Afraid of driving. Help?

angelil

^^ Sadly not sure the French have something like that and not sure the AA would let me on with only a French licence

angelil

Well, tomorrow's the big moment folks :eek: First French driving test

Have a lesson tomorrow at 11.00 (10.00 UK time) and then the test itself is at 3.15. Worst part is that a) I have all morning to stew about it - including a possibly poor morning lesson to agonise over; and b) you don't even get the test result on the spot in France - you have to wait for it to arrive in the post So looks like I'll be stalking the postman until Monday

tattieholidays

Best of luck Angelil. I'm a nervous driver too and remember finding this thread really useful a few months back. Bonne chance!

barbiedoll

If it's any consolation, my driving instructor told me that everyone has a terrible lesson before their test...he said that it is a good time to get all of your mistakes out of the way and you should treat it like a "warm-up" for the real thing.

I passed my test at 46, after years of being a complete nervous wreck in a car. I just got completely sick and tired of standing at bus stops and railway stations in the wind and rain and I finally managed to scrape through a test (only because I didn't get the "reverse around a corner" manoeuvre) I now drive all day long at work, and through London too! :eek:
If I can do it, anyone can (eventually!)

Good luck for tomorrow!

folam

Good Luck for tomorrow Angelil.

I have just read this thread and can identify with most. Artichoke, I wondered if I had posted under another name!!

My husband has an injury and currently unable to drive, we are walking everywhere. We have an automatic and whilst I agree this is much easier, I still struggle to just get in it and drive.

chelseablue

Good luck for today!

I passed on my second go, and had to have lessons for year :eek:

Go for it and dont give up!

heartbreak_star

GOOD LUCK

I love driving. Always have - passed at 27 and wish I'd done it 10 years previously.

HBS x

angelil

I hate driving but also wish I'd done it 10 years ago & got it out of the way...

Just got back. Almost certainly failed. RATS.

hazyjo

Just found this thread - will keep my fingers crossed!

Another one here who was extremely nervous. I dreaded lessons, and hated driving. Learnt at 17 though thank god. Had been in several car crashes (one major write-off earlier that year - a Volvo at that!) so was very jittery.

Ended up passing third time. Once I had passed though, I was in my car with no fear. Bought a car I adored (VW Beetle) and loved driving it. Didn't like the modern cars (well, modern back then - talking 1987!) as didn't feel like I had control of them so much. Driving a Beetle was like driving a bus! Loved it.

As others have said, I was fine when nobody next to me. Hated having an instructor there. Still don't like people next to me - especially after being married to someone who just criticised all the time so he always ended up driving. My poor car (now a smart) sat in the garage for a year - only did around 100 miles in the year, and only around 300 the year before!

Back to myself again now and the only time I hate driving is if I have to go into London which thankfully is rare! Also hate the North Circular, but can suffer it if I have to.

With regard to the co-ordination, have you checked dyspraxia symptoms? Not trying to stick a label on you or say there's a problem, but it's often unrecognised.

Keep at it! Learning's awful. Much easier once you've passed.

Jx

HTB_newbie

Hi

I've just come across your thread and wanted to say, whatever your test result, don't give up!

I completely empathise with you. I passed my test just under a year ago at the age of 33!

I'm partially sighted in my right eye (very little vision in this eye and what there is is only peripheral) and for a long time I was very frightened of driving. I had bouts of lessons when I was 17, 19, 21 and 24 but would always stop when I neared to getting a test as I was petrified that I may cause an accident because of my vision.

It was only after giving birth to my second child that the inconvenience of not driving made me bite the bullet and I started lessons again. In all honesty my driving was terrible, my fears remained as I thought of my children getting hurt if I crashed and my instructor half an hour before my test told me not to take it because I was too hesitant and would fail. I had a lovely examiner and somewhat surprisingly passed. Once I passed my each time I drove my confidence seemed to increased slightly. Now I really enjoy driving and the freedom it gives me.

So please keep going because you will get there in the end!