first week of driving after passing my test

nickmack

alwaysonthego wrote: »

Today went out on my own and nearly run over a pedestrian on a zebra crossing. This crossing has been labeled as being dangerous due to it being between two mini roundabouts, so when you are turning of the first roundabout as soon as you come off it, there is the crossing. I had to do an emergency break and stopped in time. As you can imagine I was given disaproving looks.

Can't stop crying and thinking whats if etc

The main thing is you did react and the worst you got was a disapproving look. I know the kind of crossing you mean. A new roundabout was built near me with crossings very close to each exit. For the first few weeks, I saw numurous drivers having to brake hard or ignoring the crossing completely (I nearly got knocked down as a pedestrian!)

You can have lessons and you can pass your test, but you learn alot more in the first few years of driving. You will get experience at interpreting situations and become more aware of what's happening around you.

scatz

newlywed wrote: »

I've been driving since 1994 and never had an accident.

mrbadexample wrote: »

But how many have you caused? :whistle: :rotfl:

And maybe, just lucky!;)

alwaysonthego_2

went out today to take the girls to nursery without any incedents though saw the examiner that passed me pull up next to me at the traffic lights, was embarressed lol

newlywed

mrbadexample wrote: »

But how many have you caused? :whistle: :rotfl:

Uh huh! None (that I know of :rotfl:)

student100

Troubleatmill wrote: »

Some different advice here..

OK... this will cost you about £40... but worth it.

Sign up for the IAM advanced driving test.

Yes, would definitely recommend IAM test once you've had a bit of driving experience. Also a good way to make the people who criticise your driving learn just "how good" they really are(n't) (you can buy them the "skill for life" thing as a gift pack for Christmas etc).

However I think you have to have a full licence for 3 months before taking IAM test.

And it costs £85 (£75 if you're aged 25 or under) but is money very well spent.

http://www.iam.org.uk/eshop/membershipshop/sfl.htm

cajef

Why don't you do a Pass Plus course to give you more confidence, it is ideal for someone that has recently passed their test and gives more experience of general driving under more advanced conditions, plus some motorway driving which you cannot get as a learner, your driving instructor should be able to give you all the details.

achtunglady

I passed my test in November and have been really reluctant to drive, but I bit the bullet and just drove to nearby familiar places on my own. I drove further afield with my husband as co pilot, but have not really ventured far on my own, never mind the motorway, but that will change next bank holiday as hubby wants to have a drink at a social event, so i will be forced to!!!

But one thing that I did notice, I don't usually have breakfast, but on the morning of the test i did, thinking id be feeling nauseous, but remember the brain has to have fuel to work. I felt more alert and wide awake, it did help with concentration and now I will not drive unless I have had something to eat and if i'm not tired. I also do not have the radio on, so i can give the road 100% of my attention and I have driven with my little one in the car, but shes been an angel sitting quietly ( probably petrified the poor love :rotfl: ) so havent really had a noisy toddler to contend with.

Don't be flustered by impatient drivers, as long as you are doing the speed limit and make progress quickly, then sod them, when they get involved in an accident they don't get to their destination any quicker do they??

I toyed with the idea of doing passplus but shelling out £200 which wouldnt reduce my insurance premiums (named driver on hubbys policy, only £4 a month more than what he was paying on his own) didn't seem worth it, i asked for insurance quotes with and without passplus and it was the same.

saxmund

Is a P Plate a good idea though? I don't see that it helps your confidence, and do other drivers actually treat you better - or worse? For better or worse, you're now qualified to drive. You don't have much experience, but on the plus side you shouldn't have picked up any bad habits yet. You need to get out and practice, why not also have a word with your OH and ask him not to comment on your driving? So what if you brake when he wouldn't. Of course if you're about to do something incredibly dangerous, it's fair enough, but I bet you're not. And don't let him tell you when it's clear at junctions etc - it's your responsibility and no-one else's, and you need the practice.

Just my 2p-worth. FWIW after I passed my test, my first drive was an (urban) trip of about 2 miles each way to visit a friend, just for the novelty value, the 2nd was a 20 mile commute to work on the A1(M) in snow. Quite an eye-opener!

fox2319

saxmund wrote: »

Is a P Plate a good idea though? I don't see that it helps your confidence, and do other drivers actually treat you better - or worse? For better or worse, you're now qualified to drive. You don't have much experience, but on the plus side you shouldn't have picked up any bad habits yet. You need to get out and practice, why not also have a word with your OH and ask him not to comment on your driving? So what if you brake when he wouldn't. Of course if you're about to do something incredibly dangerous, it's fair enough, but I bet you're not. And don't let him tell you when it's clear at junctions etc - it's your responsibility and no-one else's, and you need the practice.

Just my 2p-worth. FWIW after I passed my test, my first drive was an (urban) trip of about 2 miles each way to visit a friend, just for the novelty value, the 2nd was a 20 mile commute to work on the A1(M) in snow. Quite an eye-opener!

P Plates are fine. To some (other) drivers they'll make no difference but they're all jerks anyway. Most drivers will see it as an explanation if you do something erratic.

My first drive after passing my test (3wks, 15 lessons and 1st attempt ) was to take the car back from my inlaws (NE England) to my house in Somerset. We stopped in every single service station on the way and made it in one piece. It was a Rover Metro by the way and I was 23.

Shortly after that I started to get sent places for work, each time I would get a huge scary car. A few months later, I got sent to Italy for my work (on my own) and someone ran into the back of me at a red light, 3 hours after I landed. Technically it was his fault but morally not so clear. In Italy, a red light just warns you that someone else has a green and may spoil your drive. Instead of stopping, I should have floored it apparently.

Minerva69

I have found this thread very interesting as I am learning to drive, I have a toddler too and I'm worried about driving with her in the car when I pass my test. I have found the forums on the 2Pass Learner Driver website to be really useful (http://2passforum.co.uk/phpBB2/index.php), they also have forums for people who have recently passed, including info about Pass Plus and the IAM test. There has been a lot of discussion on whether to use P Plates or not, concensus of opinion seems to be not to use them because other drivers will still treat you as a learner and try to take advantage of you, cut you up etc.