Recently passed my test, now lost confidence in driving.

I don't know where to start with this. So late summer I passed my driving test, second time. I learnt in a manual, but I own an automatic VW Polo. I'm not sure when I first noticed that I began losing my confidence, but I'm just much more nervous behind the wheel than I ever was when I was in a learner car. I'm just so upset with how driving has turned out to be for me, to the point where the only journeys I do are going to work and back, that's it. I wanted driving to be the making of me as a person, and give me an excuse to out to places, that's what people all assume isn't it? People expect you to take advantage of your new found freedom, and that couldn't be further from the truth for me, and I'm devastated, all my confidence seemed to go over night. I'm one of the only people in my friend group who can drive, so they look to me to go places but I haven't the heart to tell them I've lost a lot of confidence with my driving. I don't think they would understand anyway. I just feel a lot of pressure. I just want to know if anyone else felt like this soon after they passed their test? If you did, how did you overcome this? I could really do with some assurance. I don't want this to get any worse.

Reply 1

the bear

perhaps is you put a P plate on the back that would give you some reassurance ?

Reply 2

tinkerbell_xxx

Try driving around with someone in the car- like a family member or even take pass plus lessons with an instructor.
I drove around for ages with my parents in the car before I drove alone and I wasn't nervous at all myself at that point. I can still get nervous/flustered in the car occasionally when I feel like I made a minor mistake but having them in the car really helps :smile:

Reply 3

LiquidGold

Any idea why you've lost your confidence? DId you have a bad experience or something (i.e. road rage from another driver)? Perhaps if you can find the root of the problem then you might be able to address it specifically.

Maybe you could try driving around near where you live / somewhere where there aren't a lot of people, so you don't really have a reason to feel like you could something wrong and it doesn't matter if you do.

You could try having someone in there car you trust (e.g. your mum), that might make you feel more at ease? Or perhaps have another lesson with a driving instructor to see if that helps?

You could use P plates, I used them when I first started driving on my own and they were really useful as it meant people were a lot more lenient when I stalled or something. Also the more I drove the more confident I became.

Maybe write a list of all the things you like about driving?

Sorry if these aren't very good or helpful, just what I could think of off the top of my head?

Recently passed my test, now lost confidence in driving.

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