Where did you learn how to drive?

Hammer89

Medusa need not answer.

Anywho, having passed my theory test with a perfect score of 40/40 before Christmas, I'm hoping to take to the road soon. I know the rules of the road. I know what every single sign means. I know that if your indicator is broken and you want to turn left, you need to stick your right arm out the window and do something of a 'wax on, wax off' motion. Basically, I know everything about driving - but I don't know how to drive.

That being said, I'll be getting lessons off a mate in the coming days hopefully and if anybody has any decent suggestions of location, in the South Dublin area, I'd like to hear them. He has suggested Sandyford industrial estate, which I don't particularly like because I can't think of an area the size of a golf course up there - and that's what I need. I need somewhere with plenty of land, no pedestrians or buildings.

boardsuser1

On the grounds of a mental hospital when i was 14

whatismyname

I didn't.

Jester252

In a field when I was 12 so my Granddad could look for mushrooms

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I learned how to drive a new holland before I was even let into the passenger seat of my parents cars! We started driving tractors in the fields at about 9. My father let us drive his jeep around the fields at about 13. Then graduated to driving around the house and reversing up and down the drive in the cars until I got my provisional. (16 for tractors, 17 for car), two driving lessons, did my test, full licence at 18.

Hammer89

LexieOnRale wrote: »

I learned how to drive a new holland before I was even let into the passenger seat of my parents cars! We started driving tractors in the fields at about 9. My father let us drive his jeep around the fields at about 13. Then graduated to driving around the house and reversing up and down the drive in the cars until I got my provisional. (16 for tractors, 17 for car), two driving lessons, did my test, full licence at 18.

Having got 40/40 on my theory test (have I mentioned that?) I can confirm that it is never permissible for children to drive a tractor.

Azalea

In a construction place - dunno exactly, they make cement there maybe? Anyway, it has a load of little lanes and mini junctions and stuff, so used to practise there of a Sunday. It was a handy reconstruction of reality. Well reality without the traffic. But great for those times when you are the only car whatsoever on the road.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Hammer89 wrote: »

Having got 40/40 on my theory test (have I mentioned that?) I can confirm that it is never permissible for children to drive a tractor.

Nope, it's not! But no harm done eh

Captain Chaos

Straight into Dublin city centre in rush hour traffic. My instructor just threw me in the deep end head first, I had never driven before ever at that point. Just had to learn fast.

No fields and empty side streets for me.

Peregrine

A little less interesting than the previous answers but, well, on a road. No mental hospitals, construction places or tractors and fields for me.

Junkyard Tom

Sinclair Spectrum mid 1980's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAjLL53g2U8

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

In a field in Newtownmountkennedy when I was about 12 or 13. My Dad, Grandad and Uncle used to chop up trees that fell during storms or strong winds. Sometimes my dad had to split logs and use a chainsaw, sometimes a couple of KMs away from the house which was on private land. Dad said it was important to know how to drive, just in case there was an emergency. It's only in the last couple of years that I realised the seriousness of those driving lessons. :eek:

Azalea

Learned some bits of driving on a golf course also. My dad was able to access handy places for teaching us driving, but not sure how great a driving instructor he was. :pac:

Easca Peasca

Fields. First with tractors and then with the auld lad's battered Hilux

Lia_lia

Started in a church carpark in Killarney. After a few weeks brought the car to Cork city and started driving to work everyday. Driving from the city centre to north side of the city. Not easy for a learner...lots of hills and narrow roads! Also had to learn how to parallel park...nightmare. Did the test in Killarney a few weeks ago and passed first time 6 months after getting the car. The test was extremely easy being honest. Maybe it was because I was used to driving in Cork city...Killarney is very quiet in January.

Anyway, start driving in traffic as soon as you can. Nervewrecking at the start but gets easier!

PC Lackey

Hammer89 wrote: »

Medusa need not answer.

Anywho, having passed my theory test with a perfect score of 40/40 before Christmas, I'm hoping to take to the road soon. I know the rules of the road. I know what every single sign means. I know that if your indicator is broken and you want to turn left, you need to stick your right arm out the window and do something of a 'wax on, wax off' motion. Basically, I know everything about driving - but I don't know how to drive.

Experienced driver here.

You say the above but you fail to mention the most import rule of the road that there is. And its the one that most inexperienced new drivers fail to know.
Also, it is the one which fills me with the most dread and concern.


