Is it difficult (or impossible) to learn to drive properly after the age of 35?

DineshKalu · November 25, 2020

I actually got the driving license (via a learners) in 2004 when I was a university student. But after that I hardly got any experience in driving as I didn’t own a vehicle. Now I am planning to buy a vehicle but my poor driving skills hold me back. I specially have difficulty in understanding the physical dimensions of the vehicle when driving and steering accurately at junction. My main worry is whether someone else will have to pay the price with his/her life or limbs for my poor driving skills if I started to drive. So is it really difficult or impossible to learn someone who is 35+ to drive properly? And I also have additional disvantage of not being able to ride a motorcycle or even a bicycle,

Thank you

Hyaenidae · November 25, 2020

14 minutes ago, DineshKalu said:

I actually got the driving license (via a learners) in 2004 when I was a university student. But after that I hardly got any experience in driving as I didn’t own a vehicle. Now I am planning to buy a vehicle but my poor driving skills hold me back. I specially have difficulty in understanding the physical dimensions of the vehicle when driving and steering accurately at junction. My main worry is whether someone else will have to pay the price with his/her life or limbs for my poor driving skills if I started to drive. So is it really difficult or impossible to learn someone who is 35+ to drive properly? And I also have additional disvantage of not being able to ride a motorcycle or even a bicycle,

Thank you

No, you just think too much - it's easy to just get in and start driving when you're 18 and carefree

Find an empty playground or somewhere desolate (should be easy these days), put some boundary marks and drive until you feel confident

The only person I know who can't learn driving is Spongebob. You'll be fine

Edited November 25, 2020 by Hyaenidae

iRage · November 25, 2020

No....I am sure there are plenty of drivers in SL who have gotten behind the wheel after 35+ of age...

Just get some practice....like Hyundai has mentioned...go to an empty field...drive around a bit...then start off with low traffic times until you get used to the car and stop getting freaked out when you see other road users. Then slowly move on to heavy traffic zones/times as you build a bit of confidence.

Also...please update yourself on the highway code ! Get one of those booklets and remind yourself of road signs and markings and general etiquette on the road (I say this because what you see people actually do is not the right thing to do).

What kind of car are you planning on getting ? You need to accept the fact that you will be putting some scratches and dents on it because those dang walls, trees and gets have a habit of just coming and bumping in to you or scratching themselves on your car. In addition to that...there will be three-wheelers and bikes scratching your car as well as they try to run around you as you drive along slowly. Don't be compelled to run to the garage and insurance to fix every little scratch and dent you get.

(driving slowly is fine if that is what you are comfortable with...don't drive faster than what you are capable of just because some nut is honking behind you...just don't hig the road and give way).

mazdaspeed · November 25, 2020

First and foremost it's a very nice and honest of the way you think .

Majority of the drivers don't give 2 hoots about the other persons rights, laws or for that matter life.

Getting back to your question, don't stress yourself. My mother got her license simply because she worked for a leasing company then and they had close contacts with RMV - she' s a very competent driver and till the age of 55, she use to drive all outstation locations alone - hence it would not be a challenge .

Just a bit of practice is all that's needed to familiarize yourself - you already know the meaning of "vehicle dimensions " most drivers nowadays don't even know the term .

Have a L board up when driving and use the signals always when tuning and after a few rounds you would be fine.

Good luck

matroska · November 25, 2020

Really appreciate your concern about your fellow citizens - people like you are rare.

Next - it's totally fine to learn driving after 35. I knew a gentleman who had got his driving license at 18 , spent 10 years overseas without driving and took some lessons at a learners to polish his driving skills and to get back in the groove. That's also an option. The empty ground thing works. When I was about 15 my father taught me driving in a school car park on weekends and school holidays under permission from the school and set up a series of plastic obstacles (bottles cans etc) that doubled up as traffic cones and asked me to drive between them in an old school manual Carina . Served me well when i applied for my license 3 year later.

(15 years of Automatic Transmissions later sadly my clutch balance has diminished )

Kavvz · November 25, 2020

9 hours ago, DineshKalu said:

I actually got the driving license (via a learners) in 2004 when I was a university student. But after that I hardly got any experience in driving as I didn’t own a vehicle. Now I am planning to buy a vehicle but my poor driving skills hold me back. I specially have difficulty in understanding the physical dimensions of the vehicle when driving and steering accurately at junction. My main worry is whether someone else will have to pay the price with his/her life or limbs for my poor driving skills if I started to drive. So is it really difficult or impossible to learn someone who is 35+ to drive properly? And I also have additional disvantage of not being able to ride a motorcycle or even a bicycle,

Thank you

Ask yourself: Is it possible to have sex for the first time after 35? Even though you've never seen another person naked before or gone solo? Yes?

Of course it's yes! Same situation with driving: Its all good.

Get in there buddy! And like sex, practice makes perfect.

(Also like with sex it helps if you have someone who's good at it to help you figuare things out. Your progress with be much faster that way and you'll also end up more confident. So ask a friend to hang out and give you some lessons...with the driving, that is, not with the other thing.)

Edited November 25, 2020 by Kavvz

varotone · November 25, 2020

10 hours ago, Hyaenidae said:

The only person I know who can't learn driving is Spongebob.

Sponge Bob passed his driver's test wearing long pants. So, wearing long pants might help.

@DineshKalu it's not necessary to be able to ride a bicycle or a motorcycle to be able to drive a car. Good riders aren't necessarily good drivers and vice versa.

There's no shame in diving around with L boards till you get the hang of the vehicle. Find an experienced diver who can help you get accustomed for a couple of days. Going around road cones in a ground is not sufficient. Get out on the road preferably very early in the morning.

Always be patient on the road. Take your own sweet time! Just because a bus is honking like mad while tailgating you doesn't mean you have to go faster. Slow down and let them overtake you. Drive at a speed that you are comfortable with.

Have a spotter when parallel parking and doing 3 point turns. It will become muscle memory eventually.

Learn road rules and etiquette. Stay calm.

You'll be fine!