On Monday 24th May 2010 at 4.20pm I finally passed my driving test after 2 years of lessons and 2 failed tests. When the examiner said those magic words “I’m happy to tell you you’ve passed” I could have kissed him!
I have to say learning to drive has to be one of the most difficult challenges I have ever had to conquer. I put off learning to drive for years. Most people opt to learn as soon as they turn 17 but I was never that bothered as I lived in a town where everything and everyone were within walking distance, plus I’ve always enjoyed a drink and they don’t exactly go well together! Also I have never really had that great want to drive its just not something that ever really bothered me. But as I got older I realised how many doors a driving license would open in terms of job opportunities etc and lets be honest we can’t exactly rely on public transport to get us from A to B.
Driving Lessons
On my 25th birthday Adair bought me an additional present which was a 2 hour driving lesson with BSM which he had booked for me. Although this wasn’t my favourite ever birthday present I was grateful to him for giving me the kick up the bum that I needed. The first lesson was surprisingly successful and I learned a lot more than I expected. Although I was only driving around a quiet industrial estate at about 10mph it was huge progress for me as before the lesson I did not even know how to turn on the ignition. I opted to have one 1 hr lesson per week, at £24.50 a lesson I could not afford any more than that. Every week I felt more and more confident behind the wheel and I progressed at a good rate. I think the only thing holding me back was fear. Even now I have passed, driving scares me so I tend to get a bit jittery here and there.
My Instructor
My instructor was called Jan, she was very nice and was very good at putting me at ease and raising my confidence. She would ask me about my preferred learning styles in order for her to teach me in a way that would be effective for me. Over the 2 years I got to know Jan quite well as we had many chats as we drove around the streets of Wrexham. I would tell her all about our wedding plans and moan to her about work and things and she would tell me all about her family and moan about her husband and nightmare pupils. I suppose you could say that as well as learning to drive we both used the lessons as a way to vent about our day.
The day I passed my test it was actually a little emotional saying goodbye to Jan. It was also a little awkward, how do you say goodbye to someone who you have spent an hour a week with for 2 years? This was more time that I have spent with some of my friends. So I just said thank you and she said it was a pleasure teaching me and I said that if she was ever in Cardiff I would buy her a drink, I handed over my cheque, said goodbye and got out of the car which was a little weird.
The Test
One word can describe my driving test(s), “terrifying”and I am glad I will never have to go through it again, well that’s assuming I don’t lose my licence! I felt like I was driving around in a ticking time bomb which could go off at any moment if I did something wrong. All logical reasoning goes out of the window and the only thing you can think about it getting to the end without screwing up. All the way through I was doubting my self about things that otherwise would not phase me. Taking my test for the third time had to be the worst. You would think after 2 practice runs I would be more confident but it was the opposite. There was 3 times as much pressure and I was scared stiff about making the same mistakes that caused me to fail in the first 2 tests. But I did it, by the skin of my teeth, and that’s all that matters.
The Examiner
I have heard all sorts of horror stories about examiners, like that they try and trick you in to driving up one way streets, that they have to fail a certain amount of people a day and that they sit in silence and glare at you throughout. This is absolute nonsense, well at least it was for the ones that I experienced in Wrexham. My examiner for the last 2 tests was called Justin. He was really nice and asked questions about where I live and my interests etc which put me at ease a bit. He did not try and trick me at all and he gave me the benefit of the doubt in some situations taking into account difficult factors of the test. For anyone who is worried about scary examiners I will say from my experience they are not monsters.
I am pleased to tell you you’ve passed!
Ah those magic words, I can’t tell you how happy they made me. My test was 4 days after my birthday and it was one of the best birthday presents I’ve ever had. No more lessons, no more stressing about the test, no more L plates, no more bus journeys. So for anyone thinking about learning to drive, don’t let my blog put you off as its all worth it in the end. My only concern now is that I may have to be the designated driver!!
And now for the cheese
I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to my husband Adair who pushed me to start my lessons, who has put up with the tears and the strops when I came home from bad driving lessons and when I failed my first two tests. I felt like quiting many times but he encouraged me to keeping booking those lessons and tests.
