Driving - is it all its cracked up to be ?

[Crazy_Dude]

Hi all I thought I would post this here to see what others thought.

Well currently I am getting driving lessons (6th one on tuesday :nana: ) but before I got them and even when I was REALLY young I thought driving would be amazing... and easy :rolleyes: .

But what do you all think ? easy ? and does any of you learners or passed drivers actually enjoy it ? because I think that its a lot of hassle although I am progressing through the lessons ok - It just seems to be a lot of bother.

And Although I will be continuing my lessons and test(s?) until I pass I dont think driving will be as good as i thought...

Any thoughts ? anyone else currently doing lessons ? and if so how far through that 'Drivers record' thing are you were you after 5 lessons ?

:) Crazy Dude

[terrorbite]

I'm 22 and still haven't learnt (because I haven't needed to yet), although I've got my provisional licence. I actually rang up once to arrange lessons, but the instructor hung up on me. I think he was in the middle of a lesson :)

I'm planning on learning this summer.

[Star Wars Guy]

I had my first lesson today, which was exciting (a pre-lesson before you are 17). All we did was drive around a secluded area with no worries about traffic and practice steering and operating the pedals around a car park, with the temptation of scraping the somewhat repulsive Micra against a nearby skip becoming overwhelming, which was a weird experience. I'd say it's worth it, just have to get used to getting everything in sync...although I have to drive on an actual public road tomorrow for my birthday which is a bit daunting :nana:

[Roxsie]

Being a passenger is better especially in a friends car with bohemian rhapsody on and everyone (including the driver) headbanging.

[Crazy_Dude]

terrorbite - who was the company who hung up on you ??

StarWars Guy - Yeah being on the road is OK. what happened with me is

1st lesson on the road just getting used to getting all the right movements around a normal housing area

2nd the same but busier areas

3rd the busier areas with pedestrian crossings

and 4+5th throught all areas on the way to the bypass and roundabouts

the thing I find annoying about it is that when you get the bus you just sit and its up to someone else I suppose my attitude is 'Cant someone else do it ?'

But I am continuinig because its not so bad and waiting for a bus nearly every day is worse :nana:

[Zweee]

20, and still havent learnt.
Thing is i know it would be useful, but its time and money, lessons are expensive, i cant practice (parents car is a company car) so meh. Maybe when i move out of London, and can afford to actually pay for petrol, road tax, insurance and a car.

[terrorbite]

terrorbite - who was the company who hung up on you ??
I don't think it was a company. Just an independant driving instructor my friend used, and recommended. He gave me his mobile number, as opposed to work number which is probably why he hung up :D

[Star Wars Guy]

terrorbite - who was the company who hung up on you ??

StarWars Guy - Yeah being on the road is OK. what happened with me is

1st lesson on the road just getting used to getting all the right movements around a normal housing area

2nd the same but busier areas

3rd the busier areas with pedestrian crossings

and 4+5th throught all areas on the way to the bypass and roundabouts

the thing I find annoying about it is that when you get the bus you just sit and its up to someone else I suppose my attitude is 'Cant someone else do it ?'

But I am continuinig because its not so bad and waiting for a bus nearly every day is worse :nana:

I'm sure it will be fine, just can't help but seem a little daunting for the first time. After playing countless videogames centered on driving (with matching steering wheel) it's certainly an interesting experience to do it for real :p

[basstard]

19, and passed, and IAM member.

Basically, I love driving. Well, I love driving in the sense it gives me so much freedom to go where I want, when I want. I'm not restricted by public transport anymore, although I'll still use it for things like going into town.

Driving itself, isn't as fun as it first was. Mainly because a lot of the driving I do do now is straight motorways. Motorways are not really fun until you get to the overtaking. And they're long, and dull, and ours have a 50mph limit.

What is fun is when I can find a free hour to go out, find some of the truly amazing windy country roads, and have a blast making my way along them, following the racing line, and having as much fun in the people carrier as I can get away with without being unsafe.

Because it's a people carrier, and rather wobbly, it means when I'm doing 30mph on a country road it feels like 60, unlike in a sports car.

Is driving easy? No, but it's a skill. I'd say it was fairly essential if you don't live in a town, or in a suburb, or are far away from public transport. It's like riding a bike, it takes a lot of practise, but it's worthwhile.

The UK average is about 40 lessons before passing a test, which is a lot of money, and so is insurance when you're young. Which, I guess, is why a lot of young people don't think about learning to drive until they're older.

[renatzu]

I got my learner's permit the day I turned 16, and spent that day driving. Yes, it is all it's cracked up to be, and it gets very easy very quickly. Once you get used to steering (which only takes a day or two) it's pretty straight-forward.

[da-geezer]

In all fairness, the worst thing you can do is compare your progress with other people. It's important to stay focussed on your own driving; make sure you're comfortable with your pace of learning, else it could have nasty consequences.

