Three years ago I had my first ever driving lesson. Last month I booked my first practical test. You might say that on the driving front IÔÇÖve been stalling quite majorly, if youÔÇÖll excuse the pun.
The thing with learning to drive is that itÔÇÖs (A) really tricky and (B) a logistical nightmare. Of course the pandemic played a big part in the delay, but my debilitating fear of hill-starts and total bewilderment at reverse parking are also to be blamed. After one failed theory test and more than a year of rarely driving, I was more than happy to leave the task of getting my licence for another time. However, this summer I finally took the plunge and found an instructor in Cardiff. As with most of my brave advances into scary territories, it was my raging jealously of a friend (in this case a friend with a Volkswagen) which inspired me to finally get behind the wheel again. I rebooked my theory, studied for hours each day and passed with flying colours.
Next it was time for the trickier part – actually getting good at driving. Luckily for me my instructor was and is very good at his job, and today I can tackle CardiffÔÇÖs big scary roundabouts and dual carriageways without ending the lesson drenched in sweat and verging on tears. IÔÇÖve also learnt that the passenger side wing mirror is in fact not for decorative purposes and that demisters is pronounced ÔÇÿde-mistersÔÇÖ and not ÔÇÿdeh-mis-tursÔÇÖ – but I still think the lack of hyphen is unnecessarily confusing.
Aside from the actual learning, the logistics of getting your licence are horrendous. My lessons cost about fifty pence a minute, so every second spent hesitating at a junction can carve serious chunks out of the weekly budget. The lessons aren’t the only expense: the theory test sets you back ┬ú23, the practical ┬ú62, and thatÔÇÖs assuming you pass both first time. Even the speediest learners can spend a small fortune in lessons and tests, so it seems brutally unfair that thereÔÇÖs no financial help offered to those who canÔÇÖt afford the fifty plus quid a week in lessons, especially when driving is hailed as such an essential skill when it comes to independence and job opportunities. Even for people who can afford to learn, they then have to find a test slot – a task which the DVSA booking website offers little to no help with. It is, all in all, a total pain in the neck.
As my test date draws closer and nightmares about poorly marked bus lanes become more frequent, IÔÇÖve began to wonder if IÔÇÖll ever really see the day that IÔÇÖm in my very own car singing along to Simon and GarfunkelÔÇÖs Baby Driver. But IÔÇÖll try not to despair just yet, with the most driving tests failed by one person in the UK standing at 107, thereÔÇÖs still some hope for all of us provisional licence holders.
Charlotte Harris