This listener, they said in their message to us, I dread the thought of motorway driving, which I can't get out of when I pass my driving test. It's such a short sentence, but I think this is a really good subject.

Where do I start? So I suppose we have to think about, first off, I'm just gonna put this out there as a, a starter. If you are having lessons or if you're having refresher lessons, you can go on the motorway. Even if you haven't passed your test in an instructor's car with dual controls, and if the instructor feels that you are ready to be able to do that. So I'm going to put that out because that's one of the myths that a lot of people, a lot of students say to me. Once I pass my test, you can give me a motorway lesson. Well, why not do it before your test?

The key thing there is that it's with an instructor, isn't it?

The key thing though is that it's from a

control. And dual controls.

motorway in your lesson, so it doesn't happen. But if you can, I would suggest getting motorway lessons during your lessons.

Yeah, or dual carriageways, yes there's one less lane, but it's still driving at speed, lots of them have slip roads on and off, so it's as close as you can get.

it's practicing isn't it, it gives you a practice, but the thought is still it's not a motorway. And that's why I've highlighted that because people say well it's just a dual carriageway. Yeah. Well it is, but it's skills that you will need. To be able to drive on the motorway. And

Yeah, and I think if you think like that, then it's worth jotting down, writing or saying out loud the similarities between the two so that you can understand and your mind can understand that they are very similar. The skills, the skills you have from one. you can apply into the other.

that's what driving's all about, isn't it? It's creating skills that you can use in various different situations.

absolutely. I mean, look at your first driving lesson. You learn to start a car. That's really useful forever in your driving. And you learn how to stop a car. That's also really useful forever. So yes, you're right. I mean, It's all about learning skills that you apply in different

Exactly. So that, that's the first thing I would, with this person that sent the question in to us. Then we got a, so interesting, like I said, I'll start with that one, but. Do we go with, okay, what is it about motorway driving that worries you? What is it about passing the test then? That you'd now, you know, tell me more about that. Is, is this thought about the motorways going to affect the test?

Yeah, that's, that was the one me. That was the one that I'm like, ah, this is a person who is scared to pass their driving test. Their subconscious mind, consciously they might be thinking, I want to pass my test. Consciously or subconsciously, they are also thinking, I don't want to pass my test because that means I will have to do something that I don't want to do and is really scary. And your brain is going to go, Whoa, we're going to do anything. Don't worry. We'll give you all sorts of problems. We will do anything to keep you safe and stop you feeling like that. So guess what? You might not pass your driving test.

And it's not just motorway driving it might be if I pass my test I then have to drive my car on my own

Yep. If I pass my test, I've then got to drive to a different office, whereas I've been able to work locally to now.

Yeah. If I pass my test, I've got drive with other people in the car. You know, I might be giving lifts to people. Yes. I might have to give lifts to my friends because I'm the oldest one and they would want lifts.

I try to avoid giving lifts to anybody. For the first couple of years. I hated giving people lifts.

lifts to lifts. I say shouldn't, I don't really like that word, but it shouldn't make you not pass a

No.

And I think this is where we need to have a look at what's going to stop you passing your test.

test. Are we stopping ourselves from passing a test because we're scared of what it's going to mean? Because it can change all sorts of things. It can change everything.