Good luck on your road test! At least in the US, you don't have to be perfect. Take a deep breath and do the best you can.
(Although the road test is important and a big accomplishment, I think your self-confidence in driving is equally as important. I didn't achieve the latter until several years after my road test.)
I can lose up to 45 points and still pass, until I do something dangerous. I am trying to stay calm, but I am so scared. I take it at 10:45AM, so I'm worried about how things will be in the morning with Wendy & June. I've had some good driving lessons, but I did awful the time before last and each stupid mistake made me panic more. I also am very unhappy with the driving school. I paid for the classroom time & 10 hours of driving, but they gave a discount on the classroom time as I'd taken it in 2006 so didn't really need to retake it. Well they then decided to take the discount difference from my driving time and were going to count my 6 hours from 2006 so I'd only get 4 hours drive time. My mom's Sonata still hasn't been fixed so the driving school was my only time to practice. So I've ended-up paying extra for "extra hours". They didn't inform me they were counting my 9 year old hours until 3 weeks ago. The stress of thus & how awful Wendy has been about it has me on edge, especially since my upset with the driving school has made me uncomfortable with the instructor I have. I just hope I can stay calm and be relaxed so I do well! I just feel like a nervous wreck :/
I lost 38 points, most of which due to nerves. But I second-guessed where to stop at a red light (I've never had a red light there before), and moved ahead to the next line, but since I moved ahead a a red light it was considered a dangerous maneuver so I automatically failed right at the end.
I'm sorry to hear that. You must be very disappointed/frustrated/upset. It's harder to do than say, but beating yourself up over it isn't worth it. Maybe you can find a different teacher, someone you're more comfortable with, and built your confidence before trying again? My mom's told me she regrets having my dad teach me how to drive as she thinks that contributed to my self-esteem issues post-college. (My dad's a fantastic driver, but he's not a very patient teacher and I was a super nervous driver to begin with.)
I also didn't take my road test in the location closest to me as my mom had heard there were some tricky spots on it. If you can choose your location and drive the area many times, I think it would help. (Music is a great mood-lifter for me and now I never drive without a CD playing.)
When I first started driving, I would have such a terrible feeling in my gut and my anxiety would skyrocket when I started driving alone. I'd easily panic and think about how bad all the other drivers must think I am. Forcing myself to keep going out and getting more experience - and realsing that you can still make mistakes and you usually won't end up in an accident or dead on the side of the road - was the only way I could overcome it.
I failed again. BUT I actually didn’t do bad overall! I just had too many error points past the pass limit. I did much better than the first time as I was more confident, I just was too nervous and also stressed about it and other things. The examiner-Brian-was lovely and didn’t ruin my confidence like the last one. After the test I forgot to straighten the wheels (I had cut them to the right as I was parked) though and drove over a flower planter full of black-eyed Susans. I won’t get to take it again until at least October though due to booking.
My confidence has gotten a lot better. And a lot of my nerves come from being scrutinised, and also how important my getting my full driver's license is to getting a job and everything. The weight crushs on me and I do a small mistake and then that snowballs. I tend to catastrophise! But driving alone I do better. I am just so low & stressed anyways that this has me feeling like I'm lying when I'm telling myself things will be alright. It also didn't help this time that I didn't sleep well due to my TMD being exasperated by subconscious clenching of my jaw in my sleep due to the stress. My doctor gave me stronger anti-inflammatories & some painkillers Thursday, but I have had to suffer due to the alertness for driving practice and then my test. Your dad had surgery on his jaw, and I really should ask you to ask him more into that :/
Returned to the Registry of Motor Vehicles today for a new road test receipt. Still feeling a mix of horrible & amused at my vehicular homicide of the black-eyed Susans.
Not sure if you are reading these or not, but I passed yesterday (I was originally booked to retake on November 6TH, but Discover Driving jad a cancellation so rebooked my test to that space)!
It is such a weight off! And it felt really surreal when I was paying for the graduated license; like it couldn't possibly be what I really was doing. I still owe the driving school $60 for that last extra lesson before my 2ND road test, and they won't give me my defensive driving certificate until I do. Meaning I can't get insurance until I get the certificate became it gives a discount with it.
Congratulations!! You must be relieved and proud. I'm happy for you. Driving really does give you access to things you might not be able to do otherwise.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2015-08-10 08:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-08-12 06:44 pm (UTC)(Although the road test is important and a big accomplishment, I think your self-confidence in driving is equally as important. I didn't achieve the latter until several years after my road test.)
no subject
Date: 2015-08-12 10:46 pm (UTC)Thank-you for your thoughts!
no subject
Date: 2015-08-13 02:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-08-17 03:21 pm (UTC)I also didn't take my road test in the location closest to me as my mom had heard there were some tricky spots on it. If you can choose your location and drive the area many times, I think it would help. (Music is a great mood-lifter for me and now I never drive without a CD playing.)
When I first started driving, I would have such a terrible feeling in my gut and my anxiety would skyrocket when I started driving alone. I'd easily panic and think about how bad all the other drivers must think I am. Forcing myself to keep going out and getting more experience - and realsing that you can still make mistakes and you usually won't end up in an accident or dead on the side of the road - was the only way I could overcome it.
no subject
Date: 2015-09-01 07:34 pm (UTC)My confidence has gotten a lot better. And a lot of my nerves come from being scrutinised, and also how important my getting my full driver's license is to getting a job and everything. The weight crushs on me and I do a small mistake and then that snowballs. I tend to catastrophise! But driving alone I do better. I am just so low & stressed anyways that this has me feeling like I'm lying when I'm telling myself things will be alright. It also didn't help this time that I didn't sleep well due to my TMD being exasperated by subconscious clenching of my jaw in my sleep due to the stress. My doctor gave me stronger anti-inflammatories & some painkillers Thursday, but I have had to suffer due to the alertness for driving practice and then my test. Your dad had surgery on his jaw, and I really should ask you to ask him more into that :/
RE:
Date: 2015-09-03 06:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-10-07 10:21 am (UTC)It is such a weight off! And it felt really surreal when I was paying for the graduated license; like it couldn't possibly be what I really was doing. I still owe the driving school $60 for that last extra lesson before my 2ND road test, and they won't give me my defensive driving certificate until I do. Meaning I can't get insurance until I get the certificate became it gives a discount with it.
no subject
Date: 2015-10-13 12:57 am (UTC)RE:
Date: 2015-09-01 07:38 pm (UTC)