My (Traumatic) Experience Learning To Drive
Learning to drive is definitely the most expensive and time
consuming thing I have done in my life, and it is for that exact reason that I’m
so happy that after 8 months, 3 instructors and thousands of pounds (may or may not be an exaggeration), I have now
passed my driving test!
3 instructors
I was super keen to learn to drive, so I organised my first
driving lesson at 9am on my 17th birthday. I initially went with my
sister’s driving instructor because she passed first time (with 14 minors lol)
and he gave my discount because he’d taught her. As much as he was a lovely
man, he was also a very busy man and could only offer me lessons really late at
night or really early in the morning, and he had to cancel a few lessons. He offered
a couple times to recommend other driving instructors to me, and the second
time I had to accept his offer as it just wasn’t working for me. So onto
instructor two! Instructor one had recommended some to me and naturally I went
with the cheapest one hahahah (I'm so broke someone help). This guy was kinda okay, at first. As time went
on, he started cancelling more and more lessons and decided that he couldn’t
pick me up from school or my mum’s house, and I spend a hell of a lot of time
at school and my mum’s house. He messed me around A LOT so I spent about a
month waiting for him to give me another lesson before I finally decided to
send him a strongly worded message telling him he’s shit. I didn’t really say
that but he was so flaky and messed me a round a lot, and I don’t take shit
from nobody. After spending a couple weeks deliberating, I moved on to my THIRD
driving instructor, as recommended to me by a friend from work (Hi Chaz).
Although slightly more expensive, this guy was nice, more flexible (with times, not stretches), far less flaky than the
others and was the one that I stuck with until the day of my test.
Cancelled test
As if having to go through 3 instructors just to get to my
test date wasn’t enough, the night before my test, having revised the show me
tell me questions until I knew them like the back of my hand, and having
watched every single “how to pass your driving test” video on youtube, I was
blessed with an email from the DVSA. Upon opening that email, I discovered that they’d had to cancel my test as they didn’t have an
examiner available for me. At first I didn’t panic too much as they’d offered
me another date. Until I realised the date they’d offered me was 6 weeks after
my original date! I was supposed to take my test on my last day of school
before summer and ended up taking it at the very end of August. I was angry and
heartbroken. I'd say mean things about the DVSA but they havent't sent me my real licence yet so I should probably try n stay in their good books. The next day I rang the DVSA, and politely explained to the woman
on the phone that I understood it wasn’t her fault but I was PISSED. She was no
help. I spent the next 2 weeks constantly looking for driving test
cancellations in the hope that I could get a date at least slightly sooner. Having been
unsuccessful, I contacted my driving instructor so I could have some lessons before my test date. Shit got worse though. He told me that he already had a
test booked for my delayed date. There weren’t any more tests available till
October at this point and I was devastated. Regardless, I booked a lesson with
him (didn’t want to forget how to drive or anything). Luckily, on my lesson with
him he told me that he’d prioritise my test as I’d booked mine first. Finally
things were looking up – a test at the end of August is better than a test in
October!
The test
The day before my test, I had a 2 hour lesson booked, but
after 1 hour my instructor told me he didn’t think I needed any longer, and I
agreed (and also wanted to save money and time lol IM BROKE). This time, I did everything
opposite to what I had done last time. I briefly read over the show me tell me
questions, didn’t watch any youtube videos or try to overthink it. I just
went about my evening as usual and went to bed at a reasonable time. Waking up
on test day (at 6:30am fml), I had immediate butterflies. I tried to eat breakfast
and failed. I put on my dress and my dangly earrings (gotta look nice so the examiner has a good first impression, and earrings remind you to check your mirrors). I just sort of faffed around until my instructor got to my house at
7:20am, for my test at 8:20am. From here on I don’t actually remember much, up
until my examiner said the words “well Hannah, I’m pleased to tell you that you’ve
passed”. My tell me question was the one about fog lights and my show me
question was washing the rear windscreen. My manoeuvre was a forwards bay park.
I really don’t think it could have gone much better – I didn’t have to parallel
park, I knew my show me and tell me question, and I didn’t stall. I got 8
minors but whatever, I passed. The actual test wasn’t as nerve-wracking as I
thought. My examiner was a nice guy. He didn’t chat to me much, but I was glad
about that because I get easily distracted hahah. Once I’d gotten the tell me
question out the way, I knew everything else was muscle memory so I got to
relax a bit. It did go well and I am happy, but also relieved I never have to
go through that again.
MY ADVICE FOR LEARNING TO DRIVE
MONEY
I paid for all my driving lessons myself, which I’m very
proud of myself for. But seriously if your parents pay for your lessons you have no
idea how lucky you are. I have quite a lot of money saved up that I’d intended
to use for lessons, but I didn’t actually end up having to use any of it. I
just used money I’d earned from my part time job. A good way to save for driving
lessons I found was whenever I happened to have cash, I'd use that for driving lessons
and not other things. When I was on my 3rd driving instructor I did
start to struggle as he charged more and did 2 hour lessons, so I was using up
my hours more quickly. I had to borrow some money from my dad but I’m pleased
to say I’ve now paid it all back.
TIME
Learning to drive takes up a hell of a lot of time.
Originally I had my lessons early on a Sunday morning, which worked pretty well
for me as this was the only day I wouldn’t be at school or work. With my 2nd
instructor I usually had my lessons about 5pm on a weekday, which was fine but
kind of annoying because it would mean I’d usually have to drop homework I was
in the middle of to go and have my lessons. With my 3rd instructor, most of the time he’d pick me up from school, which
was good because I could drive myself wherever I needed to be that evening, but
it was also kind of shit because I’d always be so tired after school and then I’d
have to concentrate for another 2 hours, and I’d always dread driving lessons
while I was at school. I’d say I recommend having lessons early in the morning
on a day you’re not at school or work as it means you’re not tired from your
day, and after the lesson you’re already up and ready for the day. The roads are also pretty quiet early in the morning, but remember to have lessons at busier times and in the dark as you'll have to drive in these conditions IRL.
THE TEST
I’m obviously a pro at tests considering I passed first time
(lol my 8 minors would disagree), but my honest advice would be to stay as calm
as you can (lol easier said than done). The test goes really quickly and driving examiners literally aren’t
allowed to be cunts. The worst case scenario is that you fail, and if you do,
you’ve just gotta take the test again. If you’re feeling nervous leading up to
the test, I’d say just try and forget about it and distract yourself with other
things. If your driving instructor has let you go ahead with your test, it
means you’re perfectly able to drive. I’d also say to take your time with manoeuvres
and pulling off, because that means you’re less likely to stall and the less
time you have to spend actually driving, where there’s more opportunity to fuck
up. I also advise LOOKING IN YOUR FUCKING MIRRORS ALL THE DAMN TIME – I felt
like I was constantly checking mine and I still got 2 minors for not using my
mirrors. My final and most important bit of advice is to NOT look at the
examiner’s piece of paper, no matter how tempting it may be. At the beginning
of my test, I saw my examiner write on his piece of paper and draw a cross at
the top of the page and I was convinced that I’d failed, despite the fact that
I hadn’t thought I’d done anything wrong. This got me into a total unnecessary
panic. Your examiner has to mark down when you do your manoeuvre and emergency
stop and show me question so just because they mark something down doesn’t mean
they’re giving you a minor or failing you.
So that’s it! If you haven’t started learning to drive, are currently learning to drive or can drive, I hope you enjoyed being nosy about my trauma.
Drive safe x
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