Passed drivers test - because of fab (!) instructor

I cannot even believe I can write these words, but I just passed my drivers test with ZERO faults! Hooray!

It's all due to the fab help of my great instructor, Gary. If anyone needs driving lessons in South West London, PM me and I'll give you his details. He's awesome. Seems he's used to international folks. He's had many students pass with just one minor, but he taught this NY girl so well, I had none.

I had about seven lessons (~15 hours total) and felt quite prepared, though had it in my head that meh, I could always take it again. Gary was uber-patient, relaxed and helpful. A good instructor makes all the difference -- and my examiner was awfully nice, too.

...now I can finally drive that Figaro we got me for my birthday -- by myself!

Well done! 

Congratulations!  Passing the driving test is such a relief!

Thanks, all!

It truly IS a huge relief, and the next step towards having independence here.

Next up? The Life in the UK test..! hehe

I just passed my drivers test with ZERO faults! Hooray!

That must be a pretty exclusive club! (Which I'm not in.) Congratulations.

...now I can finally drive that Figaro we got me for my birthday -- by myself!

Speaking of exclusive clubs, according to the Figaro Wikipedia page, you're joined by Eric Clapton, Venessa Feltz and Princess Eugenie.

Getting a good one makes an enormous difference.

Congratulations!!

Sorry for the (maybe) lame question but it seemed like a lot of training hours you had, did you not drive before moving or is that sort of training what all of us who move to the UK have to look forward to? I know there are plenty of differences between UK and US driving, so just curious what I have in store when we move.

Congratulations!!

Sorry for the (maybe) lame question but it seemed like a lot of training hours you had, did you not drive before moving or is that sort of training what all of us who move to the UK have to look forward to? I know there are plenty of differences between UK and US driving, so just curious what I have in store when we move.

15 hours of training (7 lessons) is not actually that much time at all for UK driving tests.

I learned to drive from scratch in the UK at age 17 and I had about 130 hours of training before I passed my test (2 hours a week for 15 months)... and I still failed the practical test twice before passing on the third attempt  .

15 hours of training (7 lessons) is not actually that much time at all for UK driving tests.

Yeah, I have to say, I felt pretty proud that it just took that long..! Hehe... I had been driving in the US since I was 16 (nearly -- gulp -- 25 years). It's just quite a bit different, sitting on the other side of the car, shifting with my non-dominant hand, meandering through narrow roads in London, and the immense importance placed on reversing from one road onto another. (I still have no idea when that manoeuvre would ever be used in real life, but...hehe)

It truly does feel different. Of course, I didn't feel confident enough to get on the road at all until this year...and I've been here for three-plus!

Congratulations! Passing with zero faults is really good!

I am both looking forward to and absolutely dreading learning to drive over there, so I can totally understand why it took 3 years for you to get on the road 
My brother in law is a driving instructor so hopefully he will be kind to me and teach me how to drive the UK way!

Congratulations!!

Sorry for the (maybe) lame question but it seemed like a lot of training hours you had, did you not drive before moving or is that sort of training what all of us who move to the UK have to look forward to? I know there are plenty of differences between UK and US driving, so just curious what I have in store when we move.

This is from my friends (as I can get a provisional if I wanted, but couldn't drive) but they seem to have around 20 hours while they are learning, and this is from scratch...but I dun know as I haven't started to learn myself. I think for expats it's just a case of learning the controls the other way and other rules that are new/different. (Also driving on the other side...went to france, and it was the most confusing thing about it!)

Hmm... I think for me, one of the things that I found the most confusing was just the info blinding me on the street! That is, I've always driven stick shift, so wasn't worried about clutch control and the actual driving part so much. But the amount of road signs (bus lanes, hours of restriction, turning lanes that are just marked on the road rather than above, overhanging at the light so you can see it in order to choose a lane!) just seems a bit overwhelming in some areas. Of course, I'm in SW London, rather than a village-y area, so it may be something found moreso in the city. Or maybe I'm just a bit of a div. 

Hmm... I think for me, one of the things that I found the most confusing was just the info blinding me on the street! That is, I've always driven stick shift, so wasn't worried about clutch control and the actual driving part so much. But the amount of road signs (bus lanes, hours of restriction, turning lanes that are just marked on the road rather than above, overhanging at the light so you can see it in order to choose a lane!) just seems a bit overwhelming in some areas. Of course, I'm in SW London, rather than a village-y area, so it may be something found moreso in the city. Or maybe I'm just a bit of a div. 

I'm in the same boat as anais97 (even with the same instructor!). 

I can drive.  I can drive manual cars (although it does take an adjustment to a new manual car whether in the UK or US).  It's just all the signs, lack of signs and different signs that make it a lot to take in.  After one lesson, I felt fine with the other side of the road and the other side of the car, but it's just knowing the signs and learning things the right way (turning the steering wheel the UK way, signalling at the right time to pass the UK test....).

Hmm... I think for me, one of the things that I found the most confusing was just the info blinding me on the street! That is, I've always driven stick shift, so wasn't worried about clutch control and the actual driving part so much. But the amount of road signs (bus lanes, hours of restriction, turning lanes that are just marked on the road rather than above, overhanging at the light so you can see it in order to choose a lane!) just seems a bit overwhelming in some areas. Of course, I'm in SW London, rather than a village-y area, so it may be something found moreso in the city. Or maybe I'm just a bit of a div. 

You wouldn't see it in a villag-ey area because they don't have huge traffic light set, where you need them. But generally that system is all over the country, you also find what lane to be in signs at the side. We don't have the signs generally here over the lights is because if you are near the front..you can see them, which is why we also don't have overhead traffic light the whole time, unless it can get get quite queued up, unlike the continent.

Congratulations!!

Sorry for the (maybe) lame question but it seemed like a lot of training hours you had, did you not drive before moving or is that sort of training what all of us who move to the UK have to look forward to? I know there are plenty of differences between UK and US driving, so just curious what I have in store when we move.

DW was an experienced driver in the US, she had worked in sales and drove to get from client to client so did plenty miles. Took her 4 attempts to pass and got really depressed about it.