New driver

[BOB MARLEYS DUG]

So I passed my test around 3 weeks ago and am currently saving for a car. Just going to get a cheap run about for now, any recommendations?

Secondly, I am quite nervous about driving on my own for the first time when I do get eventually get my car, I have a feeling I may not be very confident and may make mistakes due to this. Is it normal to feel this way?

Please share any relatable experiences/advice please :-).

[lapsedhibee]

So I passed my test around 3 weeks ago and am currently saving for a car. Just going to get a cheap run about for now, any recommendations?

Secondly, I am quite nervous about driving on my own for the first time when I do get eventually get my car, I have a feeling I may not be very confident and may make mistakes due to this. Is it normal to feel this way?

Please share any relatable experiences/advice please :-).

Buy one with green "P" symbols on it and I'll refrain from sounding my horn and making rude gestures at you every time you take a millisecond longer to make a manoeuvre than I'd have liked.

(You will make mistakes. Everyone does. When you do, ignore all the intolerant ******** out there who feel the need to let you know about them.)

[jabis]

P plates
Do some 3point turns to get used to the clutch
Start with some small journeys where you know the roads.
When you screw up,stick your hand up to the rear mirror to apologize.

Good luck and enjoy the freedom!

[Pretty Boy]

Get out on your own as soon as you can. It was the last piece advice my instructor gave me and one of the best. It's undoubtedly daunting having no one beside you as a 'safety net' and getting the 1st time out the way is the hard part. Start with a short journey you know well when it's quiet.

Take your time, don't be intimidated by the self proclaimed important people who tailgate because they are obviously so busy they can't allow a learner or new driver a bit space and keep practicing things like 3 point turns, parallel parking and hill starts as you will use them a lot and it's a good way to get used to clutch control.

As said above if you do make a mistake stick your hand up, admit it and apologise. Anyone who isn't a total prick will accept it and move on.

[McD]

Acknowledge your mistakes when they happen, don’t beat yourself up when they happen, and also remember you are just as entitled to be there as any other road user, more experience doesn’t equate to more right to the road.

Good luck mate, enjoy it :aok:

[Jack]

My daughter passed her test a couple of weeks ago and took to driving on her own like a duck to water!

She stalls now and again having been taught in a diesel and now drives a petrol car. She just gets on with it and gives anyone inconvenienced a wee wave.

[staunchhibby]

Find an empty car park and drive about there for a while.

[bigwheel]

So I passed my test around 3 weeks ago and am currently saving for a car. Just going to get a cheap run about for now, any recommendations?

Secondly, I am quite nervous about driving on my own for the first time when I do get eventually get my car, I have a feeling I may not be very confident and may make mistakes due to this. Is it normal to feel this way?

Please share any relatable experiences/advice please :-).

100% Normal to be nervous. But really just get some driving in. It’s all about experience. As others say get the P plates and just relax. You only really learn to drive after the test. But it’s clear you have the skills. Enjoy !

[overdrive]

My driving instructor told me not to bother with P plates. His argument was that now you’ve passed your test, this is the time you really start to learn and you won’t do that as quickly in an artificial situation. He was of the opinion that using P plates created an artificial situation as people may not react to you as they normally would. He also thought they gave you a comfort blanket and as soon as you stopped using them you were pretty much back at square one anyway (although I would argue you are a bit more experienced).

[lapsedhibee]

My driving instructor told me not to bother with P plates. His argument was that now you’ve passed your test, this is the time you really start to learn and you won’t do that as quickly in an artificial situation. He was of the opinion that using P plates created an artificial situation as people may not react to you as they normally would. He also thought they gave you a comfort blanket and as soon as you stopped using them you were pretty much back at square one anyway (although I would argue you are a bit more experienced).

Back at square one after (say) 6 months driving on your own? Driving instructors spout some amount of pish.

[Hibbyradge]

P plates.

Avoid rush hours if you can.

Stick to speed limits and if it says SLOW on the road, slow down.

Look at road signs and understand what they're telling you.

If you've got mates in your car, show them what a responsible and careful driver you are. (Showing off in front of mates is one of the main causes of young driver fatalities).

When waiting to turn right across traffic, keep your wheels straight until you move.

Practice a lot of manoeuvres like 3 point turns, abd reverse and parallel parking.

Slow down in the rain and when it's frosty.

[blackpoolhibs]

Go down the shore and drive slowly stopping and starting every 20 yards or so, Salamander street would be a decent place to start.

Then do a u turn and do the same over and over again, roll down the window periodically and ask a passing pedestrian if they think you are driving ok.

[Hibbyradge]

Go down the shore and drive slowly stopping and starting every 20 yards or so, Salamander street would be a decent place to start.

Then do a u turn and do the same over and over again, roll down the window periodically and ask a passing pedestrian if they think you are driving ok.

This often has the double benefit of helping you to drive very fast at the end of the practice session.

[BOB MARLEYS DUG]

Cheers everyone, much appreciated and made me feel a bit more relaxed about it all. I need to practice on my parking definitely.