As for driving itself, I love it. I regularly go on fifty mile drives for the hell of it in any weather, just for the experience of taking the car onto the road and driving. Sounds odd, sounds daft, but it's one of the most liberating things I can think of.

Chances are you'll be spending a good deal of your life in a car when you start commuting or driving places on a daily basis, so you might as well enjoy it :D

[Shave]

Basically, I love driving. Well, I love driving in the sense it gives me so much freedom to go where I want, when I want. I'm not restricted by public transport anymore, although I'll still use it for things like going into town.

definitely. i love driving, and i find it fun for the most part. things i don't like:
traffic, i can't stand being stuck in traffic
slow drivers
overly cautious drivers

apart from those i think driving's great. i do find it easy, but i did find it releatively easy to learn, only had problems with stalling and roundabouts and when i got the hang of those i have little problem. just watch out for over confidence and loss of concentration. i do tend to suffer from the latter :(

[allfalldown]

I took lessons for a while, took my test, failed, and didn't bother going to try again. Everywhere I'm likely to go at the moment is within walking distance, I'd rather walk than drive, and even if I had passed my test I probably wouldn't have got a car anyway.

Therefore, I'm not bothered. Though I probably should be (age 20 and over halfway through my second last year at college).

[steffie]

i had about 20 lessons but never took my test and now have no intention of ever learning to drive. i hate it, especially as on my last ever lesson i was nearly hit side-on by a lorry because the idiot driver couldn't read the road markings. i was only in a little clio so if it had hit me it would have been game over. i am happy to put up with public transport as it works out far cheaper than running a car anyway.

[Dr S]

I took 3 theroys test
I took 7 actaully tests befpre I passed
I spent 2 years
About £3000 (including owning a car I couldn't dirve)


But I still love driving so much

[Crazy_Dude]

I took 3 theroys test
I took 7 actaully tests befpre I passed
I spent 2 years
About £3000 (including owning a car I couldn't dirve)


But I still love driving so much


So how many lessons did you have in total ? I take it you think it was worth it though.
:)

[Veerz]

I'm 21 and still don't drive but I do intend to at some stage. I like going out for random drives anywhere and everywhere with my friends who do drive and wish I had that sense of freedom. You can just go anywhere and there is a really nice beach near the house I live in when I'm at Uni so just driving there when the sun's setting and watching the waves is really nice.

[Dr S]

So how many lessons did you have in total ? I take it you think it was worth it though.
:)

I don't know exactly ... but an awful lot (3 driving instructors 3 diffrent test locations) But it was defianlty worth it

[Eridanus]

Any thoughts ? anyone else currently doing lessons ? and if so how far through that 'Drivers record' thing are you were you after 5 lessons ?

I haven't got a Driver Record thing, but I've seen them. My 4th lesson is on wednesday and on my last one a I did a few round abouts and traffic lights before driving along a dual carriageway.

Oh and driving is great fun.

[Crazy_Dude]

I haven't got a Driver Record thing, but I've seen them. My 4th lesson is on wednesday and on my last one a I did a few round abouts and traffic lights before driving along a dual carriageway.

Oh and driving is great fun.


On the bypass and Dual Carriageway talk do you find that the Dual carriage way is actually easier than normal streets ? There is one thing I like about it I suppose and thats the overtaking other cars.

But on this subject what kind of car are youo getting (or have) and what about everyone else ?

i am thinking about either a Vauxhall Corsa, Fiat Punto, Ford Fiesta or something else (?)

:) :weebl:

[Norbington]

I took 3 theroys test
I took 7 actaully tests befpre I passed
I spent 2 years
About £3000 (including owning a car I couldn't dirve)


But I still love driving so much

I know someone who took 12 tests. Getting in the car with them is scary...


Anyhoo. I learned to drive as soon as i turned 17 and i passed first time so it didn't cost me too much to learn... it does cost a rather large amount to insure and run a car (you don't quite realise how much petrol actually costs until you have your own car) but it is so worth it for the sense of freedom it brings you! My last car died on me and for about 3 weeks I was car-less and I just got so depressed because I couldn't go pretty much anywhere i wanted at pretty much any time and I had to rely on the shitty public transport for everything... it was terrible. Getting in my new car and driving away was almost as great as driving for the first time after i passed my test, which is possibly one of the best feelings in the world...

However, on the other hand driving can be one of the most annoying things in the world especially when you just want to get somewhere and you just can't be bothered with the whole driving thing and you're so fed up with traffic you just want to die... but then other times, say at 2am in the morning when there's no other cars in sight, driving around is fantastic!

So anyway, yes, driving is very much worth it.

[Phoen!X]

I started taking lessons about 3 weeks ago, and i've only had 5 so far, but i find driving an enjoying activity, even if i am just driving round roundabouts, or learning how pedestrian crossings work.

