Sometimes, I thinking about if it's worth getting a driver's license, as it's maybe useful having one, then again I don't mind using public transportation and I'm also not someone who would drive away that often. Besides, if I'm honest here, I kinda getting the fear thinking about driving a car on my own and doing the driving lessons, like what if I'm doing too much wrong, crashing the car against a wall and such... You know, typical panic you get when you have to do something you've never done before. So, what about you guys, do some of you owing already a driver's license? If so, was it it easy for you to get it? What was the hardest to learn or if you also had any fear, what did you do to fight against those fears (I would be thankful for any tips so that I may getting mine away). And for those who don't have one yet, do you want a driver's license one day? Or do you have no need for one/prefer more the use of public transportation, alternative walking or using a bike etc.?
Driver's license
- Thread starter Sweetley
- Start date
Lol you'll get the hang of it. I was scared to drive as well and didn't like the pressure of being on the road surrounded by other cars. I took the lessons and found that driving isn't as hard or scary as I thought.
Though my boss took full advantage of that and started scheduling me non stop delivery shifts
Though my boss took full advantage of that and started scheduling me non stop delivery shifts
I have mine but I do not actively drive. Driving gives me a lot of anxiety because I am not 100% confident in my ability to do so, and my memory is not good with directions. I still am getting over that feeling, but being there with someone else helps ease them. I do like having a licence just in case an emergency presents itself. (Also works great as general ID!) I prefer other modes of transportation as it is just healthier and cheaper. As for difficulty, just practice the proper stuff for the written and hands-on test and you will be good typically. Parallel parking is kinda strange but you typically will not do that often fortunately.
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duckykate
your heart is a museum of everyone you've loved
I have my learners permit, but not my license. I'll be getting it in a couple months. Honestly driving is scary at first but once you do it for a while it's basically nothing lol. Also I think the decision to get a license or not really depends on where you live. If you're in a huge city for example, you really don't need a car because everything is super close and you ride the subway everywhere
If you don't need a car then it might not be a necessity to get, but having a driver's license would be good to get (you never know where life will take you).
I would recommend taking practice lessons. If you have access to a car you can practice with, I'd recommend driving around an open parking lot and getting the feel for how the machine works. Then work your way up. Start by driving in a sleepy residential area and then work up to bigger roads. Although from what I'm getting, you live in a more urban area, so this might be harder to do.
I would recommend taking practice lessons. If you have access to a car you can practice with, I'd recommend driving around an open parking lot and getting the feel for how the machine works. Then work your way up. Start by driving in a sleepy residential area and then work up to bigger roads. Although from what I'm getting, you live in a more urban area, so this might be harder to do.
I recommend getting one because it's a great form of ID. though that said, if you live in a place where public transportation is great, you could probably get away with not.
Start slow, practice and allow yourself to make mistakes. I remember driving for the first time in the parking lot going 10km/hr, thinking it was too fast. LOL.
Start slow, practice and allow yourself to make mistakes. I remember driving for the first time in the parking lot going 10km/hr, thinking it was too fast. LOL.
I was terrified when I first learned how to drive. The very first time I gripped the steering wheel so hard my hands hurt and I was only on some quiet back road lol.
I didn't really have much choice though as I live in a small town in Canada so to get pretty much anywhere you need to drive. It's extremely limiting to not be able to drive as you always have to rely on someone else to help you get somewhere. I had a friend who almost didn't make it home last Christmas cause she didn't drive and no one was offering to help her out until I gave in. I wasn't going anywhere near the city she needed to get to but I felt bad no one was willing to help her. Thankfully she has since gotten her license this year even though she used to think she would never drive. I did take the city bus while in college but that was purely to save money as a parking pass was $200 per semester (while the bus pass was included with my tuition).
Honestly the thing that helped me the most was to just take it in small steps and never give up. It easily took me at least a few years before I was even somewhat confident with driving, but today it doesn't bother me at all it's like second nature.
I didn't really have much choice though as I live in a small town in Canada so to get pretty much anywhere you need to drive. It's extremely limiting to not be able to drive as you always have to rely on someone else to help you get somewhere. I had a friend who almost didn't make it home last Christmas cause she didn't drive and no one was offering to help her out until I gave in. I wasn't going anywhere near the city she needed to get to but I felt bad no one was willing to help her. Thankfully she has since gotten her license this year even though she used to think she would never drive. I did take the city bus while in college but that was purely to save money as a parking pass was $200 per semester (while the bus pass was included with my tuition).