That rule is as follows; unless there is reason to believe that the vehicle in question is a member of the emergency services you should never under ANY circumstances allow the douchebag in the golf/bmw/audi to drive up the inside lane/bus lane and skip in. In this situation you should concentrate on looking forward and move slowly so as to allow the cars behind you to do the same.

In fact charitable acts in general should be avoided for the first year of driving.

Del2005

Hammer89 wrote: »

Medusa need not answer.

Anywho, having passed my theory test with a perfect score of 40/40 before Christmas, I'm hoping to take to the road soon. I know the rules of the road. I know what every single sign means. I know that if your indicator is broken and you want to turn left, you need to stick your right arm out the window and do something of a 'wax on, wax off' motion. Basically, I know everything about driving - but I don't know how to drive.

That being said, I'll be getting lessons off a mate in the coming days hopefully and if anybody has any decent suggestions of location, in the South Dublin area, I'd like to hear them. He has suggested Sandyford industrial estate, which I don't particularly like because I can't think of an area the size of a golf course up there - and that's what I need. I need somewhere with plenty of land, no pedestrians or buildings.

You need to study more if you think that the hand signal for going left is "wax on wax off"

Best place to learn is with an ADI, if you don't have access to a banger and a field.

mixery

Early Need for Speed games.

Hammer89

Del2005 wrote: »

You need to study more if you think that the hand signal for going left is "wax on wax off"

Best place to learn is with an ADI, if you don't have access to a banger and a field.

Okay maybe I didn't describe it properly, but I know the signal. It was like that exercise I had to do in karate as a nipper, moving your arms around in a circular motion until it hurt.

Charles Babbage

On a TVO tractor.

Speedwell

In America, in 1983. As soon as I got my learner's permit, I literally hit a bird in flight. I was horrified. My father laughed. I asked Dad, an engineer, if I needed to learn to drive a car with a manual transmission. "No", he said, "you'll NEVER need to learn that; everything is going to be automatic transmission from now on". My 16-year-old brother got his learner's permit at the very first moment he was legally allowed to, and he and I went to the driving test together. He failed. I went next and passed (although it took me a long time to do the parallel parking, I finally did it and was perfect, heh). He was given a second chance on the mercy of the tester and passed that time, but he had told all of his friends that he was going to get his before his nerd big sister and had egg on his face.

Fast forward to 2011, when I had a two-month-long business trip in Aberdeen. The company rented me a small car, automatic transmission, of course. Americans are permitted to drive in the UK as visitors if they hold a full American license. "Siobhan", I asked the secretary, "I've never driven a car in the UK before. Could you meet me at the airport, please?". Siobhan did, and she went with me to the rental car pickup, and as soon as I was handed the keys, she said, "Meet you back at the hotel", and drove off. "Are you OK?" asked the rental car clerk. "Oh, I'm fine," I said. I got behind the wheel, drove off, and promptly drove through the bus-only lane, but recovered my dignity with white knuckles and somehow made it back to the hotel. I don't remember the trip but they tell me I managed not to kill anyone or hit anything. The next weekend I drove four hours into the Cairngorms and quite enjoyed myself, once I figured out why everyone behind me was honking and overtaking (I was reading the mph signs as kph), but I got sorted before I left Aberdeen city limits. Oh, and roundabouts, best left as an imaginative exercise for the reader. Siobhan said, "I don't even drive to the Cairngorms". Fair play, Siobhan.

I met my Irish husband on that trip, and we were married on my next trip. He brought me back to Ireland after a year together, and I bought a car. Manual transmission, thanks, Pop. :P I was scared to try driving it for four months, what a big baby. Passed the theory test 40/40. Got driving lessons and had a panic attack behind the wheel during the first one. FINALLY got it sorted, but it took seemingly forever (my husband doesn't drive due to an eye injury, so no help from that quarter). I got the really tough driving tester twice in a row for my driving test and the second time I failed by one single point. I'm waiting for the third test to be scheduled at the moment. I think the Universe is having too much fun with me. Thank goodness I work from home.

sandra06

Hammer89 wrote: »

Medusa need not answer.

Anywho, having passed my theory test with a perfect score of 40/40 before Christmas, I'm hoping to take to the road soon. I know the rules of the road. I know what every single sign means. I know that if your indicator is broken and you want to turn left, you need to stick your right arm out the window and do something of a 'wax on, wax off' motion. Basically, I know everything about driving - but I don't know how to drive.

