Driving lessons - drivers advice needed!

(PS .. that Mazda is not ours, we don't have boy racer spoilers on ours, and ours is a very sensible sky blue)

No. Do not cancel your lesson! This is an excuse not to get back in the driving seat isn't it?

Most driving lessons are done in small cars, but the principle of driving is exactly the same in a very slightly larger car.

Just get on with it woman ?

Take it slowly, but get used to driving in both. You could possibly try to find an instructor who will teach you in your car, though probably not at first as it doesn't have dual controls. Most instructors will teach in fairly small cars as the insurance/repairs for them is so much cheaper.

Is your wife willing to take you out for practice once you've got a bit of confidence back? I took a looooong time to feel ready for my test, only had about 20 lessons but spent endless hours driving my mum's car (a really dodgy late 80s Peugeot 309) which is what got my confidence up.

If that Mazda is the one I think it is, then it's what my dad had for several years. It's not too bad to drive, though his had a smaller engine (and much softer suspension!) than our tiny MX-5, so to me it felt like driving a sponge! Out and about on the road it's probably not much different, but you might need some extra practice with manoeuvres so you get used to the size of it. Good luck, and stick with it - it's such a useful skill to have.

My cars have always been small so I'm not much help. I was a proper sh1t learner & I DREADED my lessons - had one at 17 and then put it off until i was 26. Told myself that I didn't need a car, thats why i moved to the city right!? Ha, I'm still not great at driving other peoples cars - I've only just started to feel confident in OH's mini - the lack of bonnet used to confuse me when parking and i'd be miles out of the space!

As you know the basics, could you find an instructor who would be happy to give you lessons in your own car?

Aaaanyway, only helpful thing i've got to say is check the expiry on your provisional license - Think they expire after 10 years and i had to apply for another., grr! In fact, i had to resit the theory test too because that expired before i could pass the practical!!

That's EXACTLY what happened to me. I learned when I was 20 and became more and more nervous with every lesson. My instructor actually put me in for a test and I made up an excuse and cancelled it. Then I conveniently started having operations on my leg which got me out of doing anything more, and I've never driven again since. Don't feel like a twonk - I've just accepted that I'm not meant to drive. Not everyone is.

In my opinion - if your other half is a confident driver i think you should do with both.

I originally, started driving in 2007 - much like you i was technically very good, could control the car well etc etc, however i really struggled with my theory test, so i would do a few lessons do theory fail - 5 times ish and then give up and resume a year or so later etc lol.

In 2013 - Just turned 25 i decided i really needed to learn to drive. So I brought myself a citroen c1 and my other half tought me the ropes at the same time as doing official driving lessons, this was a in a ford fiesta. I passed first time three months later best thing ive ever done.

When I got rid of my c1 - i went slightly bigger to a citroen ds3 and in honesty i struggled with the size change even though it was just a bit bigger, so you could at a minimum do with parking sensors on a bigger car. I think i personally, would prefer to start off in the same sort of size car as I learnt in.

Well done SW! My fiance had never driven a car in his life until this year, aged 30. Now he is learning and I'm so proud of him. I hated learning to drive, dreaded getting into that car every lesson. Now I love it.

So my advice is: don't worry about learning in a different car, have a few lessons in the micra and try the mazda when you are more confident. I was always nervous about driving in different cars but the basics are the same.

Remember the instructor has dual controls - you won't kill anyone!

If you don't like your instructor and don't feel like you are progressing, switch to a new instructor (this happened to my beau)

You have a head start because you learned before, so I'm sure you will do fine.

Focus on the positives too! I love being able to nip anywhere I want of an evening or weekend. Solo road trips are the best, singing along loudly to the radio on your way to TK Maxx, never knowing whether you will find a treasure or tat when you get there...

Anyway, I think you should be proud of your self for booking the lesson. You will be on such a high after it.

