The Learner driver progression thread

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Rogue275

Parents for me too, my dad paid for everything. He's a mechanic though and was determined that all his children would be road legal as soon after they turned 17 as possible. A pride thing I think lol.
Back to the ADI issue. My ADI actually wanted to sit in the back after I was failed on one test, where he reckoned that if he'd been in the car as well the examiner wouldn't have dared fail me over something so ridiculous. I preferred him in the back as well. I understand how people might find it even more pressure but I hated being in the car with just the examiner. My ADI has always had this unconditional faith in my driving even though I was a really slow learner and did very little to deserve it, so him sitting in the back gave me more confidence.
Even after passing I was instantly more confident driving after he sat in the car again on a motorway lesson.
In short, it just depends on how you think having your ADI in the car would affect you personally.

We'll discuss this next lesson I reckon

Reply 1441

prettyblueeyes

Had a lesson last night which went OK, but not as good as I'd like considering it's so close to my test! Did emergency stops which are fine, just need to make my 6-point observations a bit more 'dramatic' before moving off. I'd had a bad and busy day yesterday so I wasn't in a great mood, and a couple of times I just did silly things, like get in the wrong position turning right at traffic lights, and he had to use the brakes once. Kept messing up my rrc too which was frustrating me. Just having a bad day and a bad drive. Idiot cyclists with no lights on their bikes kept appearing from nowhere and sitting right in front of me which annoyed me too, but then again my lesson was during London rush hour so to be expected I suppose! I think it was the culmination of a crappy day and the nerves building up for my test which made my driving suffer a little bit last night! Hopefully Monday's double will be good. It'll be the first in daylight for a while so that'll help. Then hopefully Wednesday will be the best drive of my life! My instructor bless him said that I have a scary amount of confidence for a learner and that I manage to be confident and safe as a driver without being cocky or racer-girl and he's never had a learner like it, which made me feel really good. I know I just need to take my time and not panic next week and hopefully it goes well and I don't have another lesson/test like last night! Will definitely take some chill pills and not let even the most rubbish day at college affect my driving!

My Mum paid for a block of lessons for my 17th birthday, and has just paid a bit more for the last 2hrs of lessons plus the 3hrs of my test. She also wanted to pay for my theory and practical tests and I'm very grateful!

Reply 1442

brokenangel

Mam and step dad paid for a block of lessons and insurance
Grandad bought my car technicaly ( he gave me alot of money for 16th)
Ive paid for theory and some extra bits for car

Reply 1443

coolguy456

Woop woop! got a cancellation :biggrin:

so happy I don’t have to wait 2 months now :biggrin:

Reply 1444

Sephrenia

marmitester

i can't afford to learn yet, how can people afford all this?

My student overdraft. And *hopefully* kind grandparents...Spent £400 already....

Reply 1445

Sephrenia

Original post by &#9829

#excited#
welcome to the dark side :ninja:

me and kirsty and now you reside there :p:

I noticed you had posted on my hello thread :p:

Me no likey being a newbie...

Reply 1446

Pony Jack

My grandparents have paid for my lessons, I've paid for my theory and one (so far) practical. I'll probably save up for a car et al when I need it.

Reply 1447

~Kirsty~

Sephrenia

I noticed you had posted on my hello thread :p:

Me no likey being a newbie...

So did I ..... :wink:

Reply 1448

Sephrenia

~Kirsty~

So did I ..... :wink:

I noticed you as well...apparently my post to you didn't post..how strange!

Reply 1449

~Kirsty~

thats no fair! :frown:

Reply 1450

Sephrenia

~Kirsty~

thats no fair! :frown:

*pets*

Reply 1451

Wind Guru

I've had 2 driving lessons yay! haha although a massive lorry was up my **** at a mini junction and I went into panick mode after stalling :P Apart from that I think I'm doing ok..
On the main road next lesson eek :redface:

Reply 1452

Sephrenia

Lio Li

WOW! 3rd lesson and on main roads? On my 3rd lesson I was doing hill starts in a little lane...Im on my 7th now..and Im not onto main roads yet!

Reply 1453

~Kirsty~

Don't worry every instructor is different, i would have still been on the estate by my 3rd lesson!

Reply 1454

Sephrenia

~Kirsty~

Don't worry every instructor is different, i would have still been on the estate by my 3rd lesson!

Im not worried - Just slightly surprised! I'm happy with the speed my lessons are going at - I have enough time to get everything right before I move onto something new :smile:

Although apparently Im very good at how you're supposed to stop at Junctions...even though I haven't done them yet :p:

Reply 1455

sh4dow6

So far I've got up to 3rd gear (30mph).
Done a few turns left and right onto major roads from minor roads and the opposite.
Done a mini roundabout and a slightly larger one, but with a number of mistakes and stalls.
My gear changing seems to be good except when I'm approaching a junction or roundabout.
Steering and reversing in a straight line quite well.

I was wondering whether this is good/average/bad for 6 hours (3 lessons) of driving?
Finally, could anyone give me some tips on approaching a roundabout without panicking, as I sometimes stall the car because I can't seem to do all the gear changing/clutch/brake quick enough before I reach the roundabout.

Reply 1456

~Kirsty~

theres no you shoudl be doing this by this lesson. Everyone learns at different paces, and by different methods however that does seem good for 6 hours.

At roundabout, slow and gear down at the sign (to 2nd), good look right, nothing coming, go, something coming, clutch down stop, into 1st, if you need handbrake use it, find bite, add a little gas, and when theres a gap go. Try to keep clutch steady since thats what causes most of my stalls.

Reply 1457

sh4dow6

Thanks for that reply, that has really helped.
Now I've just got to put that into practice. :smile:

One question though, I'm assuming you can actually stop (without stalling) and still be in 2nd gear, before changing to 1st?

Reply 1458

Vesta

I had my first lesson today :biggrin:

I found the biting position quite hard to grasp at first but after a few attempts I got it :p:

Reply 1459

~Kirsty~

sh4dow6

Thanks for that reply, that has really helped.
Now I've just got to put that into practice. :smile:

One question though, I'm assuming you can actually stop (without stalling) and still be in 2nd gear, before changing to 1st?

Of course, you can stop in any gear apparently - just change to 1st before trying to set off, or you will stall (i have a bad habit of forgetting this before setting off from junctions!)