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

Ill have to look at my book when I get home tonight... I seem to remember there were quizes.

Ill have to look at my book when I get home tonight... I seem to remember there were quizes.

Thank you!!

I've been using the latest edition of the AA's "Complete Test" book. It's very thorough.

The book contains individual sections each with its own set of questions (and answers) as follows:

Alertness
Attitude
Safety and Your Vehicle
Safety Margins
Hazard Awareness
Vulnerable Road Users
Other Types of Vehicle
Vehicle Handling
Motorway Rules
Rules of the Road
Road and Traffic Signs
Documents
Accidents
Vehicle Loading


You can order here: http://shop.theaa.com/store/books/aa-complete-test

If you've got an iPhone or Android phone, there are theory test apps you can purchase for £1.50 or so - definitely worth it, in my opinion as you can quiz yourself anytime (and the one I bought had an electronic copy of the Highway Code - also very useful!).

Thank you TeaLoverDenise & jmarocks
Ill take a look at those tomorrow

I took the Theory exam 3 times before I passed (tuesday) and I thought I'd be really ambitious and book a short notice Practical exam which is in 4 hours today (thursday) - mind you I've been driving around here for 2 months but never had a proper driving instructor here. Yeah, wish me luck. I'm looking at this as a taster to know where I need to work on, but if by some miracle I pass - then it's out of the way!

The Theory Exam is a real b!tch, I got 48 then 49 then 50 on my multiple choice and I kept failing the Hazard Perception part - which I think is just designed to make you fail.

So, as expected I flunked the practical but it wasn't as bad as I thought - quite a pleasant experience actually compared to being instructed by my partner  Basically I need to get into the habit of msm, and I made one big mistake: you know how on Stop signs in the US when the other way is clear you just do a rolling pause instead of a full stop...

So, as expected I flunked the practical but it wasn't as bad as I thought - quite a pleasant experience actually compared to being instructed by my partner  Basically I need to get into the habit of msm, and I made one big mistake: you know how on Stop signs in the US when the other way is clear you just do a rolling pause instead of a full stop...

You did a California roll?  LOL 

So, as expected I flunked the practical but it wasn't as bad as I thought - quite a pleasant experience actually compared to being instructed by my partner  Basically I need to get into the habit of msm, and I made one big mistake: you know how on Stop signs in the US when the other way is clear you just do a rolling pause instead of a full stop...

Gosh, I live in Staines and I don't think I've even seen a stop sign over here! Maybe I have, but I can't recall one.

My practical is booked for June. I've had about 10 lessons and will probably have 5 more before the test. My husband absolutely will not let me drive our car until I pass the test. (He's an idiot.) When I pass, the car is mine and he'll get a car for himself. We bought this car at an auction when we first moved back to England last August - got an automatic solely so I could drive it once I got my UK license. (I've never driven a stick and didn't want to learn at my age!)

I think I'll be at a big disadvantage when I take the practical because I won't have any serious time behind the wheel .... but I have been driving in the States over 40 years. Still....it's not the same.

I really like my driving instructor. He's an AA instructor, a young Asian guy. He's very serious about his job and is very good about praising me when I do something right. At this point, we're ready to start on the basic maneuvers (too lazy to look up proper UK spelling, sorry!) and 'meeting' and then we'll do a 'mock' practical and that will be it.

Salsboo, don't beat yourself up. You'll get there eventually. We all will. 

Gosh, I live in Staines and I don't think I've even seen a stop sign over here! Maybe I have, but I can't recall one.

No stop signs? Tell me were your driving and I'll stay away from there.

Glad your on your way to taking the test.

Gosh, I live in Staines and I don't think I've even seen a stop sign over here! Maybe I have, but I can't recall one.

My practical is booked for June. I've had about 10 lessons and will probably have 5 more before the test. My husband absolutely will not let me drive our car until I pass the test.

I think I'll be at a big disadvantage when I take the practical because I won't have any serious time behind the wheel .... but I have been driving in the States over 40 years. Still....it's not the same.

