The few, the brave - those of us taking driving lessons right now!

Sort of launching off Jewlz's Driving Scariness thread...  And because I think there are a number of us in the midst of our driving lessons & working on getting our UK licences right now - along with me.  Jewlz?  yankeeangel?  Stoatula?  Elliejean?  Midnight blue?  swelch2?  Anyone else?

So an update on me - you might remember my horrible first lesson experience with the JW 'why god gave us rainbows' lady on the other thread.  Another thing I forgot to mention is that we actually ended up running an errand for her in the middle of my driving lesson - she had forgotten that she'd booked a hair appt for the same time as my lesson, so we had to drive to the hair salon, stop the car & for her to run in and sort things out there during my lesson. 

Onward & upward - I let her go as my instructor, and immediately rebooked with a driving school that's right here in my town.  So far, I've had two consecutive lessons (one Sunday, one today) with a lovely fellow - an old Yorkshireman, and I'm pleased to say that I'm feeling much better with my progress.  Rather than throwing me right onto the Ring Road and roundabouts from the get-go (like the first woman did), we are taking things more gradually so that I get used to driving the car in the 'proper' way that they want you to do - doing the brakes & clutch in the 'right' order & all that jazz.  And he's helped me to understand more about why I'm doing what he's asking me to do & so on & so forth.  The driving of the manual is going A LOT better needless to say & I spoke with him about maybe switching to automatic - but he said he honestly didn't think there would be much in that for me, because clearly I already have experience with manuals & a grasp of how it works, etc.

I'm having a lot of lessons very quickly - because I'm on a bit of a tight deadline.  I'd like to have my full UK licence before an upcoming trip to the US later this spring.  Um, technically my US license is still from the State of Florida - but I don't live there anymore, nor does anyone else I know, so yeah...that has the potential to be a problem.    So I'd really like to have my UK one instead as something more current.

Maybe it won't be possible for me to get my UK licence that soon - I don't know.  I mean I'm cramming in the lessons & everything now & I'll basically have to pass every test the first time.  But that's my goal anyway.  Fingers crossed.

I love my new instructor so it's going well! 

How about everyone else?

I'm planning to start my driving lessons soon, and I was wondering Mrs Robinson, or anyone else who's going through (or has gone through) the process: Do you feel that your US driving experience has helped or hurt you in learning to drive in the UK?  I'm curious because I've never had a US license.  I had a learner's permit, but circumstances just never coalesced and I never went for the actual license.   I can't decide if it's going to be an advantage to learn from scratch or not.  What do you think?

Mrs Robinson, it sounds like you've hit the jackpot with your new instructor.  I'd love to hear more about how you progress.  Hope it keeps going well!

Do you feel that your US driving experience has helped or hurt you in learning to drive in the UK? 

Some and some.  I think my many years of US driving experience (25+) helps & the instructor commented that I know how to handle the car - like smooth steering & things like that, which he'd have to spend time with a completely new learner on how to get really basic things like that down.  On the other hand, in the US I learned to drive a manual on the fly (long after I'd got my license by learning & testing on an automatic - the US makes no distinction between licenses for the two like they do on UK licences).  And apparently, my manual driving technique is a bit 'wrong' for what they want you to do here - because I've a tendency to coast on the clutch, which is a no-no here.  So I'm having to unlearn a technique of driving that is already instinctive/second nature to me - and that's kind of hard.

Getting my UK license is something I've been wanting to do for awhile, but finances keep getting in the way.  I realised the other day, though, that our week-long planned trip to Scotland this summer is going to cost about the same as a full course of driving lessons and I'm wondering whether it's worth giving up the trip to take the lessons!  Currently hemming and hawing.  If I decide to start lessons after all, I'll pop back in here.

Yes, I've balked at the cost of lessons for awhile (or rather used that as my rationalisation for not going forward with things, even though the real reason was sheer terror).  But now that I'm doing it, and I've told DH - this is going to cost us a fair bit.  He's okay with it because he wants me to get my licence.  And I reckon - well get it done & out of the way, then no more lessons, cost, etc and it'll be so much better for the future - being able to get more places, share the long distance driving with DH, more prospects for jobs, etc.

Oh also - DH drove us over to Knaresborough yesterday to meet up with some friends, and he was pointing out all the country pubs that he could drink at along the way, if I were driving.  (Cos I don't like beer.)

Mrs R, soooooo glad you started this thread!

I've had 3 lessons so far, with my next one tomorrow.  I'm hoping to be licensed by the end of summer, before DD goes back to school.  So, with that in mind, I'm doing a 3-hour long lesson every week

The last lesson I had went pretty well, but the one before that was awful, and halfway through, I pulled into a parking lot, turned off the car and told him I wanted to go home.  We were doing roundabouts, and I was getting all flustered.  He would tell me something, I would do what I thought he wanted, and it would be wrong.  Turns out we speak different versions of English.  Everytime we came to a roundabout with two lanes, I'd ask him which lane, and he'd say "inside", which I took to mean the right lane.  Nope.  He meant the left lane.  I have no idea why he calls it the inside lane, but I was getting so annoyed because he's say inside, I'd go to move to the right lane, and he'd nudge the steering wheel.  Then we came to a 3-lane roundabout.  He said to be in the middle, which I took to mean the middle lane.  Wrong again.  He meant the right lane (middle of the roundabout, according to him). Now that we've cleared the air, it's going much better, knock on wood.  He said my general driving ability is fine, and clutch control is good, it's just a matter of fine tuning the wee differences between US/UK driving.  Also, I have to start making it more obvious when I check my mirrors.  I just move my eyes, and he is saying to move my whole head so the test guy can't miss that I'm doing adequate checks.  I feel like a bobblehead doll watching a tennis match!