[Alfiembra]

Good luck with the driving.

As for cheap cars if you’re not mechanically minded it’s not worth the hassle. I’ve bought my fair share of cheap cars and it’s rust that kills them, most modern cars now are fairly reliable but if your looking at anything over 8-10 years old tin worm is the biggest problem.

Try and get as new a car as possible for your money and don’t be put off by cars with high mileage’s either, cars are there to be driven and low mileage older cars may be tempting but they’re not meant for sitting about and short stop start journeys.

[Moulin Yarns]

If you want clutch control practice go to the murrayfield area on 28th October.

My instructor took me there when Scotland played Wales and the crowd was over 100,000.

[pollution]

Go down the shore and drive slowly stopping and starting every 20 yards or so, Salamander street would be a decent place to start.

Then do a u turn and do the same over and over again, roll down the window periodically and ask a passing pedestrian if they think you are driving ok.


He's not training to be a taxi driver, is he?

[lapsedhibee]

If you want clutch control practice go to the murrayfield area on 28th October.

My instructor took me there when Scotland played Wales and the crowd was over 100,000.

Shirley only Hearts have had 6-figure crowds at Muddyfield? :confused:

[bingo70]

When I first passed my test I used to drive to North Berwick along the costal road fairly regularly.

It’s a nice wee day out, it’s an easy drive and it’s long enough to build confidence.

Other bits of advice would be to take your time, don’t try any daft overtaking and stuff like that. Have a think about what you’re not comfortable doing and try to do it as much as possible. When I was learning I was terrible at parallel parking, I passed my test and then never had to do it, had a parking space at work, at my flat, when I went to the supermarket and when I did have to parallel park I’d just drive round the block until I found a car park or found a big enough space to drive into. I’ve not got that option now so I’m only just really getting better at it now, I wish I had tackled it head on when I first passed though.

Well done though, it’s one of the best things I’ve done, wish I did it when I was younger although it’s probably for the best I never.

Ps I wouldn’t bother with P plates, will probably just encourage other drivers to take liberties with you which in itself can cause problems.

[stoneyburn hibs]

Go down the shore and drive slowly stopping and starting every 20 yards or so, Salamander street would be a decent place to start.

Then do a u turn and do the same over and over again, roll down the window periodically and ask a passing pedestrian if they think you are driving ok.


Brilliant

[Hermit Crab]

Best advice I can give is do what I did, I went out on my own asap and just drove about, I done it very late and night into the small hours. Drove around a lot of country roads and the motorways when there was little traffic about just to get used to them then eventually started doing it at busier times. Within a few months I was driving to Manchester for city games after building up my confidence.

Also may be worth paying your instructor for a few motorway way lessons if you've not already done that. I felt that helped me as well. I also never used the green P plates but thats up to you.

[Hibbyradge]

I ended up being taken to hospital in an ambulance after writing my mother's car off, along with a lamppost and a shop window, less than 6 months after passing my test.

I wish I'd had the benefit of the advice you're getting here. And I hope I'd have been clever enough to adhere to it.

Hermit's point about motorway lessons is a very good one too. A lot of new drivers get nervous on busy and fast roads so they decide to sit in the middle lane for safety.

Not only is that illegal, it's dangerous.

The expense of a couple of more advanced lessons now will save you in the medium to longer term. Possibly literally.

[matty_f]

Go down the shore and drive slowly stopping and starting every 20 yards or so, Salamander street would be a decent place to start.

Then do a u turn and do the same over and over again, roll down the window periodically and ask a passing pedestrian if they think you are driving ok.

:faf:

[Hermit Crab]

I ended up being taken to hospital in an ambulance after writing my mother's car off, along with a lamppost and a shop window, less than 6 months after passing my test.

I wish I'd had the benefit of the advice you're getting here. And I hope I'd have been clever enough to adhere to it.

Hermit's point about motorway lessons is a very good one too. A lot of new drivers get nervous on busy and fast roads so they decide to sit in the middle lane for safety.

Not only is that illegal, it's dangerous.

The expense of a couple of more advanced lessons now will save you in the medium to longer term. Possibly literally.


My instructor charged £20 per Motorway lesson and I done a few of them, this was back in 2015 though. Yes, I've only been driving for just over 3 years and I love it.

[Jones28]

Don't be scared to challenge yourself - get out and about.

[bingo70]

I wouldn’t bother with motorway lessons.

I’m intrigued what they teach you in these lessons? Motorway driving is the easiest if the lot IMO. If the car in front of you is going slower than you, overtake it and then pull back in again. What else is there to teach?

Also, unless you’re planning on doing a lot of long distance driving, chances are you won’t have to bother about 3 lane motorways for a while.

[stoneyburn hibs]

I wouldn’t bother with motorway lessons.

I’m intrigued what they teach you in these lessons? Motorway driving is the easiest if the lot IMO. If the car in front of you is going slower than you, overtake it and then pull back in again. What else is there to teach?

Also, unless you’re planning on doing a lot of long distance driving, chances are you won’t have to bother about 3 lane motorways for a while.

