I've Finally Done it (Driving Courses in general)

Member Name: fluffy123

Product:	Driving Courses in general
Date:	12/10/01 (480 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Independence

Disadvantages: Expense

I decided to learn to drive over a year ago mainly for my own independence and I hate catching a bus.

1. Driving Schools

I won't go into this too much as it is a seperate subject on it's own.

My first school of choice was the AA which I won't go into indepth here as I have already wrote a review on it (it can be checked out under driving schools A.A.). Briefly however this is not a school which I would recommend.

My second driving school of choice was A C School of Motoring mainly because they had a really really good gimmick namely IF YOU DON'T PASS 1ST TIME WE PAY THE 2ND FEE, which to someone who had failed twice was really good. This is the school I passed with.

I guess my point is that it is a good idea to shop around, and get other peoples opinions as the biggest isn't always the best, and if your not happy with your instructor request a change, if your not happy with the school go elsewhere, I only wish i'd changed sooner. In total I went through 2 driving schools and 5 instructors 1 of these however was because he went long term sick.

2. Theory Test

This is a touch screen test, and to be honest it's not as scary as everyone makes it out to be you have to answer 35 multiple choice questions by touching a screen on what you think is the correct answer.

The trick is to revise, and if like me you get bored revising by books, then there are loads of ways to revise on line there are some very good sites which do online tests with real time marking. These tests are normally harder than the questions you will get asked in your actual theory test, I got 33 out of 35 so it can't be a bad way to revise.

3. THE DRIVING TEST

This is propably the most scary demon of them all and yes everyone does get as nervous as you. I passed on my 3rd attempt. To put a few myths to rest no the examiner doesn't have to fail a certain amount of people if
you good enough you will pass. The important thing is to make sure it is you who is ready to take it and not your instructor who says book it your ready, you must feel ready. They will not test you on anything you haven't bee taught.

The first trick is to relax, I know easier said than done but it is important little jitters are fine but big ones mean trouble, eat breakfast or it will just make you feel more sick.

On my first test I failed at a roundabout - I now realise roundabouts are just one way streets and the trick is to judge the gaps, don't race out because you think the examiner is getting impatient he/she isn't they are judging your observations 'IS IT SAFE TO GO'.

Watch the signs I failed my second test when my examiner said take the next available right turn (Big hint next AVAILABLE) and tried to go down the 1st right turn which was a one way street.

Manouvers - you will only be asked to do 2 you've done them before.

Despite all this if you don't pass it is natural to be upset the first time I failed I cried all the way home. The 2nd time I failed it was because I rushed into retaking the test again (10 days after) and my confidence wasn't back.

The third time when I passed it just felt right (i even slightly hit the kerb as we set off but the examiner put it down to what it was nerves, yes they know your nervous). I felt that I could do it, which was the most important thing as well as my instructor feeling I could pass. It took me over a year but i did it.

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