Learning to drive isn’t just about practicalities and mechanics.
It’s not just a bid for freedom by teens and by their parents, who are sick of driving them around to hundreds of activities each and every year.
It’s also a status symbol, as in, “Hey, look at me! I’m learning how to drive. Future grownup bringing up the rear…”.
This is why your teenager will be quite eager for one of those official driving instructor cars to pull up at the school gate and take them for a lesson that ends at their home. Because their friends will SEE them get into that car and know that they will soon have their licence.
There’s just one little problem…
Driving well in front of your friends is quite a challenge. Each afternoon when my driving instructor picked me up for my lesson I would get behind the wheel and try and drive as well as I knew I could, as a crowd of people watched.
But I never quite managed it.
Being a bit of an over-achiever, I was learning to drive on a manual car. No auto for me! And so what should have been a smooth and easy drive away from the school gate and along the road looked a bit more like one of those rapper’s cars that bounces in time to the music.
Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by Nissan Pathfinder. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100% authentic and written in their own words.
Except my car was dancing to nothing.
“You never can get that take off right, can you?” my instructor teased. He was well aware that I had a particular problem driving when people I knew were watching, but was perfect when nobody I knew was around.
Then he said, “Jo, I’m not sending you for your driving test until you can drive well in front of anybody.”
And he was true to his word.
Top Comments
When I learnt to drive over 20 years ago it was either compulsory or highly encouraged that learners do a defensive driving course. Of course as teenagers my friends and I moaned about it but after doing the course not only did my driving improved but also my awareness of the responsibilities of being a motorist. Though you'd like to think that all driving instructors would pass on the information covered in the course, the reality is they don't especially if you're being taught by a family member or friend. I think I'm a good driver but when the time comes to teach my son (sheessh!) I'll definitely ask him to do a similar course.
I have my licence and am very comfortable driving manual. But I learnt in the country (like small town 3 roundabouts, no traffic lights) and it's where I've spent my whole life. If you ask me to put the ute into 4WD up the back paddocks on rocky dangerous terrain? Easy.
But now I am about to move to one of the major cities for a new job and I am dreading it. I do drive in Sydney and Brisbane but I am stressed the whole the whole time. I struggle with the spatial awareness, constant lane changing, complicated layouts. It's miserable and I have no confidence.
I'm contemplating having lessons in a the city. What do you guys think? Has anyone else who already has their full drivers licence gone back for lessons to make them a safer driver? Good idea?
Same here! But my town had only one, one lane round about. So even they freak me out! I've been living in Brisbane for a week and driving without my GPS horrifies me. Remembering to look up at the lights, having so many cars around, multi lanes, reverse parks (I never had to learn for my test). So many challenges I've never had, dispite having my license for 5 years. I'm making my friends drive me currently or am just avoiding to leave the house. Any tips for country girls learning to well drive in the city? The highway is more comfortable!