Driving lessons to improve but not improving already have a licence

Sea_Shell

I asked this on one of your other threads on the same subject, but you didn't reply...

On your regular routes, do the roundabouts still "surprise" you?   Do you end up at them, in the wrong lane, before you realise you "there" again.

Have you since mastered your regular routes?   And are now turning to tackling new and unfamiliar ones?

I think you've admitted in the past you are on the spectrum, and spacial/directional awareness does seem to be an ongoing problem for you.

I'm not sure extra lessons will help, if you're still struggling on routes you use frequently, which you should know like the back of your hand.

How long have you had your licence now, and how many miles do you drive monthly, on average?

sim2335

I am using sta nav takes me onto left first then cut across three lanes to go right if I don’t go left first, I would end up on motorway even before I got to right turn, I’m obviously doing something wrong but not sure 

Sea_Shell - three regular routes I drive to work town and other shopping area yes knownthem off by heart and find them easy, however if I went from work to town for example need sat nav for that.

Also on my other routes don’t really have huge roundabouts but do have roundabouts.

shiraz99

sim2335 said:

I am using sta nav takes me onto left first then cut across three lanes to go right if I don’t go left first, I would end up on motorway even before I got to right turn, I’m obviously doing something wrong but not sure 

Sea_Shell - three regular routes I drive to work town and other shopping area yes knownthem off by heart and find them easy, however if I went from work to town for example need sat nav for that.

Also on my other routes don’t really have huge roundabouts but do have roundabouts.

Might be an idea to turn off the sat nav and start to build up your own observation skills. You're not going to learn anything if you just blindly follow sat nav instructions as you end up simply driving on auto pilot and you'll be a danger to yourself and other road users around you.

sim2335

I would try without sat nav but can’t otherwise would get lost.

Sea_Shell

sim2335 said:

I would try without sat nav but can’t otherwise would get lost.

So you know your way from home to work, and home to town, but not work to town??

How far is work to town are they in two completely different directions?

Is home/work on the edge of the same town?

Have you learnt the way to your cousin's house now, as in your previous thread you said you needed the satnav to get there?


Do you find learning new things and remembering things as hard in other aspects of life, or just around route finding?

sim2335

Correct not from work to town, yes close 10 minute drive.

well my couins moved house, and I don’t go there that often so no.

yes I find learning and rember if generally hard, but routes probaly harder.

shiraz99

sim2335 said:

I would try without sat nav but can’t otherwise would get lost.

Getting lost occasionally is usually the best way to improve your driving skills and your own sense of direction, don't be afraid to. What do you think we all did before everyone had sat navs.

Just get out in your car and drive around and enjoy the experience.

Sea_Shell

sim2335 said:

Correct not from work to town, yes close 10 minute drive.

well my couins moved house, and I don’t go there that often so no.

yes I find learning and rember if generally hard, but routes probaly harder.

Unfortunately, this is going to be hard to overcome, and I'm not sure that more lessons, or trying to not use Satnav is going to help you, if you find you are unable to learn new routes and remember them.   Getting lost can be stressful.    

It's hard for people (me included) who don't have a learning disability to really grasp how you can't know your way 10 mins round your home town, or don't remember which lane you need approaching junctions you've used a few times already.

I don't know what the answer is for you, as it sounds like even with Satnav to help you find your way, it can't talk you through every new junction or roundabout you encounter, like an experienced passenger could.  You need a co-driver/navigator...with pace notes, like a rally driver! 

I know it sounds daft, but do you talk to yourself during your drives.    Saying your moves out loud to yourself might help.    That's what advanced drivers have to do on their assessments, I think.   They have to verbally confirm all the hazards they see and give running commentary as to what's going on around them. 

Bigwheels1111

When I first passed there was no sat nav, I relied on being first off the mark and not worrying about what was behind me 😁.

Bad idea I know.

Now for you the only way to get more confidence is to drive and drive and drive.
An instructor is only a crutch, and won’t be in the car every day.
Ive held / hold a bike, car, and Hgv1 licences, passed all of them first time.
Scared stiff taking the tests and then driving said vehicles at first.
30 years later and over a million miles on the clock it’s like eating and breathing, all the mechanical actions just happen.

I would just go out late at night and early on say a Sunday morning and drive the routes you need to take until you know them by heart and are feeling confident enough to rely on your self and not the sat nav.
Good luck.

sim2335

What is best time to drive on Sundays, like how late or early, I want to be able to cut across three lanes, if I need if I end up in wrong lane.
the odd car or two doesn’t matter cos I can just wait for them to go.