[Learnerat38]

I'm 38 now and I first started driving in my early 20s and picked things up rather quickly I remember. I had a really good instructor who taught me the basics well and I was feeling confident. I had around 20 odd lessons I think, so I did make progress. Some time went by and I thought I'd do my theory test but I failed it as everyone was saying how easy it is and it's common sense etc. So although I did revise it wasn't enough. Failing that really affected my confidence and as a result I never went back to driving again and I regret that now... All these years later I've finally decided it's time to give it another try. Had my second lesson and I really think I'm not doing as well as I should be. Stalling when turning at the junctions, being a little distracted by having to focus on so many things at once etc. I realise all this comes in time but I'm putting pressure on myself because I see driving as such as basic skill that anyone can do. So how difficult can it be!? I'm fairly well coordinated. I can play different sports to a decent level, I'm a gamer too so that should help with reaction times and spatial awareness and visual motor skills.

I was wondering whether anyone else is in a similar position? Another key reason why I didn't bother or wasn't motivated was because I live in London, UK so similar to say other big cities like NYC or Hong Kong, you don't really need own car and in most cases it's actually so expensive it's not worth the hassle, especially when public transport is quicker, cheaper and more accessible.

This lack of urgency though of not being able to drive is a symptom of a deeper problem though. I don't know, so many areas of my life I feel I have fallen short...not being married, being single now for so many years, then this issue. I know life is not competition and it's not helpful to compare yourself to others but it's only natural to feel that sense of inadequacy and feeling like I need to "catch up" in life.

[Santa]

Learning gets harder as you get older, and driving is one of the more difficult things to learn, especially in a city, and even worse in London.

You could try learning in an automatic, which means one thing less to worry about, but that restricts you to ONLY driving automatics in the future.

I really wonder if learning to drive is a good investment for you. There are many other things you could do: learn to dance; try volunteering somewhere. The possibilities are endless.

As you say, driving in London is so expensive and public transport so good that many young residents choose not to learn.: This from 2018 so pre-COVID:

The proportion of those aged 17-20 holding a driving licence has fallen by almost 40 per cent in recent years, dropping from 48 per cent in the early 1990s to 29 per cent in 2014. Licence rates for those aged between 20 and 29 dropped from 75 to 63 per cent over the same period.

Car usage is also significantly down, with those aged between 17 and 29 taking 36 per cent fewer trips in cars in 2010-2014 compared to the late 1990s.

Those decreases can be partly attributed to changing lifestyles among young people, with those aged 17-29 spending an average of 60 minutes extra at home each day in 2014 compared to 1995.

Young people are also said to be increasingly living in urbanised areas, meaning they have less use for cars due to better access to public transport; the researchers noted there had only been a “small increase in trips per person by public transport”, however.

More likely causes for the reduction in car use among young people include “long-term change in the nature of employment” together with “increasing use of ICTs” - information communication technologies, or smartphones and computers. The driving test increasing in difficulty, the cost of driving growing, and young people living with their parents for longer than they used to were also cited as possible reasons.

[Rolebama]

I learnt to drive in the Army, and my brother learnt in the Territorial Army. We were both taught to drive as opposed to taught to pass the Test. Might be worth a look if you have a local branch of TA near you. (Yes, you have to put up with the soldiering bit as well, but what the Hell - it's fun.)

[Beelzebub]

Originally Posted by Rolebama

I learnt to drive in the Army, and my brother learnt in the Territorial Army. We were both taught to drive as opposed to taught to pass the Test. Might be worth a look if you have a local branch of TA near you. (Yes, you have to put up with the soldiering bit as well, but what the Hell - it's fun.)

When I was instructing, about 10 years ago, I had a new customer who was in the army. I'd assumed the army would have taught him, but apparently it depends on your role.
My student was a trainee plumber, in the Royal Engineers. He explained that electricians were taught to drive, but plumbers weren't. I'm sure there was a good logical reason for that, but it escaped me. And him.

[Rolebama]

Probably flannel because of budgets.