Agree, there isn't an easier place to drive.
Maybe an hour's lesson in the city rush hour times would be more beneficial.

[Just Alf]

Agree, there isn't an easier place to drive.
Maybe an hour's lesson in the city rush hour times would be more beneficial.Agreed...

I told my wife the hardest bit about motorways was joining/leaving, all you have to do is use the slip road to get up to speed then join seemlessly... Then of course reality hit.. Folk on the slip road crawl up to the end as if there's a stop sign and also folks on the motorway don't acknowledge you're there so rather than gaining a few seconds by speeding up or loosing a few seconds by slowing down they block those trying to merge.

As for the rush hour bit... I remember passing my test then that night buying a car (stalled every junction on way home). Stupidly I took it to Telford college the following day and at lunch time was "persuaded" to take my mates up town.... It's amazing how good you get parking at the shops on Prince's Street with an audience!!

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[Hibbyradge]

Driving on motorways should be easy and straightforward, but in my experience, a high percentage of drivers don't know how to.

Which lane to be in, how much distance to leave, driving at speed in different conditions, when to indicate, how to enter/ leave are all things that drivers need to learn.

Plus, if you learned to drive around Edinburgh in mostly 20 and 30 speed limits, the prospect of encountering drivers going at 70, 80, 90 mph + can be daunting not to mention if they're coming at you from behind.

A couple of lessons can only be beneficial.

[Speedy]

Congratulations.

If you're nervous then P plates will alert other drivers to be careful around you which will give you a bit breathing space.

When I first starting driving I was ok'ish on my own but struggled more when friends/family were in the car chatting away. Worth trying to avoid that until you are confident on your own.

[jonty]

I had to buy my first car for work, after passing my test 20 years previously and hardly driving at all afterwards. It was delivered on the Saturday and I was driving it to work on Monday.

I left early doors to avoid the traffic and same coming back before it got busy.
The first few days were interesting but it built my confidence up.
One thing I noticed was it was much easier picking lanes when it’s quiet. On a busy road the road markings obviously get hidden by cars, so it’s almost like driving a different route :greengrin
Driving is easy, take your time and don’t be rushed (but don’t sit for 10minutes at a junction backing everyone up :greengrin) - it’s keeping an eye out for idiots around you that’s the biggest problem IMO

[frazeHFC]

Definitely takes time to get used to driving and especially a new car, but it'll come. I thought I'd never be fully confident but after a year I was completely fine.

Still haven't done a single parallel park in the 6 years since I passed though!

[Scouse Hibee]

Remember that nearly everyone on the road thinks they are a brilliant driver, the truth is very different. Always expect the unexpected, being able to anticipate idiocy has saved me many a time.

[Future17]

Remember that nearly everyone on the road thinks they are a brilliant driver, the truth is very different. Always expect the unexpected, being able to anticipate idioticy has saved me many a time.

:tee hee:

[Scouse Hibee]

:tee hee:

Spell check erses included.

[Smartie]

+1 for going out late at night by yourself.

If there are any tricky or major junctions/ roundabouts/ interchanges/ one way systems near where you live that you're going to need to get the hang of, it is better to do this at a quiet time than a busy one. It's nice to know which lane to get yourself into so you end up in the right place as it can be a pain having to correct yourself in heavy traffic if you make a mess of it.

I used to like driving into Edinburgh late at night when I had just passed my test - it allowed me to get the hang of places like the Barnton roundabout (as it was then) without anyone else there. I passed my test in a hick town with one set of traffic lights, so city driving was a whole new experience for me.

There is no way of hiding from it though. Get out there, make a few mistakes and keep learning.

I don't get people who get agitated when driving. I only ever get agitated at people who are agitated, and tbh they really wind me up. If folk would just chill out and be a bit more considerate then it would be a far most pleasant experience.

[lapsedhibee]

I don't get people who get agitated when driving. I only ever get agitated at people who are agitated, and tbh they really wind me up. If folk would just chill out and be a bit more considerate then it would be a far most pleasant experience.
What, and risk adding three and a half seconds on to their journey time? Hardly.

[Squealing pig]

Buy a cheap car find a big field practice hand brake turns

[Hibbyradge]

Buy a cheap car find a big field practice hand brake turns

This is entirely unnecessary.

[heretoday]

Remember that nearly everyone on the road thinks they are a brilliant driver, the truth is very different. Always expect the unexpected, being able to anticipate idiocy has saved me many a time.

You're right. Always suspect the other driver of being distracted. As one gets older it's a good maxim for pushing a trolley round Tesco as well.

[Jones28]

This is entirely unnecessary.

Wrong. Chicks love handbrake turns.

Fact

[Hibbyradge]

Wrong. Chicks love handbrake turns.

Fact

I'm a city boy and I've never felt the need to impress poultry.

[BOB MARLEYS DUG]

Bought my first car yesterday. I was a nervous wreck driving it home on my own last night, for about the first 10 mins. After that I got more confident! I later went out again and took it out a spin for longer and really enjoyed it. Slowly but surely building my confidence!