Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>

Driving alone as a new driver ??

Scroll to see replies

I'm confident but lack the concentration i had when in my lessons. For example, today I cut into front of a car too early on the bypass, on my lesson i would never have done. I just wasn't thinking & it's something i really need to fix- i've only been passed a week though so it's not too late to fix it! I still concentrate but it does lack a little more than it did when i was with my instructor/on the test.

My first drive ever on my own was amazing, i only nipped to the shop to get bread but it was still such a good feeling and tbh, i felt instantly confident even when i was extremely hesitant on my lessons.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 21

velociraptor

Original post by kelsief

I'm confident but lack the concentration i had when in my lessons.

One day you will realise that driving is so automatic you are not concentrating at all and still seeing everything around you and breaking on time.

Reply 22

kelsief

Original post by velociraptor

One day you will realise that driving is so automatic you are not concentrating at all and still seeing everything around you and breaking on time.

My dad said the exact same thing!

It's true what they say, though, you don't really learn how to drive until you've passed!!

Reply 23

sundogs

I passed 12 days ago and will be driving for the first time since today! Nervous but excited. More nervous because I won't have driven the car before.

Reply 24

Picture~Perfect

I was confident, and I really enjoyed the freedom :smile:

Reply 25

x-pixie-lottie-x

i cant remember to be honest...i dont remember being especially nervous... i know the first time i drove alone was when went straight round to my nans when i got in to tell her i passed my test because they would pick me up from my lessons and ask if i when i was going to take my test i always said "i dont know" :biggrin:

lol. i had my car for over a year before i took my test, and i would drive it with my parents all the time, and i practiced my parallel parking on our drive on my own...its one of those things you just have to do...

i have a shocking number of friends who either didnt drive at all or hardly drove for years after they passed their tests... which always shocked me... one wouldnt drive if it was foggy or snowing or raining heavily, which aways amused me because i was still learning at the time and would still drive on days he deemed too bad...

completely unrelated but this made me think of it...what i do find weird is i can not move a car without a seatbelt on... i feel really horribly unsafe and as though the car wont do what i say because i dont have a seatbelt on.....( feel i should add this isnt on the road... i have a really long drive with a roundabout on it, so very often theres a shuffling of cars going on)

x

Reply 26

affinity89

I suspect that I might be a bit nervous when I first go out on my own. I don't have the money to buy a car - not until I get a job, which might not be until September [optimistically, if I am able to find an NQT position] - so I won't be driving for quite a long time. I definitely want to go out with my mum/dad or someone, the first time, just to get used to a new car and get back into driving. It is looking like a 7 month gap between driving and passing my test. :redface:

Reply 27

GlasgowRangers

This is what I'm worried about. I would be fine driving in my own area, but I need to pick my car up from my local dealer next week, which is still out of my area and it's a fairy busy place. :frown:

Reply 28

455409

Original post by affinity89

It is looking like a 7 month gap between driving and passing my test. :redface:

Same thing here. Can't afford a car when i've finished lessons+test in all likelihood so i'm wondering how bad i'll of got when i do eventually go back to driving!

Reply 29

InnerTemple

It's a great feeling. Just remember - your first solo drive must include a trip through a McDonald's drive thru.

Reply 30

randomer1122

Original post by InnerTemple

It's a great feeling. Just remember - your first solo drive must include a trip through a McDonald's drive thru.

Hahaha this is exactly what I did!

I absolutely love driving on my own, thought I would be really nervous but I was fine and after doing it once I love it!

Reply 31

kajb

I was really nervous and had to have P plates for quite a while after i passed my test- i figured people were nicer and more cautious for when i make a mistake or stalled in the middle of the road. I also found singing to help as it was another noise in the car. Also sometimes driving with someone who is not a driver helps- my little brother was good as i didnt feel as if he was watching my every mistake but yet felt safer cos there someone else there. My parents however were awful cos they would always tell me im in the wrong gear when im too busy watching the cars around me instead.

Reply 32

snufkin_

I was extremely nervous as I had to pick my car up from a city I had never driven in before and take it home.

But what I did was recruited my friend to sit in the car with me for the day, and we drove everywhere. For the first 2 weeks of driving I tried not to think about money on petrol, I had saved up a bit, and I just drove everywhere, round loads of different roads day and night. I found it really improved my confidence.

I've been driving just over a year now, and I really don't like driving with other people in the car, except a couple of friends. I find driving with family members in the car is horrific, they'll insist they know the way somewhere and scream directions at me without any warning, and expect me to drive the way they do. (I.e speeding etc.)

Reply 33

GlasgowRangers

Was out today for my first time in my new Ford Focus Zetec :cool:

. I had to drive home from my car dealer, that was rather scary. I only stalled once and it was near my home, in a quiet area so I didnt panic lol :tongue:

.

I'm just going to drive around my own area for a little while or so (about a week) until I feel confident that I can go further. It's such a weird feeling being in a car with no instructor or examiner there. It can actually be the fact that you have much more responsibility that makes you feel rather nervous.

Reply 34

RachelCampbell

Hi I passed my test two weeks ago I get quite anxious and feel when I go out in the car that I might do something wrong or forget something, I hate that feeling at the moment I just want to drive as I have just got a new Ford KA. I am nearly 40 yrs old and I just wish I was confident like the young ones but I'm not it makes me sad :frown:

I don't want to be scared to go out but I am. I want to drive well everyone was soo pleased when I finally passed I just want to show them that I am a good driver not a nervous wreck.

Reply 35

King Mustard

I believe it's illegal to have L plates on if you legally have a full licence.

Reply 36

Talon

Original post by King Mustard

I believe it's illegal to have L plates on if you legally have a full licence.

Holy thread resurrection Batman!

I am not sure if it is actually illegal, but it is definitely bad form. The guidelines say that the L plates should be removed, not that they must. If you have sticky L plates rather than magnetic, what do you do when your parents are driving and not you? I would say that if you look young and are driving alone in a car with L plates attached, you have a good chance of being pulled over by the police because they will assume that you are a learner, yet are driving unaccompanied. Best just to use P plates - that is what they are for.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 37

Fangirl1997

This is my situation now. I passed my test about a month ago and I’ve only had my car 1 week... I have been driving to and from my work a few times with my dad (a good 20-30 minute drive on a clear run) and done Little practices with my dad locally. I also went driving completely on my own to the local shops but I was nervous as hell. I start my teaching job tomorrow (inset day) and I have just done another practice run with my dad (which went amazingly I will add) but I’m so nervous to do the drive on my own tomorrow... it will be the first long drive on my own and I haven’t really had the time to do much driving either... I couldn’t feel more nervous if I tried (plus this is my first teaching job so I have the nerves with that too)... I’m leaving with PLENTY of time to get there but I can’t help but feel nervous, especially when I will be driving in rush hour