I remember being super nervous when learning to drive. Although in all honesty, my problem wasn't so much confidence on the road, rather keeping within the speed limit! Lol. I'd regularly find myself creeping over 30, and being told off. One tip for your test - I used rescue remedy to calm me down. It worked an absolute treat, I went from super nervous to cool as a cucumber. I have a small car - always have done - but we also have a mid-range sized car (similar size to the mazda) an estate (huuuuge!) and a van (sounds odd, but H2B is a mechanic) and i love driving all of them. They are all very different, but i'm so used to driving a range of vehicles, i will happily get into anything and drive it. I actually think it's an advantage to drive a different car to the one you learned in - all cars drive differently, so it'll give you experience of how a different one works and feels. Take your time, have some practice drives, and don't let other drivers intimidate you. If you are really nervous, you could always see if your driving instructor would be willing to take you out in your car for a couple of post-test lessons, just so you get used to it. It's scary at first, but you will get used to it - then it will become like second nature to you Concentrate on passing your test first - you WILL do it!

It's really not an excuse to not drive at all, honest! I would have found another instructor before cancelling the one I have ?

The idea was always that she would take me out as often as poss in her car but I wanted to have some lessons in a proper dual control car before I hot the roads again as it's been so long. She's a very good teacher - not so sure I'll be such a good pupil, bless her, she's very brave!

Dd, that was always my excuse too! After I took lessons in 2005 I moved to the city centre and would never have been able to have a car there anyway. I only moved out of the city in 2013!*

My provisional expires in August - I have set myself a goal to not have to renew it.

* by the way - where did you live in the city? I lived in Velvet Court on Whitworth Street, The Hacienda and then out behind Piccadilly station (by the warehouse project!) I know Sambarine and ID live in the NQ? Oh, I miss it! (Only a tiny bit, I also love suburbia!)

I actually think driving different cars is good for your confidence.

As bekki-jane said you're just making excuses! Get on with it woman!

The other thing I'd say is, you do really have to want to do it. I didn't learn at 17 but did learn a year later when I was getting sick of getting the bus!

Also I'd advise a good few lessons before going out with your OH as you need to know the 'right' techniques to pass. I actually didn't go out with my dad until about a month before my tesf and that was just to get road experience rather than to learn iyswim?

I don't have any advice you haven't been given already. The Mazda really isn't all that big so you should be fine driving that after the Micra. Just stick with it and you'll get there, you just need to boost your confidence. I'm glad your wife is a good teacher though, I'm terribly impatient and would be an awful teacher and would probably put anyone off driving for life if I taught them!

Good luck!

I really don't! I kind of have to though, I feel so isolated since i've moved out of the city, especially when W is away or off to see friends - public transport is good in Manchester but no use having to get two trams to have a cuppa with a friend! When I lived in the city people came to see me all the time, now no-one comes unless it's a pre-arranged thing (waaah!)

Also - hoping there will be babies on the scene in the imininet future, i'll be on mat leave while W is off at work, really need to be mobile for that.

All those reasons you've listed do sound like you want to learn to drive though?

Yes you're right. I want the perks of being able to get around - I just don't like being in control of a car!

Ha! You need a chauffeur!

I do. I would call him James.

I had massive driving anxiety but I now drive for my job so I needed to do it. You'll get there - my mistake was being too lacking in confidence to ask my parents if I could drive their cars so I got no practise outside of lessons. I'm sure driving the Mazda will be fine.

It really is useful to have a driving licence even if your never really a big drover and your wife drives mainly don't know what we would have done when hubby broke his arm had I not had ability to I don't drive normally when we are both together for some reason (laziness and he does like driving) but know if I need to I can.

another advise is don't be tempted to jump straight in with a bulk block I brought one with first instructor he was horrid for lots of reasons I lost 5 hours with him lol

Ah just reminiscing! One of my instructors (yes, there were a few!) suggested getting one of my friends/family to sit in the back of the car - thought it would make me calm!!? Pahh, no frigging way did i want someone else watching me and my close encounters! The same instructor encouraged me to bring my own CD's to put on low in the car to make me think of the car as 'a happy place'! Haha, it was actually quite a good idea, bless him and his determination to get me through.

SW - when i first moved up for uni i stuck to all the nasty student haunts, Fallowfield, victoria park & Withington although my first halls were right on Oxford Rd seconds away from uni.. Loved those little toblerone buildings.. Whitworth was it? Can't quite remember now.

My best friend had a flat on Whitworth St next to Sackville gardens so i lived there for a while, loved being that central! When H and I moved in together we moved over to Castlefield. Loved being on the canal but so annoying that with the first hint of sunshine every man and his dog descended on it! Especially that Dukes place, definitely started to resent it, ha. Now we're in Lymm and i have stairs and a garden for the first time in YEARS! Roll on the effing summer!

