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Just how scary is learning to drive?

I rode a variety of motorcycles for 7 years (passed m/c test after 2) and taught myself the basics of car driving in about an hour in a Reliant 3 wheeler.

Thankfully never had to take a lesson thank deity and took the test in a borrowed 2CV 7 years after that.

Not sure I would reccomend anyone ride a motorcycle these days, but I would have thought a bicycle would give you the right grounding ....

I guess it's a bit of a leap from an unpowered bicycle to a powered vehicle, but I found driving a car a doddle after a motorcycle...
 
2nd lesson

today i did a hill start (and it worked - no stalling or going backwards :cool:) and i did

40MPH!!!! w00


i like driving :o
 
kyser_soze said:
Don't do it. You'll pick up bad habits, and you won't learn to drive a car properly. It's not about strops, or whether you'd feel 'cheated' - basic car awareness and control are the first things you're taught by an instructor and they'll still do the same irrespective of whether a mate has shown you how to turn the key, use the clutch, and the correct positioning of your hands on the wheel (which I almost guarantee you won't be taught correctly - most drivers cross their arms when turning, not feed the wheel as you're supposed to).

Wait until you've had a couple of lessons and then go out with family and friends.
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My mum taught me to drive when I was 15. I don't think it did me any harm when I came to have proper lessons - she was careful not to teach me about crossing arms on the wheel and suchlike - and in fact it probably helped me learn to manage traffic and so on more quickly because I wasn't distracted by struggling with the clutch and gears. Provided whoever teaches you makes the effort to teach you 'formal' driving technique I don't see the problem with getting some basic tuition off friends and family. It's probably best to have the first sessions somewhere off the public road, though - I was lucky in that we lived near a disused WW2 airbase, so I could happily buzz up and down the runway. :cool:
 
I learned the mechanics of driving pretty much the same way, but I was lucky enough to be taught by someone who was an IAM member.

Talk to any DI about lessons from mates before formal lessons and they'll glare at you...
 
Fucking petrified me. But then I've never had an accident or even scraped a car so fear ain't all bad.

Learn how to drive the car before hitting the road would be my advice. Daft learning how to control a ton of steel whilst watching out for multiple moving objects and lights etc.
 
Fully respect you getting off yer bike at junctions - better to be delayed than not arrive at all.
Since that won't be an option in a car, take the opportunity now at those junctions to look the paint on the road, the signs and the lights so that you 'get' how it works. Something to do between lessons.
 
kyser_soze said:
When did you take your test? The 1970s? Things have changed a bit since then...
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First got on a motorcycle in '77, took m/c test in 79, taught myself to drive in July '84, finally got around to taking my test in '91 :D

I only drive my car for a few weeks each year.
 
I had about 25 lessons, split in two groups before and after uni. I started as a 17 year old and had the fearlessness of youth, consequently driving like an out of control speeding fool a lot of the time.

Putting my bone through my ankle interrupted my lessons and some 4-5 years later I took just over another 10 lessons and then my test. It actually made a huge difference - I seemed far more tolerant of pootling around in slow traffic and passed on my first test, driving patiently around.
 
it's not scary now i've been driving 11 years:cool: but i was a real nervous nelly when it came to tests, failed it 3 times, up to about 86, when i was 21, and gave up, took it up again 10 years later, failed it twice more, but didn't give up and had a triumphant 6th test:cool:
 
Lo Siento. said:
lessons off friends :(

advice: get competent first (with proper instructor), then use mates to help with practice
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depends on the instructor and the friends though. i had a shit instructor :( my dad taught me everything pretty much and i passed first time.

learning to drive isnt hard or scary. but yeah, a bit pricey...make sure you get an instructor you're comfortable with too

good luck :)
 
If I can do it any fooker can!Seriously, I am such an impractical sort no one expected me to ever be allowed to drive.

The scary part is the expense. I found it helped to learn with friends/fam first-practically and financially.
 
My advice - and I passed this month:

Do you theory and get it out of the way first.

Go on the DSA website, pay the £6.50 for the month's worth of online theory test practice and do it over and over and over until you are absolutely perfect. You can practice online a many times as you like - then you'll pass first time with 50 out of 50 like me and not waste the time and the 20 odd quid it costs to do.

Also, get the theory test CD-Rom and practice your Hazard Awareness test. If you don't get this right when you do your theory you'll fail it - and it is harder than it may seem because you're being tested by a machine which you have to learn how it thinks and not be too good on it (seriously, believe me - its fucked up a bit)

THEN... get some lessons with an instructor. Shop around if you don't like the one you have. Personally I would pay any more than £25/hour. I went with the RED Driving School who are nationwide and seem alright. But it all comes down to the instructor at the end of the day.

When you come to take your test. Be calm (I took Kalms :D) and patient. The worst thing you can do is to speed. You want to waste as much time on your test as possible without going dangerously slow - they only have you for 40 mins to test you - so there's just no point in driving as fast as you can. Approach it with a fuck you attitude and make like you are confident even if you aren't. So long as you have practices your turn in the road, reverse park, reverse round a corner, you'll be ok.
 
