I've only been driving a fortnight

[MrsBandEgglet]

and I am sick to the back teeth already of people thinking you HAVE to drive exactly at the speed limit or above. I don't drive horrendously slow but I'm usually two or three mph below the speed limit. I have two kids in my car and I'm still pretty wary. Well for the second time since I've been driving I've taken some right abuse and I pulled over for two minutes because it left me a bit shaken. I don't wanna drive like this, it's making me nervous. Do you eventually just get over it? I do have a bit of a nervous disposition so maybe it's just me? starting to not really enjoy driving tbh.

 

[xemmax]

I was the same to begin with but your confidence does grow and then you'll be confident driving faster, and not taking shit off abusive drivers. Sorry they were rude to you, road rage is awful (I'm guilty of it myself sometimes ) x

 

[honeybee2]

Oh darling. I've been driving for 2 years and I still drive sensibly.

What do you gain by driving too fast? petrol is far too expensive and you risk getting points and putting your life at risk. Youre a sensible mother and ignore the abuse. If you can, jot down their number plate and tell the police.

Do you have a P plate?

 

[xemmax]

Oh darling. I've been driving for 2 years and I still drive sensibly.

What do you gain by driving too fast? petrol is far too expensive and you risk getting points and putting your life at risk. Youre a sensible mother and ignore the abuse. If you can, jot down their number plate and tell the police.

Do you have a P plate?

Time

I don't like speeding but I have to admit I have been frustrated by people driving below the speed limit when I'm in a rush. I wouldn't hurl abuse at someone because of it though, that's just horrible

 

[lilyd]

You will gain confidence as time goes on. Don't be intimidated by others, there is always someone wanting to get to a red traffic light in a blinding hurry!! x

 

[mumj18]

I hate people overtaking me when I'm doing the speed limit - that bugs me soooo much!!
You'll get used to it xx

 

[Rockell8788]

Iv been driving almost 2 years and I was the same as you. The other week in a torrential downpour someone hurled abuse at me she was speeding big time and I aquaplaned trying to stop so not to hit her. Rather than being walked all over I hurled it back and man it felt sooo good, like getting all the people who drive like idiots back, and blaming the cautious careful drivers of their mistakes, had she been doing 20 not 40 with cars parked all along one side on a blind corner I wouldn't of had to take evasive action

 

[lousielou]

I passed in January, and got my car in February. I was bricking it for the first few weeks I had my car - it's a huge jump going from being in a car with a calm, reassusing instructor who has dual controls, to being in sole charge of a car with two screaming kids in. I used to get really nervous before I drove, and would plan the route out in my head before I left.

I don't speed. The idea that you get there quicker because you drive faster doesn't work in reality - speeding may save you a minute or two off your journey time, but when it's risking people's lives, I don't think it's worth it at all. How many times do you get overtaken by a speeding fool, only to catch up with them at the next set of lights? I've lost count at the number of people who get mad at me for sticking to the speed limit, especially for some reason when it's in a 30! I mean, it's only a 30 when it's a residential area or where it's near a school or a place where there's a large number of pedestrians - why would I want to go faster than 30 anyway?? The other thing that seems to really wind people up is that I don't speed up just because I can see the national speed limit sign in the distance! FFS the new speed limit doesn't start until the sign!!

I get tailgated a lot, and i find it really intimidating but I am determined not to let it effect my driving - I won't speed up just to pacify some idiot who wants to go faster. I drove to Wales to visit family last month, and there was a woman driving sooooooooo close behind me I could see her lip hair! She was flinging her arims around and waving and shouting - I was doing 30 in a 30 If she wants to drive like a total twat then it's up to her, but I'm not going to put my kid's lives at risk by speeding up to keep her happy. *humph*

You will get more confident hun, I promise. When I started out on my own, I genuinely couldn't see a time when I would every actually enjoy driving but I certainly do now. I made myself get out and drive somewhere every day, even if it was only for a few minutes, and my confidence picked up every time

 

[Lellow]

I always drive at the exact MPH allowed....Most of the time, im in a rush to get somewhere, so the quicker i can get there, the better....legally of course.

I wasnt like this when i first passed, it came with time....

Dont like little idiots put you off, at the end of the day, theyre the ones who'll end up with a ticket not you.

xxx

 

[sapphire1]

You do get used to it, and also get used to other people's appalling driving - especially on the motorway. A lorry nearly took me out yesterday by cutting me up, and then did the same thing to about 3 other people I get very cross when people drive up my backside as I have a baby on board sticker, and Holly is ERF so they can bloody well see her (ERFs are high up).

It is annoying if people are doing well under the speed limit, and there's no way to overtake. Cautious is fine, but going ridiculously slow isn't and can be as bad as going too fast. I may be guilty of speeding slightly though, my car doesn't have a working speedo so I guess instead

Maybe build up your confidence by going out without the kids, the more you drive the better. I know how you feel as I was a very unconfident driver when I started. I even took motorway lessons, which I think should be mandatory. Maybe then people wouldn't sit in the middle lane all the frigging time

 

[sapphire1]

I drove to Wales to visit family last month, and there was a woman driving sooooooooo close behind me I could see her lip hair!

 

[amazed]

Im the same hun,try and ignore xx

 

[FEDup1981]

Have u got one of those P just passed signs on your car? Might be worth doing, i did for at least the first month, and people might be more condierate x

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

It gets easier, I always do on the speed limit
x

 

[Squidge]

Get a P plate and kids on board signs, most people seem to back off a bit then.

 

[Twister]

They say you really learn to drive the first year after passing. You'll get used to it don't worry! People can be so rude sometimes when driving, I think they must feel safe in their cars, they probably wouldn't dare mouth of of you were on foot and accidentally bumped into them or something, you'll get used to that too. I usually drive at the speed limit, and was always taught to drive at the speed limit in my driving lessons so I got used to it quite quickly.

You'll soon gain confidence! Try not to let other drivers get to you.

 

[teal]

I've been driving for over five years. It does get better but it still really annoys me. Why do people think sitting 2 inches from my rear bumper is going to make me drive quicker? If anything it'll make me drive slower.

I hadn't even been driving a year when someone was tailgating me, a bus pulled out a junction in front of me without looking so I had to sharpy break and the idiot tailgating me came into the back of me.

 

[ahcigar1]

This is one of my biggest pet peeves. I have to admit I can't stand people who drive under the speed limit. Drives me batty. But maybe its cause whenever I come across someone if it is posted at 55 and is a dry sunny clear day with no one in front of them and they decide to go 40 it gets very old very quickly and frustrating. I don't tend to get aggressive with them beside honking my horn a few times, but you will see me cursing up a storm to myself. Then when I have the clear will pass.

You will build your confidence up though I am sure. It does take some time. I can remember my first time driving on my own. I was a nervous wreck.

 

[tallybee]

lip hair!

I agree it's a learning curve and you get used to it. Some people do just act like dicks behind thewheel and it never stops bothering me but I don't get so shaken like I used to... I've been driving for over 7 yrs now

I'm another who will not be intimidated into speeding up when someone drives like they want to get in my boot, I show them the brakes.
Xx

 

[Wriggley]

I hate people that drive really close to your car thinking it will make you go faster - generally when people do that to me i slow right down and i mean really slow because way i see it is IF i had to do an emergancy stop then they would go straight into the back of me. yeah ok it would be there fault but i aint risking us getting hurt so its their tough luck!

I do drive spot on the speeed limit though i hate being stuck behind someone doing 25 in a 40 zone but im inpatient but i dont hurdle abuse at them