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Driving Lessons/Test

BassFace

Hello,

I have a bad relationship with learning to drive.

I started to learn when I was 17, now I'm 21 and I still don't have a license.

I have tried 3 different instructors. Twice I have been nearly test-ready and then the instructor organised a 'practice test' and both times I just got so anxious that I couldn't think clearly and did a load of dangerous stuff that I'd never ever do normally and had an anxiety attack even though it was only a practice.

I'm not that anxious about driving usually, but (even in a practice) the test anxiety plus having a weird stranger so close to me in the passenger seat makes it way too overwhelming.

Every time it goes wrong I feel extremely humiliated and lose all my confidence and then it takes months to build up to trying again.

I've decided to try again this summer, before my theory test expires for the second time.

Does anyone have any tips for how to approach it and not get overwhelmed so I can finally get a license and have some independence?

Parents

  • You're still very young so don't beat yourself up about this. I wasted many years & lots of money having lessons until I finally stopped attempting to learn to drive a manual car & switched to an automatic. It still took me 3 attempts to pass (I was late 20's) but its the best thing I ever did. Had my license 20 years now & never felt the need to upgrade it to a manual, even though I know I probably could with little trouble.

    Having said this, my daughter passed her test first time, 2 years ago, at 20 in a manual car (not driven since, but that's another story) which tells me it is entirely possible with ASD, but makes a huge difference who your instructor is. There are some who specialise in teaching anxious drivers or those with ASD/ADHD. 

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  • You're still very young so don't beat yourself up about this. I wasted many years & lots of money having lessons until I finally stopped attempting to learn to drive a manual car & switched to an automatic. It still took me 3 attempts to pass (I was late 20's) but its the best thing I ever did. Had my license 20 years now & never felt the need to upgrade it to a manual, even though I know I probably could with little trouble.

    Having said this, my daughter passed her test first time, 2 years ago, at 20 in a manual car (not driven since, but that's another story) which tells me it is entirely possible with ASD, but makes a huge difference who your instructor is. There are some who specialise in teaching anxious drivers or those with ASD/ADHD. 

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