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I've just turned 28 and I still can't drive. There's quite a few reasons why I've never bothered, the main one being I just don't have the money. One of the other reasons is I'm a little worried about having an accident. My older brother lost his fiancee when they got in a crash and my younger brother and dad have been in a few accidents aswell.
I hate being on fast rides and always shut my eyes on rollercoasters. I even have those panic sensations when Im in the front passenger seat and the person driving goes too fast towards bends or up hills. I guess it's because I have no control, I'm not behind the wheel and I'm not the one with the foot over the brakes.
I don't really know much about cars. My older brother helps run the British Car Auction (BCA) in Peterborough and my younger brother drives lots of vehicles at the golf course hotel where he works. Even my girlfriend who use to work for her families car rental business knows more about cars than I do.
So anyway, I got a provisional licence when I was 18 but that was only so I could get into pubs. It was just a bit of paper so the bouncers would ask you what your star sign was incase you were using someone elses.
In 2004 I finally got one of those new photo card provisional licences, only again this wasnt so I could drive but so I could open up a bank account as they wanted photo ID. However at the same time my younger brother was taking his practical test, I did the written test which now had video clips you had to watch. We both passed and I was very pleased as was my dad who sadly died of cancer a week later.
I think they've changed the written test again, it's annoying because I have to do it a second time as they're only valid for 2 years. Can't believe I never got round to doing some lessons but I hear they're quite expensive. Probably even more so now that the price of petrol has gone up. My mum said her little car costs £8 more to fill up than when she got it a few years ago.
My reasons for wanting to drive is because I finally have some money and I really want to be more independent. Although public transport in Singapore is wonderful my work involves travelling in America and you just can't do anything without a car there. Have any of you driven over there at all? I'm sure you have some experience Garin and pb.
So where do I start? I don't think watching Top Gear will teach me anything about driving. My dad always wanted us to do what he did when he was young, by taking a car apart and putting it back together. That sounds awfully messy.
Maybe I should buy some books and other learning material and just study it all again. Then I'll get my brother to give me a tour of his car and tell me what everything is and what it does. After that I'll convince him to let me have a few goes in his car before I start looking for a driving instructor.
For me I need to be well prepared before I do anything. It's just like with Final Fantasy VII when I spent 80 hours building up Cloud and the gang before heading off to kill Sephiroth. I want to be good at driving before I even have my first lesson infront of the wheel. Or is that a bad idea?
---
The reason why I'm starting this thread is because I want to hear of your own experiences with learning to drive. So heres a few questions for you if you've finished reading this and have no idea how to reply.
How much were your lessons and how many did you do?
How did you find the lessons and was your instructor helpful?
Did you pass on your first attempt?
What was your first car?
What car are you driving now?
Do you suffer from road rage at all?
Since learning to drive, have you been involved in any accidents or bumps?
And finally, what great advice could you give me that you wish you knew when you started learning to drive?
I hate being on fast rides and always shut my eyes on rollercoasters. I even have those panic sensations when Im in the front passenger seat and the person driving goes too fast towards bends or up hills. I guess it's because I have no control, I'm not behind the wheel and I'm not the one with the foot over the brakes.
I don't really know much about cars. My older brother helps run the British Car Auction (BCA) in Peterborough and my younger brother drives lots of vehicles at the golf course hotel where he works. Even my girlfriend who use to work for her families car rental business knows more about cars than I do.
So anyway, I got a provisional licence when I was 18 but that was only so I could get into pubs. It was just a bit of paper so the bouncers would ask you what your star sign was incase you were using someone elses.
In 2004 I finally got one of those new photo card provisional licences, only again this wasnt so I could drive but so I could open up a bank account as they wanted photo ID. However at the same time my younger brother was taking his practical test, I did the written test which now had video clips you had to watch. We both passed and I was very pleased as was my dad who sadly died of cancer a week later.
I think they've changed the written test again, it's annoying because I have to do it a second time as they're only valid for 2 years. Can't believe I never got round to doing some lessons but I hear they're quite expensive. Probably even more so now that the price of petrol has gone up. My mum said her little car costs £8 more to fill up than when she got it a few years ago.
My reasons for wanting to drive is because I finally have some money and I really want to be more independent. Although public transport in Singapore is wonderful my work involves travelling in America and you just can't do anything without a car there. Have any of you driven over there at all? I'm sure you have some experience Garin and pb.
So where do I start? I don't think watching Top Gear will teach me anything about driving. My dad always wanted us to do what he did when he was young, by taking a car apart and putting it back together. That sounds awfully messy.
Maybe I should buy some books and other learning material and just study it all again. Then I'll get my brother to give me a tour of his car and tell me what everything is and what it does. After that I'll convince him to let me have a few goes in his car before I start looking for a driving instructor.
