Driving

ihcati

Ok, so I've had my Learners permit for about 5 months now, and I will soon be getting my Drivers Liscense, and personally, I find driving incredibly difficult, with having to remember all of the laws, and always having to put enormous effort into keeping constant attention on the road.

Now I'm wondering if driving will ever become any easier, like if it becomes second nature, and if eventually you wont have to put as much effort into driving as you did when you were just starting out, because you are more experienced, and memorized all of the laws. Because I'm really worried that I'll always find driving hard and I'll always be nervous when I drive.

So for those of you with driving experience, give your thoughts on driving, and please tell what you thought of driving when you were first starting out, and what you think now. And was everybody else as nervous as I am when they started driving?
 
I sucked at driving because my mother sucked at teaching me how to drive. After moving to college and driving a lot it became second nature.
 
I've been learning to drive since April, and going to take the examination in about 11 weeks' time. At the start I found it very difficult (having a jerk driving instructor helped little) because there are a lot of things you need to think about and information to take in. Now, driving is indeed second-nature and I do most things without having to think about them, so I can actually enjoy the experience of being able to go anywhere my heart pleases and my passport allows.

Confidence is probably the most important thing to have: making a decision and changing your mind half-way through is more dangerous than doing nothing or something. I had serious issues with confidence, because of my first driving instructor who made me feel on edge and also because I use to have dreams where I was driving a car, be on a collision course with another and not be able to stop. Advice to any learning drivers: don't feel worried. You can feel safe that nothing will happen because the instructor will step in to avoid any accident, so it is an excellent way to build up confidence behind the wheel.
 
It's really all about experience. I actually can't even drive with two hands much anymore because I'm so used to driving one-handed. The more you get used to it the more comfortable you feel. There's not too much to remember law wise so I'm not really sure what you're referring to there. As for nervousness, sure everyone is nervous the first time they do a lot of things. It's natural.
 
Honestly I really don't like to drive ( I've been driving for a little over a year ) because I'm always paranoid about being in a car crash. If I didn't have to drive I wouldn't; however in today's world you have to get around so I suck it up.

Hopefully this feeling will go away; at least slightly.
 
I love driving, I've been doing it since Freshmen year of high school (illegally). I had huge trouble driving on freeways at first because of a near accident I had, but since then I've had really no trouble. Driving cross country from CA to NY really helped my confidence and get me accustomed to learning how to speed, knowing my limits, etc. Once you do become comfortable, don't get TOO comfortable, thats how accidents happen.

Everyone is nervous at first, and when you finally go to take your test, I hope you are nervous for your sake. Confident people get TOO confident and have problems with the testers.
 
I have had my license for about 3 months now and i find driving simple. I havn't found that you have to remember a bunch of laws. Just stay within the lines and stop at things that are red and don't go over the speed limit. Oh and use your blinkers. Thats really all there is to driving. The only times i have been nervous driving was durring my road test and the first time i drove high. But since then driving just becomes so routine that it is just second nature.
 
Carl, when I say laws, I mean basic stuff like turning on your blinker lights 100 feet prior to turning, remembering who does what in a certain situation,etc.... They preach about how important it is to do shit in certain situations, but I guess its not really used that much from the way you guys are talking?

And evolutia I dont mind driving, Im just worried that if I fuck up, I can kill somebody. I know its unlikley, but still.
 
Even the most uncoordinated folks I know have been able to adapt, albeit eventually, to the ways of the road. Also, IMO, the thrill lasts only for the first year, if even that. Nowadays, it's kind of a chore, IMO, and I'd rather just bum rides.
 
ihcati said:
Carl, when I say laws, I mean basic stuff like turning on your blinker lights 100 feet prior to turning, remembering who does what in a certain situation,etc.... They preach about how important it is to do shit in certain situations, but I guess its not really used that much from the way you guys are talking?

And evolutia I dont mind driving, Im just worried that if I fuck up, I can kill somebody. I know its unlikley, but still.
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Yeah I'm worried about that too, one mistake while driving could kill someone weighs heavy on my heart. I think it takes time for someone to get used to driving, sooner or later your going to become comforabled while driving, I may be one of the later ones though.
 
Like everything else, you get used to it and yes it becomes second nature.

Nobody is good at it their first time behind the wheel, a car is a lot more sensible machine than we might think before we eventually get to use one.

I wouldnt panic over it, just get driving classes, they are professionals and know exactly how to teach non drivers how to drive.
 
I was still nervous a month of two after I got my license. For me, I got alot more comfortable when I didn't have someone in the car with me.

I wouldn't stress about it. ALl you need is a bit more time.
 
batpig said:
I was still nervous a month of two after I got my license. For me, I got alot more comfortable when I didn't have someone in the car with me.

I wouldn't stress about it. ALl you need is a bit more time.
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agreed. I just got my license on Aug 2, and I had to take a driving test. That has been my only bad experience with driving. Really, after around 25 hours behind the wheel, I don't worry about driving anymore. The only things that are annoying are when you go through things for the first time, like construction zones, being pulled over, passing tractors, driving at night alone...
 
ihcati said:
Carl, when I say laws, I mean basic stuff like turning on your blinker lights 100 feet prior to turning, remembering who does what in a certain situation,etc.... They preach about how important it is to do shit in certain situations, but I guess its not really used that much from the way you guys are talking?
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Well I guess some of it is used but is second nature and others aren't. Like you won't get pulled over by a cop if you don't turn on your turn signal exactly 100 feet before turning. I just know I get annoyed when people don't signal so I make sure I do it. My dad doesn't even use his turn signal half the time. And certain situations like stop signs aren't a big deal at all since there's usually eye contact and someone will take charge if you both sit there and either go or wave you on.
 
