Learning to drive

[John E Ashford]

Lighten up my young Friend, I am wait till you pass your test.

 

You'll then be driving in the real world, not a simulator.

[ColinW]

I think what you have put down as

 

9. Sit practical test

 

is what used to be "the driving test" in the good old days. This is still the most important bit by a long way. All the other stuff, class work and simulations is just to get you to the point where they think you are fit to take this test. Your lessons are with your instructor but for the actual test he gets out and a DVLA examiner takes his place. You then drive around for about forty minutes, showing him that you can drive, performing a few set moves like the hill start etc and before you know it you are back at the test centre!

Personally (many years ago) I found it more useful to spend LOTS of time "taxiing" family members around in my own car with just a few lessons to polish up. Hours in the driving seat is what matters and that gets very dear in an instructor's car. One other point, be careful about driving a diesel if you are going to have to take the test in a petrol car. A diesel is almost impossible to stall, a petrol car isn't!

[s_mac]

After all the good advice that every one has given you....pratice makes perfect as they say.

 

The one thing you will have to overcome, the main thing that will fail you is......Nerves.

 

Overcome that, use common sense, and you will have no problem.

 

Oh yes, and keep your test date quiet, saves putting pressure on yourself to pass.

 

sean

Edited October 31, 2006 by s_mac

[Newt]

Andy - the driving license is certainly a large milestone in your life. However, consider the fact that most on this forum are licensed drivers and think to yourself, If they can do it, I certainly can.

 

Take me for instance. I have been told on more than one occasion that I am too dumb to pour water from a boot when the directions are printed on the heel yet I've been driving for 50 years and have held a license for the past 47 years.

 

I'm guessing you will manage just fine if you don't get too tense about the whole process.

[Andy_1984]

all top class advice and i will write them all down to remember them, with advice like this how can i fail

 

think ive seen 2 or more mention a simulator, do they do that in the uk before you go driving with a tutor ?

Edited October 31, 2006 by Andy_1984

[John E Ashford]

Of course you will Andy_1984.

[Andy_1984]

Of course you will Andy_1984.

 

realy now

 

ill show ye johny boy

Edited October 31, 2006 by Andy_1984

[Ferg]

I didnt have to pass the theory test but what I would recommend helped me as I passed first time.

 

Try to find an instructor who used to be a test examiner. They know all the test routes where you live and once you have the basics they will take you on them all the time so you arent just used to driving you are in the enviroment the examiner will know.

 

The other thing is if you can afford it don't just have 1 hour lessons once a week followed by being taken out by friends, relatives to practise. By doing that you pick up their bad habits, cos they don't see them as bad habits, like riding the clutch etc.

 

What I did was to have a 2 hour lesson on a Wednesday evening and and a 1 hour lesson on a Saturday morning. It got me used to rush hour driving in the week (people trying to get home frome work) and a lesson in numpty driving ( people trying to see where that shop was that sold the sensible shoes they saw during the week) coz you'll not know when you have to do your test

 

I also had 2 hours before my test. As it happenend my instructor took me round the same route I had to do when my examiner took me round (I presume this was coincidence).

 

Good luck with your test.

 

Can I recommend that after you pass a lot of instructors do an after test lesson when they take you on the motorway. As someone who now does a lot of motorway driving I found this a great help.

 

DONT HOG THE MIDDLE LANE

Edited October 31, 2006 by Ferg

[Andy_1984]

I didnt have to pass the theory test but what I would recommend helped me as I passed first time.

 

Try to find an instructor who used to be a test examiner. They know all the test routes where you live and once you have the basics they will take you on them all the time so you arent just used to driving you are in the enviroment the examiner will know.

 

The other thing is if you can afford it don't just have 1 hour lessons once a week followed by being taken out by friends, relatives to practise. By doing that you pick up their bad habits, cos they don't see them as bad habits, like riding the clutch etc.

 

What I did was to have a 2 hour lesson on a Wednesday evening and and a 1 hour lesson on a Saturday morning. It got me used to rush hour driving in the week (people trying to get home frome work) and a lesson in numpty driving ( people trying to see where that shop was that sold the sensible shoes they saw during the week) coz you'll not know when you have to do your test

 

I also had 2 hours before my test. As it happenend my instructor took me round the same route I had to do when my examiner took me round (I presume this was coincidence).

 

Good luck with your test.

 

Can I recommend that after you pass a lot of instructors do an after test lesson when they take you on the motorway. As someone who now does a lot of motorway driving I found this a great help.

 

DONT HOG THE MIDDLE LANE

 

im one of the lucky few getting my provisional license and 20 lessons for free, paid by working links. one of the extras you get from them if you find a job

[billy50000]

Hi all

 

basically once youve passed dont ever be totally comfy and at ease

be aware and have your eyes infront and you shouldnt have a prob

 

unlike the boyracer i saw hammering up my butt who didnt pay any attention at all but to hi radio and his mate.

 

not saying your anything like him but like they say it only takes a second but jesus the actual event seems to slow time down.

 

i keep saying to myself "never assume"

 

hope i make some sense i do tend to drival on:)

 

i have maybe gone abit overboard with the quick glance but for me its quick and most times i get the misses to change the cd:)

 

a crash only makes you more alert if you live through it that is and now i can even see the faint flashes of rabbit darting into hedges and ive become great at analising the road for debris from long distances while driving with 100%

 

theres not much i dont see but im not superman i just dont takes risks with my kids aboard so i take driving very seriously all the time and yep its supposed to be fun and it is but i always feel better when i get where im going and in one peice

 

morbid rant over:)

 

 

steve

 

keep testing and you will be fine and when you pass enjoy the freedom do go where you plz(fishing that is