For me I need to be well prepared before I do anything. It's just like with Final Fantasy VII when I spent 80 hours building up Cloud and the gang before heading off to kill Sephiroth. I want to be good at driving before I even have my first lesson infront of the wheel. Or is that a bad idea?
---
The reason why I'm starting this thread is because I want to hear of your own experiences with learning to drive. So heres a few questions for you if you've finished reading this and have no idea how to reply.
How much were your lessons and how many did you do?
How did you find the lessons and was your instructor helpful?
Did you pass on your first attempt?
What was your first car?
What car are you driving now?
Do you suffer from road rage at all?
Since learning to drive, have you been involved in any accidents or bumps?
And finally, what great advice could you give me that you wish you knew when you started learning to drive?
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I've just turned 28 and I still can't drive. There's quite a few reasons why I've never bothered, the main one being I just don't have the money. One of the other reasons is I'm a little worried about having an accident. My older brother lost his fiancee when they got in a crash and my younger brother and dad have been in a few accidents aswell.
I hate being on fast rides and always shut my eyes on rollercoasters. I even have those panic sensations when Im in the front passenger seat and the person driving goes too fast towards bends or up hills. I guess it's because I have no control, I'm not behind the wheel and I'm not the one with the foot over the brakes.
I don't really know much about cars. My older brother helps run the British Car Auction (BCA) in Peterborough and my younger brother drives lots of vehicles at the golf course hotel where he works. Even my girlfriend who use to work for her families car rental business knows more about cars than I do.
So anyway, I got a provisional licence when I was 18 but that was only so I could get into pubs. It was just a bit of paper so the bouncers would ask you what your star sign was incase you were using someone elses.
In 2004 I finally got one of those new photo card provisional licences, only again this wasnt so I could drive but so I could open up a bank account as they wanted photo ID. However at the same time my younger brother was taking his practical test, I did the written test which now had video clips you had to watch. We both passed and I was very pleased as was my dad who sadly died of cancer a week later.
I think they've changed the written test again, it's annoying because I have to do it a second time as they're only valid for 2 years. Can't believe I never got round to doing some lessons but I hear they're quite expensive. Probably even more so now that the price of petrol has gone up. My mum said her little car costs £8 more to fill up than when she got it a few years ago.
My reasons for wanting to drive is because I finally have some money and I really want to be more independent. Although public transport in Singapore is wonderful my work involves travelling in America and you just can't do anything without a car there. Have any of you driven over there at all? I'm sure you have some experience Garin and pb.
So where do I start? I don't think watching Top Gear will teach me anything about driving. My dad always wanted us to do what he did when he was young, by taking a car apart and putting it back together. That sounds awfully messy.
Maybe I should buy some books and other learning material and just study it all again. Then I'll get my brother to give me a tour of his car and tell me what everything is and what it does. After that I'll convince him to let me have a few goes in his car before I start looking for a driving instructor.
For me I need to be well prepared before I do anything. It's just like with Final Fantasy VII when I spent 80 hours building up Cloud and the gang before heading off to kill Sephiroth. I want to be good at driving before I even have my first lesson infront of the wheel. Or is that a bad idea?
---
The reason why I'm starting this thread is because I want to hear of your own experiences with learning to drive. So heres a few questions for you if you've finished reading this and have no idea how to reply.
How much were your lessons and how many did you do?
How did you find the lessons and was your instructor helpful?
Did you pass on your first attempt?
What was your first car?
What car are you driving now?
Do you suffer from road rage at all?
Since learning to drive, have you been involved in any accidents or bumps?
And finally, what great advice could you give me that you wish you knew when you started learning to drive?
I hate being on fast rides and always shut my eyes on rollercoasters. I even have those panic sensations when Im in the front passenger seat and the person driving goes too fast towards bends or up hills. I guess it's because I have no control, I'm not behind the wheel and I'm not the one with the foot over the brakes.
I don't really know much about cars. My older brother helps run the British Car Auction (BCA) in Peterborough and my younger brother drives lots of vehicles at the golf course hotel where he works. Even my girlfriend who use to work for her families car rental business knows more about cars than I do.
So anyway, I got a provisional licence when I was 18 but that was only so I could get into pubs. It was just a bit of paper so the bouncers would ask you what your star sign was incase you were using someone elses.
In 2004 I finally got one of those new photo card provisional licences, only again this wasnt so I could drive but so I could open up a bank account as they wanted photo ID. However at the same time my younger brother was taking his practical test, I did the written test which now had video clips you had to watch. We both passed and I was very pleased as was my dad who sadly died of cancer a week later.
