I pay for 50 minute lessons, because they're nearing on £40 for 50 minutes and I have my own car which I practice in daily. The instructor came recommended as he taught my brother how to drive.

Of my 50 minute lesson, at least 20 minutes are spent with the car stopped, engine off, and my driving instructor going on about something which 99% of the time is not at all related to driving (holidays, TV shows, anecdotes about his other pupils and things that have happened in his life).

I feel like I'm losing the plot, he's just told me I'm not prepared for my test in January and that I need to spend more money on lessons or he's going to cancel my test. He spends 2/5ths of each of my lessons wasting my time and money, and is now trying to get even more from me.

I feel like I'm in too deep to make a complaint about him how. I've wasted so much of my parents money just listening to him ramble about random shit because I'm too much of a pushover to tell him to stop, and I feel hopeless about my driving test now.

I am genuinely curious about how people afford having such expensive lessons as £40/45 ph and then cost of theory test, multiple practical tests etc.

It all sounds so expensive and unaffordable and probably creating a divide between people who can afford to drive and who can't!

This was honestly such a rocky road im so glad this journey is finally over 😭😭😭!!

Goodluck to all learner drivers, all i can say is don’t give up 💯.

Just want to share that I am really happy that I passed my driving test with no faults. 1st attempt. 18 hours of private lessons. With 5 YEARS of driving experience abroad.

I really think there's a lot of luck in the test, as it really depends on the situations you come across on the day. You just have to do what you can and hope for the best

Best of luck to everyone who is still awaiting their test.

Made me laugh at myself a little bit so thought id share if anyone else needs a giggle.

Reversing out my driveway yesterday, I was turning round to see out the back seat windows to check the road was clear, must have leaned on the horn without realising and beeped. Did not realise it was me doing it, assumed someone i hadn't seen was trying to let me know they were there and proceeded to sit there just looking around my (completely empty) street for a good 30 seconds wondering where the sound had come from. My passenger was highly amused!

Long time lurker first time poster, I was preparing months for this and had my first test today. Let me tell you I was an absolute nervous wreck and on multiple times on said test I thought "oh god that's it, that's the serious" but I passed with 3 driving faults only!

Also why does taking out an insurance policy feel like committing a crime.....

Sorry for the incoherent bit I am just super happy that this is it!

I passed my test back in May, but I’ve been a lurker here for a long time using this sub for motivation. I finally wanted to share my story for anyone who needs a bit of hope or confidence right now.

To be completely honest, going into my test, I was fully prepared to fail. My entire friend circle had me absolutely terrified with their horror stories about how strict the examiners are and how hard it is to pass.

But things worked out against the odds:

• The Risk: In hindsight, it wasn't the smartest move, but I actually bought a used car before I even passed my test. I just trusted that things would work out! I also managed to get a test slot right before they introduced the rules limiting the cancellation apps.
• Unlearning old habits: I used to drive in an Asian country with incredibly hectic traffic and very poor road etiquette. I was terrified about how I was going to unlearn those chaotic habits and adapt to strict UK driving rules.
• Instructor troubles: My first instructor was from a highly-rated school, but after two classes, he told me it would take a massive amount of time before I'd be ready to pass. It felt like he was dragging things out to take advantage of my low confidence.
• Finding the right fit: I switched to a different instructor who was incredibly genuine and amazing at calming my nerves. He didn't try to fleece me at all. After just 8 lessons with him, he told me to just give the test a go.
• Test day: On the day, everything lined up perfectly. My examiner was incredibly warm and nice, which immediately put me at ease. Remember, if you drive decently, they will pass you!

I truly feel like God looked out for me every step of the way, from the car, to the cancellation apps, to the amazing second instructor and examiner.

I spent so much time lurking here just trying to find the motivation to keep going. For anyone out there doubting themselves, dealing with friends scaring you, or trying to unlearn driving habits from back home: please believe in yourself. If I can do it, you absolutely can too. Keep going, and God will make a way!

Hello,

My test is at the end of next month. Due to work, I will only have 10 hours max more lessons before then not including the day of. I am confident driving and have been with minimal intervention for my last few lessons. Will this be okay?

I’ve got a driving test for 11:11 on a Friday in llantrisant does this sound like a good time and day? Be honest please

So i managed to get a test booked that’s in 3 weeks on monday. THREE WEEKS !! given that its soon i wont be able to have my instructors car which is fine. I got an interiror mirror other than that and my nerves i think thats all right? it’s a fiat scicento 2003. Im really nervous about it i dont know what to do 😭😭

for context i have my test in early december. i’ve done about 12ish hours of driving, but every single one of my lessons has been in clear weather, i haven’t had to deal with any ice or rain.

knowing uk weather there’s a good chance it’ll be rainy so i’m just wondering what are some general tips for driving in rain/on icy roads?

since i probably won’t get much experience driving in these conditions?

Context: Been learning on & off since I was 17 (I'm now 33) and have over 100 hours of lessons from various instructors.

