Surprising really...
I have been learning to drive, spasmodically (or maybe spastically), for about 7 years. I did the theory test and passed first time, I need to do it again as it has expired. It is just the driving bit I can’t quite get the hang of.

Main areas of concern to passengers appear to be (personally I don’t think I am that bad)

Driving in the middle of the road. Or as they put it - please move further to the right, my face is getting scraped by the hedge. I do try and explain that it is quite tricky and I have spent most of my life sitting on the other side of the car and I don’t want the on coming traffic to drive in to me.

Getting distracted. Or as they put it – stop looking at the speed-o-meter and look at the road. I do try and explain I don’t want to go to fast and looking at speed-o-meter is a good way to know how fast I am driving.

Low revs – Or as they put it you need to press the accelerator and release the clutch at the same time, and keep pressing the accelerator, then the car will to move away. Stalling the car is giving me whiplash. I do try to explain that I don’t want to over rev the engine or burn out the clutch. I need to practice on pulling away and I can only do that legally with another licensed driver in the car.

If at first you don’t succeed try, try and try again. No matter how hard they try to stop you.

What is surpising is I cycle, I cycle alot and I love it and even if I do say so myself I am very good at it.
(Free pens 100, 101, 102 is still counting on, Mon 26 Apr 2010, 10:32, 2 replies)

And you a cyclist?
* Drive further to the centre of the road, and away from the bicycles then! The oncoming traffic very rarely goes out of its way to drive into you, because they have insurance bills too. And even if they do, unlike a pushbike you're extremely well protected inside the car cage.

* Learn the width of your vehicle. It's a lot less wide than you think, often half the width of your lane - use the car in front of you to see that, most cars are pretty similar width.

* You only need to glance at the speedo for a speed check, not spend 10 seconds reading it. Learn the angle that shows 30 (40,70), and don't panic if you see 31 (41,71).

* You don't even need to rev the engine to pull away from stationary. Next time you're trying starting on the flat, just leave your foot off the accelerator, and slooowly release the clutch. You'll crawl away quite happily.

* From that, learn where the clutch "bite" point is. It's usually the third quarter of the clutch pedal's lift, and you don't need to press the accelerator before it stars biting. Lift the clutch slowly and you can feel it connect and won't stall - then you can start pushing the accelerator.

* Stalling the engine doesn't hurt anything! Don't panic.

* Overreving the engine to breaking isn't possible, there are limiters and it takes ages even if there weren't. Burning out the clutch is near impossible, *unless* you spend all your time over a year or so overrevving the engine while riding the clutch! So don't worry about them.

Your driving instructors have been rubbish if they can't drill any of this into you. Get a better one and take a couple of proper lessons in pedal control and steering, don't rely on friends/family to get you started. They're as shit at driving as everyone else on the road.
( Fronds are waving gently on, Mon 26 Apr 2010, 10:51, closed)

Some more advice
I only got over stalling constantly by massively over-revving each time. After you've stopped stalling, with experience you'll learn not to over-rev. Keep going, I know it's hard, took me forever to learn but I've had my licence for 4 years this April. Good luck!
(Petite chien is going to do science to it, Mon 26 Apr 2010, 13:00, closed)