|
|
Post by lucyintheskies on Sept 25, 2009 12:54:28 GMT
Anyone else learning? I've had about 8 hours of lessons so far and am exhilarated and terrified (I'm 32). Unfortunately don't have any access to practicing between lessons, just drooling over Mini's. You know what? Keep thinking how wonderful it would be to have James teaching me...*sigh*
|
|
|
|
Post by Wyvern on Sept 25, 2009 13:18:43 GMT
I'm learning at the moment too, and I'm slightly older than you  I'm finding it hard to be confident enough on the road but I'm getting there. I have my car - a lovely Triumph Herald - so I can't wait to get on the road! |
|
|
|
Post by Doofey on Sept 25, 2009 13:27:49 GMT
I should be learning but keep chickening out.  |
|
|
|
Post by lucyintheskies on Sept 25, 2009 14:00:29 GMT
A Triumph Herald, Wyvern? Yowza!  I keep going in to a panic when I have to stop at a junction or roundabout. Not a good idea. Doofey - there's nothing to say you HAVE to drive! I've lived my whole life without a car and blame Top Gear for making me take it up now... Have you had any lessons at all? |
|
|
|
Post by Wyvern on Sept 25, 2009 16:39:57 GMT
I have roundabout fear too. I just hope I can get over it before my test next month or that won't go well! There are some pics of Gerald in the 'what do you drive?' thread. He's lovely and I can't wait to drive him |
|
|
|
Post by nobody on Sept 25, 2009 22:27:14 GMT
I am 27 and never have and never will take lessons.
I am sure you will get the hang of it.
Do you want a new or old mini.
|
|
|
|
Post by honeyfitz on Sept 26, 2009 18:48:29 GMT
I'm learning too (I'm 34). I did learn when I was younger but it was something I never really enjoyed, or felt confident doing. However, I LOVE it now, it feels liberating and I adore being on the move. I always said I'd never learn again, because of all the nutters on the road, but I changed my mind. Keep ogling those minis, they're wonderful! All the best with the lessons, hope you're doing ok and, most of all, enjoying it. I can't practice in between lessons either... |
|
|
|
Post by lucyintheskies on Sept 27, 2009 10:04:23 GMT
I like the old and the new Minis. If I had one though (yeah - if I could ever afford one!) I'd want a new Cooper as it does well in the Euro NCAP safety testing...I'm a bit paranoid about crashing etc. Good luck on the test Wyvern!
|
|
|
|
Post by Doofey on Sept 27, 2009 10:56:13 GMT
I'm 36 and still too timid to drive. I have my excuses and reasons for it but wouldn't want to bore you with them. I was quite a good driver at 17 but lacked the self confidence to go for the test then fate stepped in and made it impossible to continue learning. Now the doubt is greater than ever. Gosh James could make a fortune being a specialist driving instructor for fan girls! |
|
|
|
Post by Wyvern on Sept 27, 2009 22:27:57 GMT
I drove 120 miles today under the supervision of our lovely Mayfayre She put her life in my hands and let me drive all the way from Poole in Dorset to where we live (apart from a little bit of motorway that she had to take over for so we could avoid Staines). I enjoyed it! |
|
|
|
Post by Doofey on Sept 28, 2009 0:13:34 GMT
Well done Wy.
|
|
|
|
Post by Eleaanor-x on Sept 30, 2009 21:20:16 GMT
I'm learning too and it is NOT going well!
I'm 16 and I'm driving (and practically stealing) my mum's '03 Seat Ibiza, so nothing too fancy!
I've been out and about in industrial estates, and stalled countless times!
I'm onto about 30mph and then I end up swerving around a lot...
|
|
|
|
Post by inky on Sept 30, 2009 21:22:47 GMT
Practice makes perfect (I live in the South Lakes. Where should I avoid when you start swerving around ;D) |
|
|
|
Post by mansonmaniac on Oct 5, 2009 18:13:52 GMT
I've decided that i'm going to wait until my skiing lessons are finished before I book my first lesson But I can't wait! ;D |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2009 13:06:23 GMT
My best bit of advice is practice hill starts, even if it is on a small slope and turn in the roads on a slope. If you can do that you can do anything. |
|
|
|
Post by lew on Oct 8, 2009 15:58:04 GMT
Hill starts  I still have a fear of those  though the hill I practiced on, I'm sure was a 1:1 gradient  , and the instructor did it just to see the sheer horror on my face |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2009 20:38:52 GMT
Dad used to get me to do loads, it never really bothered me. I had one on my test and I did it without a problem |
|
|
|
Post by eshalda on Oct 8, 2009 21:40:17 GMT
I was brought up on hill starts, as I lived in a very hilly area when I was learning to drive. Even today I can remember my driving instructor's mantra. 'revs up, find point of balance, release hand brake, and off you go.'
