PASSED with no professional lessons.

I am so glad that you proved you don't have to spend hundreds and hundreds of pounds on driving lessons but simply practicing and learning  and common sense was enough!  Good on ya!!!!

Which is all fine because she has a husband to go with her and fix her, but some of us don't and need to spend some money with someone to tell us how we're screwing up!

Thank you soooooo much everyone for your well wishes.

Good for you!  Wonder if I could do the same... am nervous about bickering if i just rely on DH to teach me, as I sometimes get easily frustrated... one of my better qualities...

Ohhh trust me... it was NOT easy having DH teach me... we never fight normally, but in the car I lost my temper a few times... but we agreed when he was in the car and he was my instructor & i had to listen to him and as soon as he stepped out of it... its DH again.. some days we'd get home from a lesson and as soon as we walked into our flat I'd say to him 'MAN MY DRIVING INSTRUCTOR REALLY PISSED ME OFF TODAY' hahah.  The plan was to only have him teach me the basics and get an instructor for 10 lessons before my test but then we were doing really well and decided just to go for it... and have a try at the test as sort of an assessment on how we were doing, hoping to pass, but not expecting to.. if that makes sense. 

In the end its only made us stronger tho because its something we accomplished together.  He teared up when i came running into the test centre and said I'd passed... driving to work this morning was so nice.

To others thinking about having someone teach them, my advice is to just take it seriously and read up and ask around about what the driving schools are teaching the students (my driving DVD was quite helpful as well because it had mock lessons and a mock practical).  It took us about 6 months and we drove every weekend... I drove when we did most of our errands (shopping and to friends houses) and DH picked me up from work a few days a week so i could drive home from here.  It might not work for everyone, but it worked for us. Best of luck all you learners 

Whether you pay for lessons, or learn from a friend/husband/etc, getting lots of practise is definitely the key, i think.
I was having a lesson a week and not really getting anywhere / not feeling confident.  But once i decided f*ck it, and bought a car, i was out driving every day, getting lots of experience.  I reckon it was the experience (moreso than the lessons) which helped me pass the test.

Wish i'd had someone to teach me, rather than paying for lessons... it would have saved me a lot of money! 

Chrissy, well done! There is no feeling in the world like passing your driving test 

I agree, it's all about having the time to practice. Which is the main reason I haven't taken my test yet!

When I was learning to drive as a teenager, I used to take every opportunity to drive and practice.

But now, we live in London, and even if I did want to drive around here, we hardly use our car. The only opportunity I get to drive is when we go to my in-laws for a weekend, which happens every 2 or 3 months. Sadly, I have had a lot of trouble building on my progress (learning manual for the first time) with such gaps in between my 'lessons' (with my husband). These weekends are also often taken up with other events, which leaves little time for driving.

I'm now at the point where I am seriously considering going on one of those 1 week intensive courses because I need to pass before I need to renew my provisional/re-take my theory test and pay anymore premiums for being on our insurance as a 'learner.'

Chrissy--I think your advice about treating your husband as your instructor is brilliant. It's not easy, but I think this is really key if you are using a friend/family member to teach you. I really need to keep working at this.

Thank you soooooo much everyone for your well wishes.

Ohhh trust me... it was NOT easy having DH teach me... we never fight normally, but in the car I lost my temper a few times... but we agreed when he was in the car and he was my instructor & i had to listen to him and as soon as he stepped out of it... its DH again.. some days we'd get home from a lesson and as soon as we walked into our flat I'd say to him 'MAN MY DRIVING INSTRUCTOR REALLY PISSED ME OFF TODAY' hahah.  The plan was to only have him teach me the basics and get an instructor for 10 lessons before my test but then we were doing really well and decided just to go for it... and have a try at the test as sort of an assessment on how we were doing, hoping to pass, but not expecting to.. if that makes sense. 

In the end its only made us stronger tho because its something we accomplished together.  He teared up when i came running into the test centre and said I'd passed... driving to work this morning was so nice.

To others thinking about having someone teach them, my advice is to just take it seriously and read up and ask around about what the driving schools are teaching the students (my driving DVD was quite helpful as well because it had mock lessons and a mock practical).  It took us about 6 months and we drove every weekend... I drove when we did most of our errands (shopping and to friends houses) and DH picked me up from work a few days a week so i could drive home from here.  It might not work for everyone, but it worked for us. Best of luck all you learners 

I don't think DH would be a good teacher for me. We would probably argue the whole time!  It doesn't help that I don't think he is a very good driver in the first place (his record confirms that!)  My backseat driving license it spotlist!!   

Chrissy, I would love it!  Is it still available?

Congrats!!!

Chrissy, I would love it!  Is it still available?

Congrats!!!

No, sorry, it went pretty quick. Thanks for the congrats tho