That being said, I'll be getting lessons off a mate in the coming days hopefully and if anybody has any decent suggestions of location, in the South Dublin area, I'd like to hear them. He has suggested Sandyford industrial estate, which I don't particularly like because I can't think of an area the size of a golf course up there - and that's what I need. I need somewhere with plenty of land, no pedestrians or buildings.

best of luck to you i go down the country to a bog road to learn the basics clutch control hill starts etc ,,braking very important to ,,position on rd when driving ,,i learnt how to drive when i was 12 bringing my brothers home from pub not the best start to learning

foggy_lad

Basically learned from watching my Father driving from the middle of the back seat, I was the only one of 4/5 in the back who never fell asleep on long trips down the country almost weekly visiting relatives.

Forward to when I was about 16 and he asks if I want to give driving a go so I get to drive from Clane to Maynooth, worst journey of my life and it nearly killed my poor father! He kept yelling at me to keep out away from the ditch and how we'd both be killed! He was obviously seeing the road from a driver's perspective still so the ditch was much closer to him than it should have been, I took the auld banger up to 75 and he quietened down. He said I was a good driver when we got home but not to say anything to my Ma:D

TheLastMohican

The bumpers in Williams' arcade, Ballybunion circa 1960 :eek:

sandra06

foggy_lad wrote: »

Basically learned from watching my Father driving from the middle of the back seat, I was the only one of 4/5 in the back who never fell asleep on long trips down the country almost weekly visiting relatives.

Forward to when I was about 16 and he asks if I want to give driving a go so I get to drive from Clane to Maynooth, worst journey of my life and it nearly killed my poor father! He kept yelling at me to keep out away from the ditch and how we'd both be killed! He was obviously seeing the road from a driver's perspective still so the ditch was much closer to him than it should have been, I took the auld banger up to 75 and he quietened down. He said I was a good driver when we got home but not to say anything to my Ma:D

did you tell on your dad

Shelga

Dollymount beach with my dad, got to learn how to block out his impatient outbursts

Overheal

eyeball kid

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

Sinclair Spectrum mid 1980's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAjLL53g2U8

I had totally forgotten about that game. Played it some much as a kid.

pgj2015

d

bigbaz

with the greatest of respect in the world op,you passed a rudimentary theory test,you currently know bugger all about driving,the only way to learn it is through experience,the roads are full of people who know everything about driving but still act like tools,im on the roads since i was thirteen and everyday is a school day.

FTA69

I've done 25 lessons and failed two tests. Just failed my second test around an hour ago and feel like sh*t. London must be one of the hardest places to learn how to drive, the crap thing is that I've only had one major on each and even then nothing remotely dangerous. Absolutely gutted.

biko

Forest roads around where I lived at the time.

Medusa22

Hammer89 wrote: »

Medusa need not answer.

There are far more interesting things that I can teach you in a car anyway! :pac:

OP I'd advise an actual instructor over learning with a friend. At least til you get to grips with things, anyway. Learning from friends and family always seems to end in arguments.


I learned most of my practical stuff by driving around very late in the night/early in the morning, when there was very little other traffic on the road. Gave me a chance to try and do hill starts and such on roads that I'd actually be using in my day-to-day life, without the fear of other cars being around.

Shrap

In a field, aged 13 with my Dad beside me. I managed to hit both of the two hay bales in the field. Then my first boyfriend taught me hill-starts in Killiney car park a few times, then we went interrailing and hired a car in Spain, where he got me to drive up an unpaved road with a 100ft drop on one side. They were pretty good lessons, come to think of it.

Got a honda 70 when I was 23 and living in the country, so that was my 1st provisional. Then I got my 2nd provisional and a ford fiesta and was legally allowed to drive it without a licensed driver beside me and without ever having driven on a public road before in my life. I drove home from buying the car in a garage an hour away.

I also drove myself into the nearest city (40 min drive) for my one and only driving lesson before I failed the test (not too badly, but not being aware of stopping distances and driving too close to parked cars!). Failed the test a second time as I was heavily pregnant and needing a wee very badly. Got flustered at a roundabout Passed with flying colours on third go (with 3 lessons)!

maudgonner

On a lakeshore. We'd wait for summer to roll around and the water level to drop far enough that there was a good stretch of sand and then off we'd go. Cousins would come down visiting and be given driving lessons on the sand. Great craic.

seamus

At 18, driving my Dad's car around a Superquinn car park at 10pm while he sat beside me inhaling cigarettes in one go and leaving imprints on the door handle from gripping so tight.

