Failed practical test

Oh no, I'm getting a bit nervous now!
DH and I live in the little town of Kendal so I always walk everywhere. We have one manual car and I've only ever driven an automatic. SO not only do I need to learn how to drive here, but I also need to learn to drive a manual! After reading all these stories I'm wondering if I just shouldn't bother! haha
Much congratulations to all of you who have passed though, it sounds like it's a hell of a test!

Don't worry Ashley87! I had to do the exact smae thing.  I had a miniscule amount of experience on the manual transmission--so I was basically learning from scratch!  It's not easy, but it's not impossible either, and I think it might be easier than trying to re-learn how to shift with your left hand!
good luck

Ashley...you totally should bother! Its so much fun once you get the hang of it! I would never go back to an automatic I love driving a manual so much!! its hard at first, but great once you know how to do it!

Thanks for the encouragement guys! Hubby is encouraging me to learn, but I think he just wants to be the drinker instead of the driver when we go out

I would never go back to an automatic I love driving a manual so much!!

I know a lot of people who feel the same as you Rache so I'm really hoping I join the club! I've always wanted to learn but when I learned to drive in the US I didn't know anyone with a manual car so I never got the chance.
I hope you're right too Jennie!!

I think it might be easier than trying to re-learn how to shift with your left hand!

DW failed her practical test today, her year in the UK is up in Oct, however her instructor informed her that the moment she fails her test that invalidates being able to drive on her US licence in the UK. Has anyone else heard this, got a specific link?

I've never heard this before. I think the subject came up on the driving lessons thread recently when it was asked if you could still drive yourself home using your US licence after you failed the UK test (the answer was that there wasn't a problem with this - see second post down: http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=52378.405).

It looks as though my post in that thread is one which succumbed to the database error, but I posted a link to The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licence) Regulations 1999:

Persons who become resident in Great Britain
     80.  - (1) A person who becomes resident in Great Britain who is -

      (a) the holder of a relevant permit, and

      (b) not disqualified for holding or obtaining a licence in Great Britain

shall, during the period of one year after he becomes so resident, be treated for the purposes of section 87 of the Traffic Act as the holder of a licence authorising him to drive all classes of small vehicle, motor bicycle or moped which he is authorised to drive by that permit.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1999/19992864.htm#80

The "Traffic Act" referred to there is the Road Traffic Act 1988, and section 87 is just the regulation which says, basically, that you must hold a relevant license to drive the vehicle in question. 

There are no other conditions attached to section 80, so you're covered for one year, regardless of whether you get a provisional U.K. license or not, and regardless of whether you pass or a fail the test.