Then speed up do the same at another landmark.

Vary your speed, the distance from the signpost you first start to brake and also the speed at which you pass the signpost (1st, 2nd or 3rd gear speed). When you have mastered all possible combinations, start again but this time assume you must stop. Again practice at braking from different distances and speeds. When you are happys, substitute the sign for the real thing.

And you slow down by ABC, take you foot off the accelerater, brake, then when you have bled off most of the speed depress the clutch. Before any sign of the car labouring.

Only time you put in the clutch first if you are already travelling at the slowest speed possible for your gear.

Normally you do not brake first. I had a pupil who crashed, car complete write-off because she braked and clutched together. (The way she was taught by her previous instructor)

J_R

No EDIT button ?

Last para should have read

Normally you do not CLUTCH first. I had a pupil who crashed, car complete write-off because she braked and clutched together. (The way she was taught by her previous instructor)

One reason to brake first. You must ensure that the brakes actually work before depressing the clutch. Its why the above woman crashed.

uli84

I also find it all very daunting, seems like the more lesson i take, the worse i drive. Reversing around the corner just kills me. Lost my confidence at this stage and the test is coming. Sometimes just think it's not meant to be..

I Am_Not_Ice

uli84 wrote: »

Reversing around the corner just kills me.

I took my test three times. On the first two tests, I nailed the reverse around the corner without the slightest hiccup, yet ended up failing miserably overall. On my last test, I utterly ballsed-up the reverse around the corner to such a degree that the car ended up in the middle of the road into which I had reversed (crossed the white line and all!), and was completely crooked, with front end closer to the kerb than the back, yet I still managed to pass the test. My point is, try to not become fixated on what you think might let you down on the day; there's no better way of psyching yourself out than doing that. All you can do is your best.

Good luck!

ProudDUB

uli84 wrote: »

I also find it all very daunting, seems like the more lesson i take, the worse i drive. Reversing around the corner just kills me. Lost my confidence at this stage and the test is coming. Sometimes just think it's not meant to be..

Have you considered changing instructors? A decent driving instructor will work towards building your confidence, not make you do things that erode it.

Break down what specifically is making you nervous. Then try and tackle each one, one at a time.

The reverse around a corner is just one aspect of the test. It is possible to pass the test, even if you make a mess of it. If you mount the curb, it is an automatic grade three fail. But if you just touch it with your wheel, that is only a grade two mark. If you perform the manouver too slowly for the testers liking, you may get a grade two for lack of progress. If your road position afterwards is incorrect, you may get another one for poor road position. You can accumulate eight (I think) grade two marks before you fail the test. So getting a couple for just one part of the test, does not automatically mean that you have failed the entire test. Try and think positive.

Marenghi

The only thing to get over the nerves and develop skill is to practice. I only started driving recently already well into my 20s but I'm much better and more comfortable than when I started.
The thing that worked for me was to push myself to drive often, even if it was just a little bit. If you're having trouble get out on the road with an accompying driver and just get comfortable being behind the wheel.
Also if you feel you're not getting the most from lessons don't be afraid to try a different instructor. No point wasting money if it's not helping.

the_monkey

Im very frustrated, I got my license 4 years ago and haven't driven since, I was nervous about getting into a car again so I took a lesson yesterday.

Well I couldn't believe how SHÍT I was ... it's made things worse, no confidence, the f*cking car was cutting out ffs...

and I have a fing driving licence!!!

I thought these were skills one didn't forget ? like riding a bike ..

Blingy

the_monkey wrote: »

Im very frustrated, I got my license 4 years ago and haven't driven since, I was nervous about getting into a car again so I took a lesson yesterday.

Well I couldn't believe how SHÍT I was ... it's made things worse, no confidence, the f*cking car was cutting out ffs...

and I have a fing driving licence!!!

I thought these were skills one didn't forget ? like riding a bike ..

It's like most things if you haven't used a skill in a while it gets rusty. You just need a few practice sessions and it will all come back to you.

the_monkey

Blingy wrote: »

It's like most things if you haven't used a skill in a while it gets rusty. You just need a few practice sessions and it will all come back to you.

I hope - but yeah towards the end of the session (45 mins) it was a lot easier ..
ill take 2 more and see ...