Driving lessons!

Hello Friends,

I have been in US for not more than 6 mths now, and i find Learning to Drive ur Car is very Imp in this Country, if u want to be Independent For either shopping or Dropping the kid at school or visit a Friend once in a while.

I have been hvg a Mental block in learning to Drive, I been kind of hvg my own fear of the Traffic Rules and the Speed .So all the ladies over here just share with me ur expriences,Tips and suggestion on How to get started and what all to keep in mind before i start taking my driving classes....

cheers
vaidehi

Hi Vaidehi,
Ya car driving is important in this country to be a independent.where ever
you may be in the USA the first thing you have to do is.........give the written test for driving lisence by preparing well,so you will come to know all the rules.then slowly start driving(start learning in the parking places such as schools,colleges in the weekend).when you come to know that you are driving perfect then slow drive on the roads where there s less traffic so that u don't get scared.............ok
Be cool all the time when you drive...................... :)
the driving is very easy here as far as your are cool and driving in the right way.


Cheers
suchi......... :)

Originally Posted by vaidehi

Hello Friends,

I have been in US for not more than 6 mths now, and i find Learning to Drive ur Car is very Imp in this Country, if u want to be Independent For either shopping or Dropping the kid at school or visit a Friend once in a while.

I have been hvg a Mental block in learning to Drive, I been kind of hvg my own fear of the Traffic Rules and the Speed .So all the ladies over here just share with me ur expriences,Tips and suggestion on How to get started and what all to keep in mind before i start taking my driving classes....

cheers
vaidehi

Hi Vaidehi,

Yes, Learning Car driving is important. If the transport facility is good in your area you are lucky. But still you need to learn Car driving.
Try to take personal lessons from a driving school, once you take 4 or 5 classes you will get some confidence and if you take some 7-8 classes , you will get more confidence and your fear will be gone by this time. Try to practise when u r learning. Sometimes it is expensive if you take a class from school , you can also learn from your spouse or your friends. IT DEPENDS AND ITS YOUR WISH.
First try to take any mental block because that will prevent you from good driving. Try to drive in parking lot , then in a less traffic road. Try to keep your spouse or friend in the car till you get some confidence.
Once you are confident, try to go alone to a shorter distance after learning the routes very well.
Hope this helps a bit.

Regards

Dear Vaidehi,

Good for you that you are planning to tackle this big hurdle so soon...When I came to the US, it took me a year to get a driving license...so don't feel bad about your mental block...a lot of us have it...:)

If you have driven in India, then you can start off by practising in empty or less-busy parking lots ( I would often go to office parking lots on the weekends in the beginning)...once you've got the hang of it a bit, then go to a more busy parking lot or a quiet street...slowly as you gain confidence, you can start driving in more busy areas...

Taking professional driving lessons is also a good suggestion...it would definitely help in getting rid of the fear or mental block you have...

Take care and I hope you get your license soon...

love,
Aarushi

Dear Suchi,Rsa and Aarushi

Thank u so much for ur valuable suggestions and advice, yeah i need to learn it quick or otherwise its going to be rather difficult for me. The main concern for me is the Reflex action.... i mean i m not that quick on it. Back in India if i would see a big vehicle in front of me i would rather scream than applying the brakes... so i m that scared when it comes to driving.... funny isn't it....?.

cheers
vaidehi

Vaidehi,

I used to have a 2 wheeler in India and I find that driving here in the US is much easier. Rules are followed by majority of the people and unlike India we do not have to look out on all sides while driving. Initially I also had some fear. But after watching my husband drive, I could grasp some of the road rules. I was lucky to get a good driving instructor. He took me to different kinds of roads - even to the Interstate. My fear got away after my first driving class. Another advantage we have here is the automatic transmission in cars. It is so much better without clutch system. Once you are on the road, you will be able to overcome your fears. Good luck!

Hi Vaidehi,

Don't worry at all .... you have company in me .....I too am terrified of driving. While in college , my dad taught me in our Fiat ... just 2 lessons in the Kotturpuram Road near Guindy on a Sunday morning ; He lost patience with me 'cos if I see any vehicle [ even an auto..] I would remove my hands from the wheel, cover my face and say ' Ayyo Appa...' .. ...... It sounds funny now and very ridiculous too.........

After marriage, landed in Gulf and there traffic is terrible, nobody follows any rules and every drive is a nightmare on the streets of Dubai. So even as a passenger, used to annoy my hubby so much 'cos of my tension that after initial days, he only used to make me sit in the back seat !!!

Now here the transport system is brilliant ---- timely and very efficient buses and metros. Till now have got away with not knowing how to drive , but as my kid is growing up I think the day I have to go thro' the lessons is not that far away .....

Hi all,
Even I'm really scared of driving... Does anyone know good driving schools in NJ? I heard lot of schools in edison area offer for 20$ per class? Does anyone know about these driving schools.

thanks
kssv

Hi Vaidehi,

I can truly emphathize with you about the feeling of mental block ! Even I had this feeling before I got the license.

Initially, my hubby used to teach me in the parking area...no improvement..just squabbles between us during that time..that too with our 2 kids at the back !!

Then I decided, it is better to learn from a driving school..and lo..I got the hang of it. Yes, it was a bit expensive..but worth every penny !

The driving instructor was quite patient and moreover since they have one more control..(of the brakes) we feel safe.

Even after I got the license, I was a bit apprehensive for some time..and one day, decided to drive alone to a nearby store (my hubby & kids did not accompany me).

From that time onwards, don't know where I got the confidence! Touch wood, it has been an excellent feeling every since.

This is pretty essential here, especially when there is not much public transport in the city...for dropping and picking up kids from school , their classes, grocery shopping and running errands ( all by ourselves).

Now, it has been many years since I got the license and it has been a smooth drive all along (Touch Wood !)

Good luck !

Cheers
Krithika

Hi Grace,

Hey even, i am excatly like u..... somehow i have been trying to avoiding to get into that Driving Seat....., But now since my son goes to school it has become rather complusory that i learnt driving Otherwise its going to be very difficult for US and Already my husband is really irritated with my Fear.

Cheers
vaidehi