I have never been interested in driving. I have never had the urge to take lessons, it isn’t something I WANT to do. However, having to rely on my 19 year old colleague to ferry me to and from work everyday made me realise I’d better hurry up and do it.
I use said 19 year old’s former driving instructor. She was everything I was looking for in a driving instructor – female. The thought of a grumpy old man berating me every time I do something wrong (which is often) really did not appeal to me. Similarly, I didn’t want a boy racer type who just doesn’t understand that some people are terrified of being behind the wheel. My instructor is lovely and understanding, and if anything, a little patronising. But I don’t notice that she’s talking to me as if I’m 5 years old because I’m too busy panicking and forgetting how to drive.
I enjoyed my first few lessons – because I didn’t have to do anything. I would sit and listen and look at nice diagrams, then drive in a straight line at about 10mph then she’d take me home. Then after about a month, she expected me to start doing stuff…
Sophie was only good driving in a straight line. Like Bourdais!
The first time I was expected to drive all the way home I had a bit of an “incident”. I was at a junction, and yes OK, I was there for quite a long time. I could see the line of traffic growing ever longer behind me, which made me start to panic. My instructor was letting me know when I should go, and it seemed to take forever before she finally gave me the proverbial green light. So off I went, a little bit slow but at least I was moving, which I took as a positive. Then, this large white van filled with stereotypical white van men started beeping at me. This van had been sat behind me at the junction and hadn’t made a sound. Now, as I was trundling along, all happy with myself, now it was beeping at me.
I sped up a little, tried to change gear and… stalled. Sensing I was now in a complete flap, my driving instructor tried to calm me down by talking through what to do next. Please bear in mind, The Van was still blaring its horn at me. I had come to a stop, not quite close enough to the curb for him to overtake me, but coincidentally, and heartbreakingly enough, right outside my house. I could see into my bedroom window – that is how close I was to my house. I tried to pull off again and… stalled. Now I was really starting to panic and the beeping was showing no signs of stopping. My instructor took over and pulled me in closer to the curb. The Van overtook me, carried on down the road about 5m, then turned into my street. The horrible Van Man was about 20 seconds away from his destination when he started to pick on me. Worse still, I knew I was going to have to see this stupid Van again and again seeing as he lived in my street.
A white van man's idea of parking
That was the first time I cried in a driving lesson – but not the last. My confidence was shattered by that little to-do but after a lot of time practising in car parks, I’m back out on the road and have since conquered the junction. I still panic but it is happening less and less, I just really struggle knowing that I am holding people up. The majority of people are understanding and sympathetic towards learners, but I do encounter the occasional yob who puts me off (most recently whilst I was practising parking some delightful member of socirty shouted “Aaah you’re gonna fail”. Thanks for that!
Learner drivers are people too
Some people don’t take naturally to driving. I am one of these people. Drivers keep asking about my progress and telling me that, at 16 lessons in, I should be a lot more advanced than I am. I disagree, I’m taking it at my own pace and my driving instructor understands that nerves are dangerous on the road. I am slowly getting better, and dare I say it for fear of incurring another “incident”, starting to enjoy my lessons. They do leave me on a high afterwards (albeit it with a very sore left calf and extremely sweaty back).
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I was lucky and took to my driving lessons very easily. But not all people are like me….when I see a new driver, I always give them a wide berth – the guy in the van was obviously an idiot..
Keep up the good work and before you know it you’ll be on the road driving like a pro. Ignore those yobs who seem to find it funny to mock learners or discourage them, just remember one day they have been or will be in the same position as you. Love the video very funny. Walter.
Thanks for that Walter – good advice for you Sophie. Just pray that these people loose their license and you can mock them!!! Or take the high ground
Learning to drive is one of the most stressful processes a human being can go through but it is also one of the most rewarding. Unfortunately these days there are lots of idiots on the roads and who seem to get kicks out of disturbing learner drivers whilst they are training but as mentioned previously they will have been in that position before and know full well what a nervous and alien situation it is however they forget one thing which is ‘what goes around – comes around’ and they will always receive more aggression from other drivers on the road, than they give out.
Dont worry, chin up, concentrate on the goal and you will soon feel that emotional high when you finally hear the worrds ‘you have passed’ from your exam instructor!
Good luck