Salsboo, don't beat yourself up. You'll get there eventually. We all will.  

Well, the thing is, there wasn't even a stop sign where I did the California roll. It was an idiot thing to do (I think I was so relaxed I forgot I was on a practical driving test and drove normally) I was   right after I did it - I knew then I blew it  . I have seen stop signs here - its funny bcoz my partner is like 'You have to stop and give way when you see that'. I was like, darling that is everywhere in the US. I can't wait until she has to drive in the US lol (though I think it will be much easier).

TealoverDenise, you should bop your husband in the head for not letting you drive the car at all. The only way to acclimate to the driving conditions here is to practice. Whenever we go anywhere (running errands, going out), I drive and I have improved so much. The only reason why I didn't pass the practical was for the california roll and msm (because I was driving like a regular person)

So I have another practical booked on 14th. Wish me luck!

I took lessons but haven't taken the test yet. I have to admit, driving here still scares the crap out of me! I don't know why I'm soo terrified! I've been driving distances in the U.S. for a 13 years! (all my jobs have required extensive traveling! I drove EVERYWHERE!) Here I'm just terrified, but I have to practice because otherwise, I won't get comfortable! 

I use a computer CD that has the all the driving tests on it, it also has a code books etc. for reading. I read the book on there then do a lot of practice tests...I think the disk cost us a total of 6 pounds or so! Worth the investment!

Good luck to everyone taking tests!

I took lessons but haven't taken the test yet. I have to admit, driving here still scares the crap out of me! I don't know why I'm soo terrified! I've been driving distances in the U.S. for a 13 years! (all my jobs have required extensive traveling! I drove EVERYWHERE!) Here I'm just terrified, but I have to practice because otherwise, I won't get comfortable! 

I felt exactly like this. I was really frustrated with driving here. I cried during my first lesson, and I cried when I got home sometimes because I hated it so much and I missed driving in the states. (Yes, I was very melodramatic... haha!) I knocked the wing mirror off of our car. The instructor put the emergency brake on me several times during lessons because I got too nervous. Even after I passed my test, I was still as nervous as I could possibly be and didn't want to drive to unfamiliar places, etc. It's now been almost a year and a half since I passed my test, and I am a much more confident driver here. I feel relaxed and love having a drive in the country with the windows down and the radio on, just like I used to in the US. I still have a long way to go, I haven't really driven in the city, but I know my way around my own area and can get to places on my own. The independence is great! So just hang in there, it really will get better in time. It was definitely the hardest thing for me to get used to and now that I have finally adjusted to it, I feel truly settled in here. Good luck to all of you!

I just had my first driving lesson today and felt like crying in the middle of it and almost cried when I got home from nerves.  The instructor just spoke very sternly about silly things and didn't seem to understand that some of it was just getting used to driving someone else's car.  He seemed more like an examiner than an instructor.  I did get to go on a major road though and he said I was pretty good and should book the theory test soon.  I felt really uncomfortable with him though so have called and asked for a different instructor for my next lesson, which is now booked for Wednesday.  Wish me better luck with this one!

Reading these posts has made me feel much better.  Thanks for sharing everyone!

Can anyone recommend a specific iPhone app to buy for the theory test?  I used one for my Life in the UK test and it was really useful being able to do practice tests anytime, anywhere.

I felt really uncomfortable with him though so have called and asked for a different instructor for my next lesson, which is now booked for Wednesday.

Oh good - I'm glad you arranged for a different instructor, because you need to feel comfortable with your instructor!  

My first lesson ever was with a woman who turned out to be a Jehovahs Witness, and in the course of my lesson (on time that I was paying for) she proceeded to enlighten me as to why God gave us rainbows, wouldn't I like to come and join them sometime at the Kingdom Hall & then also stopped by her hairdresser to just run a quick little errand.  

I couldn't get out of her car fast enough, and promptly booked my next lesson with someone else.