Driving in England - A moan!

I can promise you that one day, you will be laughing at all these little manoeuvres. Don't forget, you are learning to pass a test, not really learning to drive.

Honestly, it will be supe easy soon to you!! And it will change your life!

I wish I had the same moan as you. I've been here for four years and I don't drive. My US license expires in March '08 and then that's it. We have one car (stick) and can't afford another. We can't really afford for me to take driving lessons, the test, nor the insurance that will go along with me driving. I have always driven stick; however, after 40+ years of driving (since 1966), I cannot get my head around using my left hand to get the car in gear. I am very upset that March is just around the corner, and my driving days will truly be over.

Good luck on your test!

I PASSED!! First time!!  I was so excited, if we weren't in the car when he told me I would have hugged the heck out of my test evaluator!!  The one piece of advice I can give is to not read all the statistics about passing your test.  I kept reading that only 43% pass and found all these people who took mulitple tests before they passed.  Reading about those things scared the bejeezus out of me and I was so petrified I had actually convinced myself I would fail.  In the end, the guy said he had no idea what I was so worried about.  I managed to remember my parking break and check my mirrors a TON.  I only had 2 minors: one was undue hesitancy and I knew at the exact moment I was getting a minor for it.  The other was getting too close to a parked car.  I have no idea when I did that which probably isn't good! ;-)  The narrow roads here are definitley tough.  xx

Oh such a bummer!  I am so sorry to hear it!  I am so glad I drive an automatic because I could never have figured out the stick on the opposite side!  Do you live somewhere where you don't really need to drive?

I wish I had the same moan as you. I've been here for four years and I don't drive. My US license expires in March '08 and then that's it. We have one car (stick) and can't afford another. We can't really afford for me to take driving lessons, the test, nor the insurance that will go along with me driving. I have always driven stick; however, after 40+ years of driving (since 1966), I cannot get my head around using my left hand to get the car in gear. I am very upset that March is just around the corner, and my driving days will truly be over.

Good luck on your test!

Congrats!!!!!!!!!

Well done.

I wish I had the same moan as you. I've been here for four years and I don't drive. My US license expires in March '08 and then that's it. We have one car (stick) and can't afford another.

Can't you renew your license by post? I do that with my NYS license...
And I have to say, if I could learn to drive a stick shift car here in the UK, ANYBODY CAN! I am so sad to hear everyone saying that the couldn't do it. If I could do it...YOU CAN TOO!! Honest!

And congrats on passing the test!