What to expect from your first driving lesson

   If you're reading this, you are either considering taking driving lessons or you're one of my lovely regular readers who already know how to drive but decided to drop by anyway. If you're the latter then your almighty wisdom would be very much appreciated in the comment section!

   As for me, I started my driving lessons fairly recently and - so far - so good! (At least, my driving instructor tells me so.) For those of you bricking it at the prospect of operating a vehicle, I must digest: you have absolutely nothing to be afraid of.

   For so long, I have yearned for that refreshing air of freedom and independence that being a driver can bring. That was why I finally decided to take the plunge and sort out some lessons. It just so happened that my mother knew a friend whose husband is a driving instructor. If your friends drive, get some recommendations on driving instructors from them! When I got in touch with him, the lessons were arranged immediately for the following week. Easy.

Prepare

   It's great to take initiative. I researched driving theory online and the theory test is compiled of questions about topics found in three books: The Official Highway Code, The Official DVSA Guide to Driving and Know Your Traffic Signs (pictured below). I found the official website that sold them and made my purchases. The books arrived within a few days, which meant that I could start my studying. Doing this really helped me to prepare for my first lesson because - by that point - I knew some basics, for instance, where to locate the clutch and how the gear stick works.

Now, let's get to the part where we are actually driving!

Relax

   Your driving instructor is a professional and has a set of pedals on his side of the car too. This means he can take over whenever he feels as if he needs to so you are not in any kind of danger. On top of that, it is more than likely that he has dealt with many beginner drivers in the past, including very terrible ones! He will know how to deal with any tricky situation.

Don't worry about other drivers

   The only time you need to do that is when you are checking to see if the roads are clear. Don't stress  yourself out if you think you are taking too long to perform a certain action. It's always better to do it slowly and safely than rushed and dangerously. You will have a huge 'L' displayed for other drivers to see so they will know that you are a learner driver. If they choose to be angry at you, they're the ones in the wrong. 

My driving instructor assured me that any anger shown is usually targeted at him and not myself because he is the one in control.

What will be covered in your first lesson

• Adjusting your mirrors, steering wheel and seating.
• Five point check.
• Starting your car.
• Clutch, footbrake and accelerator.
• Changing gear.
• Stopping the car. 

I was incredibly anxious for my first lesson and my initial thoughts were that I would stall a million times and make other drivers angry. It couldn't be further from reality.

   My driving instructor picked me up and drove me to some quiet neighbourhood roads. There, we covered all of the above. There were other cars on the road now and again but no traffic so that is not something you need to worry about.

My instructor began by running me through the steps and, once I understood, we swapped seats and I put them into practise whilst he continued to talk me through it at a pace I was comfortable with.

   The hardest part, for me, was knowing when and how to use the clutch. You need to use it whenever you want to change gears and whenever you want to crawl towards a junction but you cannot lift your foot too fast or the engine will cut out. I did not struggle with it too much during my first lesson but, when we covered junctions in more detail (second lesson), that's when it started to get more challenging.

   I developed my confidence a great deal during my first lesson and I quickly came to the realisation that I built up all of that worry for no reason. I was even able to drive down a busy main road to drive home!

Are you thinking about taking driving lessons or do you already drive?
Let me know in the comments below!

DISCLAIMER: This information is based solely on my experience. My driving lessons are one hour long and I pay £25 for each of them. If your lessons are longer, it is likely that you will additionally cover junctions and clutch control in more depth during your first lesson.