My big issues seem to be the same as everyone else.  Not coasting, and using the hand brake all the time.  Also, keeping both hands on the steering wheel at all times, unless shifting.  We're going to start driving the test routes tomorrow.  I'm doing good with the 3-point turn (though it feels funny not using the gas at all) and the reversing around a corner, but I hate parallel parking and backing into a parking space.  No surprises there, I hated doing those things in the US, and as soon as I got my license I didn't do them any more lol.

Add me to the list.  Although fingers crossed I will pass my test on Thursday!  I have taken 10-1 hour lessons over the course of 2 months.  Only on an automatic though, because I don't care enough about driving a manual.  I went with BSM for lessons and the instructor I have had is great.  I have also been practising with DH on the weekends.

I have done pretty well at the general driving, confident driving, good road position.  Problems I have had are the stupid steering!!!  I think because I have been driving for 13/14 years I have adopted lax driving skills, like crossing my hands over the steering wheel when turning and driving with one hand.  But I have with lots of practice overcome this.  I am still a bit shaky with some of the manuevors - Reversing into a bay parking spot and reversing around a corner.  I am good at parallel parking, from years of driving into Boston to meet friends and shop.  

My biggest hurdle....I am 8 months pregnant!!!  Only 4 weeks to go.  I am not particularly comfortable.  I have a 1 hour maximum limit for needing to go to the loo. And I can barely turn around, which is why the reversing manuevors are probably so hard!  If I don't pass this time around, it will just have to wait until after the baby comes, which will be annoying.  

I haven't started lessons yet. Yep, I'm a procrastinator, and also a big wuss. But after not having the funds for a while, yada yada, I suppose I have run out of excuses to put it off, and I know things will be sooo much better and easier once I get it out of the way. I have studied quite a bit for the theory test already, but haven't sent off for the provisional license yet so I can take the test. I might take lessons before doing the theory test, not sure.
OK, thanks for pushing me, and I did say to DH that I would send off for that provisional license once we received our next paycheck (last Friday) so I will discuss it with him again today and see if I can send it off this week. I hate sending my passport away, though. But better to do it now so it has plenty of time to come back before July when we go on holiday.
Will try to get on the driving lessons list with you soon, Mrs R!!!! 

Everytime we came to a roundabout with two lanes, I'd ask him which lane, and he'd say "inside", which I took to mean the right lane.  Nope.  He meant the left lane.  I have no idea why he calls it the inside lane

I have no idea either, and even as a Brit I find it extremely confusing when people use inside and outside the opposite way round to the natural meaning.  It seems to be a very common misuse, and I have no idea how it originated.   

He said to be in the middle, which I took to mean the middle lane. 

As would I.

I hate parallel parking

It may help to know that when you parallel park on the test, it may not be between two other cars.  When I took my UK driving test last fall, the examiner had me pull up next to a parked car, and then parallel park behind it, with no third car involved.  Parallel parking is way easier when there's nothing behind you but air.

I have no idea either, and even as a Brit I find it extremely confusing when people use inside and outside the opposite way round to the natural meaning.  It seems to be a very common misuse, and I have no idea how it originated.   

As would I.

Thanks for that Paul.  I was beginning to think I was losing my marbles

Camoscato, I so hope I get a test like that!  I think the instructor thought I was joking when I told him that back home I would happily park further away from my destination and walk a few blocks rather than parallel park into a tight spot. 

He said my general driving ability is fine, and clutch control is good, it's just a matter of fine tuning the wee differences between US/UK driving. 

My instructor said much the same to me!  I was relieved because of my anxieties over the manual vs automatic thing I was pondering.  Also, our car is a manual so I really do need that full licence for it.

Man, I would have been confused on that 'inside' and 'middle' lane stuff, too - I think yours wasn't being very clear on that point, but should have said 'left', 'right', etc.

I'm taking my lessons (so far) in 2-hour blocks, and I've had 6 hours (so far) including the 2 hours badly spent with the first instructor so I don't really count that lesson.  I bought 10 hours' worth today - 2 of which have already been used, and 2 of which will (hopefully) be for my practical test.  I'm hoping I can get the rest of whatever tuition I need in the remaining 6 hours & be good to go!  (with some practice otherwise in the car with DH)

Will try to get on the driving lessons list with you soon, Mrs R!!!!

Yay! 

I got my FLR(M) application in the mail today, so driving lessons are next.

That, or taxes.

Yeah. I can't concentrate on more than one thing at once. Becoming an immigrant has somehow drained off fifty IQ points. And the really good IQ points, too -- the ones that knew how to tackle a huge To Do list and get it all done in time.

Just wanted to wish all of you the best of luck! You're all going to be great drivers!   

And thank god I don't live anywhere near any of you!!!   

My biggest hurdle....I am 8 months pregnant!!!  Only 4 weeks to go.  I am not particularly comfortable.  I have a 1 hour maximum limit for needing to go to the loo. And I can barely turn around, which is why the reversing manuevors are probably so hard!  If I don't pass this time around, it will just have to wait until after the baby comes, which will be annoying.  

Back in July of 2005, I was 7.5 months pregnant when I took (and passed) my driving test. The examiner told me he wasn't going to make me do an emergency stop due to my "condition".  

Just wear something comfortable, like sweats or a roomy dress.

Best of luck to you and everyone else!