Just had my first UK driving experience...

Transferwise is the way to go for money transfers. 

Well done you for trying it out only 5 days in!

I waited several weeks because I was so nervous, and my first time was...  Um...  Sub-optimal. 

I agree that overcoming all that learned muscle memory from US driving on the other side is a factor.  I was pretty good at trying to shift the door when I was first learning. 

Add on top the unfamiliar road signs and there's just so much to pay attention to all at once.  On my second try, I was so concerned about recognising and obeying the road signs that I arranged a rather unfortunate encounter between DH's car and a hedge.  To this day, the scar of that meeting is still visible on the blue paint.

I highly recommend lessons.  I can't recommend them enough.  Generally, I don't think family and friends are the greatest choices for driving instructors.  I found there was always that niggling bit of me worried I would accidentally FUBAR my spouse's car, and that worry really interfered with me being able to allow myself to learn and make mistakes.  An instructor will not only have a second set of controls, so it's highly unlikely the car would veer or bump into anything, but insurance specially to cover having the car being driven by learner drivers. 

Plus, a lot of the exam isn't really about being able to drive, but being able to drive a certain way.  An instructor will know exactly what will be required, and most likely, will need to help you break a few pesky bad driving habits from the US that would be marked against you.

Transferwise is the way to go for money transfers. 

Yep, definitely - I transferred some money from my UK account to my US account last week... I sent the money on Tuesday evening and it was in my US account by Thursday morning.


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Yep, definitely - I transferred some money from my UK account to my US account last week... I sent the money on Tuesday evening and it was in my US account by Thursday morning.


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I do plan on using it in the future, but I'd never used it before so I used my Credit Union that first time just because it was so much money.

I'm just massively overwhelmed about the money. Maybe that's why this driving fail hit me so hard lol

And I'm sad and I want to call my dad but it's only 6am back home. My dad taught me how to drive when I was 15. I didn't think I'd have to do it all over again! Now I'm in the UK totally unaware of everything. I'll get there I think it's just hitting me and I just got here.

If you have a great relationship with your dad, just call him. If he's like my parents he'll be happy to talk. Mine always tell me to just call whenever I need to and they'll be there. 😁

Okay okay, if I keep typing I'll just rant and complain and nobody wants that!

You go ahead and rant as much as you like!  *hugs*

I've had a rougher adjustment than most, so if you ever want to PM me, please do. I'm at the point of still in the thick of it thanks to some things well out of my control.

Remember that you are married now, and you can lean on your spouse for financial assistance. Even if you plan to pay them back, it's OK to ask. I know as a super independent person that's been the hardest thing for me. I'm probably going to be in a period of forced unemployment due to illness and have no choice but to lean on him.

I also recommend reading up on culture shock. It's real! And knowing it's perfectly normal and seeing some of the coping mechanisms might help too. You've got this. It may be hard, but you've got lots of support here and from your partner

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I've had a rougher adjustment than most, so if you ever want to PM me, please do. I'm at the point of still in the thick of it thanks to some things well out of my control.

Remember that you are married now, and you can lean on your spouse for financial assistance. Even if you plan to pay them back, it's OK to ask. I know as a super independent person that's been the hardest thing for me. I'm probably going to be in a period of forced unemployment due to illness and have no choice but to lean on him.

I also recommend reading up on culture shock. It's real! And knowing it's perfectly normal and seeing some of the coping mechanisms might help too. You've got this. It may be hard, but you've got lots of support here and from your partner

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Last night as I was writing this post, Tom was snuggling on me and he said "This forum is going to change everything for you" and I think he's right. My first thought was "I gotta post this to the forum" I was very independent back home. I think you're right, I have trouble asking for money. I never even asked my parents for money. There was a time when I had to choose between buying cat food and buying myself food and I chose the cat. She depended on me. I didn't ask for help, I just ate canned green beans. I got paid the next week and I was okay.

I think I'm still...not even sure if I'm aware of what I've done. Crying about the car was the first time I thought "You can't go home, this is your home" And it happened in an instant. (well, sort of, we waited 3 years lol!)