That was just to get the stop/start basics in. Then I did five or ten lessons with a local driving school.

That being said, I'll be getting lessons off a mate in the coming days hopefully and if anybody has any decent suggestions of location, in the South Dublin area, I'd like to hear them.

Aren't you required to do lessons with a registered instructor before you can get a licence these days?

The Backwards Man

Starting learning when I was five or six in a 365 spreading lime from a linkbox.

Still learning thirty years later.

No one ever knows everything about driving, that's the first lesson you have to learn.

Wichita Lineman

Brittas Bay car park, back in the days before they put a barrier up so you cant use it in winter. A few years later had a few proper lessons, bought my first car and two of us (provisional drivers) set off for Kerry for the week. Had a ball.

Asmooh

Official driving school in The Netherlands.. the way you should learn to drive the correct way if you ask me.

Passed Theory and Practical test the first time, and believe me those tests are soo much more difficult compare to here.

Mesrine65

2 wheeled vehicles in a field at the age of 12, 4+ wheeled vehicles in the military.

josip

First lesson was with my brother in the back yard where he decided he'd show me how to use the clutch to get the car moving.
I cared f**k all about the "biting point" of the clutch.
I was preoccupied with the concrete pump house 10 metres in front of me that I'd have to do a 90 degree turn to avoid and that my brother seemed hell bent on ignoring.
Lucky for him I never managed to bounce the car far enough to get to the pump house.

He gave up on the back yard lessons and brought me in to the derelict Barrowland Ballroom in New Ross around which there was level(ish) ground but there were holes deep enough for a whole platoon to take cover in.
By this time I had become familar with the concept of steering and gears, but he had neglected to advise me about braking.
It was just a crazy jumble of pedals down there and my left was stuck on the clutch and my right was stuck on the accelerator.
Going around in 3rd gear trying to dodge foxholes did teach me why they're called "Jesus handles" however.

After that he gave up on me completely and handed me over to Meyler.

Mesrine65

FTA69 wrote: »

I've done 25 lessons and failed two tests. Just failed my second test around an hour ago and feel like sh*t. London must be one of the hardest places to learn how to drive, the crap thing is that I've only had one major on each and even then nothing remotely dangerous. Absolutely gutted.

Chin up son, there's always the next time...best of luck

mrsdewinter

In an industrial estate on Sun afternoons. I remember in the 80s when my dad gave my mother a few lessons, it was in the car park of a supermarket, again on Sunday afternoons. No Sunday trading that time, so the local Dunnes was the perfect choice.

Charles Babbage

Asmooh wrote: »

Official driving school in The Netherlands.. the way you should learn to drive the correct way if you ask me.

Passed Theory and Practical test the first time, and believe me those tests are soo much more difficult compare to here.

How far you have to go in the Netherlands to find somewhere for a decent hill start!

InTheTrees

I learned in a VW Beetle on a farm in connemara. Passed my test in Galway, then moved to England a few years later and didnt realise I could swap licences so I did the test in England twice. I've done two tests in different states in the USA as well, although their tests are a joke compared to europe.

sesswhat

Charles Babbage wrote: »

On a TVO tractor.

Same here! Pulling up whin bushes.

Asmooh

Charles Babbage wrote: »

How far you have to go in the Netherlands to find somewhere for a decent hill start!

Enough places.. I lived at the southern part..

_Brian

Started on tractor about 8 or 9, by 12 I was able to move 12ton trucks round the yard and able to drive car on the road (much quieter back then) full liscence at 18, never took a lesson.

I started my 12yo daughter around the field in the jeep last summer and it went well.

Shrap

The Backwards Man wrote: »

No one ever knows everything about driving, that's the first lesson you have to learn.

Very true. I've been thinking of applying for advanced driving lessons in the last while. Would help with the insurance as well as ironing out any bad habits I haven't noticed.

Pherekydes

I had no lessons and no pre-test, yet I passed the test first time! It was the Finglas test centre and I had a horrible Austin Metro at the time.

Such an arduous test. :rolleyes: My wife was so nervous she couldn't drive to or from the test centre, yet she also passed first time.