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

Gracias Jewlz    I really hope you get to practice enough before your test date.  Be very very happy that you have a good instructor and a kind test administrator.  I'm sure you're doing to do great.

I've decided to postpone the test.  Called my mommy  and she helped me sort my mind.  The only reason I've been rushing is the teaching job, but we are just going to have to work around it.  Even if I did pass, it would be extremely dangerous for me to start driving students around on roads I don't know in a minibus right away.  It's not a choice - it's a fact.  I ain't ready yet and there's nothing that will make it any different (except more time and better instruction).     

I'm dropping old instructor and I'll give the new one a few weeks.  I reckon I'll book in for the end of January, with the expectation that I'll be ready then. 

So now I don't have the sword hanging over my head, I'm feeling MUCH MUCH better about everything else.   

I WILL pass!  _{Just not in three weeks from now...}

Yeah, I see your point about driving the students around. Even if I do pass in 2 weeks time, I would like to gain more experience as a UK driver before driving my stepson anywhere, just to be on the safe side. But it isn't crucial for me to be able to drive, really, I just want to do it for myself so I can have more freedom and independence. Well, good luck, and it sounds like you made the right decision for you. If you were that terribly stressed about it, I guess it was best to ease your worries and enjoy your holidays. I am just going to give it my best shot and see what happens! It will be a learning experience either way, I guess!

I WILL pass!  _{Just not in three weeks from now...}

You sound much better about it now Hollyberry. And I did wonder earlier about the driving the kids about. That would be nerve racking. Here's to you passing in early 2010.

And Jewlz, in case I forget to tell you, good luck.

Good luck with the new instructor hollyberry!  It can make all the difference I think.

Jewlz, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you!

I completely understand everyone's freakin' over the test - that's why I kept postponing mine for a good long time & taking more lessons and more lessons and more lessons.  Such that I think there were people on this thread a bit surprised at just how many lessons I ended up taking (and paying for, of course ) - and stuff like 'oh a person (not me specifically) shouldn't need that many lessons...blah blah blah blah blah'.  But I was so glad I did (even if my pocketbook wasn't) and waited until I felt more ready & more confident to take the test (and I luckily passed first time).

Oh Mrs. Robinson, there's no way you had more lessons than me!  

And I was only driving an automatic.  

I waited until I felt confident and my instructor thought I was ready.  The lessons were money well spent in my case.  

Oh Mrs. Robinson, there's no way you had more lessons than me!  

or my first wife...

   Thanks y'all for the support 

Well, just went out for some practice as a warm up with DH and it was pretty pleasant, actually! I thought coming back after driving in the US would frustrate me more, but it really didn't. I kinda found it boring to drive there after driving here, to be honest!  I did ok with DH, actually, it was our best practice session for sure. But, oh man, how I hate that reverse around the corner! I still completely suck at it. I think today I might be doing a mock test with my instructor, but I'm not sure what his plan is. I hope he has time for a 2 hour lesson next weekend, as it looks like DH is working overtime all weekend due to the Christmas rush, and I don't think I could bare to practice with FIL! 

...I don't think I could bare to practice with FIL! 

A bit inappropriate anyway?!  (Not to mention cold!) 

Ugh. Just failed my mock test MISERABLY. I had 5 serious faults and one dangerous faults. I'm still shaking like a leaf on a tree. I can't even begin to list all of the things I did wrong, but among them: I turned right into the right side of the road (!) and didn't realise I had done it until the end of the test, this is just when the mock test first started, so I failed just as I got going. He told me to turn in the road and I was trying to reverse around the corner. I didn't observe enough when doing the turn in the road or when pulling away from the curb. And I couldn't see very well when making a right turn and pulled out a bit too fast and too far when trying to see if anyone was coming (the dangerous fault). Also, too hesitant around roundabouts, and I went 30 in a national speed limit zone because I didn't see any signs. Ugh!
BUT, it isn't the end of the world. I will just try to envision myself driving much better on Thursday and hopefully I will. If not, then I can try again after the holidays. I did cry after the mock test.  My instructor says I was just driving like utter sh*te because I was so nervous, so apparently it's all in my mind. Maybe I can find a way to hold it together on Thursday. I can't wait until this is over, whenever it's over.

Bummer. But shake it off. As you said, it ain't the end of the world.

Take your time and breathe deep.

Definate bummer!  Any chance you can get some more practice in before Thursday?  Maybe even another mock test?

Definate bummer!  Any chance you can get some more practice in before Thursday?  Maybe even another mock test?

Not really. I'd have to practice in the dark. I will probably just drive us to the shop and back sometime this week since it's dark when I get off work. I won't really be able to practice the manouevres without being able to see the kerb. I wish I had waited to schedule the test, though my instructor thinks I am ready, I certainly don't feel like I am. Though, after 19 hours of instruction, I guess I may as well give it a first shot. I just feel totally wiped out and stressed out today after doing that today. Hopefully I will be able to get some confidence back and be able to focus better during the test on Thursday. Some people say it's good if you screw up badly before the test, so maybe that actually helped get some nerves out of the way. I just want to get it over with now. Like OVER. Maybe I won't make the same mistakes on Thursday that I made today. At least my parallel park was excellent, so I'm all set if I get that one! 

Yah Jewlz, the best thing for you to do is to relax and throw it up to the driving gods.  Fretting and stressing ain't gonna do a thing!

I'd be thinking about calling in sick to work in order to get more practice in (cough!  ) but I guess it might not be that easy for you.

Understand the queasy feeling though - nothing worse than a bad patch after a run of good.  The ONE day I was blase' about my lesson I did the worst.  So maybe some nerves are good?  I guess it's got to be the right amount.  Like 'they' say, about stress being useful.  If our lives were entirely free of stress, we'd never get most of what we need to do accomplished.

Anyhoo, positive thoughts are coming your way from the SW!