I also recommend reading up on culture shock. It's real! And knowing it's perfectly normal and seeing some of the coping mechanisms might help too. You've got this. It may be hard, but you've got lots of support here and from your partner

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Excellent! Another person aware of Culture shock!  Now I don't sound like the lone conspiracy theorist in the room.

Tollie, as the most experienced driver on this forum, I hereby grant you permission to fail the UK test once, get a speeding ticket and have a minor fender bender.  All of those are within reason for a normal person presented with this level of challenge.

Excellent! Another person aware of Culture shock!  Now I don't sound like the lone conspiracy theorist in the room.

Tollie, as the most experienced driver on this forum, I hereby grant you permission to fail the UK test once, get a speeding ticket and have a minor fender bender.  All of those are within reason for a normal person presented with this level of challenge.

Didn't you have a clash with Sirius that because you had two speeding tickets you should burn in the depths of hell? 

Excellent! Another person aware of Culture shock!  Now I don't sound like the lone conspiracy theorist in the room.

Tollie, as the most experienced driver on this forum, I hereby grant you permission to fail the UK test once, get a speeding ticket and have a minor fender bender.  All of those are within reason for a normal person presented with this level of challenge.

Thanks Jimbo!

Aww, I feel for you, dear. But you'll get it. Don't stress or worry yourself over it. I tried driving there for the first time during my first visit there back in June 2016. My husband (then boyfriend) started screaming after I drove about 20 feet. LOL! So that kind of put me off of driving there. But let's not talk about being a passenger while he's driving. Terrifying!!!

I finally decided to give it another go just this past June... two whole years later! I wanted to overcome my fear. I made my husband promise not to scream. We went onto a quiet road and I started getting a feel for it. And then I kind of HAD to drive because we were dog sitting my father-in-law's border terrier while he was in hospital and she had a vet appointment for dental surgery. My husband works during the week so I had to take her. Honestly, because I was "forced" to do it, I knew I had to just put my fears aside and go. I had to take her to follow up appointments as well. My nerves really settled in those few days.

I plan on taking driving lessons still once I'm living there. While I feel more comfortable driving there I'm still not completely confident like I am here in the states. But everything comes with time!

Aww, I feel for you, dear. But you'll get it. Don't stress or worry yourself over it. I tried driving there for the first time during my first visit there back in June 2016. My husband (then boyfriend) started screaming after I drove about 20 feet. LOL! So that kind of put me off of driving there. But let's not talk about being a passenger while he's driving. Terrifying!!!

I finally decided to give it another go just this past June... two whole years later! I wanted to overcome my fear. I made my husband promise not to scream. We went onto a quiet road and I started getting a feel for it. And then I kind of HAD to drive because we were dog sitting my father-in-law's border terrier while he was in hospital and she had a vet appointment for dental surgery. My husband works during the week so I had to take her. Honestly, because I was "forced" to do it, I knew I had to just put my fears aside and go. I had to take her to follow up appointments as well. My nerves really settled in those few days.

I plan on taking driving lessons still once I'm living there. While I feel more comfortable driving there I'm still not completely confident like I am here in the states. But everything comes with time!

I am probably being dramatic. I didn't do a bad job! And I'm familiar with a manual transmission, I think I just didn't care for the shifter on the left side. I think you're right, if I was forced to do it I think I'd get focused and do it!

I am probably being dramatic. I didn't do a bad job! And I'm familiar with a manual transmission, I think I just didn't care for the shifter on the left side. I think you're right, if I was forced to do it I think I'd get focused and do it!

No, it's so weird, right? Managing the stick with your left hand is such a bizarre feeling. And it's like your brain has to just flip everything. It's definitely tough to focus on the road and signs when you're trying to just change gears with your left hand.

I wonder what the history is regarding driving on the left versus the right... I need to read up on it. Like, why didn't we just make driving a universal concept?

I wonder what the history is regarding driving on the left versus the right... I need to read up on it. Like, why didn't we just make driving a universal concept?

I believe it comes from the times of riding horses and knights carrying swords. Back in the day, they would ride on the left side of the road, because their sword was carried and handled on the right... therefore they could easily draw their sword with the correct hand and fight someone coming from the other direction.

Driving on the right started in France and the US when they introduced horse-drawn wagons.

See: https://www.worldstandards.eu/cars/driving-on-the-left/





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