Hopefully i can get my learning permit in a month or so. I also live where people can't drive really well so i'm kinda scared about that.
 
It never becomes completely natural, and you always have to drive with vigilance, at least if you live in a crowded city. It becomes more instinctive, that is for sure. I can tell automatically if somebody is going to be dumb and swerve into my lane because they will drift for about 20 seconds first, for example, at least in most cases. It sounds stupid, but the way I improved was when I started thinking of every drive as a challenge, like 'I am going to make this right turn the best one I have ever made,' my driving got exponentially better. Then again, every person is different, so who knows.

Oh also, a lot of the stuff they teach you is retarded. For instance, you can stop at 30 miles per hour from about 30 feet, you do not need 100. You need to pay attention if a car is in front of you, but braking from 100 feet away or something is kind of dumb.
 
Lol, I have an insane love for cars so as soon as I got my permit, driving felt really good and I was hella confident. Considering I had to learn how to drive and learn how to use stick-shift at the same time was kinda challenging at first but it was awesome.

I've only been driving for about 4 months now, but it already feels second-nature and I really enjoy it. I hope you get over your worries because to me, there's nothing more enjoyable than cruising at night with my girl, listening to music and just enjoying life. (other than gas prices of course lol)

Good luck!
 
Jesus, you learned with a stick? And I thought an automatic was hard.
And these replies have really helped me get over most of my fears, so thanks alot guys. Glad to hear that it eventually becomes second nature.

EDIT: Yeah, CaptKirby, I kinda figured most of the stuff they teach was mostly for safety reasons, and not really necessary.
 
Carl said:
It's really all about experience. I actually can't even drive with two hands much anymore because I'm so used to driving one-handed.
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Same actually.

Really, you don't have to worry about memorizing laws that much. Most of it is just common sense and will come with time. Since you're most likely going to be driving in your local area, you'll quickly grow used to to it and almost everything that applies there applies to roads everywhere, just with a different setting.

The only things that I really only forgot about during my first month of driving on my own were:
1. Slowing down/getting to the side of the road for police.
2. Staying in the right hand lane on the highway when not passing other cars.
 
Yeah, I took a drivers' ed class ant the end of sophmore year, and it was full of stuff like how many feet of braking time you need and how many seconds your reaction time changes by in different situations. Oh, and a bunch of memorizing penalties for lawbreaking. Really, it isn't needed at all. I've only been driving with a permit for a few weeks, but I've learned a few things that they can't really teach in books. One of the best ideas to keep in mind is that when you're out on the road early on, you see cars all around you and you have alarm bells in your head going off, "captain we have bogeys approaching from all sectors, panic!" just calm down and remember that other people are actively interested in not hitting you. You won't get steamrolled by 3 cars if you mess up at an intersection, you'll just get some guy mad cuz you made him wait for the next light. I wouldn't dare put a number to it, but plenty of accidents are related to speeding, a greater part I would say than stuff like messing up your blinkers or whatever.
IMO, having a good instuctor is also important. NJ has a mandatory 6 hours of approved instructor lessons before you get your permit, and a good instructor will make them count. There are 2 things they really need to give you: practical tips on driving, the kind of thing people do subconsiously (gah sp), and experience. I was out on the highway on my second lesson. It was rather terrifying, but I did learn a lot about how to act, and the importance of being aware of traffic around you.
 
ihcati said:
So for those of you with driving experience, give your thoughts on driving, and please tell what you thought of driving when you were first starting out, and what you think now. And was everybody else as nervous as I am when they started driving?
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Not sure how things work in America but over here you get put on a probationary licence ("p-plates") for two years, during which time you more or less can't break any law at all. As a result these plates act as a reg flag to other drivers who will run you off the road, merge lanes into you, etc etc.

While you'll run into your fair share of hoons, most of the road users you want to avoid are mothers and old people.

Recently here there was a road rage incident where a child was injured by broken glass after a man took a tire iron to the mother's car. You know you're salty when your immediate thoughts are "goddamn soccer mums belong in the kitchen not on the road, wish i'd done the same to that bitch who almost backed into me with her SUV/beeped at me from her SUV/tailed me on the freeway in her SUV/etc" *

Fuck I hate 4WD drivers.









*however in this particular incident she was driving a sedan and the person who attacked her should be ashamed
 
Its funny, when my mom was with me while I drove, I never ever got better. But when I started driving alone or with my father, gradually I got much better. I still make a silly mistake from time to time. At first, I was really nervous when I went onto the freeway or when parking in a crowed parking lot.
 
Also i find if you drive with people that are good drivers you get better. Since alot of my friends are older than me and most of them drive and have been for a while. So being forced to keep up with them i got better.
 
i pretty much drive agressively with the mentality is that, if other people are careful, i don't have to be as much, but i don't get out of hand. it's not like i'm wrecklessly driving but i know what to do and how much before i've crossed the line
 
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