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

i just came back from passing my practical test.  I am beyond excited.  I have taken lessons for a year and did fail my first practical in September.  For anyone that is taking lessons now, the payoff will be good.  Keep trying, dont give up.  Dont let anyone bully you whether it is your instructor or your husband.  you have to do what is right for you.  I do recommend that you find a good and patient instructor and one that will keep you on a schedule.  If you do have a family member that is patient and will work with you on practice driving, do so.  I had only wished that i had a better support system instead of doing it all on my own.  I was upset and felt down and my ego was deflated in failing a test.  Keep going and take the advice of your instructor. They know what they are doing and are familar with the high standards of driving that is required here.  I have a brand new skill, driving a manual car.  I never in a million years thought that would happen!  I am rooting for everyone that is in the driving process!!!

COngratulations!! It is SUCH a great feeling! And I can't believe you did it on your own!! I took lessons for a long time time and it is totally worth it!  We're free we're FREE!! lol YAY and thank you!!

Well done! 

Went on my driving lesson today even though I have a wicked cold. My instructor has a cold, too, so we were sniffling and coughing and sneezing the whole time... lol. BUT, he tells me the examiner, Nigel, is his personal friend and is actually a really nice guy who really hopes everyone who tests does well and passes the test. I mean, he has a job to do and does have to fail people sometimes, obviously. But, he says if I go into the test knowing that the examiner is a nice guy who wants me to pass rather than being intimidated by him, and if I drive as well as I do on my lessons, then I will pass without any trouble. I guess it made me feel better. He loves my dual carriageway high-speed action! I'm so used to joining motorways and driving standard, that I am really good at flying through the gears and getting up to speed in no time, which he thinks is very impressive.  I guess I am doing well! Now off I go to America on Friday and will skip my next two lessons... hope that doesn't throw me off too much!

Went on my driving lesson today even though I have a wicked cold. My instructor has a cold, too, so we were sniffling and coughing and sneezing the whole time... lol. BUT, he tells me the examiner, Nigel, is his personal friend and is actually a really nice guy who really hopes everyone who tests does well and passes the test. I mean, he has a job to do and does have to fail people sometimes, obviously. But, he says if I go into the test knowing that the examiner is a nice guy who wants me to pass rather than being intimidated by him, and if I drive as well as I do on my lessons, then I will pass without any trouble. I guess it made me feel better. He loves my dual carriageway high-speed action! I'm so used to joining motorways and driving standard, that I am really good at flying through the gears and getting up to speed in no time, which he thinks is very impressive.  I guess I am doing well! Now off I go to America on Friday and will skip my next two lessons... hope that doesn't throw me off too much!

That'll go a long way to helping the old nerves. (Old as a figure of speech, not insinuating that you are old) 

BUT what are you doing driving on a motorway? I thought that was a no-no on a provisional license. 

I'm so used to joining motorways...

Do you have any motorways up there in the outback? 

That'll go a long way to helping the old nerves. (Old as a figure of speech, not insinuating that you are old) 

BUT what are you doing driving on a motorway? I thought that was a no-no on a provisional license. 

She can do it on a US license.

Do you have any motorways up there in the outback? 

Mebe that's what they call them things with tar rather than just mud. 

She can do it on a US license.

Oh yea. Forgot about that little twist of fate.

Oh no, I meant I am used to driving on the crazy freeways of Dallas, so catching up to speed on the dual carriageway is easy (I haven't driven on a motorway here yet). I love that part! My US licence expired in July, unfortunately. I would love to be able to go out and practice the manouevres alone, but alas, I have to subject the hubs to all my swearing.

Do you have any motorways up there in the outback? 

LOL... I think there is one somewhere. 

Oh no, I meant I am used to driving on the crazy freeways of Dallas, so catching up to speed on the dual carriageway is easy

Yes!  Several of my friends here are nervous about driving on motorways, and when I went straight out and drove on the motorway alone with my kids soon after getting my license they said "Are you sure that's safe since you just passed your test?"  Yes.  Motorways are a cakewalk for me compared to roundabouts.

Yes.  Motorways are a cakewalk for me compared to roundabouts.

Totally. It's now been two months since I've passed the test, and I have to say I feel *almost* as comfortable driving as I did in the US.  Phew. It helps that I'm in the car a minimum of twice a week for about an hour driving back and forth from riding lessons, so I have to keep up the practice.

Yes.  Motorways are a cakewalk for me compared to roundabouts.

Aren't they just? Never understood the motorway ban for provisional license holders.  I mean as long as the provisional holder can drive at least 40, what's the problem? I think the dual carriageways would be more dangerous (same speed limits but with added crossroads!).

I do like roundabouts compared to 4-way stops though.

Well, I've failed twice now and I'm absolutely gutted.  I had the same examiner for both tests, and I'm seriously considering booking my next test in a different town so I don't get him again.  He's got a less than stellar reputation around here, and I don't have the £ to throw away if I keep getting failed by him.

The first test:  I failed right at the start, but I didn't know it at the time.  By the end I had 1 serious fault and 6 minors.  There is a roundabout at the test center parking lot exit; I had stopped shortly before the roundabout because someone was crossing the street; when I went to inch up to the roundabout, I was in 2nd gear, not 1st.  I caught it right away, but he still marked it as a serious fault  ( I naively thought it would count as a minor fault).  I was upset, but figured I'd try again.

I had my second test today, and got the same examiner.  I had 4 minors and 1 serious fault.  My serious fault was that he felt that the back tire wasn't close enough to the curb when I was done parallel parking, which is bullsh!t.  I know there was no way the back end was too far out; when I did the manouver, the front end wasn't perfectly parallel, so I nudged forward a bit and checked and double checked to make sure everything was totally straight.

It just almost feels like this guy sets people up to fail.  He took me both times to the same street for the parallel parking where you're reversing to park on an incline.  My instructor knew this and so I've been practicing on that particular street and I can park there with my eyes closed.  Also, I've had two different instructors, and both told me that when doing the reversing around the corner, once you've made it around, reverse up the street about 2 car lengths and then stop, just to make sure you're not obstructing anything.  I did that, and he told me it wasn't far enough and by the time he decided it was, I had driven in reverse halfway up the freaking street.   It was on a street with detatched houses and I had passed 5 damn houses before he decided it was far enough.

I had a talk with my instructor (who was livid about my test), and I'm going to consider taking a lesson or two in his town and booking the test there.  The pass rate is much better (Derry's is the lowest in NI) and I won't have to worry about getting this expaminer again.

Oh, Petunia, I'm so sorry to hear that! That guy sounds like a real PITA! I hope you have better luck at a different test centre, still, you should'nt have to do that.  

ETA: Spelling.

That sucks, Petunia.  Here's hoping the next try goes much better.

Sorry Petunia. But what a crock! Tyre too far from the Kerb is a serious?

That sounds like a good plan - taking the test elsewhere.