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Driving Lessons - Take a break?
I started taking driving lessons since January. I use to love it, however now I don't hate it but I don't like it. I got a lesson coming up tomorrow morning, it's only for an hour, but I don't really want to do it. Every week I get like this, can't be bothered. It's because I'm not good at it. I haven't really learnt a lot since I started this year. Seriously I only just realized what I should do to stop stalling the car, let the clutch come to the bite before the traffic lights turn green, then releasing the brake. I'm ok with the gears now, before I was hopeless. Doing a turn in the road and bay parking I can't seem to do at all and I've been learning to do these for a month now. I panic so much when I get to a roundabout, or when I have to speed up. Once I panicked so much at a busy roundabout that I lost control of the car and nearly crashed into a lorry, no joke. :eek:
Basically I'm not sure if I should take a break from it, or carry on. The reason why I'm still doing it now is because I do want to be able to drive, like I said I don't hate it. And to be honest everyone needs to be able to drive to do simply things like go the local grocery store. Driving also gives you more options in life as well. Plus I'm scared that if I stop I will forget everything I have learnt.
Should I carry on driving, or take a break? What are your thoughts on this? What where/are you like when you were/are learning?
Oh god. I'm so sorry for the long post. This should be in the advice forum, just realized, sorry.
Basically I'm not sure if I should take a break from it, or carry on. The reason why I'm still doing it now is because I do want to be able to drive, like I said I don't hate it. And to be honest everyone needs to be able to drive to do simply things like go the local grocery store. Driving also gives you more options in life as well. Plus I'm scared that if I stop I will forget everything I have learnt.
Should I carry on driving, or take a break? What are your thoughts on this? What where/are you like when you were/are learning?
Oh god. I'm so sorry for the long post. This should be in the advice forum, just realized, sorry.
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For a start it should not be possible to lose control of the car with a good instructor. He or she is there to help you learn without being at risk.
if i was in your shoes, id book extra lessons
seems confidence is what you are missing , practice makes perfect
you can achieve anything you want if you just try
giving up isnt way to go
This.
Maybe like me, you just need to find the right person to help. Plus I think you need to have the motivation to really want to do it.
My first instructor patronised me something chronic and it reached a head when I judged a situation where an emergency stop was required and he went mental at me because he was busy reading something instead of paying attention. My second instructor was female and she was excellent. My first lesson was a 2 hour evaluation to see just how good my driving was, and apart from a habit of riding the clutch occasionally and crossing my hands she said I was test pass quality. I asked he she was so sure and she said that she'd spent an hour and a half doing a kind of mock test with me, as I seemed both competent and confident. I went straight for the test after 10 lessons and aced it.
Don't worry about the roundabout incident. I occasionally misjudge at roundabouts and there's one I hate because there are six lots of traffic I need to take into account. I've had a couple of scary experiences on that one. I don't think many people like roundabouts, and it's not uncommon.
If you're determined to learn then just force yourself to do it and get the test over with, don't take breaks otherwise it will drag on for ages. I did that and it took me a total of 2 years to get my test, I was constantly missing a week here and there, and you forget things in the meantime.
I always panicked at roundabouts too and stalled all the time so you're not alone! Just stick at it.
Do u practise out of lesson hr, extra help in a car? Don't panic. it takes yrs of practise. i can now drive up to lights in neutral with no hands! :cool:
My first instructor was useless, I did about 12 lessons (2 hours each) and I hadn't even got onto a main road, nor had I done any manoeuvres. I was extremely frustrated in the end as I felt it was just a waste of money and I didn't really have much confidence in myself, plus the fact that everyone around me had done manoeuvres after their first few lessons (same driving company) and seemed to racing along.
I broke my elbow and funny bone and obviously had to stop the lessons but after it healed I had no motivation to go back, months past and in the end I went back but changed instructors and boy, what a difference! I did a manoeuvre in my second lesson. This really boosted my confidence and I went onto a main road next and although scary I felt that the instructor actually trusted me and my confidence just grew and I passed with only 3 minors in the end. I'm so glad I changed, I actually started to like driving and I could see where my money was going.
So please, don't give up, just change instructors, it does make such a difference!
I had my lesson this morning, and it was a good one. Today I was taught how to reverse into a road, which I was ok at considering my first time doing the manoeuvre. Today I had a great driving lesson which is rare for me. My instructor even realized that I had improved today.
Most of you are saying that I should change my instructor. I don't really want to though as I feel that it's not fair on her. I am learning and improving but for me it takes time. Like I said above, I have good days, then I have really bad days. Plus I don't want to risk changing instructor to end up with one that's really bad.
I started taking lessons when I was 17 like most people. I had a driving instructor that my Dad just knew. I don't even know how many lessons I had with him, but it was too many to not make any progress. I stopped taking lessons with him and changed instructor. I didn't really like him either.
I stopped driving for years and now (at 21) I've started taking lessons again. I really enjoy it now and I get on well with my instructor.
Finding the right instructor is everything when learning to drive. If you don't have the right instructor for you, you will not enjoy the lessons. I used to dread my lessons and during them I couldn't wait to go home.
I felt the same but it's not fair on you either. You are the one paying out to learn to drive. It's great that you feel that you made progress today though.
I'm guessing you're happy with your current instructor?
So to be honest it's better to carry on if you can afford it, rather than taking time out and then going back to it later imo. If you stop now then you may feel like you don't want to go through it all again later down the line, but if you persevere then you'll be better for it and you won't have to start from scratch.
As for roundabouts I hated them when I was learning, I was always quite hesitant about when to go and sometimes I'd attempt to pull out at the wrong moment. Its all about judgement and the more you practice roundabouts the more comfortable you will become.
I found that I enjoyed driving a lot more after I passed my test and even roundabouts didn't phase me after a while. It just becomes routine and you'll end up doing everything automatically without thinking it over too much in your head.
Sorry for the essay but seriously keep going and you won't regret it once the test is passed.
Seriously - I know it feels bad but you've just got to do it. It's not personal, you've got to find the right match with instructors and it can take a few attempts. I wasted so much time and money on a guy who was completely useless (he eventually got 'struck off') and just wished I'd had the courage to ditch him quicker.
I get along with my driving instructor, we have good chats while I'm driving, as well as teaching me of course.
Yeah I worry will I have to pull out into a busy roundabout. A couple of times I have pulled out at the wrong time and my instructor had to brake, which scares me.
No problem.
Well thats good, sounds like you're comfortable with your instructor so I wouldn't rush into changing unless you're unhappy with how things are progressing.
Busy roundabouts are always daunting but it's only due to lack of experience, I doubt many people are confident with them at first, it took me a while to be able to judge for myself the correct time to pull out, without seeking reassurance from my instructor. But don't worry if you do pull out at the wrong time, everyone makes mistakes but you learn from them. I did the same a fair few times when learning to drive but it makes you more aware and focused on timings and judgement. Also I bet you're doing better than you think because your instructor must feel comfortable about your ability to cope with these roundabouts, as I'm sure they wouldn't allow you to take on the busier or less straightforward ones if they didn't think you were ready for it.
A lot of my friends who were learning at the same time as me also hated roundabouts especially busy ones during rush hour etc, but you will get used to them.
Sometimes a rubbish instructor can make you feel like this.
I had a really naff instructor who I used for months and he basically wasn't teaching me properly, lessons became a chore so I told him I would be going on holiday and would call him to resume my lessons.
I booked lessons with another instructor and he was very good, taught me so much more than the previous instructor. After a few months I passed with the new instructor and I recommend him to everyone I know who wants to take lessons.