finally learning to drive

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I'm almost 30 and only just got my learner's permit back in November

So was finally able to arrange driving lessons with a church elder today. We practiced in the church parking lot, parking, driving in circles to get used to steering, driving a bit out into the road a very short distance and driving back into the parking lot.

Went well I think It kinda feels like getting used to the controls of a video game. At first I was breaking a bit too hard, but learned to ease off on the break and that was hardly a problem by the end of the lesson. They did say that I'm overcompensating turning the wheel when making turns and not returning the wheel to its forward position soon enough. I'll get it sooner or later.

They also mentioned that I seem to take things a bit too literally. Go figure

It really is like mastering the controls for a game.

Ideally you want your inputs to be as smooth as possible. At some point you'll want to start paying attention to how weight/inertia transfers, but not necessarily at first.

Braking/brake.

Driving is pretty simple.. just point & go. Definitely becomes 2nd nature like breathing when you've done it long enough.. just automatically go through the motions by muscle memory without much thought or consideration. Just clutch/shift, gas/brake, turn, signal etc. Becomes very routine and easy in time with practice.

I wish you all the best! Just take it slow, and don't feel pressured by other drivers.

Omg I didn't notice

Do you live somewhere you'll need to deal with snow regularly?

No, I'm down in The Sun Fries You All Year Long land

Oh, too bad. That's the funnest part.

I started driving 20 years ago and still find myself learning stuff... which isn't great when it's happening at speed on a highway.
When I started, I was living in a small town of 300 people. Driving was very basic. Then I expanded included larger towns in the region. It was 15 years before I tackled cities. At first I'd get used to specific routes, and stick to them. But sometimes roadworks would throw up a detour. That was always stressful to navigate.
Even now, if I have to drive to a different part of a city, I'll find different conditions, different lines on the road...

Drive as often as you can. Expose yourself to as many different environments as you can. Better to learn those things when you control the parameters than run across them when you weren't expecting them.

Yeah, I've been there.

I took Driver Education in High School. The instructor told us to turn the wheel hand-over-hand. I tried! That is a horrible idea, you can't turn it fast enough. Now I just don't try to hold the wheel continuously on sharp turns where the wheel must turn something resembling a quarter of a continuous rotation...instead I do a very long hand-over-hand. And if I'm in a part of the turn where the steering wheel will automatically return to position I don't try to turn it at all, I just keep my hands loosely on it (just in case) and let the wheel slip through my grip.

Also, I eventually figured out I was being too law-abiding. When I came up to a traffic signal that was changing to red, I stopped, and if it changed to amber before I had effectively entered the intersection, I stopped. I sure wish most drivers were that conscientious...most of them see an amber signal to indicate "go faster!" I've been rear-ended a few times. Legally, I was not at fault; practically it's also inconvenient when you are not at fault. Now I check the mirrors and only stop if there is a lot of room behind me. (I am still astounded when I go through an amber light that I could've stopped for and two or three cars follow me through!!)

Well done! Go for it!

Just takes a day trip driving around Southern BC.. can be sun, rain, snow, hail, glaciers, desert environment, flash flooding, lightning etc etc all in the same day sometimes - especially in the Spring. Lots of areas of the Province with their own little micro climates and constantly changing weather at higher elevations.

Good driver training I suppose.

My NT sister and I never got our drivers licenses, but this is great to know about!

I am not able to drive. I know this because I had a car for several years that I drove every day, and I never got past the beginner stage. I can drive if there is very little traffic, or if I only have to move forward and make right turns. However, when there is a normal amount of traffic, I cannot make left turns, change lanes, merge, or drive on the freeway. This is because I have found that I am unable to stay aware of two or more things at once that are in motion.

When merging, or changing lanes, you have to simultaneously be aware of the cars in front of you, your own forward motion, and the cars beside you and the ones coming up behind you. And when making left turns you have to be aware of the cars going forward, toward you, that you have to cross in front of, and the ones turning left from the opposite lane, in front of you, and be able to judge the distance of how far they are to know if you have room to make your move. I am not able to do that.

Good luck colliegrace and stay safe on the road.

Am I the only person who drives with one hand using just my thumb and pinkie?
Now I'm not sure about turns.
I don't think about them but maybe I use two hands?
I must.

I also drive with one foot under my opposite thigh.
I'm a bit of a pretzel.

Driving since 1986.

I'm terrible for driving with my hand on my lap and only a single thumb on the steering wheel and even worse for changing gears too early.

Jumping from big truck to small car all the time doesn't help much.


As funeral said too, it's a lot like learning a new video game.