Recently turning 17, i won't be able to afford my own car for a while, since i have no job and only £30/week from EMA payments, but driving my instructors crappy little Suzuki Alto is a great feeling, just knowing that your in control instead of being sat in the passenger seat.

^_^

[lynzog]

Passed when I was 19, and I love to drive! Passed first time (Although I passed 2nd time on my theory)

One tip for those learning is to get either 2 hour sessions or go for the intense course. The reasoning is that it will take you about half an hour to adjust to driving, ecspecially if it is once a week. Even now it takes a while to adjust if I haven't driven for a week or so. After you get used to the car, you then have much longer to properly learn the manouvers. This will then make you much more confident behind the wheel! :)

[captain canuck]

in both cities where i've spent most of my life it is almost unnecessary to drive - so many people still do, but i think they're all nuts. you can get just about anywhere nearby by walking or cycling, and the bus systems get you to just about any point that's not so nearby...

that said, the more time i spent walking and cycling, the longer distance "nearby" spread to the point where anything uunder a 3 hour walk away was near enough to justify it.

maybe i just had a lot of time on my hands. now i don't; but i still have buses.

[Urlosenged]

I tried to learn when I was 17, it didn't happen though. Having said that, my instructor expected me to be able to drive on a motorway (they call them highways here) in my first lesson. I managed that alright, and I was enjoying it, until my 2nd lesson. Basically, he managed to get me into rush hour traffic, on a bit where the motorway narrows to 2 small lanes, and then seemed surprised that I was panicking a little. Not only that, but, at the end, he said to put my foot on the brake; I did, and he just kept saying to put my foot on the brake, because it's really important. All that time I'm wanting to yell "For fuck's sake man! You're holding the brake down! How am I supposed to know if I'm holding it down or not?"

[Purple Wabbit]

I passed my test back in December, and I love driving. I thought it miught be helpful if I gave you a little list of the pro's and con's as I've found them:

Pros:
> freedom to go where you like, when you like, petrol allowing. It's generally cheaper than public transport as well, esp. for long journeys - and a hell of a lot easier for getting to specific locations (e.g. to get to my boyfriend's house, i used to have to walk to the train station 10 mins away, take a 20 min train, then wait 30 mins for a 30 min train, then get a 30 min bus to his house - now i can drive straight there in 40 mins)

> (in my case) freedom from parents complaining that you use them as a taxi service

> not having to walk the streets at night

> driving down an open road at 70 (as long as that's the limit, no speeding allowed) on a sunny day in your own car is one of the most pleasurable experiences

Cons:
> costs a lot more than you're expecting to run a car day-to-day - first off, lessons, test costs etc. build up, esp. if you have to re-take your test. If you want your own car, you'll have to buy it (i got mine for £4000 second-hand, but you can find a lot cheaper if you don't mind it being older) - then you'll have to insure it, which can cost alot, esp. if you haven't passed your test (mine was initially £1200), then there's tax, and any maintenance, plus petrol costs, which do build up, esp. if you use your car daily. So if you don't think you can handle the cost, you may have a problem.

> parking can be a pain in the ass - if you're in the city centre it will cost a bomb, so it's probably best to get the bus to places such as these.

> if you're driving, you can't drink - and if you're the only one of your friends who can drive, you'll probably end up being the one ferrying them all to and from the pub and having to watch them getting drunker and drunker as you nurse a Pepsi - basically, this situation sucks

Driving is great - the feeling of freedom and responsibility you get from it is amazing. But there are a lot of downsides that before I passed my test I hadn't considered. I'm not saying that to discourage you - it's definitely worth it - but they are things you have to realise if you want to be a good driver.

[Smartie]

I passed first time when i was 17 because my mum offered to pay whilst I was a student (half price lessons £8). I knew I wouldn't be getting a car but the sensible person in me thought that when you fill in the form for car insurance you will have XXX numbers of years of license.(I should point out that the theory test was not around then)
And it was true to a certain extent. Online forms don't ask you if you've been driving all the time you've had a license, only how long you've had it.
By the time I got a car I was 20 and had had my license for 3 years. lol


Driving gives me: freedom to get about in my own time, my own space, and without being near any chavs and scum on public transport. Also it is cheaper (even when i consider insurance, tax, cehicle depreciation and petrol costs).

[Playbus]

I passed my practical on the first attempt when I was 17.

The first time I took the theory test I failed by one single point, but when I took
it again I got the maximum possible score.

I've been driving now for nearly a decade. I've had one accident in that time, and that was in my first year of driving.

The amount of freedom a car provides can only truly be appreciated when suddenly you don't have a car after years of having one. You'll miss it a lot.

[Norbington]

i got mine for £4000 second-hand, but you can find a lot cheaper if you don't mind it being older

£250. (F reg. Renault 5)

I rock. \o/