Feeling nervous about learning to drive?
Most people who ring me are. Some have never sat behind the wheel, some didn't get on with a previous instructor, and some have a test booked with the manoeuvres gone to pieces. None of it is anything to be embarrassed about.
Whichever it is, we start there. I never rush anyone and I never raise my voice, and we stay on quiet roads until you want to leave them. I teach around Wicklow Town, Rathnew, Ashford and Glenealy, and in Dún Laoghaire.
A female driving instructor
For some learners, having a female instructor is part of feeling comfortable. I'm Ailbhe, a female ADI approved instructor in Wicklow and Dún Laoghaire. If that matters to you, you don't have to ask for it or explain why.
My approach with nervous learners
No rushing
We go at your pace. If the basics take longer, they take longer, and I won't push you on to the next thing before you're ready for it.
Quiet roads first
We start somewhere quiet, so you can get used to the controls with no traffic around you. Busier roads, and driving after dark, come when you're ready for them.
Dual controls
Both of my cars have dual controls, so I can brake if I need to.
Directions in good time
I tell you what's coming well before we get there, so you're never asked to turn or pull in at the last second.
Manual or automatic
If the clutch is what worries you, automatic lessons take it out of the picture. I teach in a Ford Fiesta automatic and a Toyota Yaris manual.
Notes after every lesson
After each lesson I send you notes on what we covered and what to practise, so you never have to wonder how it went.
What to expect in your first lesson
If it helps to know in advance, this is how a first lesson goes.
A chat first
We talk about any driving you've done, what worries you, and what you want to get out of the lessons.
Cockpit drill
Before we go anywhere, we set up your seat, mirrors and seatbelt, and I show you where the controls are and what each one does.
Vehicle safety checks
I show you the basic checks to do before driving. They're part of EDT, and you'll use them for as long as you drive.
Moving off, if you're ready
Somewhere quiet, you practise moving off and stopping. We only do this when you feel comfortable, and if that isn't the first lesson, that's fine.
Things that help with nerves
Some learners find these help, before a lesson or during one.
Slow breathing
Before the lesson, breathe in slowly through your nose for four seconds, hold for four, and breathe out through your mouth for six. A few rounds of that before you get in the car can take the edge off.
Picture the drive
Go through the lesson in your head beforehand: pulling out, the first junction, stopping at the end. It makes the real thing feel less new.
Small goals
Leave the driving test out of it for now. Today's goal might be getting comfortable with the clutch, or one smooth gear change. Hitting it is what builds your confidence.
Talk to your instructor
Tell me what specifically makes you anxious. Is it other drivers? Roundabouts? Stalling? When I know what worries you, I can address it directly and help you work through it.
Common fears (and why they're manageable)
"I'll cause an accident"
I have a dual brake on my side, so I can stop the car if I need to. And we stay on quiet roads until you're steady, so you aren't dealing with heavy traffic while you learn the controls.
"Other drivers will get angry"
The L-plates tell them you're learning, and most of them were learners once.
"I'll stall and panic"
Everyone stalls, experienced drivers included, and it does the car no harm. You restart and go again. We'll practise it until a stall stops bothering you.
"I'm too old to learn"
Plenty of people learn later in life, and some come to me after putting it off for years. The lessons go at the pace that suits you, whatever age you are.
"I was terrified before my first lesson - I'd put off learning for years because of anxiety. But the patient approach and starting in quiet areas made all the difference. I actually look forward to lessons now!"
Already hold a full licence and just out of practice? Refresher lessons are built for that.