Honestly the thing that helped me the most was to just take it in small steps and never give up. It easily took me at least a few years before I was even somewhat confident with driving, but today it doesn't bother me at all it's like second nature.
please do it! it is such an invaluable skill to have. I left it till I was 25 to start learning and I really need the ability and license now so you never know when you may need it. Public transportation is not always reliable and driving opens up many opportunities (this is an opinion and feel free to disagree).
You 100% need to find the right instructor for you, someone who is good with nervous learners. My first instructor was horrible and so I changed instructor - never feel obliged to stay with the same person if they are not right for you and your pace of learning.
I got my license over ten years ago but I remember how awful my experience was taking the test and doing the hours with my crazy instructor. He was such a bad instructor and obviously didn't care about teaching his students properly... but I couldn't change him because I was on a really tight schedule to leave the country, so I had to endure the hours and do the test in one shot basically. Since then, I've never had to actually drive properly/long distances (aside from like, parking it for someone or going really short distances in a suburb or something lol) or owned a car, as it was never really needed where I lived. I never felt comfortable in cars and public transport where I lived was really great. The main reason I got my license was actually so I could obtain a second form of ID. I do have a motorcycle though, which I prefer to take over driving (you need another license for that though). I live in a city where the traffic is pretty bad and the roads are small. Getting around by motorcycle or public transport is much faster than a car plus easier to park. I do think driving is a good skill to have though and some places it's almost absolutely necessary to get around by car if there's no access to good public transport.
Nunnafinga
Buh-bye
Things certainly have changed since I got my driver's license.Back then,it wasn't a matter of if you got a license,it was when.Every kid at my school couldn't wait to turn 15 years and 7 months because that was the age you could get a learner's permit.I took driver's education in my sophomore year of high school and passed.I think the best way to start driving is to learn from an older family member that already has a car and just take short trips around the neighborhood then slowly progress to busier streets.Also,if it's possible,start learning in a car you feel comfortable driving.....nothing too fast or too big.I found that out the hard way because I first learned to drive in my mom's old Datsun B-210 which was a very small car but very easy to drive with not much acceleration and no power steering so it was easy to feel what the front wheels were doing.In driver's ed. class,I had to drive a big,floaty Chevy Malibu and back then,most American cars were notorious for having very soft suspensions,big V-8 engines and mushy power steering.
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I've had my driver's license since I turned 16 many years ago. I couldn't wait to get it because to me it meant freedom, the ability to get out of my house and do things on my own. I took the driver's ed course in high school and passed. My teacher/instructor was pretty good. My dad also worked with me in the evenings and on weekends by letting me take his car out, but he was not patient at all and made me cry on more than one occasion. I remember my first time with my dad learning to merge on the highway (so all the other cars were going really fast) and it was raining and dark out, he yelled at me about something I did wrong and I just slammed on the breaks and started hyperventilating right there on the side of the road.
But I did learn and even though it was scary at first I became comfortable in just a few months. Some people take longer and that's ok, too. Just make sure you learn from someone trustworthy and patient who is a good driver themselves. It's best to start slow in empty parking lots or back streets where there isn't much traffic.
I think driving is a good skill to have even if you don't need it everyday. You never know when it might come in handy. I didn't have much choice because I live in a rural area and the public transportation is atrocious.
But I did learn and even though it was scary at first I became comfortable in just a few months. Some people take longer and that's ok, too. Just make sure you learn from someone trustworthy and patient who is a good driver themselves. It's best to start slow in empty parking lots or back streets where there isn't much traffic.
I think driving is a good skill to have even if you don't need it everyday. You never know when it might come in handy. I didn't have much choice because I live in a rural area and the public transportation is atrocious.
michealsmells
April Showers 🌦 Bring May Flowers 🌸
I'm 17, currently with my permit. If all goes well, I should be having my test sometime in February, and if I've learned to stop my little things that I know I will get docked points on, I should be able to get my license.
Its easier than you think. Yeah it's still absolutely terrifying and I have a minor to mild panic attack every time I get behind the wheel, but its more fear that other people will be idiots other than myself. They actually say a light amount of fear is good for you, because you end up driving more defensively to keep yourself safe, and if you're safe then other people are safe in a vehicle. Getting a license I feel like is useful more long-term than short-term.
Its easier than you think. Yeah it's still absolutely terrifying and I have a minor to mild panic attack every time I get behind the wheel, but its more fear that other people will be idiots other than myself. They actually say a light amount of fear is good for you, because you end up driving more defensively to keep yourself safe, and if you're safe then other people are safe in a vehicle. Getting a license I feel like is useful more long-term than short-term.