Ha Haa....this is so funny....

You should try driving a 44 ton artic......lemming car drivers trying to throw themselves under your wheels at every opportunity !! :D

You've either 'Got it' or you haven't ! There are some truly awful drivers out there...
 
scumbalina said:
Probably a stupid question :o

We've been offered a really nice council flat, the only thing that's stopping us is that it's so far out, and it's made me think I really should get round to learning to drive. But I'm a bit scared :o

How long did it take people and how hard is it really?
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Come on, how hard can it be?

Just look at all those idiots out there who do it every day.

There are people driving who are borderline retarded, but they have driver's licences.

You can get one too!:)
 
I've probably mentioned it before, but the examiner's seat disengaged itself from the floor of the 2CV as soon as he got in. :eek:
To be honest, I reckon I got a lot of credit because of the 12 years of full motorcycle credit on my license, and some entertaining antics from some less experienced drivers out on the route.

I deserved having such a sympathetic examiner as I'd failed a previous test several years before (in a different 2CV) when I took it at the wrong test centre for turning up with that particular kind of car - If I'd given the miserable git of an examiner a lift, I would quickly have pulled over and told him to get out and walk. (admittedly I finished off that first effort by exceeding the speed limit :o).

I suppose I took the whole process a bit leisurely - 10 years of motorcycle riding, 7 years of occasional driving of the 2CV with my ex. nodding off in the passenger seat. (she got half the insurance for 95 percent of the use of it, plus repairs, as her payment). (I was "done" to be honest - and staying such close friends with my ex. cost my mental health dearly :( )

Ultimately there's no substitute for experience, and I reckon I'm beginning to get the hang of driving / road safety 31 years after I first got on my Honda 125.
I'm very glad I don't have to drive very often.
Cycling is by far the best form of transport ever invented if circumstances allow.
 
*cars scare me
*other drivers scare me
*my driving scared me
*I have a perfectly serviceable pair of legs and live in a city

gave up learning 12 years ago and no intention of starting again :)
 
For me, the worst bit was after passing my test and realising I had to go out on my own! :D I only passed in February after just over a year's worth of lessons - but I *was* an aged learner (34/35) so it takes a bit longer to gel!

I get v.nervous every time I have to drive somewhere and am v.rubbish at parking - but I'm so glad I did it.

I would agree that if you can take your first few lessons 'off road' then do. I'm lucky - there's a private off road driving circuit near me. Absolutely ideal to get to grips with the basics and to be able to practice junctions, stops, starts, right and left hand turns with no one else around.

And yes - learn with an instructor right from the start - there's more than enough time to pick up bad habits after you've passed!

Anyway, I'm now on 2nd interview for a job I wouldn't have been able to consider a few months ago as I couldn't have got to it. AND I have to go up the M5 to get there. I used to think if I ever did get myself onto a motorway I'd stick in the outside lane doing a steady 65. In fact, I'm there overtaking like a good 'un and - er - it's fair to say I've done a bit more than 70! :o
 
How do people rate these intensive courses?

I had a handful of lessons (maybe only 6) 13 years ago and I hated every single moment. I was scared to buggery. I didn't like being thrown in at the deep end having to turn right out of my street onto a busy main road at lunch time then stop on the top of a bridge, on the same busy main road. It didn't help that my instructor had road rage against white van men.

I couldn't handle doing everything at once: keeping in a straight line, watching for what was happening around me, and learning what the fuck I was supposed to be doing with gears (gears!! wtf???). Ugh. I want to learn, but it terrifies me. I'm sure an intensive course would be better because I wouldn't be able to build up that fear in between lessons.
 
Scumbalina, if I can drive anyone can! :D

The thing that stopped me being scared was the moment I realised that all the other cars on the road really weren't out to crash into me. That was the moment I relaxed and started enjoying driving. :cool: :)

Do it, it's a great feeling when you pass your test. :)
 
Thanks all!

Am definatley gonna go for it, the lovely other half is gonna spend his saving on my lessons and getting me a car cos I'm too rubbish with money :o

I'm in a bit of a quandry now though, I'm due to pop the baby in about 10 weeks, should I do a super intensive course and get it out the way or wait?
 
moomoo said:
The thing that stopped me being scared was the moment I realised that all the other cars on the road really weren't out to crash into me. That was the moment I relaxed and started enjoying driving. :cool: :)
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:D Pretty much how I deal with it. Just before I pull away I say to myself 'And remember squirrel - NOBODY WANTS TO DIE!' then move off serenely, after having checked my mirrors and indicated of course :)
 
TBH I was scared on my first lesson when I had to go down a hill and realised 'i could fucking kill someone with this'. Never had anyone show me anything so I went into my lessons a complete noob. Must be on about 35 lessons now and it's just starting to come together though I've got to sharpen up my observations and stuff.

I'd try and get two lessons a week if you can afford it and have the time because I think you'll get the feel of it much quicker. For ages at the start of my lesson I was really rusty and it seemed I werent getting any better.
 
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