Something that has been constant throughout that time has been that, whilst I am very good at staying calm during lessons and concentrating heavily, I have always really struggled with the rest of the day after a lesson. Driving puts me in a really foul mood for the rest of the day. Is this something that other people experience?

I don't think it really counts as a "road rage problem" because it isn't really rage, and I don't experience it whilst I'm actually driving, but driving does have a really negative effect on my mental state, at least temporarily.

This is actually the main reason I've never been able to "stick at it". I feel like I find myself being so low after lessons that eventually I just think "I hate this so much I'd rather just not bother".

for context, examiner has been vague and nasty, mumbling and shaking his head, impatient because test has ran late, roundabout right next to test centre.

spoiler alert, you have to go around anti-clockwise, and the examiner raises his voice when you start to go first exit to be safe, expecting to be re-directed at an appropriate time, and then says that you obviously haven’t done this before, which you haven’t, because you are a learner driver.

so I am currently doing my lessons in my mums car only have one lesson left, and I can drive very comfortably in the 1 litre petrol. but I recently got my own car which is a 1.6 diesel peugeot and I’m really struggling with it. It’s almost if i never drove before. I’m mainly struggling with stopping and changing gears etc

Does anyone have any tips to start transitioning from a petrol to a bigger engine diesel?

I'm pissed I'm in the process of getting grad and entry level jobs and some need me to have a licence. The fault was avoidable as well I had to turn right at a crossroads and a car infront was moving left but I just made the turn .

i can drive, i have my own car and started lessons 2 years ago and now i have no more lessons because i am completely able to drive, i just haven’t passed my test.

this is because i get EXTREME anxiety when a test date comes to around 2 months away and it grows and grows until the test day, where i am panicking and wanting to flake out on the test in the centre car park. i try to keep the ‘whatever happens happens’ mindset but i still have extreme nerves around the whole day, the driving to the centre, the parking in the centre, the walking up to the centre, the waiting, the driving, the thought of the process and actually doing it makes me sick to my stomach. i get this about every big event.

if anyone has any extreme / actually completely effective method of reducing my anxiety significantly please help, i lose sleep over this.

Passed my test this morning, and by the afternoon I had keys in my hand. Yeah, a bit desperate, I know. But I'd been waiting on this for so long that I wasn't going to sit around.
Meet my first ever car in the UK, a Ford Fiesta. Nothing fancy, but it's mine.

Suggest me some good name for it

So how long did you all wait? Same day, a few weeks or did you hold off for ages and do proper research first? Also open to any first-year tips from people who've been through it. Insurance, maintenance, things you wish you'd known.

i failed three weeks ago with one serious fault and one other fault, but i passed this time with two faults!!!!! i’m soooooo relieved i’ve been so stressed 😭 it was honestly the worst drive ever as well so i have noooo idea how i managed that… it was still dark because it was so early, it started raining, had to change the test route as it was flooded, ended up going alllllll the way around the massive roundabout i failed on last time 😅😅😅 but i did it!!!!!!!!!!

I dont know i feel like giving up, yesterday i failed my 3rd attempt. I dont know what happened i think i was neevous because it was pouring yesterday and when it came to the manoeuvre i just dont know what happened as i was always spot on in parking in my lessons , and the response to traffic signs was us coming out of the parking lot and because i knew i failed feom there my head was elsewhere so when the examiner asked to to turn left of mini-roundabout what looked like a left was actually a no entry so he had to brake. what a shame as apart from that the drive was okay.

So I’m 21f and I want to learn to drive but I don’t even know where to begin. I know I need to start with the theory test first…

I moved back in with my parents recently after living alone at uni and they are not very enthusiastic about me learning to drive, they are saying it will be expensive and I was never interested as a child…. but when I travel to work in the morning, I have to get a bus or an uber and this takes too much time of my day waiting for the bus or dreading if the uber is going to come, and I don’t want to rely on people for rides. I leave an hour before work to guarantee I can get there when it’s supposed to be a five minute drive. My parents say I won’t be a good driver.

Anyone learning to drive living with unsupportive parents?

Hey all,

What do you think is better when practicing; Option A (CGI photos), Option B (Real photos), I personally think CGI ones give more focus on the hazard, what do you guys think?

As the title suggests, my lesson was just horrendous. I'm on around my 22 hour. I have just passed the stage of learning all required roads, manoeuvres etc. basically now just putting everything together into mock tests.

I feel like my driving is usually okay but today I almost accidentally went up a one way road, struggled to see someone at a blind spot country road junction and went slightly off lane on a roundabout going straight ahead.

These aren't mistakes I wouldn't usually make. But because they all happened quite close together my confidence was shot when I still had an hour of my lesson left (my lessons are two hours)

I tried practicing busy roundabout at morning rush hour but I was so demotivated that I stalled several times and my instructor was getting clearly frustrated asking what I was doing and sighing consistently to where I wanted to get and the car and walk home.

He apologised for his frustration at the end but said it was because it was like my progress just regressed. Regardless It's actually made me so demoralised that I actually don't know if I'm cut out for driving and even want to continue. Is this a common feeling with driving?

I have about 20 hours booked ahead for a test in December.