Halloqueen
Senior Member
I agree with this. Even if you don't feel the need for it now, acquiring the knowledge and experience would be more beneficial than not. I'd say go for it.
I’m 22 and still don’t have my license. I also don’t live in an area with a ton of public transport, but I’m able to get by thanks to ride-sharing services and other methods. I absolutely refuse to be in the driver’s seat of a car until non-gas, self-driving cars are fully viable.
xSuperMario64x
sleepy moon loaf ‧₊˚ ☾. ⋅
I still don't have my license either. Lately I've been too busy to take the driving test, and I don't have confidence in myself to do the maneuverability test without running over a cone. Honestly if it was just the driving part I would probably be okay, since i've been driving off and on for about five years now. I just really need to go do that soon, I was hoping to do it before the weather got all nasty here.
But honestly I need my license really bad, I'm constantly relying on my dad to take me places and I really hate it.
But honestly I need my license really bad, I'm constantly relying on my dad to take me places and I really hate it.
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Shellzilla_515
Senior Member
There are three levels of a driver's license from where I live. I'm currently on the first one and I'm on my way to the second one while taking driving school. It is required to complete the road test before moving on to the next step and have at least 20 hours of driving on the road. As for initially getting my license, I had to pass a written exam first.
When learning for the first time on the road, try to relax and not grip on the wheel too hard. When you make mistakes, make good note of them to not do it again. As for your surroundings, always check your mirrors and your blind spots when changing lanes or making turns onto a different street. Don't put your gas pedal all the way down. You'll accelerate suddenly and spin your wheels. Suddenly applying brakes will lock up the tires meaning the braking distance will be longer, and you don't want that. In all, try to be gentle with the pedals. In poor weather conditions, drive more slowly than you normally would as the grip is less than in normal conditions. Keep a safe distance between vehicles for at least two seconds, more if the weather is not nice. Parking... Let's just say it's time consuming to do and takes a lot of practice to get it right. And whatever you do, JUST KEEP YOUR COOL. Those are just some of the many things you need to know when driving. I know all this information looks daunting, but take it as a learning experience. You'll definitely improve as time goes on and it'll become easier. Driving laws are different around the world, so do your research on your local laws when it comes to driving on the road.
Oh, and for my preference, I mostly use public transportation to where I need to go, but my father uses the car as well to go somewhere from time to time. I'm more than happy if you want to ask me for more tips.
When learning for the first time on the road, try to relax and not grip on the wheel too hard. When you make mistakes, make good note of them to not do it again. As for your surroundings, always check your mirrors and your blind spots when changing lanes or making turns onto a different street. Don't put your gas pedal all the way down. You'll accelerate suddenly and spin your wheels. Suddenly applying brakes will lock up the tires meaning the braking distance will be longer, and you don't want that. In all, try to be gentle with the pedals. In poor weather conditions, drive more slowly than you normally would as the grip is less than in normal conditions. Keep a safe distance between vehicles for at least two seconds, more if the weather is not nice. Parking... Let's just say it's time consuming to do and takes a lot of practice to get it right. And whatever you do, JUST KEEP YOUR COOL. Those are just some of the many things you need to know when driving. I know all this information looks daunting, but take it as a learning experience. You'll definitely improve as time goes on and it'll become easier. Driving laws are different around the world, so do your research on your local laws when it comes to driving on the road.
Oh, and for my preference, I mostly use public transportation to where I need to go, but my father uses the car as well to go somewhere from time to time. I'm more than happy if you want to ask me for more tips.
Dawnpiplup
Kick ass.
I do have my driver's permit, but I need to practice driving more. I really would like to have a driver's license one day, as it would help me be more independent. Similiar to you, I'm also a bit anxious about getting the license and such - however, I think it'd be a really wonderful thing to have.
I live in buttcrack USA where there?s no real public transportation, there is the bus but.... it?s like a ?ride this if you carry a gun? bus... Here you have to have a drivers license if you want to go anywhere. I got my license at 21, it was a lot easier to get than I had imagined. I got it on my first try but my instructor told me I passed because I did everything perfect except look out my windows. She said I only used the mirrors and that I would kill someone someday if I kept doing that... ever since then I use the windows more than the mirrors. Only thing I can recommend is practice that parallel parking!
I got my third & final level driver's license this summer but I still take public transportation everywhere. Driving makes me anxious although I definitely improved over the four years I was doing the various levels! It definitely takes a lot of practice to become confident but it is possible.
