The Student Room Group

when did you start feeling confident to drive on your own?

i passed my test today so went for a spin in my car on my own for the first time. I was only going to the local shop and back but i was petrified. I felt like i shouldn't have been on the roads, i was thinking why the **** did they give me a licence to drive on my own?? :zomg: It was just such a scary feeling being on my own and being fully responsible. I'm going to try going out every day to get used to driving on my own and hopefully i'll feel better about it soon...how quickly did you get used to it?
Reply 1
for me two weeks / a full tank of petrol driving worth !
but its very different for different people - some more experiences here
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2317056
best thing is just to get as much practice as you can, start by keep doing the same local route a few times then try new things, - remember nothing super bad is going to happen at such low speeds :smile:
For me, I got my car 8 months after my 17th and got sorted on provisional insurance. I was used to driving it, so when I passed and upgraded the insurance, I jumped straight in the car and drove off to see a mate. Had a lot of confidence in myself and no worries. I'd been driving practically everywhere with my mum since I got my car and I passed 2 months after my 18th.

I think a certain amount of hours driving should be mandatory because, with no disrespect to the OP, you should be confident driving alone if you're to be allowed on the roads. My ex was a terrible driver, had to get her out of a few sticky situations with parking. My brother is terrible too and has had several near misses. Every time he comes home there's a new story about how 'some idiot almost made him crash', yet I've been in the car with him while driving and I know it's him.
Reply 3
I passed a month ago and got my car today, first trip was nerve racking, but after a few hours it felt 2nd nature and I think I drove better today alone than I ever did with my instructor, and much better than I did in my test.
Reply 4
Original post by RichyFrench
For me, I got my car 8 months after my 17th and got sorted on provisional insurance. I was used to driving it, so when I passed and upgraded the insurance, I jumped straight in the car and drove off to see a mate. Had a lot of confidence in myself and no worries. I'd been driving practically everywhere with my mum since I got my car and I passed 2 months after my 18th.

I think a certain amount of hours driving should be mandatory because, with no disrespect to the OP, you should be confident driving alone if you're to be allowed on the roads. My ex was a terrible driver, had to get her out of a few sticky situations with parking. My brother is terrible too and has had several near misses. Every time he comes home there's a new story about how 'some idiot almost made him crash', yet I've been in the car with him while driving and I know it's him.


a certain amount of hours of what? You're not allowed to drive on your own until you get your full licence so how would i get confident driving alone without being allowed on the roads? :tongue:
Reply 5
Passed my test in September and starting driving in October - within 2 days of driving I felt confident. Sometimes I think driving is easier than breathing. But within 3 I began hating driving and still do, it is so stressful and expensive.

Beware of other road users because they are dangerous, inconsiderate and selfish.
Original post by deedee123
a certain amount of hours of what? You're not allowed to drive on your own until you get your full licence so how would i get confident driving alone without being allowed on the roads? :tongue:


Sorry for the misunderstanding, what I mean is that you should be comfortable enough driving when your instructor is in the car, that he doesn't have to say anything, and you don't need any help. Some people will have about 10 lessons and take their test just so they can save money. Those people don't have anywhere near enough experience and are more likely to cause an accident. I think there should be a minimum amount of hours needed before you take a test.
Reply 7
Original post by RichyFrench
Sorry for the misunderstanding, what I mean is that you should be comfortable enough driving when your instructor is in the car, that he doesn't have to say anything, and you don't need any help. Some people will have about 10 lessons and take their test just so they can save money. Those people don't have anywhere near enough experience and are more likely to cause an accident. I think there should be a minimum amount of hours needed before you take a test.


Yeah i agree, i'm extremely confident when theres someone next to me, even if they're not saying anything. It's just re-assuring to have them there :tongue: i know i can drive well, it's just nerve wracking when it's you on your own!
It took me a good couple of months mainly because i made it worse for myself by not going out driving. When i eventually did i pushed myself to driver to uni after that i did that journey everyday and the nerves got less and less until i started to really enjoy going and doing that drive.

I don't think nerves are a bad thing, i expect it to be natural for most people to experience this, some however won't but the way i see it is you've been driving for however long with your instructor, as far as actually driving the car yourself it's all you've even know, having your instructor at the side of you and now you're out there alone, something completely different, a lot more responsibility it takes a good couple of miles to realise you have as much right as everyone else to be on that road driving and to gain more confidence.

Definitely get out there and just drive, even if it's not too far, so as far as you're comfortable with and build it up, it does get better, i promise :smile:
Reply 9
I had done so much driving before I passed my test that it didn't take long at all. I bought my first car on my 17th birthday, and put over 1,000 miles on it with L plates and my Mum in the passenger seat, so I was pretty confident when I could finally drive it by myself.

It was a strange feeling, and not one I will forget! My first drive was to school in the morning and I remember sitting in a queue of traffic and looking over and seeing the passenger seat was empty! I think I was 100% confident within a day or so, but I drove a lot so that is probably why!
I passed last week but still waiting for the right car to pop up so I can get on the road. I don't feel scared at all rather excited actually and I'm getting a bit impatient. I'm not too fussed about there being a gap in my driving though, there have been a few times where I've not driven for 2-3 weeks and drove really well as soon as I got back in the car. I actually passed my last test coming in cold off a 3 week gap, drove my absolute best that day. I think the break was refreshing and I just felt happy to be getting back behind the wheel.

I think once I've got my car I'm gonna use the same routes we used to use most in my lessons, been over them so many times I know them like the back of my hand now so they'll be good confidence boosters. That's what I'd recommend to everyone else as well, just stick with familiar roads. Maybe go practice some manoeuvres to really get used to the feel of the car.
I passed at the start of August but my insurance didn't start till the start of September, so I had a car and just couldn't drive it for a month of the summer holidays. By the end I was so eager and impatient to drive that I didn't even think about nerves or anything. Most people find they prefer driving alone after a while anyway.
Original post by deedee123
i passed my test today so went for a spin in my car on my own for the first time. I was only going to the local shop and back but i was petrified. I felt like i shouldn't have been on the roads, i was thinking why the **** did they give me a licence to drive on my own?? :zomg: It was just such a scary feeling being on my own and being fully responsible. I'm going to try going out every day to get used to driving on my own and hopefully i'll feel better about it soon...how quickly did you get used to it?


My first couple of trips out where a bit nerve-racking. I think they are for most people. This might just be me being a bit special, but i got used to driving on my own quickly, but i preferred driving on my own too much. If i had anyone else in the car with me, i was a nervous wreck. I think that was my dads fault though, because when i went out on my first trip in the car, my dad was constantly on my back. I got used to having passengers though with practice.
My advice is to just go out driving as much as possible. You will get used to it.
Reply 13
went out for a drive today and felt much better :biggrin: also went on the motorway with my dad, scary but fun :biggrin: :zomg:
I think probably after two weeks of driving every day I started to feel confident and fully in control and used to the car :smile:
I felt fine with driving on my own after my test as I had done so before passing my test, usually not on public roads though.

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