Driving lesson....

[georose]

Hi guys, I am planning to start my driving lesson this month, just wonder if anybody here just passed their driving test? I am planning to drive Automatic coz i heard it's easier as i want to drive asap and just buy Automatic car, as i live in london its traffic lights everywhere and frnds of mine says its better to have automatic. my husband is driving manual and its so much going on in the hand and feet... i never drive car before so i am nervous camera in London is like tortures they are everywhere just a little mistake you will be receiving tickets in a week or 2 lol. hope to hear from you thanks....

[johncar54]

I have been driving for 59 years, motorcycles and cars both manual and automatics.

For sure in heavy traffic an automatic is much better than a manual. Although some think a manual change is more sporty, however, the public highway is not the place for 'sporty driving'.

I remember maybe 40 odd years ago, the police in London changed to automatics for their Area Cars. At first the class 1 and 2 drivers (the highest grade) complained that it would impede their ability to enforce the law and catch speeding drivers. Very soon, they too accepted that automatics were the best.

A couple of years ago I changed my car and went back to an automatic, 7 speed, with a sports button and partial manual over-ride. My reason was that I wanted my wife to learn to drive.

So my advice to everyone is: go for an automatic every time.

[SimonH]

One thing you should be aware of is if you learn to drive and subsequently pass your driving test in an automatic car, then you will only have a licence to drive automatic cars.
If however, you learn and pass in a manual car your licence will be for manual and automatic cars

[tiger31]

I passed my test in an automatic in 1987 and have never had a breakdown since in all the cars i,ve ever owned.I had an automatic astravan and done over 300,000 miles in it never broke down once in the 3 years I had it ,mind you it was mostly motorway miles.

[johncar54]

One thing you should be aware of is if you learn to drive and subsequently pass your driving test in an automatic car, then you will only have a licence to drive automatic cars.
If however, you learn and pass in a manual car your licence will be for manual and automatic cars

Whilst of course you are right, my first wife took a test in about 1975 in UK, in a Daf, that was an automatic, but the examiner by mistake gave her a pass for a manual. I suspect she frightened the life out of him on the test !

My present wife got a DL in Phil before she came to Spain. I say got a DL as she did not take any sort of test and had never even sat behind the wheel in any car. That was 9 years ago. At that time she could not exchange a Phil DL for a Spanish one, but a few years ago they changed the law, so she has a full Spanish D/L, although she still cannot actually drive !

[rani]

Hi Georose,

I passed the manual driving test after my fourth try last April. For me, it was hard coz i used to drive an automatic car in the Philippines. Minding clutch, gears, road orientation, roundabouts are all new to me. Its just so different from our country.

If you are not that brave enough, just learn from an automatic car. Dead easy

You can always get a manual lesson when you're ready.

Good luck!

[les_taxi]

Yes sounds your best bet. I prefer manual myself tho

[georose]

hi guys thanks for replies.... i used to drive Motorbike in PHILIPPINES too hehehe i may say in PHILIPPINES is craziest to drive as you can just run away not stop on police lol if they try to stop you... yes naughty girl but its fun... here in uk all the rules is tight i know i cannot just runaway or make the police chase me. Just nervous but yes i am aware if i get the automatic license i can't drive manual car. its fine for me. whew!!! hope things will be fine.... thanks for advice and info....

[tiger31]

hi guys thanks for replies.... i used to drive Motorbike in PHILIPPINES too hehehe i may say in PHILIPPINES is craziest to drive as you can just run away not stop on police lol if they try to stop you... yes naughty girl but its fun... here in uk all the rules is tight i know i cannot just runaway or make the police chase me. Just nervous but yes i am aware if i get the automatic license i can't drive manual car. its fine for me. whew!!! hope things will be fine.... thanks for advice and info....

If you take your helmet off - after you,ve robbed a bank, the police are not allowed to chase you - elf 'n' safety lol

[Arthur Little]

If you take your helmet off - after you,ve robbed a bank, the police are not allowed to chase you - elf 'n' safety, lol

'Oi! ... stop putting s into the OP's head. !

[Michael Parnham]

'Oi! ... stop putting s into the OP's head. !

What does OP mean Arthur?

[Arthur Little]

What does OP mean Arthur?

Funnily enough, Michael ... I used to wonder the same thing myself, until it dawned on me that it's an abbreviation for 'Other Person' - i.e., the person to whom one is referring and/or replying - e.g., in this case, Tiger (Brian) was posting in response to Georose.

if my explanation comes across as being a bit lo~ng-winded or cumbersome.

[SimonH]

Or 'Original Poster'

[Arthur Little]

Or 'Original Poster'

Indeed, Simon ... may well be a more fitting description ... !

[Michael Parnham]

Thank you so much Arthur!

[Rosie1958]

Please do remember that the most popular type of vehicle driven in the UK is manually operated. Learning to drive in an automatic car will therefore limit the choice of vehicles available if you are planning to buy after passing your driving test, as there are far fewer automatics in comparison to manual.

I have been driving manual vehicles for nearly 40 years, I hired an automatic in America to try it out but couldn't get on with it and also driving on the opposite side of the road too, so gave up. It's manual for me every time

[Michael Parnham]

Please do remember that the most popular type of vehicle driven in the UK is manually operated. Learning to drive in an automatic car will therefore limit the choice of vehicles available if you are planning to buy after passing your driving test, as there are far fewer automatics in comparison to manual.

I have been driving manual vehicles for nearly 40 years, I hired an automatic in America to try it out but couldn't get on with it and also driving on the opposite side of the road too, so gave up. It's manual for me every time

Also me Rosie

[georose]

Thanks ate Rosie1948 just want it asap. it just hassle-free driving automatic coz mostly taxis here in London and my friends pass manual but drive happily in automatic....hoping this year I will pass it.... thanks for all replies it's well appreciated.

[Rosie1958]

Wishing you the very best of luck with your driving lessons and test, Georose. I hope that you are successful this year too!

[rhaichard]

I just passed my automatic driving exam last January, I started on manual but I get tense, panic and not confident enough driving especially when Im in the roundabout , so I decided to move on automatic which I found it easy and enjoyable .. it doesnt matter if its manual or automatic as long as u can drive ... u have freedom to do anything