Hi guys,
I 've been having driving leassons for the past year and I'm no closer to taking my test! My instructor still has dual controls on me!!! Am I just past it now at 28!!!! I just can't seem to get the knack of it!! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
I need to learn as going to shows is a nightmare having to rely on lifts!!

Change your instructor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I passed my test at 35 so plenty of time yet.
Chris

thanks Chris!! he is very good I'm just really crap at driving and constantly feel like I'm going backwards!! If you don't mind me asking how long did it take you and how many lessons a week did you have?
Clare

I learned to drive at 18 so yes i was younger but after  more than a year having lessons i was still no nearer to taking my test, my instructor was always telling me what i did wronge but never praised me and to be honest i think it just knocked my confidence, i changed instructor and within 6 lessons she put me in for my test and i passed.
Maybe you need a change of instuctor or like so many it might just click all of a sudden.

Have you done the theory yet i passed that first time (12 years ago now) but i heared it got more difficult so dont think i could do it now luckily i didnt get any questions on stopping distances.

My mum was 40 when she passed her test and I always said I'd do it before then. Well I'm a few years past that now but will still do it eventually, that I am determined of. :)

maybe thats what I need a change in instructor! he is very good I am a really nrevous driver and was in a seriuos car accident when I was 17 so it has realy put me off but I need to learn now as I will be moving house next year as I'm getting married and need to be able to get to work!

Definitely change instructors!! I started learning at 23 & it took me about 18 months to pass & I had 3 different instructors.  I crashed a car when learning at 17 which put me off so I was very nervous to begin with but I just needed a few good lessons with the right instructor & I was fine.  It did take me 5 tests though!!

My OH was pushing my quite hard to pass too which I think helped.

> I need to learn now as I will be moving house next year as I'm getting married and need to be able to get to work!

That's the motivation you need! Keep at it, you will pass!!

thanks for that gembo!
My fiance is banging on at me about driving and I know hes right but it seems the more he naggs the more he nags the more I want to go into my cave!! Maybe thats the way forward a new instructor! I haven't done my theory yet but am applying for it asap to get it out of the way!

I have an aunt who passed her test in her late fifties!!! She also passed first time :) So don't worry about it, maybe change your instructor because you can gel better with some than others. It will happen and think of the experience you are gaining while still trying. My OH says people who have to fight for their passes end up better drivers than people who pass first time. Thats probably a dig at me and my driving because I passed 1st time and he took 3 attempts LOL

You have plenty of time, my Mum didnt pass her test til she was 55 ! we lost my dad when he was 55 -  8 years ago now and before my dad died they travelled everywhere by bus and train, never had the desire to drive because say at weekends they would go into town do some shopping meet up with friends and have a pint so didnt want to drive. when my dad passed away i was so surprised that my mum had the confidence to give it a go and passed her test 1st time. albeit she only goes local and doesnt want to drive on the motorway etc but i am so proud of her

Perhaps doing your lessons in your own car (if you have one) might help! Along with a change of instructor as It may give you more of an incentive to pass! Thats what I did, but I was fortunate enough to have a clapped out old banger to call my own :) aww I miss my 4 geared, 1 window, 1 wiper car :)
Best of luck, when you do pass (which you will :) ) you'll wonder how you lived without it!

AWW thanks guys for all the encouragment. Everytime I see the over 65s (please no offence) driving it always gives me encouragement. I really want to drive as it will give me soo much more independance!
Clare

When my eldest was learning to drive his progress seemed very slow, the instructor said this was normal for the 'college boys' (this being the term used for the brainy ones) He said dont worry it just suddenly all slots into place and sure enough it did!
So dont worry.

Karen :)

thanks Karen

Longer reply this time, I would definatly change instructors, friend of mine decided to learn when she was 52, decided 1 lesson for each year of age and Yes she passed the week befor the year.
She started with one man but after 8 lessons and still only on very empty roads or airfield type places her OH got her to change, new guy had her driving round town in a matter of weeks and took her into Ipswich, which had her quaking at the idea, but she even did relief driver for her OH when they went on hols before she passed.
Go for it, a whole new world will open.
Chris
ps took me about 18months (with hysterectomy in the middle) and 3 trys. I had lessons off 3 guys, didn't settle with 1st, 2nd had small Volvo - I am 5'9" and driving position was hopeless as not enough adjustment in seat, passed with 3rd plus going out with OH in between lessons every 1 or 2 weeks.

You're not past it by a long shot!

I passed my test at 33    I'd been learning from 18 years old but had two really bad examiners who put me off completely and left me really nervous (one was sacked the day after my test !!! they aren't allowed to be like that now ;) )   I left off learning for a V e r y Long time after that although I would drive if OH was with me.   Then at 33 I had the opportunity to have some lessons.  My instructor was brilliant and restored my confidence in my driving and I passed my test after about 5 months - most of that time was building my confidence enough to not physically shake throughout the test

The instructor can really make a difference to your driving and your confidence.  You go girl, if you aren't improving, your instructor isn't doing his/her job ;)

ahh thanks for the stories guys! I am determined and yes I think I will change instructors. Worth a whirl! I might try a female instructor too! who said women are the worst drivers!

