How long did it take you to get driver's liscense?

I didn't start driving until I was 18. I got my license 2 weeks after getting my learners. To be fair though, it was a different time. And, I had near constant 6-8hrs driving time daily to prepare. My parents made me rotate the wheels on the car before I could get the keys and they forced me to first learn how to drive a standard (something I am quite thankful for today). In those days drivers ed wasn't available.

Just calculated....my mom was 45 when she got her license & she had the added struggle because she didn't see really well even with her glasses (which was why she was afraid to drive in the first place). I think she got her license on the first try.

You are right....if you learn to drive in the snow, you can drive in conditions.

LOL...I think bike riding is really something that calls for spring all though snow makes for a softer landing, also harder to steer in.

Pushing ourselves to do things we haven't done before in our life is HUGE & it's important to accomplish. I left my H after 33 years of being married, & I had never lived alone. I took off across the country & bought my farm 2100 miles away from where I had been born & lived all my life....didnt know a soul when I moved here.....best thing I have ever done in my life. I am now surrounded by the most wonderful people & loving my life rather than hating it.......it's good to push out from where we have been.....so glad that you are doing this for yourself....it is an accomplishment to be proud of.

It took me three tries to pass the driving test but I finally managed to get it done at age 18. I miss driving so much but brain surgery that I had at age 31 prevents it. The surgery went well and did it's job (fix a ruptured aneurysm) but it left me prone to seizures and I have to be seizure free for 9 months before I get the chance to get a new license.

Talking about driving.....I had to provide the hours & miles I drove caring for the 3 rescued stallions that we had in our care from Aug 7 until Nov 18. I racked up 993 miles of driving just related to caring for the horses. Living 10 miles out of town & living alone, I could be lost if I didn't drive.....HOWEVER, I really would prefer having my horse here & a carriage & drive my horse & carriage rather than my truck....it might take longer but it would be MORE FUN.

Wow. That is inspiring. Yeah,if it's snowy the bike thing may not happen. Lol. But,just trying to crunch in as much as I can do get things accomplished. I'm seeing all these amazing people accomplish amazing goals and it's inspiring me. I couldn't get my lesson in again today,so now tomorrow someone else is going to come help me so it'll be longer lesson at least so may speed up my goal now of mastering parking lots by the time tomorrow is over with. I love pushing myself. I did this moreso a few days ago,but i think as i got slightly older,i started to get more jaded and felt like not being as young made it less of something to be proud of which is stupid. I should only compare myself to myself. This year is going to be good.

I have had the goal since moving here to try & learn something new each day or at least as close to every day as possible. My truck EGR valve went out several years ago & I was driving with the engine warning light on....nothing critical. I got huge estimates on the cost of replacing it. I looked it up on YouTube & there was an explanation of how to change in on the same model truck I have. I changed it myself with the help of my mechanic who charged me $15 to loosen the 2 bolts that I just couldn't get loose. I had never repaired a vehicle before that. LOL...same with my lawn tractor....did all the maintenance on that. Had a stopped up toilet that I was able to clean out & haven't had any problem since.....that was several years ago & replaced the hose on my kitchen faucet that I procrastinated about fixing until the bucket I had setting under the sink to catch the water was constantly overflowing. Got that fixed in an afternoon.

Basically there is nothing we can't do if we put our minds to it....unless things like talent come into play. I was able to play my flute good.....but not at professional quality even practicing 8 hours a day.....I just didn't have the talent that was needed but could enjoy it at the level of talent I had....knowing our limitations helps also....but it's important to push them so that we do know without feeling bad about it & accepting the limitations that we do have while pushing to see what they are.....that way we know what we can achieve if we push until we can push no more.

LOL....I will be 63 in February.......I still love learning & exploring the world & everything around me.....& I take risks that some say they wouldn't do.....I only do it wisely after thinking it through. We are never too old to continue growing & learning & it's important to be just as proud of successes no matter what our age.

I always had a semi-perfectionist attitude. I figured if I pushed to do things perfectly, if I fell short I would still be better off than if I only pushed to be average & fell short.....but I also don't rag on myself if I do fall short because I at least know that it's my limitations & that's ok because it's not because I didn't try.

Growing up I always felt like I had to fight everything to succeed....felt parents had limited thinking I didn't want to be limited by so I fought. Felt like my H was trying to limit me because of traditional beliefs & I fought that. When anything went wrong I would fight those I felt made it wrong. Now I don't have to fight, things just happen & if they don't I just accept & try to find work arounds that will give reasonable results.....we learn & grow throughout our lives.....that's the only way we can adapt to the environment we find ourselves in.

LOL....enough philosophy from an old timer.

I know this year is going to be a good year for you.

1 month, as I remember.

1 month here as well. In Bulgaria there's just one theoretical and one practical exam. The theoretical consisted of 45 questions (passed it on the first try; got only one question wrong). The practical exam is driving around the city for about half an hour (passed this one on the first try as well). Actually, prior to starting my lessons, I thought driving was this cosmically difficult thing to do, but now... I giggle a bit at myself for even thinking like that. You got a wheel, three pedals and a gear stick. Nothing even remotely close to thermonuclear-physics difficulty.