I think they've changed the written test again, it's annoying because I have to do it a second time as they're only valid for 2 years. Can't believe I never got round to doing some lessons but I hear they're quite expensive. Probably even more so now that the price of petrol has gone up. My mum said her little car costs £8 more to fill up than when she got it a few years ago.
My reasons for wanting to drive is because I finally have some money and I really want to be more independent. Although public transport in Singapore is wonderful my work involves travelling in America and you just can't do anything without a car there. Have any of you driven over there at all? I'm sure you have some experience Garin and pb.
So where do I start? I don't think watching Top Gear will teach me anything about driving. My dad always wanted us to do what he did when he was young, by taking a car apart and putting it back together. That sounds awfully messy.
Maybe I should buy some books and other learning material and just study it all again. Then I'll get my brother to give me a tour of his car and tell me what everything is and what it does. After that I'll convince him to let me have a few goes in his car before I start looking for a driving instructor.
For me I need to be well prepared before I do anything. It's just like with Final Fantasy VII when I spent 80 hours building up Cloud and the gang before heading off to kill Sephiroth. I want to be good at driving before I even have my first lesson infront of the wheel. Or is that a bad idea?
---
The reason why I'm starting this thread is because I want to hear of your own experiences with learning to drive. So heres a few questions for you if you've finished reading this and have no idea how to reply.
How much were your lessons and how many did you do?
How did you find the lessons and was your instructor helpful?
Did you pass on your first attempt?
What was your first car?
What car are you driving now?
Do you suffer from road rage at all?
Since learning to drive, have you been involved in any accidents or bumps?
And finally, what great advice could you give me that you wish you knew when you started learning to drive?
Rather alot to take in there Machie, but I've been driving for 30 odd years in cars, had two 'not a fault accidents' and currently drive my baby, 'Black Panther' - Focus ST170 2.0!
Best advice, learn to drive a motor bike first as I did. Drive it for a few years and then apply for you car licence. Probably not a practical suggestion at your age but it does give you a far better appreciation of 'the road'.
My driving instructor during the first lesson realised that I'd had previous driving experience from my road position and awareness of other traffic etc.
My eldest son passed last year aged 22. He had 19 lessons and passed first time - within 8 weeks he had been caught speeding and attended a three hour course to avoid penalty points and a fine!! He's more sensible now!
Put your worries aside and go for it. Costs are always going to be a major part of motoring, just hope that your wage increases enough to cover the cost of 'freedom'. Good luck:-)
PS
First car Renault 5 - drove to south of France twice in this.
Followed by a Cortina Mk2 (at same time as Renault 5), Austin Maxi (family began to arrive!, Ford Sierra 1.8, two Minis, Cavalier 2.0 CDI, new Renault Clio Sport (at that time) until present 'baby'. My son now has the Clio Sport. I also work for ManheimEurope - direct competitor to your brother's company - but I don't owe them anything, rather they owe me:-D
Best advice, learn to drive a motor bike first as I did. Drive it for a few years and then apply for you car licence. Probably not a practical suggestion at your age but it does give you a far better appreciation of 'the road'.
My driving instructor during the first lesson realised that I'd had previous driving experience from my road position and awareness of other traffic etc.
My eldest son passed last year aged 22. He had 19 lessons and passed first time - within 8 weeks he had been caught speeding and attended a three hour course to avoid penalty points and a fine!! He's more sensible now!
Put your worries aside and go for it. Costs are always going to be a major part of motoring, just hope that your wage increases enough to cover the cost of 'freedom'. Good luck:-)
PS
First car Renault 5 - drove to south of France twice in this.
Followed by a Cortina Mk2 (at same time as Renault 5), Austin Maxi (family began to arrive!, Ford Sierra 1.8, two Minis, Cavalier 2.0 CDI, new Renault Clio Sport (at that time) until present 'baby'. My son now has the Clio Sport. I also work for ManheimEurope - direct competitor to your brother's company - but I don't owe them anything, rather they owe me:-D
If you are worried about the cost, dont forget you dont need to buy a car to learn to drive!
Get lessons and use the cars the driving school provides, or cheaper still, get someone you know who owns a car to teach you and just provide them with the cost of the petrol in return.
You wont need too many lessons to get the hang of it, and when you feel confident enough to drive on your own then maybe start looking at what kind of car you want yourself, you will find you have a preference very quickly if you get a feel for a couple of different ones.
Get lessons and use the cars the driving school provides, or cheaper still, get someone you know who owns a car to teach you and just provide them with the cost of the petrol in return.
You wont need too many lessons to get the hang of it, and when you feel confident enough to drive on your own then maybe start looking at what kind of car you want yourself, you will find you have a preference very quickly if you get a feel for a couple of different ones.
