By Annette Kellow

Copyright metro

I’m not surprised to hear that one in four driving tests in Great Britain are now being taken in automatic cars (Picture: Annette Kellow)

Pulling into the test centre, I felt excitement bubbling up inside of me.

I’d just finished my first driving test and my three-point turn, mirror, signal, manoeuvre, and traffic awareness were so faultless, it would have impressed even a seasoned Formula 1 racer.

But then my assessor spoke.

‘You’ve failed,’ he deadpanned – all because I struggled with changing gears.

This happened eight years ago, on a beautiful summer morning in July 2017, and the pain didn’t end there as I’ve gone on to fail my manual driving test three more times.

That’s why I’m not surprised to hear that one in four driving tests in Great Britain are now being taken in automatic cars.

In the UK, the average learner driver typically requires 45 hours of professional driving lessons with a qualified instructor (Picture: Annette Kellow)

It has to be easier, and I’ve resolved to only learn automatic from now on.

When I started learning to drive at 32, everyone said I simply had to do manual as it was ‘the best way.’

For over a year, my driving instructor and I would go out for two hours every week, and I’d also go driving with a friend at every opportunity. So, by the time my test came around, I felt ready.

When I asked why I’d failed, the assessor explained that my gear changing was awful and that, as a result, I’d nearly clipped another vehicle.

On the way home, I bawled my eyes out.

To this day, I still don’t own a UK licence (Picture: Annette Kellow)

Still, I needed to get my license – especially as I was moving to America to work for a few months that November.

My instructor, Tim, and I continued my lessons and booked in another test for a few weeks later.

Not only did I wind up with the same assessor though, I was so nervous that I failed within the first five minutes.

‘Hesitation,’ he smirked as he slammed the car door a second time and I felt horrific.

It all seemed so overwhelming that, in the end, I went to America without a license.

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I was feeling like a total failure, but then I was informed that my visa allowed me to take a driving test in the States.

At first, I wasn’t even going to entertain the idea – if I couldn’t pass in my home country, I assumed I was certain to fail in a place where I knew nothing about the roads or its laws – but a friend was doing her theory, and I decided to tag along.

Before I knew it, I’d guessed my way through a multiple-choice test, passed with flying colours, and found myself on a one-hour US driving lesson with a test in an automatic car to immediately follow.

The best bit? The tests and driving instruction totalled less than $200 (£146). In the UK, I’d spent around £1,200 in lessons alone.

I couldn’t quite believe the speed it was all happening. In the UK, the average learner driver typically requires 45 hours of professional driving lessons with a qualified instructor and 22 hours of private practice between lessons.

Manual is too clunky, and the hand-foot coordination is clearly way too challenging for me (Picture: Annette Kellow)

Not across the pond, it would seem.

After my one-hour crash-course (pun not intended) and cruising around the block for 15 minutes, I parked in the designated finishing space where my assessor said I had passed and was now the proud owner of an American license. I was gobsmacked.

‘But what about the three-point turn? The parallel park?’ I quizzed. ‘That was the park,’ she laughed as she directed me to the DMV office to pick up my licence.

Holding that little bit of plastic in my hand felt fantastic, and I instantly rented a sports car to celebrate. As I ventured onto the US roads, I couldn’t believe I was driving, and with the automatic, it felt so much easier than constantly changing manual gears. I felt free.

After a few months, I returned to the UK, where, sadly, my US license would only be considered valid for a year. After that, I needed to take my test again.

One thing I do know is manual is out of the question now (Picture: Annette Kellow)

Despite saying I found automatic much easier, Tim insisted I carry on with manual training.

Depressingly, though perhaps not unsurprisingly, I failed a further two times – both times for hesitation at roundabouts.

So, to this day, I still don’t own a UK licence.

I’ve considered everything: booking my next test in the countryside, as friends believe it’ll be easier to pass, and also giving up on driving. But I’m determined to drive.

Not only would I be able to take my son on holiday easier in the UK, it’d be useful for work and would give me far more freedom.

I know I’ll own a British driving license one day (Picture: Annette Kellow)

One thing I do know is manual is out of the question now – it’s too clunky, and the hand-foot coordination is clearly way too challenging for me, so, much to my instructor’s dismay, I’m embracing learning automatic.

Even if I hadn’t failed my test four times, I probably would have come to this conclusion anyway, as with the UK’s ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars coming into effect in 2030, there doesn’t seem to be a point in learning manual anymore.

Electric vehicles, which are becoming more and more prevalent, don’t require manual gearboxes, so why should I make things harder for myself than necessary?

I know I’ll own a British driving license one day, but until then, I’ll continue to embrace the passenger princess life.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk.

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