Speaking of which, do people in the US mainly drive cars with automatic gear shifters? In that case, the cars don't have a clutch pedal?

I did my lesson today and it was longer. Got a lot done today and it does feel easier driving then it did back when I was 17 trying to learn. I now know how to turn,reverse,and even drove by other cars today. The person teaching me today wants me to practice by a park they know next before i go to side streets because they think i still drive too slow but I am actually doing very well and getting very comfortable behind the wheel. I can really see myself driving in the future doing little things here and there. It feels good to see myself improve and to know i am going to accomplish this goal.

The best thing is,that this feels like such a do-able goal. Instead of trying to map out this perfect plan of becoming 100% independent and agoraphobia free,which would be frightening and seem impossible right now,setting goals that are smaller goals and accomplishing them one at a time is very great for making me feel more secure. It's like that quote about not needing to see the whole staircase but having faith and just seeing that next step you should take to better yourself.

I just realized something amazing. I had a fit of insecurity today about a guy paranoid he is dating this girl that i was paranoid another guy from my past liked a few years ago. Ok,so i've met this girl not meaning to when she checked me in at a gym studio once,and and with no makeup on,she is nothing special. She has some things i'm jealous about but a lot of things of myself i actually like much better. Regardless,i'm using her as inspiration now. Instead of allowing my jealousy to make me feel bad,it's going to make me feel motivated. She has a similar body type to me,as it is,actually. I think,i am meant to use her an inspiration to better myself. Anyways,that'll take some time,and in the meantime,i realized that an ex who was abusive years ago in an insult once said "And,you can't even drive." Trying to insult me for not knowing how to drive. So,hell yeah! In a few weeks or so,i will have my liscense. In some time,i'll have whatever it is that this girl has that makes me jealous. Things may take time but they do happen. I needed that to cheer me up! To remember the stupid guy once saying that. This year is going to be freaking amazing!

It's good to have someone as an inspiration in our lives. When I was 54 & had just left my husband I met this 89 year old woman still keeping her farm running. She had put in all her own fencing, did all the plumbing in her old home that came with the rundown farm her father had bought for her but gave her no money to maintain it. She wasn't able to ride any longer but she still kept horses, Lammas, & emu's....had never been married as her father had destroyed the one relationship with the one guy she had loved....& she was still driving...figured if she could do life alone so could I....inspirations help push us past our doubts in ourselves....glad you have this in your life....to give you that "can do" spirit.

I actually have met pretty much all of my goals for the month. And,still over a week left to go. Though there's been some disappointments,theres been a lot of growth and good.

Focus on the good & just add the disappointments to another try at it.

I went to the courses when I was in school, but the instructor was a real creeper... quit after he made a few advances that made me really uncomfortable. But where I was living had lots of transit so didn't get my license until about 10 years later when I moved to a more rural area. Passed my 1st attempt. The test vehicle was an automatic, but I ended up buying a manual. Spent approx 1 hr in an industrial lot learning just how to start get into 1st and not stall or ride the clutch. The first week was do or die. Praying I wouldn't stall out in middle of road or have to stop on a steep incline...it was extremely nerve racking, but it quickly became second nature. Now I hate when I have to drive auto. Esp in snow. Don't trust the abs.. still pump breaks and stuff. Manual makes me feel at ease because I know I am in control not just rely on the machine to function correctly. Also I think manual makes for better drivers bc you have to constantly interact with your vehicle and stay alert of your surroundings.

I'm now learning side streets. I had my first lesson which included that this morning. It will be nice once this is accomplished. i had tell i have room to go before I do. Today was a rough day but focusing on my goals is empowering. I also am looking forward to starting bike riding. I think that'll be more fun.

A new month. I kind of want to wait on learning to bike ride so my mind isn't all over the place with too many things at once and then I can just speed up the driving goal. I'm officially on side streets by now and will be doing my next lesson this week. I had thought i'd start busy streets by March but since I'm trying to speed up this goal a little so i can work on other goals,I may bump that up a little if i make enough progress with side streets. Once I feel i've mastered side streets,or maybe after busy streets,not sure yet,i'll then start studying for the written. The liscense thing is more just to prove I can do it. I fully intend to make bike riding something I do to get around. but,we'll see.

Two months after my 18 birthday. But, I haven't driven since I got my license two months ago because I don't have a vehicle and my parents who were doing the money guilt trip before I passed my test suddenly have no big issue with giving me money.

My parents need to make up their minds and stop sending me mixed signals.

EDIT: Here in New Jersey, students take driver's ed Sophomore year of high school So, I got my blue card at shortly after my 26 birthday. Got my permit a few months later (you have to have your permit for at least 6 months) then took 4 tries to pass the test so I had my permit for over a year and a half (it was about ready to expire.)

I was 18. I was not a good driver, and especially bad at parking. Took me a long time to become a confident driver and even today I hate city driving.

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