As. and driving

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I'll second/third/whatever the legally able to drive, but not actually remotely confident in my ability to.

The written test was rather easy, as assimilation of written information is something fairly easy for me.

The driven portion was... not so much. I made a lot of small errors, which, while not causing an accident at the time, are probably not good in the long run. However, because of the change to state law, the school actually provided all the testing, rather than the DMV, and they passed me anyway, probably hoping I'd improve with time.

I've tried, but I just can't do it. The people, the rules, and so much to do at once, it's overwhelming for me. Not to mention the anxiety that I'll screw up and crash, possibly injuring myself, people in another vehicle, and passengers in mine

It took me 3 tries to pass the driving test. The written test was a cynch, just like any other written media ... if I can see it, it's already absorbed, no problem there. I was also blessed/cursed with hyper-extended/increased proprioception and eye-hand coordination at the expense of attention span, which is near zero at times. Fortunately, I have learned some intenal tricks to keep on track during a task. Being a picture thinker, I can put "sticky notes" (sorry, I can't think of any other way to describe it) on certain things (in my mind) which are certain to distract me as I muddle through other things and my "little mental sticky notes" remind me what I'm doing and I get back on task better/quicker, hopefully without crashing the car, again.

I had 4 accidents in the first 2 years of my driving career. I mentioned hyper eye-hand coordination and proprioception because it has worked in my favor at times, like playing baseball and doing action photography, but it creates a false confidence in young males with new tail feathers and I was a smart-assed driver, but I often forgot what I was doing and sometimes even I, with my better than average abilities, couldn't correct in time. For each of those 4 incidents there were a hundred close calls that could have been ugly. While 4 accidents may not be that bad compared to the average "bad" driver, it's all the other almost accidents that really tell the story.

Somewhere along the way, I became more respectful of the danger I was in while conducting an automobile down a busy street and began to divert more of my feeble attention to the job. The result is that I was a 20 year old guy who drove like his grandfather, but I could actually keep my insurance (Why do I need this?) IF I slowed down a little. Driving is only slightly different from anything else we want to do, If We Put Our Minds To It and take a few risks. I mean that's what we are asked to do in every aspect of daily life, right? Focus on the task and take a few risks. You know if you are up to the task or not, but the risks are more severe if you misjudge your abilities.

I can't really advise on this subject, but if you take up driving, changing cars will be one of the most difficult re-adjustment transitions you will ever have to deal with, from personal experience. If you think getting used to new shoes is tough or you hate it when they change your favorite store around, wait till you have to buy a new (or different) car. Plus, all of your "normal" sensitivities, which you are working your way through and coping with generally, seem to be tripled inside the enclosed space of a car. One of my sensitivities, the smell (I've not learned how to turn down my smeller) of plastic (which cars are all made from) can be stifling if my "background" stress level is high.


P.S.

It's OK to be the one who gets honked at at a 4-way stop sign ( I hate them, too) or the one who waits too long at a roundabout because you're not sure if your turn or not. Driving the speed limit also makes you unpopular in traffic, but the limit is set the way it is for everyone's safety, including yours and the non driving public, so repect it. There are more bullies on the roads than anywhere else I've seen. Even cute, dainty 17 year old girls can become hostile bullies behind the wheel for no reason, but it's much better to just let them win and don't take it personally. Usually the bullies are trying to beat you out of a single position in traffic, which is roughly equal to 30 feet distance in your journey, so it makes no sense to compete with them. That's about all the advice I can offer.

I generally hate driving, unless late at night and im all alone (but im like that with everything)

I find 4 way stops stresfull since no one seems to follow the rules for it. I hate arriving at the same time as another car, as I can never negotiate who goes first, and usually either sit and wait or just go and hope they notice.

I cant stand people who drive slow, or do stupid things while driving. I get angry easily, and that is most likely my major fault with driving.

Thus far I have had a few accidents, no tickets though (pure luck I think). One I slid into a car on some black ice at a stoplight. The other I was trying to find a place and was lost (in a town I grew up in and lived in my whole life..interesting eh?) so I wasnt paying attention enough and ran a red light..had I just plowed through and not hit the brakes I would have cleared it. Instead I got smashed on the back of my truck. Didnt do much damage, and the other guy was unlicensed so didnt want cops. Worked out well for me!

Otherwise I do tend to have a hard time in lots of traffic or when confused by too many signals, signs, etc.

Yeah, in Argentina you have to be 18 also, but I don't think I'll ever try. Drive in this frikkin city? No way! Besides all the traffic, everyone drives so badly! Well, they're not bad exactly; they just don't follow the rules.
Just walking down a crowded hallway is hard for me (I bump into eveyone).

Im one of those who know exactly how to drive and all the traffic laws by heart.. I just cant do it.

I dont even try anymore.. 26 and never had a license probably never will.

I could build a car from the ground up but operating one is another story.

I used to take Public Transport. Now, I just walk.

I have no idea how I stack up in terms of the average. When I am highway (like a freeway) and there isn't alot of cars, I can move in and out of the lanes easily enough and actually find the experience relaxing. In packed traffic I have difficulty keeping track of everything around me. I almost got into an some accidents in the first year I had a car but I've been fine in the year since (despite gotten honked at a bit for some miscues).

Driving itself is somewhat difficult. Other people I noticed simply stair ahead at the road. I can't do this because it disturbs me for some reason. I have to move my head around alot and shift my vision's perspective. Mentally it is a bit odd too, although that would require another post. I think this freaked out my dad when I was driving him in my car. When I was first learning it was terrifying.

It took me 28 years to finally tame the 4-wheeled beast.

Learning is the hardest part. Once you get past that, it's a piece of cake.

Then, when you least expect it, it just becomes second nature to you. I now have four years driving through Central America (if you can drive here, you can drive anywhere!) and the U.S., and not a single accident to this date thank heavens.

So don't despair. As I said, the beginning is the toughest but if you are determined and careful enough you'll be hitting the road in no time. It was damn hard for me too, but now I can't picture myself not being able to drive a car!

I took SO many driving lessons over about four years (with gaps where I lost confidence).

I always remember my dad saying "Using the controls will be automatic after a few months". No. Using the controls took over 20 years to be anything like "automatic", and was helped immensely by changing to an automatic car (in the UK it's nearly all manual (stick shift)).

But I do love driving. I'm usually alone in my car with my choice of music on, and I get to decide where I'm going and when. What I hate is buses - full of people who lean on you and try to talk to you etc. Even walking in the cities in the UK is alarming - people just barge into you.

And other drivers are very predictable on the road once you learn which sort of car is which and what sort of driver drives them. BMWs and Subarus are usually going to drive like the dogs of hell are racing after them. People driving white vans will usually tailgate you and cut in right in front of you on the road for no reason. People driving unusual/ancient cars like daihatsu or the old Volvo cars will usually drive at 20 miles per hour and wander about between lanes without signalling. In its own way, it's predictable.

I drive Volvo. Sometimes I drive 120 mph. But of course, in my country Volvo isn't an unusual car and my Volvo is pretty new.