Finally passed!!!

As many of you will know I have been having lessons on and off for years but this year decided to just stick with it. I found a very good instructor passed today .

Got 4 minors and now in the pub when everybody takes the mick about how long it has taken I can say I passed first time .

I nearly fainted when he told me.

 

Please don't phone your friends as you drive back from the pub.

 

Red Alert South Manchester.
AT I will be driving down Oxford Road tonight to a lecture at the University. You won't be around will you?

 

nice one...

 

Bob I indeed I will be in the Oxford Road area tonight, but I shall be on the bus .

Having a meal with my old uni mates.

The next big dread is driving on my own, I am not now insured to drive my dads car as they think I am a provisional so need to either get that changed or canceled (if I buy my own car).

Edit I am not actualy the pub, I worded that wrong. I meant on saturday nights when I am in the pub they all take the mick .

Now I am actually quite scared because I know a lot of people who have had crashes soon after their test, I just need to remember to concentrate at all times. I am going to pretend each drive is a driving test and that should keep me out of trouble.

Now the dreaded bit, I promised my mates if I pass I am driving to Benclech to go camping next year 117 miles .

And now they will want lifts like I had had in the past, so they can drink .

Oh BTW I will never dream of drink driving .

 

don't worry fella - the first time in a car by yourself is amazing...you'll have a massive grin on ya face...

just head out into the sticks and enjoy...

 

Hang on a minute you have been on for years about your various crap cars?

 

"lots of people have crashes after they pass their test..."

yes indeed they do, I crashed my brothers vintage 5 Series into the back of a stationary punto* when looking at a girl bending down in a pink mini skirt...
I won't forget that morning.

be vigilant! (not for girls in skirts) Seriously though its just getting past the having to think about things before they become second nature, its about just getting the miles in.

well done that man.

*stationary punto is not a euphemism

 

AT- ask someone to be in the car with you the first few times if you're worried about it. After I passed my test it was about a month (driving almost every day) before I drove on my own.

Your driving should become much more flowing and smooth over the next few months, but try to avoid bad habits creeping in.

A strange thing I found when I was doing my advanced driver training was that after the end of the session, once I'd dropped my observer back at his house all of a sudden my driving would fall to pieces. The next day it would be fine again, but driving home from the observed drive it was spectacularly bad. Once I passed the exam it's not recurred like that, so I just put it down to the automatic relaxation once you're no longer under scrutiny - be wary of that.

 

That was my first reaction too

 

turns out they were his dad's or his bird's.

AT good luck finding insurance quotes that won't make you pass out.

 

....er, mine too.

 

'fraid so.

I think we've all been guilty of the trap mentioned above.....

Mini skirts or no, its just SO easily done.

Keep LOADS of room betwen you and the car in front.

Dunt half give you that sinking feeling.




Congrats BTW!!

I well remember......

 

My car history is complex.

The Escort was my dads, never drove it, and never claimed anything different.

Jan 2007 I bought a Fiesta, drove it a lot with my mate and my dad on L plates but the insurance was costing me £90 a month and the engine sort of died. I then took up some lessons but the driving instructor was a joke, made me feel very nervious and kept commenting how I had no clutch control etc.

August last year bought another Fiesta, the one we still have, but my dad is has been paying me back and although I am/was [need to change it since passing] over the year it has become my dads car really so no longer consider it my own as much. I still maintain it though in return for free lifts, all this will change now - sorry dad

March this year started having lessons again after a years break, this one let me drive from day one and didn't comment on my basics, he was concerned with dealing with traffic, learnt a lot from this and my clutch control became natural.

A few weeks back he said I am ready for my test, I thought I am not but I will book it then move the date back to shut it up, 3 weeks ago I had a lesson where everything just clicked.

Today before my test as I was being all nervious and told my instructor I am not expecting to pass, he told me that he would be very surprised if I had failed.

What scared me was the test centre was full of 17-19 year old scallies, and I wonder how many of them are now driving in their souped up Honda Civics or Toyota's with their crappy boom boxes and large exhausts .

 

Hehe thanks Distractions used to be a problem, but I have had so many lessons over the years that it is not so much of a problem now. Issac pointed out a problem of the relaxtion thing. I need to remember in my lessons to always check the mirrors as it was a test, it is so easy to come complacent and its too late I see this crash all the time in Chorlton, bumps caused by people not using their mirrors.

 

Nice one AT, and don't worry too much about driving on your own, find a quiet time (1st thing Sunday morning?) and just go and enjoy it.

 

Mirror, signal, Manoeuvre.

Well done AT, I pased first time and it took me quite awhile too.

However if your coming from a pub I hope its only been orange or coke passing your lips.

Regards D Louth

 

I drank two cokes and one pint, I took the Stagecoach 86 there, and the 85 back . Driving into town is pointless, it costs more than weekly bus pass just two park .

Not driven since I passed .

Also Issac I have driven a bit with my dad anyway before passing, so I am not sure it will make much of a difference as I am already well used driving without dual controls.

 

Insurance quote with Directline, £750 a year on typical superminis fully comp, for some odd reason third party is only £2 cheaper?

 

Congratulations!!!

Glad you're unlikely to run into me downunder...