Learning to Drive

Learning to drive, driving, and using public transport

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Spyke-
New member - welcome them!
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:23 am
Location: South Shields

Re: Learning to Drive

Post by Spyke- »

There's a few problems here.
I've been learning for almost 2 years, I still can't judge time, speed and distance together well so when I see a car coming the other way or at a round about I got no idea what time window I have to get out before it, so I wait and most of the time I could have been out nearly straight away.
The other problem is my poor concentration skills, I sometimes go through periods where everything speeds up for me, slows down or I fail to notice something. Its caused a few stupid novice mistakes and I can't explain to my instructor what's going on because I got no idea why I'm having these poor problems or what else I can do but keep going.
I feel as though I've hit my limit and that after all the lessons I've had I just can't seem to go further.
Shadwell
Moderator
Posts: 932
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 10:24 am
Location: Bridgend, South Wales

Re: Learning to Drive

Post by Shadwell »

I don't know if I can truely count this, but booked 2 hours of learning in an 18 wheeler in an airfield for Friday afternoon, be my first time behind the wheel, well not quite true, it will be my first time in the truck pulling a trailer. I will have to post here on Friday, and let you all know how I got on with it.

just hope the M4/5 is clear, and no problems with the car or the traffic, as it was one of the main reasons for getting a car again.
sanabituranima
Getting settled in
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2009 9:13 pm

Re: Learning to Drive

Post by sanabituranima »

Good luck
Shadwell
Moderator
Posts: 932
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 10:24 am
Location: Bridgend, South Wales

Re: Learning to Drive

Post by Shadwell »

Well I am finally back after a long drive down to near Dorchester, and as an update, then the driving instructor asked me how many times I had driven with a trailer, or more importantly how many times I had reversed with a trailer, as it was a reversing exercise, and I said none, unfortuneatly my friend didn't jump out of the cab at this point to start recording it, if you want to see the footage, then you can, they will all be on http://www.youtube.com/user/Shadwell06 hopefully within the next couple of days.

but to say he was amazed is an under statement, as I mentioned in one of the e-mails to the company that I was Dyspraxic, so he done some research on the subject, and thought that he would be teaching me possibly worse than a car driver with some experiance of large goods vehicles. but by the end, he said if I can drive like that with the artic, and without his help for reversing, then he highly recommends that I go for my Class C, and C&E driving tests. and not to give up on it, as I was doing a really great job of driving the truck.
Spyke-
New member - welcome them!
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:23 am
Location: South Shields

Re: Learning to Drive

Post by Spyke- »

guh. I absolutely hate driving, going on lessons, having my day interrupted just for a stupid one hour lesson. I just don't like anything about it and when I'm on the lesson I use up so much energy and strain myself so hard that I just end up phasing in and out of awareness for the last half hour. It happens less now yet now its more potent when it happens.
By the time I'm finished I'm so tired from the strain it puts on me its ridiculous. I don't care for the benefits of driving a car. I think it was a silly idea to learn in the first place. I'd rather not do something i'm terrible at for 2 years and keep going on with it.
Pass, fail, get to the test? no thanks, so I'm quitting after my last pre paid lesson.
:ball:
Jim
Super poster
Posts: 710
Joined: Thu Jun 21, 2012 12:01 pm

Re: Learning to Drive

Post by Jim »

I'd just like to give a standing ovation to Sandwell for his brilliant success in the truck. I'd find the sheer physical size of it too intimidating.
“When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie
That's amore” :whistle:
GenuineAndJosh
Getting settled in
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Sep 22, 2013 12:08 pm
Location: Westbury, Wiltshire

Re: Learning to Drive

Post by GenuineAndJosh »

I thought I would share my own experience on this particular topic as I know it is a very big thing for Dyspraxic adults. I started driving lessons exactly a couple years ago when I was 19, I thought I would never get through it because while you're driving you've got to use all your concentration, have excellent sense of judgement and need to have good hand-eye-co-ordination which are things I lack, and not to mention how much it costs you for just an hour's driving lesson. I was worried about telling my instructor about my condition as I thought he would treat and see me differently and only make the whole thing harder for me, however after half a year when I started driving lessons with my instructor, I could see he was getting frustrated because of my constant mistakes, even though I never do it intentionally. Because his frustration was really getting to me and I was so determined to quit, I decided to bite the bullet and confide in him about my condition, I had nothing to worry about as he was understanding about it all and didn’t treat me differently or anything, and he told me that he worked with a few pupils in the past that had a certain type of learning difficulty, and one of them who was autistic, he told me that he passed his test the first time round after doing driving lessons after a couple years so it gave me confidence again and I still carried on doing driving lessons with my instructor. Luckily, he went a bit more easier on me, never putting any more pressure on me, didn’t react badly when I did a mistake and was very patient with me. A couple weeks after my 21st back in March that’s just gone, I brought myself my first ever car, which definitely helped improve my confidence a lot more. This past April, after doing plenty of online practise, I did my theory test for the first time and passed it, only got one question wrong on the multiple choice questions and just passed the hazard perception part of the test which is definitely the hardest area but nothing with plenty of practise can’t cure as they always say, was very proud of my achievement there. When summer arrived, I knew in myself I felt ready to take the ultimate step of signing up for my practical test, which I did on 9th August. I did my absolute best, didn’t let my nerves get the better of me, remembered everything my instructor told me both about the areas of driving and how to stay focused while doing the test. At the end of my test, I couldn’t believe I was about to hear the moment of truth and my examiner, I have to admit I was very lucky to have a very nice and understanding woman as my examiner that day, told me I passed! :D I didn’t want to believe it and thought I was dreaming, but it was very true, she gave me my report and I saw I got away with only three minors, I so couldn’t believe that either as I thought I did quite a few mistakes! I owe it so very much to my instructor, if it wasn’t for him and his patient and understanding character, I don’t think I would've passed my practical the first time round or been able to do it at a young adult age. When he took me back home and I told my parents the news, that's when it really hit me and I was so over the moon and was even crying. Before my instructor left, I gave him a bottle of wine and a card as I thought that was the least I could do. I still have and use my car I brought back in March, I'm still learning as I so believe its when you pass your practical and drive your own car, which of course would feel different than your instructor's car when the actual learning does kick in, I'm also still working on improving certain areas of driving but I'll get there eventually.
screengreen
Power poster
Posts: 212
Joined: Fri Aug 16, 2013 8:39 pm

Re: Learning to Drive

Post by screengreen »

I passed my test in 1992 (sixth attempt and 4 years of learning on and off) but I post with regard to satnavs, I have only recently used one and they are an absolute God send but... make sure you get one with life time maps as mine is not upto date and that is confusing..... turn right at the round about..... and I am going what round about! the other thing is make sure you get one with route diagrams as if your like me you will be thinking right and meaning left or vice versa!!!
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