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First Solo Drive

On my first solo drive I didn't think it was too weird at all, not sure why, just felt pretty normal to me. Drove a mile or so in to town to meet my sister, then went home when it was dark.

The next time I went out I drove 25 miles to work and then back again in rush hour.

Suppose it didn't feel weird because when my dad came with me before my test he hardly said anything, my instructor wasn't much different either. Got me through my test first time so he knew what he was doing anyway. So I guess it was almost like they weren't there at all.
 
One of my first solo drives was about three months after I passed my test in 1970, my usual wheels were a motorbike as I could not afford a car. I borrowed my grandfathers Riley 1500 and proceeded to go straight on at a corner, rolled it and ended up in a garage forecourt. Very embarassed (and lucky as it was before seatbelts).. got prosecuted for without due care and attention.

I am a much better driver now.
 
I remember my first solo drive was a drive to work, it was a couple of days after passing my test and only about 2 miles up the road. The part I remember the most was looking round at the passenger seat and thinking "yep, it's just me"!
 
This reminds me of the days when I used to enjoy driving. Now it's no fun and is in a noisy diesel Astra.

I do remember being terrified of driving round the M25 at the Dartford tunnel, with it hammering it down with rain and sitting on the inside lane dong 50mph because I was petrified. It was in a 1 litre (957cc) MK2 Fiesta with 47bhp. It was like a car made out of bacofoil.
 
I remember getting back from the test centre, blowing several months wages insuring the car and then driving to college along single track country lanes, then to every one of my friends houses sequentially.

On my way home, a woman in a blue 206cc (remember it vividly) pulled out from a side road at 90 degrees through the queueing traffic on my right (traffic waiting to turn down the side road she was exiting). I has no chance of seeing her through the traffic, and my inexperience prevented me from predicting it. When the front of her car suddenly appeared in my lane, i bricked it, swerved & locked up (20ish MPH on assorted chinese tyres) and ended up hitting a railing/very high kerb immediatly to my left, avoiding her as she continued out! The only mark on her car was a line my wingmirror made somehow, how on earth I managed that angle/manouvre within 10-15 feet.

Turns out it was her husbands car and she had no insurance to drive it, vivdly remember replacing the NS/F suspension myself in the pouring rain at my own expense...
 
Well I passed my test at 9sih in the morning, was the first test appointment of the day. Passed, and then procedeed to go to garage to pick my car up, little fiesta 1.1i in maroon. After defrosting it, I then went and got on the motorway and did the 26 miles to work on the M6.
 
The first day of driving I did about 120 miles in one day. Drove home in the snow via an empty carpark. That was after 3 years of passing when I first got a car.

Last week I was 4 months without driving and I've did about 600 miles so far :( brutal on petrol.
 
Ah fond memories of my first car..a 1981 Spitfire with overdrive and 1.5L engine, I took it up to Oxford in the heavy rain to a show only weeks after I passed way back in 2007.

I sadly had a major accident in it a couple of months later though, a case of lack of experience and driving too fast for the conditions.

Your driving really starts now, you will learn so much in the first 10-20,000 miles of driving and will be a better driver for it.

A good feeling though.

Well done for passing - and take it very easy and drive within your abilities and your cars abilities!

Kind regards,

David
 
I went straight from passing my test to doing 50 miles every day to and from work.

Was car sharing with my sister so I probably didn't drive it solo for a week or so.
 
Just got back from my first drive and it felt great! Was definately nervous to start with, especially as I had to negotiate a turn in a tight road from the off.

Just spent about 30 minutes driving round the sea front and near my old school. Off to a mates tonight which means taking the motorway which should be interesting.
 
Ekim said:
Just got back from my first drive and it felt great! Was definately nervous to start with, especially as I had to negotiate a turn in a tight road from the off.

Just spent about 30 minutes driving round the sea front and near my old school. Off to a mates tonight which means taking the motorway which should be interesting.
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Motorways are pretty easy. Just try and stay on the left unless you're overtaking, there's nothing worse than people who sit on the right and block everyone wanting past. I may be grumpy about this because it's pretty prevalent on the road I drive every day now... :P
 
Passed my test the morning after a night shift! I can remember My first 'overtake' of a truck and it was a dual carriageway as well! Was bricking it as it was my mums 1.1L Peugeot 309 I was in! Congratulations on passing your test. Take it easy, when your mates say 'faster!' Tell them to sod off and be careful!
 
Picked up my first car the weekend after passing my test. E-reg Fiesta 1.1 "Fresco".

Then drove to a party in Harlow from London. With a car full of laydeez. None of whom slept with me.

:(
 
I had my car key in my pocket - didn't bother even going in doors when my instructor dropped me off. I drove to pick up my girlfriend, and we went for a drive around the Isle of Wight ending up in a secluded location to "christen" the car :p

I pretty much lived in my car for a year or two.
 
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