Trish wrote:
> looking at what kind of car you want yourself, you will find you
> have a preference very quickly if you get a feel for a couple of
> different ones.
Trish is right, you're more likely to choose the car you learnt to drive in or at least one similar.
> looking at what kind of car you want yourself, you will find you
> have a preference very quickly if you get a feel for a couple of
> different ones.
Trish is right, you're more likely to choose the car you learnt to drive in or at least one similar.
> How much were your lessons and how many did you do?
They were £11 each (yes, eleven pounds) and I had nine of them. I did a hell of a lot of driving in between, though, as I got a car through Motability three months before my 17th birthday (crips can drive a year earlier). Between starting to learn in January and passing in May I'd driven over three thousand miles.
> How did you find the lessons and was your instructor helpful?
Fairly easy but then I was driving an automatic. My instructor was great: he was an oldish guy and was the only A rated instructor in Worcester -- Mr. Fagence was his name.
> Did you pass on your first attempt?
No, I failed on hesitancy amongst other things. There was an old lady in the car behind me who was getting angry because I took so long to pull out of the junction ... irony at its best!
> What was your first car?
A Vauxhall Astra.
> What car are you driving now?
I can't drive any more but I have a Renault Kangoo as my transport.
> Do you suffer from road rage at all?
No, never have done.
> Since learning to drive, have you been involved in any accidents or bumps?
Erm, yes ... lots!
When I got my first car it was more or less just handed to me (to get a car from Motability you generally pay a non-refundable deposit and then use your Disability Living Allowance as payment over three years) so I had no respect for it at all and so didn't take car of it. This lead to loads of little dings and bumps and one semi-serious accident, although that wasn't my fault.
I had no accidents with my second, third or fourth cars but a woman pulled out into me in my fifth car.
> And finally, what great advice could you give me that you wish you knew when you started learning to drive?
Assume that everyone else on the road is an idiot and people who indicate wrongly are more common than people who don't indicate at all.
They were £11 each (yes, eleven pounds) and I had nine of them. I did a hell of a lot of driving in between, though, as I got a car through Motability three months before my 17th birthday (crips can drive a year earlier). Between starting to learn in January and passing in May I'd driven over three thousand miles.
> How did you find the lessons and was your instructor helpful?
Fairly easy but then I was driving an automatic. My instructor was great: he was an oldish guy and was the only A rated instructor in Worcester -- Mr. Fagence was his name.
> Did you pass on your first attempt?
No, I failed on hesitancy amongst other things. There was an old lady in the car behind me who was getting angry because I took so long to pull out of the junction ... irony at its best!
> What was your first car?
A Vauxhall Astra.
> What car are you driving now?
I can't drive any more but I have a Renault Kangoo as my transport.
> Do you suffer from road rage at all?
No, never have done.
> Since learning to drive, have you been involved in any accidents or bumps?
Erm, yes ... lots!
When I got my first car it was more or less just handed to me (to get a car from Motability you generally pay a non-refundable deposit and then use your Disability Living Allowance as payment over three years) so I had no respect for it at all and so didn't take car of it. This lead to loads of little dings and bumps and one semi-serious accident, although that wasn't my fault.
I had no accidents with my second, third or fourth cars but a woman pulled out into me in my fifth car.
> And finally, what great advice could you give me that you wish you knew when you started learning to drive?
Assume that everyone else on the road is an idiot and people who indicate wrongly are more common than people who don't indicate at all.
What a lot of words. Don't know how to reply, but man you did good:-)
"Assume that everyone else on the road is an idiot and people who indicate wrongly are more common than people who don't indicate at all."
So so true!
So so true!
3 tests, but for the first 2 I was way too nervous to think straight. By the third I was a lot better at keeping my nerves under control. It was actually the week of my Birthday when I passed (19th if I remember rightly).
Anyway, can't do anything without the car these days, especially here in Devon where public transport is so bad.
As for first car, I had many as my dad is a mechanic. I had a little Fiat 125, a Datsun estate that wouldn't go up hills due to engine size, a Morris Traveller (the Morris Minors with the wooden back) - which was a great little car and a load of others.
Anyway, can't do anything without the car these days, especially here in Devon where public transport is so bad.
As for first car, I had many as my dad is a mechanic. I had a little Fiat 125, a Datsun estate that wouldn't go up hills due to engine size, a Morris Traveller (the Morris Minors with the wooden back) - which was a great little car and a load of others.
Timmargh wrote:
(crips can drive a year earlier)
What! How unfair. Not only you can park closer, but you can get there a year before anyone else anyway
(crips can drive a year earlier)
What! How unfair. Not only you can park closer, but you can get there a year before anyone else anyway
I don't have to pay car tax either.
:^P
:^P
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