Cars

Have finally renewed to my car insurance – got it to just under £200 less than the renewal quote (thanks Martin Lewis) and with a free Meerkat. Tips to consider are adding another driver – my husband saved a fortune when he first passed because he added me and I’d had a provisional for 9 years and it counted as having a “licence” for that time – (different insurers obviously class it differently), the fact that he was married help (there you go ladies give him a good excuse) and had children. Obviously consider where you keep the car – in a garage or on the drive, and the age, size, emissions etc (I think).

The Insurance is the reason this isn't my car

I finally passed my practical test 4 years ago today and STILL don’t attempt to parallel park. I’m still shocked I have that piece of pink paper as I was on lucky test 7 when I passed (with 3 minors). That’s where the “pink” in my name comes from, it’s me trying to be optimistic about passing! I failed, I believe, in a disbelief that I could drive and wanted to be told what to do and how to drive all the time. I had passed on my theory first time mind.

Failings 1 and 2 were because of a bad choice of instructor – I shouldn’t have been put in for the test. Failure 3 was due to going to wide reversing around a corner (which still seems a bit daft as I don’t do it tight now – do you?) Fail 4 was due to a hideous roundabout, (which has since had traffic lights added) which I had signaled right to go in the right-hand lane on the roundabout but the indicator went off and it was considered that someone may have been mistaken to thinking I was going straight on. I think test 5 was cancelled due to bad weather. Test 6 – nightmare, paid extra for a Saturday test: Desperate to pass as I was heavily pregnant and my theory had almost ran out, I thought I stood no chance of driving before the baby was born if I didn’t pass this time. With so much pressure on myself it was inevitable I’d fail – I didn’t even get as far as the car – I left my photocard licence at home :O( My husband dashed to the test center but it was too late.

Test 7 came and I was lucky as I must have got a cancellation. It was exactly a month before my son was born that I passed. I’d had a lesson the day before and just knew there was something wrong with the car. My instructor didn’t want to worry me but he was (is) a top bloke and it turned out the clutch had gone and he got it fixed right away. It did mean that I was driving with a new clutch that I wasn’t used to though. I did mention it to the examiner and hoped that that and the big bump I may gain some sympathy (that and not to have to do an emergency stop – which was a possibility). I’d had the examiner before and he was one of the nice ones that spoke to you (I can’t stand silence – can you tell?) It didn’t go too badly but right at the end I stalled the car at a roundabout. I was gutted. Imagine my surprise when he said I’d passed!!! That feeling is amazing!

My first reverse bay park in my first car

I remember taking the car out and just driving it to the next road and back. Someone had to shout at me to turn my lights on. I don’t drive that much even now, but have progressed since then. Even did a spot of motorway driving in France.  I had a lot of support off a very good forum at the time and would recommend them to any new driver/learner.

I do have a lot to say about driving and cars (not sure if that’s because I live with 5 males) but shall blog about them at a later date.

Have you passed your driving test? How did you find it? Do you think males find it easier than females or is it down to personality? Honestly, do you think if someone fails their test so many times they should just give up?

You may also be interested in my blog about staying safe on the roads