I agree with others, change the instructor. I had 2 instructors - they both left the country (not through my driving i hasten to add!!!)
When i went to the 3rd instructor everything just seemed to fall into place and she explained it in a way i 'got'. Passed the test with on my 3rd time but i had only been with the 3rd instructor for a few weeks.
Even after all that i have done passing my test was one of my biggest achievements - it didnt come naturally to me but i would definatly say stick at it if you have been learning for a year :-)

King of bling - I passed my test at 42. I had a horrible driving instructor at age 18 and stupidly instead of changing instructor I just gave up learning to drive until I was 41.

I decided to learn in an automatic car which also helped. Although this means paying a bit extra to own an automatic car.

So yes I would definitely try a new instructor.

I took weekly lessons for 6 months with 1 hour per week to start with and later 2 hourly lessons. Also had weekend practice with either my father or OH. Also bought a car the same as the one I was learning in so that helped build my confidence.

Ailsa

Hi King of bling, I know how you are feeling, for slightly different reasons though.......

I'm 26 and six months ago I started a driving instructor course, and its sooooo hard! I have my Part 2 test (the practical test that tests my abilities as a driver, much like a learner driver practical test but much stricter!) in a week and a half and I am dreading it!

As a learner 8 years ago I can honestly say that I hated every single lesson, but I passed first time. The thing here worth mentioning though is that it took me 2 years to get there.

Do not despair, if you haven't already have a look at purchasing the CD's that you can get to practice and get help from, make sure that you feel 110% comfortable with your instructor, and if not change as mentioned by a few others. If you do change, ask around, find a highly recommended instructor. Sometimes it is not always the instructor that you do not click with but also the car, so make sure you feel comfortable in your instructors car too.

The is absolutely no age limit on learning to drive, providing that you meet the health criteria etc, so do not put pressure on yourself, it will only make things worse, go with the flow and I would recommend not putting in for your practical test until you feel 110% ready. Failure can sometimes knock confidence, I have my last training session before my test on Monday, and if I have not improved sufficiently from the last session I will be delaying my test.

Good luck!

Nicki xx

You are most certainly not past it!  I passed my test a few years ago, just a bit older than you are now. I had failed when I wad 18 and it wrecked my confidence. I found an excellent instructor who realised straight off that lack of confidence was my problem and he worked on building that up before tackling the technical stuff. I sailed through my test less than 5 months after starting to learn again. I realise now that my first instructor all those years ago hadn't been a good teacher at all and had been a complete waste of time and money for me. 

A friend who also passed aged near 30 changed instructor 4 times before she found one that she felt understood her needs so definitely look for a new instructor and don't lose heart...you will get there!

At 28 you're only a babe!!

Having driven all my life (took test twice, all the best do!) I have never thought twice about it.  Always seemed to be with blokes that were non drivers, so I am happy with automatics or manual (can even double declutch with no synchromesh), and that shows my age!

But when I divorced my non driving husband, he was lost without someone to run him around.  He did wait a few years, but eventually, in his 50's, he now drives everywhere.  Took him two goes as well.  Only downside is, he drives a much posher car than me!  :-(

I started driving at roughly your age and it took me 150 lessons and 4 tests to pass.  I had 100 with one instructor and although he was a really nice guy and we got on great, his teaching style didn't match my learning style.  I then went with a different instructor and although personality wise we didn't click as much I got on much better with his teaching style.

I have now been passed my test 4 years, drive all the time and have never had any accidents or anything bad happen so far.  It might be worth changing instructors but FWIW if I had my time again I would have taken maybe 10 lessons initially to get the basics and then gone on an intensive course so things were ingrained in my through practice.

At the time of learning I had loads going on and I fitted lessons in but didn't have a car to practice in.  Anything I did in my lessons was forgotton until the next lesson so wasn't embedded as either knowledge or a skill.  In future if I was to do a skills based course I would want clusters of learning that were quite intense rather than sporadic 1 or 2 hours a week.  HTH

I passed my test first time when I was 17 (only just, by 10 days ;-) ) but my son only passed his this year, aged 30. He never got around to it until then. He got so annoyed with his first instructor who was getting him nowhere that he changed to a lovely lady who asked him why he hadn't sat his test already, he was more than ready for it. They now think that the first instructor just wanted his money and couldn't care if he sat his or not :-(  Change your instructor to one who will help you figure out where you need your confidence built up, not knocked down. One who will encourage you.

I recently just passed mine in april i and 30 next month!!!!!

I feel great now being able to go where i want do all the dog shows i want too now as hubby works nights and was hard to go to everyone!!!

Keep going you will pass!

My mother passed her driving test at the ripe age of 56! She did it because my parents live remote and my dad got diagnosed with a brain tumour. She had this extra bit of incentive as she needed to be able to drive him into hospital as he wasn't able for it anymore due to double vision etc :(.