|
|
|
|
Post by pantropia on Nov 12, 2009 9:50:18 GMT
I recently passed my test (aged 32) and I've gone a LOT of miles since. Things I have learned since passing: Manoeuvres are easy compared to dealing with other drivers, so if you have trouble with them, go practice until you no longer need to think about it. It's a lot easier to be confident about your driving in a car you like. It's unlikely that anything YOU do will be what causes a crash, so drive as though everyone else on the road is a narcoleptic psychopath. Awareness is everything - pay attention to everything you can see, not just the car in front. If you drive an old car on the motorway and something nearby has ultra-bright LEDs in its headlights, you are invisible, and trucks will try to drive through you. If you're in the middle lane, f**kwits will pull out in front of you going much slower than you are. White audis are the worst tailgaters followed closely (haha) by clios; the audis are more likely to suddenly overtake, the clios to stay stuck to your butt completely unaware of what's going on ahead and risk rear-ending you. The most likely car to be sat in the middle lane doing 50-60 is an old volvo or audi, followed closely, for some bizarre reason, by any sort of 911 - the 911s are more likely to respond to being flashed over. Driving across Central London in the early evening is a bit of a trial, but it is NOTHING compared to Coventry in the morning rush. It has some of the worst road layouts I've ever seen, a lot of it has been changed since the satnav maps were last updated, and the drivers really ARE narcoleptic psychopaths. I really don't advise going anywhere near sodding Coventry.
|
|
|
|
Post by gravellyhill on Nov 22, 2009 20:21:42 GMT
Good luck to all of you. Once you pass your test there really are only three rules:
1. Don't crash
2. Try not to hit anything
3. Don't get caught doing anything you're not supposed to
I think the longer you practice the more chance you've got of messing up the test because you pick up bad habits. By the time I took my test at 17 I had to have driving lessons to relearn how to do it properly, i went with my parents to car rallies from a very early age and I was taught to drive when I was 9. So after 8 years I couldn't drive at all. Then I moved to America later on and had to take the New York State test when I was 30 and I really messed that one up. The New York State test only lasts about 3 seconds and they take you along a few virtually abandoned roads in a small town nobody's ever heard of and tell you to parallel park along a 4 mile long curb with no other cars in sight. I don't think I indicated a turn once - there were no other vehicles within 15 miles, not even a horse - and when they told me to do the parallel park I simply pulled over and stopped. I ended up having an argument with the tester, who I believe passed me just to make sure I didn't come back.
|
|
|
|
Post by lew on Dec 17, 2009 14:29:07 GMT
Well my son will be, and I can't get over the cost, in my day ;D it cost the grand total of a fiver, his will be £21.00 per lesson, so have decided to treat him to 10 lessons at £195.00 say it quick, before I faint if he takes after his father 7 lessons should do it.....clever bloody clogs or if he takes after me......about 20 lessons  here's for the first time hoping he takes after his dad ;D |
|
|
|
Post by flatin5th - Knight of the NC on Dec 17, 2009 21:11:43 GMT
well - this is the way to do it - and both my boys passed first time.
Drive as many miles as you possibly can. If you are on parents/ partners insurance, you do the driving - everywhere. Do loads and loads of slow speed, high accuracy manoevers in a car park for close control practice. Get one/two lessons from a local instructor to brush up on test technique. Et voila, pass.
The lads passed at 17 years and 7 weeks, and 17 years and 12 weeks! In that time they had driven over 1500 miles each - sometimes 200 miles at a time. (Don't tell anyone, but they even got some motorway practice by accident - Newcastle Central Motorway anyone? !!!)
Easy peasy - this is what being 17 is for.
|
|
|
|
Post by crumbs on Dec 17, 2009 23:00:08 GMT
My 17 year old is learning but is a nervous learner - but I'm happy that she takes her time and grows in confidence. The cost quoted by the insurance company to drive the spare N reg Polo was astronimical, so we decided to concentrate on lessons. It's a pricey way to do it though (and the way I had to learn all those years ago). Our 20 year old passed 1st time but the cost of insuring her as a learner was much more reasonable: a sign of the times I suppose.
It's hard for me to get online at home at the mo - so Happy Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year if I don't get on again
|
|
|
|
Post by lew on Dec 18, 2009 8:55:55 GMT
Blimey that was quick flatin5th, but all done and dusted, though he'll be 17 and 6months....I wanted him to claim down  .....his father mentioned something about car and putting him on it, that'll be up to him, I for one want to live ;D.....maybe crumbs it's better to be a bit wary, if I go back to those sunny 17 year old days, the only confident thing I did was drive. Now insurace don't get me started ......Anyhow crumbs have a lovely hols  |
|
I'm finding it hard to be confident enough on the road but I'm getting there. I have my car - a lovely Triumph Herald - so I can't wait to get on the road!
I keep going in to a panic when I have to stop at a junction or roundabout. Not a good idea. 
I held you, you felt me, I touched you, you kissed me.......
I still have a fear of those 
though the hill I practiced on, I'm sure was a 1:1 gradient 
, and the instructor did it just to see the sheer horror on my face 
here's for the first time hoping he takes after his dad ;D
.....his father mentioned something about car and putting him on it, that'll be up to him, I for one want to live ;D.....maybe crumbs it's better to be a bit wary, if I go back to those sunny 17 year old days, the only confident thing I did was drive. Now insurace don't get me started 