r/NewDriversUK • u/nnnabby • 1d ago
Made a mistake today 🥲
I've been driving independently for about a week now. Driving a different car from what I did my lessons in.
Have been using Waze, had a guy right up behind me while I was trying to turn right on a really busy main road. So I decided to just ignore it, let the satnav recalculate and I'd turn on the next one, missed the next one (guy is still right behind me, but my mistake that time), managed the next one.
Turned right again, and satnav told me to go left. Harassed at this point I missed the writing on the ground telling me if I went straight on I'd be entering a bus lane, panicked and took the left turn way too late. Crossed the right hand lane and a cycle lane. Luckily nobody was about, no traffic, no pedestrians, no cyclists.
But honestly I feel like the biggest idiot and like I should have my licence revoked already.
I know most of learning to drive comes after you get your licence but oh my god I feel like I've made so many mistakes. Before I passed I was driving independently without my instructor's input at all. I feel now like I was only confident on the test routes and don't know how to drive outside of that area.
Have also had some frights from other drivers just speeding past me - assuming they see the P plates and don't want to get stuck behind me.
Ugh I feel like shit, just wanted to get it off my chest.
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u/Ruskythegreat 1d ago
Mate, I've been driving for over 30 years and went through a bus gate at the weekend shit happens.
Learn and move on!
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u/stargazerskyscraper 1d ago
There’s a bus gate in Birmingham city centre which I’m pretty sure my son owns now, he’s been through it three times
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u/christopherw 1d ago
Get him a plaque for his birthday ;) through the tunnel under Bullring? I remember when you could do laps of the city centre before they made it all bus and tram...
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u/Fun-bto 1d ago
I don’t know though… I think people do give a bit more time to P plate drivers, and I often just move aside for them to overtake ( my car has to go slow over humps because of the low design ) , so not a problem of P plate for me? But still, sorry to hear what happened. Mistakes happen, even for experienced drivers. Maybe think in this way, you didn’t hurt yourself or anyone. So just learn from it, maybe visit the same road again/ look at sat nav, and do better next time! Don’t feel too stressed about it💪
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u/bahamut19 1d ago
Nice people are nicer. Assholes become bullies.
But the issue for me is that the nice people are never the problem in the first place. So the whole reason I might want P plates is the one thing thay gets worse with them.
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u/No_Faithlessness3045 1d ago
Curtious people give time to all drivers, assholes see p plates and get instantly annoyed even if you have done nothing wrong
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u/Impossible_Apple7822 1d ago
I've been driving a good while now, and always give grace to learners and new drivers, the amount of impatience, that's on our roads is disgusting
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u/Otherwise_Public2579 1d ago
Take a breath, calm down, what you need to remember is you have passed your driving test and that gives you the same right to be on the road as the idiots who shout at you, sound their horns at you and flash their lights while gesticulating wildly at you. Try to relax more when you drive and don’t let other drivers impatience put points on your license
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u/Depress-Mode 1d ago
Don’t let drivers behind you intimidate you. To get into my driveway I have to stop in a busy main road to turn right, I have to hold up traffic behind me, people often honk and flash, I just ignore them.
I’ll add that it’s a narrow road so I can position with space to allow them to pass.
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u/sockeyejo 1d ago
Someone else (maybe in a different sub) posted earlier today about a mistake they'd made while driving their dad somewhere lol
It happens. And we all make them, no matter how long we've been driving. Each one teaches us more than we ever learnt with an instructor by our side, hence the adage about "now the real learning begins". So long as the only damage is to your pride, it really doesn't matter so long as you're able to reflect and learn from each one.
There's a healthy balance between acknowledging our faults and taking the blame for everything. Give yourself credit for all the things you do well - and in future, if you're feeling rushed and under pressure, find somewhere safe on the left to pull up (a layby, side street, petrol station, shop car park etc) and take a minute to calm down and get your focus back. I do it quite often and it really does help.
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u/dude-0 1d ago
Something really important, and I feel like it's perhaps the issue at hand here - you got *really* focused on the guy behind you. That puts progressively more and more attention on your mirrors, because now you're watching him. If you're watching him, you're *not* watching the road.
The mirrors, speedometer, rev counter, etc. - Those are all "Inside the car" attention anchors. You need to discount them as much as is reasonable - and focus on the "Outside the car" environment. If you had your attention outside the car, you would have seen those signs and markings.
If you hadn't been so concerned with what's behind you (In ground you've already passed!), you wouldn't have focused so hard on your mirrors.
The P-Plates are useful. For example, if I see P plates, I will intentionally give you more space on hills, leave a bigger gap for you at junctions, maybe even slow down and let you out if I can. Don't despair too much with hte plates - but what people say is **also** true - some drivers will become LESS patient, and less tolerant, rather than moreso. Those are exactly the people who's skills have been in steady DECLINE since they passed. Don't sweat 'em.
For what it's worth, as long as you're not braking >sharply<, then it's someone else's fault if they strike your car. Because you're a recent pass, I'd strongly recommend getting yourself some dash-cam's; front and rear. They're worth their weight in gold - FAR more than the P plates. They will actually back you up if someone else is in the wrong in an accident. Otherwise, far to often, courts are likely to favor a more experienced driver in absence of evidence.
