Learning to drive is one of the best, most important, stressful, exciting and expensive lessons of your life and most people can't wait to start but I delayed starting to learn to drive for way too long after I received my provisional licence.
I'm now very close to being able to take my practical test (according to my driving instructor) so a few weeks back I got myself into gear - excuse the pun- and started learning the highway code, laws and rules of the road ready to take my theory test. I booked my test and arrived at the test centre a bundle of nerves, confidence, excitement and dread but after a very speedy 30 minute test passed with 49/50 on the questions and 63/75 on hazard perception. Obviously I was very happy to have passed and not needing to worry about the endless highway code again was a big relief but most of all I was just glad I didn't have to pay again to re-sit the test! Like I said this learning to drive stuff can become very expensive and saving money where possible is a total bonus. I thought I would share the methods I used for learning and passing the test in order to help any fellow learners out and hopefully save you some time and money in the long run!
1. Revise! There is A LOT to learn and you don't want to leave it until a week before to start learning everything you will need to know in order to pass. Do little bits at a time and don't sit in front of a book, computer or app for hours on end because you will become incredibly bored and nothing will stick! I tried to do at least one topic everyday and then when I had completed them all went over them again and again. When completing a topic make sure to look at the case studies and look at and familiarise yourself with your incorrect answers for next time.
2. When you're in a car or walking or near a road look up from your phone or just try and pay more attention to your surroundings, you will be amazed by how much you will notice and learn just from looking. Try and remember the placement of different signs and what they are near that way you will understand further what they mean. The same rule applies for road markings, look out the window or ahead on the road and notice the size, colour, shape and placement of lines and how vehicles respond to them.
3. Ask questions to literally everyone - taxi drivers, bus drivers, family, your driving instructor or even google! If you see something you're not sure of or not familiar with -ask! You will be amazed how many people want to show off their knowledge of the highway code (or even how many people you will catch out). I pay my driving instructor for practical driving lessons but he was always happy to answer any questions I had and even provided me with extra information I couldn't get from a book. Use your resources around you and you'll be amazed how much things sink in and start making total sense!
4. Familiarise yourself with the test- there is nothing worse than going into something not knowing what to expect, especially a test! You can read up on the format of the test or take the tests as a mock online repeatedly for free! I used an app called 'Theory Test' from the Apple App Store which was an Official DVLA certified app costing around £7.99. This turned out to be my biggest testing and learning resource as it was so practical and user friendly. It included all information, highway code manual, mock questions, case studies as well as videos for hazard perception. You could also take a full test which showed the time allowance, number of questions etc. just like the real thing. Any incorrect or unanswered questions could be revisited and progress was recorded and shown to allow you to track improvements, weak areas and uncovered topics.
5. Think positive! My friend once told me 'if you fail to prepare, prepare to fail' which is something her dad once said to her and that has always stuck with me and encouraged me to revise and prepare for everything! Therefore, when I'm prepared I cant help but feel positive about the outcome of a task and I think a positive mind leads to positive outcome as you feel more confident, relaxed and ready to face a task.
Have you taken the theory test? Are you preparing to take it? What are your top tips?
Good luck to any fellow learners!
Until next time, Toni. xo
2. When you're in a car or walking or near a road look up from your phone or just try and pay more attention to your surroundings, you will be amazed by how much you will notice and learn just from looking. Try and remember the placement of different signs and what they are near that way you will understand further what they mean. The same rule applies for road markings, look out the window or ahead on the road and notice the size, colour, shape and placement of lines and how vehicles respond to them.
3. Ask questions to literally everyone - taxi drivers, bus drivers, family, your driving instructor or even google! If you see something you're not sure of or not familiar with -ask! You will be amazed how many people want to show off their knowledge of the highway code (or even how many people you will catch out). I pay my driving instructor for practical driving lessons but he was always happy to answer any questions I had and even provided me with extra information I couldn't get from a book. Use your resources around you and you'll be amazed how much things sink in and start making total sense!
4. Familiarise yourself with the test- there is nothing worse than going into something not knowing what to expect, especially a test! You can read up on the format of the test or take the tests as a mock online repeatedly for free! I used an app called 'Theory Test' from the Apple App Store which was an Official DVLA certified app costing around £7.99. This turned out to be my biggest testing and learning resource as it was so practical and user friendly. It included all information, highway code manual, mock questions, case studies as well as videos for hazard perception. You could also take a full test which showed the time allowance, number of questions etc. just like the real thing. Any incorrect or unanswered questions could be revisited and progress was recorded and shown to allow you to track improvements, weak areas and uncovered topics.
5. Think positive! My friend once told me 'if you fail to prepare, prepare to fail' which is something her dad once said to her and that has always stuck with me and encouraged me to revise and prepare for everything! Therefore, when I'm prepared I cant help but feel positive about the outcome of a task and I think a positive mind leads to positive outcome as you feel more confident, relaxed and ready to face a task.
Have you taken the theory test? Are you preparing to take it? What are your top tips?
Good luck to any fellow learners!
Until next time, Toni. xo
This takes me back to when I was learning how to drive. I learned with an instructor at the worst possible time: it was raining! It made me so nervous to drive in the rain that I did horrible! My instructor even recommended that I take extra lessons. I practiced a lot and at the end of my lessons he said I had improved tremendously ahahaha.
ReplyDeletewwww.thebeautydojo.com
I hate driving in the rain especially when it's heavy as you can't see anything! Good on you for sticking to it and improving though x
ReplyDeleteIt took me three attempts to pass my theory!! And then I never even ended up taking my practical as I moved to London and no way am I learning here! x
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness - I would be gutted I had lost the money but at least you can say you did it! The theory runs out after 2 years anyway but omg can you imagine learning to drive in London?! what a nightmare! xx
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