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By *erroca OP Woman
over a year ago
Shropshire |
I've decided at the young age of 39, I'm going to learn how to drive, it's my 2024 goal.
My question to you.
When did you learn how to drive?
Did you pass first time?
Anyone got any tips for me? |
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By *TG3Man
over a year ago
Dorchester |
"I've decided at the young age of 39, I'm going to learn how to drive, it's my 2024 goal.
My question to you.
When did you learn how to drive?
Did you pass first time?
Anyone got any tips for me?"
17 passed first time 8 lessons  |
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Close to the poster above, 19 years old, 9 lessons, first time.
No real advice to give other than listen to your instructor. They know what they're at, and good luck. You'll love driving once you're able to |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I was 38 honestly I am so annoyed that I didn't do it sooner. It took me a while as I was nervous but I passed first time.
I fly about everywhere now haha . Do it you won't regret it. |
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"I've decided at the young age of 39, I'm going to learn how to drive, it's my 2024 goal.
My question to you.
When did you learn how to drive?
Did you pass first time?
Haha at the young age of 40 I've decided to aswell. As soon as Christmas is out the way haha
Anyone got any tips for me?"
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Four lessons with one instructor when I was 17 but he was a dick.
Swapped to a different instructor and after the first lesson she advised applying for my test.
Got a date for 5 weeks later and had 4 more lessons with her and passed first time.
Two friends who grew up on farms and had been driving anything with wheels from the age of 10 both had to sit their test 3 times before passing because they had learned bad habits. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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17. First time. Hated roundabouts.
There’s no advice really. Do what your instructor says and stick with them.. they have a plan. I didn’t get out of first gear until my 3rd lesson. First two were about clutch control. Hill starts and emergency stops I learned in the hour before my test. Took 16 lessons to pass |
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By *amJPMan
over a year ago
London |
"I've decided at the young age of 39, I'm going to learn how to drive, it's my 2024 goal.
My question to you.
When did you learn how to drive?
Did you pass first time?
Anyone got any tips for me?"
Just practice enough to feel confident |
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"I've decided at the young age of 39, I'm going to learn how to drive, it's my 2024 goal.
My question to you.
When did you learn how to drive?
Did you pass first time?
Anyone got any tips for me?"
Good luck OP. I didn’t learn until I was in my mid 20s. Passed after 12 lessons and with an almost perfect score, only two minors. Just remember the procedures. You can dump it all off and drive like a lunatic once you pass x |
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By *rHotNottsMan
over a year ago
Dubai & Nottingham |
I passed second time at 22. But I didn’t really learn to drive until a couple years later.
I insisted I teach my kids to drive at 15-17 and they all passed 1st time at 17. It’s a huge game changer.
Tips? Get a car , insure it using marmalade and have someone sit with you. You will save more on lessons than you spend on the car so effectively you get the car for free |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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37. 3 instructors. Passed first time with the 3rd.
Don't be scared to change instructor if you feel something is not right. Don't rush. Practice, practice, practice.
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Passed first time at 41. Best thing I did.
Some good advice from others here. I would add to always keep your concentration.
And it’s true what they say.. you don’t learn to drive properly until you’re passed and out on your own.
Good luck OP
Mrs |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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17, first time.. A miracle as the tester had to help me mount the (massive) kerb to get past a brewery lorry that had blocked the road.. He didn't think it acceptable to wait for an hour 
Don't speed, watch out for vulnerable road users - remember the new hierarchy |
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I was late taking lessons - around 40
Passed first time
No tips as you need to learn the correct way to drive before you can go to your way of driving afterwards! Like anything you only learn more after you’ve passed
K |
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Started age 17 (first time driving) and passed just after 18th birthday. Passed second time. What did suprise me about the first lesson is that I was driving on a busy main road before it was over. Thought I'd just be learning the 'basics'! Maybe prepare yourself and sit with a driver on private land to get used to gear changes. |
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"I've decided at the young age of 39, I'm going to learn how to drive, it's my 2024 goal.
My question to you.
When did you learn how to drive?
Did you pass first time?
Anyone got any tips for me?"
Yes at the age of 23. I was required to drive vehicles upto HGV by the Queen. So glad I waited until the tax payer foot the bill.
Yes - Car, Yes - HGV (Cat B only), No - HGV and trailer (C+E) later. Second time on C+E. Although I maintain I was done over by the actions of a complete lunatic boy racer first time, felt a little unfair.