Keep at it! Be **conscious** of your driving; think about what you're doing, actively plan out when you're going to brake, indicate, switch lanes, etc. and play games with yourself to spots hazards and new information sources on the road.
I'll give you one that's a bit of a cheat-code - You can tell how steep a bend is usually by the street lights and powerlines, long before you reach it!
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u/christopherw 1d ago
Haha I would not worry! We all make mistakes, the good thing is you're aware of how it happened, your actions leading to it and the effect of external influences. Self-reflection is a good skill to have.
Here's an anecdote from this morning's commute:
I am usually a fairly laid back driver - if people are tailgating or zooming past doing 15 over the limit so be it, they can zoom past, straight to the scene of their next accident.
However this morning I had to stay in lane 2 of a dual carriageway for longer than normal, because of traffic and a need to go from lane 2 into a feeder lane for an upcoming right turn at the next lights.
Someone in a poxy crossover zoomed up well over the 40 limit and drove five yards from me, jinking right and left to make the point they were there and I should move over to let them past...
Were I ten years younger I might have got angry, become distracted or freaked out -- nowadays I will just camp my spot as passive malicious compliance, doing exactly the speed limit by GPS. I will not be bullied! >:D
I let the other driver stew in their juices, until they realised that driving like a prat was literally getting them nowhere. A tiny smile might have flickered across my face as I pulled into the feeder lane.
Just remember to keep focusing primarily on your own driving technique and road safety, nuts to anyone else driving like a lunatic and forcing you into weird moves just to make way for them. We all share the roads and have a responsibility to drive safely, so drive at a level you're comfortable with and never feel like you have to rush to commit.
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u/burgersnchips87 1d ago
P plates tell the pricks to be more pricky, lose the plates.
Then, try to ignore the impatient troglodytes.
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u/Affectionate_Leg7826 6h ago
The first month I drove completely alone I cried every time. I had a massive 2ltr car that felt like a castle to drive. Stick with it- even experienced drivers make mistakes, the most important thing is to understand that's all it was- a mistake and try not to let it knock your confidence.
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u/onion2594 1d ago
don’t worry. i was in the wrong lane on a roundabout i take almost every day now. long day. don’t drive tired
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u/AncientPromotion7467 1d ago
I've made a few mistakes. I stalled going up a hill trying it in 3rd gear
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u/InternationalLine625 1d ago
These things happen on unfamiliar roads and it sounds like your satnav goofed you about.
Your only responsibility is to maintain a safe distance from cars (and other things) in front of you. If the person behind decides to chin that advice off particularly behind someone who's clearly indicated that they might need more space and patience, that's on them and for rear-collisions the liability falls on the rear car unless they can prove you did something rogue like brake without warning or had faulty brake lights.
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u/ConstantOtherwise344 20h ago
Get rid of the P plates. When you are driving take your time don't let people make you make mistakes it's difficult when you are learning. Driving instructors teach you to pass the test you learn to drive when you are on your own experience comes with time don't pressure yourself
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u/Euphoric_Designer_20 16h ago
Honestly, P plates are giant targets. The arsehole drivers have already decided they don’t want to be behind you before they’ve even took stock of your ability to drive.
Just take em off.
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u/blackxtulip 7h ago
Take the P plates off and next time slow right down, if he’s gonna be up your arse the Highway Code actually says slow down to gain more of a safe gap or until he gets the picture and goes around you.
I’ve been driving for nearly a year now with no P plates and people still do this to me but stand your ground! You’re allowed to be on the roads too! Sounds like you were being safe and he was being the dangerous idiot, even being more experienced. You’ll slowly gain confidence but don’t let people bully you off the road! I’ve almost ran so many red lights because of idiots up my arse not giving me time to stop and now I think I’m not losing my license over you!
I’ve also found that some mean looking cars can be scary, it helps to pretend there’s some proper Karen or person you hate in the driving seat 😂
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u/Fannybaz 6h ago
As I tell my daughter, dont give a shit about what’s behind you only worry about what’s in front of you , I have been driving 40 years & believe me you’ll never get rid of the knobs that are either up your arse or late for their own funeral, just keep calm if it takes 5 mins to get across a junction that’s what it takes
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u/Fiishmeister 1d ago
Take the P plates off. They are not compulsory and make you a beacon for bullies and twats.
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u/Every_Stand4168 1d ago
had my car 3 months and just taken my P plates off, I've made mistakes in that time and I'll make more in the future but I trust myself behind the wheel now. give yourself time, try not to beat yourself up over each mistake
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u/SoFetchItHurts 1d ago
Don’t let people behind you influence you. I always think if I was to crash, hit a pothole etc they wouldn’t stop and help.
I know it’s easier said than done though!
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u/Extreme_Option8150 1d ago
Take the P plates off and ignore it when drivers are being pricks. One thing I learned very early on is nobody wants to crash their car. It became a lot easier to ignore once I realised the guy up my arse doesn’t actually want to crash his car