I went from a fiesta to a mondeo and it was weird, but good.

When I learnt to drive I had a mini that was mine and my instructor's car was a micra, so everything was massive compared to the mini. Anyway, I had 2 lessons per week with my instructor until I was an okay driver. After that I had one a week with him, and one a week with Dad or Grampos in my car. Maybe do something like that? So lesson in Micra on Monday, and trip to the shops/country pub, etc with your OH at the weekend, you driving.

DO NOT cancel your lesson, I will come and kick your ass. OH doesnt drive and I wish he would learn... He should take a leaf out of your book.

Go to the lesson and good luck! My sister had a Mazda 3 and it really isn't that big. I can totally sympathise though. I am a nervous driver and have a paranoid fear of rolling back. I passed on a manual but since having a smart car a few years ago, now have an automatic which I love. It is a massive bone of contention with my husband as he wants me to drive a manual and I don't want to!

Good for you for getting started again. H doesn't drive, and it has started to become a massive pain in the butt, need him to start soon!

My advice is get out in your mazda, but choose a quiet area to do it the first couple of times. Don't be trying to drive into the center of Manchester for example! You'll be fine going from micra to mazda, just remember that all cars are different so your positioning on the road etc might be different. When I went from my ibiza to my fiesta I was in the wrong place on the road because you sit so much further to the left in a fiesta!

You can do it! It really is practice makes perfect and your confidence will improve the more you drive, so you need to bite the bullet Good luck!

It took me four attempts to get to do my test and three attempts to pass it, but now I would say I'm as confident a driver as I should be without being overly confident!

We had a running joke in the family, if I said I was going to take driving lessons, they would all ask when the baby was due!!!

Warranted I hasten to add, I took my first lessons at 17 and had my eldest 9 months later. I took my second lot of lessons at 20 and had my second 9 months later. I waited until 25 to have the third try and, yep, another baby arrived just before I was ready to take my test. However, I did go back to driving lessons the following year and finally got to the test stage!!!

I drive a little sporty hatchback, H drives a VW transporter. Sometimes he'll ask to borrow my car if he's driving a few people up to football, that means I have to drive this huge long wheel based van!

For the first mile or so I kak myself, then I get a grip and realise that driving is driving whatever vehicle I'm in. Then I start to enjoy it as I tower over everyone else and feel like I'm queen of the road. Then I have to park the damn thing and remember why I drive a smaller car.

SW, I actually live on Sackville St - our building is on Sackville and Brazil St, between Sackville Lounge & Canal St. So not far at all from where you used to be! We viewed an apt in Velvet Court when we were househunting though - I love our flat but still occaisonally think about the one that got away! lovely building, and we'd have been able to keep our car (no parking with current flat).

I was a really confident driver in the States, then took 3 years to take my test in the UK and lost all my confidence. I'm a good driver, but get really anxious if I have to drive somewhere new or in an unfamiliar vehicle. Having said that, we now use rental cars quite often so I'm getting more used to driving different/bigger cars. I agree that you should drive the Mazda as well as the Micra. I drove h2b's Punto while learning in a Citreon C3. Just don't rush yourself - even though i had a full license in the States, b/c I wasn't used to driving a manual car and I had lost my confidence, it took me about 9 months of weekly lessons before I took my UK test.

I have a micra & it is a ridiculously easy car to drive so I would say its a good car to learn in but in all honesty once you can drive one car you can drive them all. It's then just a matter of comfort. I think it's best to do both

I learnt to drive in a focus, our family car is a scenic with what seems like a massive bum! It is a totally different shape and driving position, but as long as you can manage the basics, it will be fine! Have fun

Oh I'm so jealous! I so miss living around there. You'll see us gaying it up on Sackville Park with our two fluff balls in the summer!

LOL, a friend of mine lives there too and last year he and his husband adopted a boxer pup whose name at the time was Dazzles. They immediately changed it to Conan cos he couldn't face walking around Sackville Park shouting (adopts camp voice): "come on, Dazzles!"

Conan is an amazing name for a dog!

Haha, love it ID & SW! last year summer in the village was awesomes, hoping my thesis writing doesn't stop all the fun this year too - roll on sunshine!