Easier said than done but try to relax. Seeing so many other people go through the process it seems to me so many perfectly capable drivers fail just to nerves. After all an instructor wouldn't put you forward for a test unless they thought you were perfectly capable of passing. Also don't pressurise yourself into hasty mistakes. Better to take a minor say for hesitation than to get a major because rushed things. After all a pass is a pass even with a few minors and a major is always a fail regardless of if the rest of your drive was perfect. |
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By *avinaTVTV/TS
over a year ago
Transsexual Transylvania |
Passed my learner's license test at 17 (seperate test in South Africa).
Only passed my actual driver's licence test at 21, on my third try. It wasn't that my driving was bad, it's that I was impatient to get on the road, and slightly bumped the parking cones (I mean the slightest wobble) on my first two tests - instant fail. I slowed myself down on the third try and passed.
Hint: don't be an impatient driver - slow down, and don't ignore the speed limit. |
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By *haneleviMan
over a year ago
Kidderminster |
Started at 19, I'm a good driver no more lessons needed. Failed theory twice by a few marks because of bad anxiety.
Put it off since. Booking again
before Christmas, eager to getinn the road finally ! I'm now  |
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Practice is the best way to become a good driver, but passing a test is a completely different thing. Most experienced drivers will tell you that you only "really learn to drive" after you've passed your test and are living with driving all of the time.
Generally for youngsters I would recommend getting a moped, they're cheap and only require a "basic training" to get you on the road, but the "vulnerability" of being on the road on two wheels is a quick way to learn to read the road and understand how trafic works. Obviously as an older person, you probably don't want to take this route.
The quickest way to PASS your test, is to do an Intensive course. If I was in your position, I think my route into driving would be:
1. Book an intensive driving course for around March time.
2. Book two or three lessons with a local instructor NOW
3. Persuade a friend or family member to put you on their insurance & allow you to drive them around regularly to gain experience.
By the time you get to the Intensive course in March, you will have a decent grasp on physically driving a car, and a reasonable experience of dealing with traffic & roads etc. The intensive course will teach you how to PASS the Test, and the experience you've gained before then will mean that you can concentrate on the technicalities of passing rather than thinking about physically driving.
Cal |
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By *oodmessMan
over a year ago
yumsville |
Find a decent instructor, cheap isn't good in the long run. The AA have advanced drivers, are more expensive but give performance on lessons and pass rates. Independents are often less expensive but also less experienced (as anyone can become an instructor) so cost more in the long run.
Lessons don't need to be fun, chatty or flirty and the radio shouldn't be on, they need to be at times of the day and in areas that suit your capability. You shouldn't be high density traffic on your 1st-5th lesson or be asked to do manoeuvrers too early that will set you back when you're not ready.. it'll mean more lessons and more money.
If you you are spending more time parked at the roadside aimlessly chatting than you are talking about potential manoeuvrers or actually driving, get a different instructor. Yes you should talk over good and bad points but it doesn't need to eat up 15-20mins of every single lesson |
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"I've decided at the young age of 39, I'm going to learn how to drive, it's my 2024 goal.
My question to you.
When did you learn how to drive?
Did you pass first time?
Anyone got any tips for me?"
Brush up on your rude sign language and swear words |
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"I was 17. Passed first time. There was no theory test back then. Not sure I’d pass now!"
Yeah, when I took it in ‘85 the theory consisted of five minutes of the examiner showing you a few random road signs and asking you to explain them and the asked a couple of questions on parking.
I didn’t know 2 of the signs and he had to prompt me on the parking but still passed me, oh and I stalled at the traffic lights. |
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Ooh good luck! Exciting times!
I passed in 2008 2nd time round.
In my first test I blew the tyre out, result was mechanical failure.
I wasn't told my result but I heard the examiner tell my instructor that all I had to do was get back to the test centre without killing anyone and it was a clear run of 0 minor faults. I was offered a free retest because of the 0 fault
I passed the 2nd test with 2 minor faults.
Only advice I can give is look at driving as two processes you need to coordinate.
The cognitive and the physical. Start now by being a passenger, develop awareness talk yourself through what you need to look out for and why, when should you use your mirrors? When should you indicate to turn? Things like that.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes and don't beat yourself up when you do, each mistake is a learning opportunity
Have fun and yep, 'everyone on the road is an idiot barr you' is the first thing my instructor said to me.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I learned when I was 17 and I passed 1st time. Drive confidently and carefully. Good luck with it. You'll never regret learning. I couldn't imagine not being able to drive. |
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MJ 