The Student Room Group

Struggling to get driving license

So I’m 25 and still don’t have my license. I’ve had bad anxiety most of my life and didn’t socialise so I didn’t need to drive until my early 20s. I went for about 4 or 5 lessons with someone and it was ok but I was very anxious and my teacher got frustrated with me. but then I moved cities and didn’t need a car there. Then during lockdown I tried to find lessons agin but there were no available teachers. Then when there was it was ridiculously expensive (£52 for 1.5 hours) and my anxiety had increased a lot I had to keep stopping. I also have adhd and generally struggled with the gears and accidentally stall consistently and can’t stop messing up. Then I’ve left cities again and financially not in the best situation.

But I want to get my license it just feels impossible as it will take so long and take so much dedication. I have the most challenging job now. I feel so embarrassed during the lessons and scared on the road. When people ask if I have a license and I say no the reaction is so bad, my family criticised me, my dates go off me and see me as too dependent/needy or not confident. I feel powerless
I got my licence when I was 20 I think, after 6 fails. Finally passed on the 7th with no minors. I can't remember if I failed by stacking up a bunch of minors or getting a major, but I supposed it doesn't matter now.

I have bad anxiety around driving and won't drive to places I don't know if there are other people in the car. I'm also dyspraxic and can't get my head around spacial awareness so I feel like I'm driving a monster truck, when in fact it's a VW golf...

It's hard to learn to drive. It's hard TO drive. idk if you're a man or a woman (reactions can differ depending on gender to this for some reason) but I do get not wanting to date someone who can't drive - you do become the DD and other people think they can exploit that because it's "easy for you, you have a car". No one should be making fun of you though. I've been told that I shouldn't have been allowed a licence because I took so many tries to pass and it should be capped at two attempts...wtf does that even mean lol, I passed the same test as everyone else :colonhash:

Just keep trying. You'll get there eventually even if the interim seems impossible. I was always booking my retries with tears streaming down my face!
Find an instructor who specialises with people nervous about driving, it will make the difference. I started driving lessons very late as I was terrified of driving and never needed to anyway so seemed a bit pointless. I passed on my first attempt with one minor (: It's definitely doable. I've got to say I didn't enjoy my lessons but my anxiety at the end was much, much lower than at the beginning! Do you have anyone who could hire a car with you? I did this before my test with a family member and it was much more relaxing.

And in regards to the reactions you receive, I haven't driven since passing my test and I still get flack from family members about it. Genuinely, it's not worth your time. Some people have a very limited idea of what a person should do with their lives and should have achieved by certain ages.
Reply 3
Original post by SarahMAB098
I got my licence when I was 20 I think, after 6 fails. Finally passed on the 7th with no minors. I can't remember if I failed by stacking up a bunch of minors or getting a major, but I supposed it doesn't matter now.

I have bad anxiety around driving and won't drive to places I don't know if there are other people in the car. I'm also dyspraxic and can't get my head around spacial awareness so I feel like I'm driving a monster truck, when in fact it's a VW golf...

It's hard to learn to drive. It's hard TO drive. idk if you're a man or a woman (reactions can differ depending on gender to this for some reason) but I do get not wanting to date someone who can't drive - you do become the DD and other people think they can exploit that because it's "easy for you, you have a car". No one should be making fun of you though. I've been told that I shouldn't have been allowed a licence because I took so many tries to pass and it should be capped at two attempts...wtf does that even mean lol, I passed the same test as everyone else :colonhash:

Just keep trying. You'll get there eventually even if the interim seems impossible. I was always booking my retries with tears streaming down my face!

Is it really a turn off to date someone who can’t drive?
Original post by Anonymous
Is it really a turn off to date someone who can’t drive?

Generally, yeah. If you live in a driving-dependent place though. I'm in London, no one even talks about driving as it's more normal to use public transport. When I was living in Dubai I was driving everywhere, I had to (even though taxis are cheap it was easier to just get a car). No one wants to feel the onus of travelling - definitely makes the work put in feel one-sided at the start, especially with "well can you just come to me? It's only x minutes away, and you have a car" or "can you pick me up and drive me to x? I know it's super out of your way but you have a car it's easier for you"
Try an automatic
Reply 6
Original post by SarahMAB098
Generally, yeah. If you live in a driving-dependent place though. I'm in London, no one even talks about driving as it's more normal to use public transport. When I was living in Dubai I was driving everywhere, I had to (even though taxis are cheap it was easier to just get a car). No one wants to feel the onus of travelling - definitely makes the work put in feel one-sided at the start, especially with "well can you just come to me? It's only x minutes away, and you have a car" or "can you pick me up and drive me to x? I know it's super out of your way but you have a car it's easier for you"

I’m in London and a girl, I don’t think I’d move somewhere driving dependent unless I had learned how to drive
Original post by Anonymous
I’m in London and a girl, I don’t think I’d move somewhere driving dependent unless I had learned how to drive

I've re-read the part about your dates going off you - you sure it's because you can't drive, or is it because you're whining about not being able to? If I was on a first date with someone and they started talking about how anxious they are on the road and they can't do something because of lack of confidence etc (despite having driving anxiety myself) it would be a turn off...not because they can't drive, but because of how they dealt with their issue. I've dated loads in London and have never been asked once whether I can drive or if I have a car. My assumption here is that you're either bringing it up yourself and complaining, or responding to the question with complaints. Just say you don't because you don't need to - if you have to answer the question at all.
Reply 8
Original post by SarahMAB098
I've re-read the part about your dates going off you - you sure it's because you can't drive, or is it because you're whining about not being able to? If I was on a first date with someone and they started talking about how anxious they are on the road and they can't do something because of lack of confidence etc (despite having driving anxiety myself) it would be a turn off...not because they can't drive, but because of how they dealt with their issue. I've dated loads in London and have never been asked once whether I can drive or if I have a car. My assumption here is that you're either bringing it up yourself and complaining, or responding to the question with complaints. Just say you don't because you don't need to - if you have to answer the question at all.

I’m definitely not complaining to them or sharing the anxiety problem. They ask me if I can drive out of nowhere. I say I do have my provisional and know the basics. They still go eek.

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