Driver's license - did you wait over a year?

my big thing will be mastering a stick at the same time as right side drive and driving on the left hand side of the road!

I think I spent about £500 on lessons and fees but I did already know how to drive a stick. The *wrong side of the road* feeling actually went away fairly quickly since other cars tend to orient you.

It's so subjective though. Everyone has different skill levels and where you come from and where you end up are important. Driving in aggressive southern CA prepared me for some of London driving, but certainly not for the narrow streets. You just have to adapt. 

I've just had a look online - apparently the national first time pass rate is 1 in 4 and the average national pass rate in general is 43%.

See also:
http://www.dsa.gov.uk/Category.asp?cat=344

It doesn't state whether the figures for the last few years include the written/hazard tests.  They may just relate to the actual practical, since that's all that existed until relatively recently.

my big thing will be mastering a stick at the same time as right side drive and driving on the left hand side of the road!

yep, that's my issue too (when I learned to drive, the school I took lessons from did not own *any* manual cars, at all.  there was just no opportunity for me to learn it, especially since my parents both had automatics.)  I will probably take my good time with lessons, because it's the stick shift thing that worries me way more than just general driving on the left.  And since I don't *have* to drive at the moment, I can take the time to get a full license rather than an automatic one.

But how to practice driving without a car? There's no one we can ask to use theirs,and we could maybe practice for a weekend on a rental car, but it would be too expensive to do it longer than that.

I got my provisional when I moved over, but didn't take or pass my test until after the 1 year was up.  I did all my practicing in my instructor's car as 1- we didn't have a car and 2- I couldn't get insured on my in-laws as it was too stupidly expensive.  Yet, we're looking at getting a car and for DH & me together after having my license its pretty much dirt cheap to get insured!

so when taking the test to get a UK drivers license it's done in a car with a manual transmission? I know how to drive a stick but haven't in about 5 years. Not too worried about it but I do see how that could make it more difficult especially if one is already nervous.

so when taking the test to get a UK drivers license it's done in a car with a manual transmission? I know how to drive a stick but haven't in about 5 years. Not too worried about it but I do see how that could make it more difficult especially if one is already nervous.

No, you can take the test in either a manual or automatic car. The thing is that if you pass the test in an automatic, you're only licensed to drive an automatic. No manuals. If you pass in a manual, you're OK in either one.

If I recall correctly, I've seen it stated somewhere that the separate automatic category was introduced in 1969, so anyone who took the U.K. test before then could have been tested in an automatic and still be licensed to drive manual. 

As Chary said though, as far as anyone taking the test today is concerned, if you pass in an automatic, that's all you're allowed to drive.