Driving lessons

Mum was never allowed to drive - the car was Dad's domain. He died when she was 58, she started taking lessons sporadically and then ramped them up - she kept up manual lessons as we all had manual cars, should the need arise for her to drive them. She passed on the third attempt at 63! She lived in Essex at the time, so used to make regular journeys to the south coast and south Wales to visit family - in her Fiesta XR3i, chosen because she liked the colour! She gave up aged 80 as she moved area and didn't feel confident on strange roads. So I would say definitely give it a go, and good luck!

Go for it Chloejo.
I love driving,i can`t in the dark though as the headlights hurt my eyes,but daytime is wonderfull.
It`s being independant too such a great feeling.

A note of caution if you're looking forward to driving at night. That's when visual problems you hadn't noticed may rear up. Headlights and tail lights looking starry indicate an eye test is needed. I began to be reluctant to drive at night, several years ago, until my eye test revealed the need for distance glasses! What a relief that was.

My mum started driving lessons at 63 , failed her test twice but on advice from her instructor changed to an automatic and passed at 64. She was a bit of a speed merchant but she adored the freedom. Mum had to give up driving at 77 due to diabetes related eye problems, but she had enjoyed those mobile years so much, so I say give it a go. Good luck!

My Aunt learned to drive at 62 passed her test on 3rd attempt and carried on into her early eighties. She said it opened up so many opportunities for her.
Please go for it!

Just give it a go, nothing to lose except the cost of a few lessons. Then you will know whether driving is for you or not. I passed my car test at age 17, but then at age 50 learned to ride a motorcycle and passed my full test then. Also passed an advanced test a couple of years ago. At age 64 still riding, and driving.
Just a quick note on night vision: I get starry vision at night - caused by my contact lenses! On the odd occasion I have forgotten my lenses, my eyesight is clear! No starry, starry night! I asked the optician about this, and he confirmed contact lenses do that, and there's nothing can be done about it!

I say go for it, lots of people I know stopped driving in there 60s as lost confidence. If your confident it will give you so much freedom but if your not, the roads are very busy these days with lots of impatient drivers. I’ve had many a near miss with people who are scared to make the commitment to pull out of a junction or go round a round about. I’d say confidence is key to learning later in life.

As others have said, have a few lessons and then you will know if you want to continue learning. I changed to an automatic car ten years ago and I wouldn’t go back to a manual now.
I have a pair of anti glare glasses that I can wear over my usual glasses and they are wonderful for reducing the dazzling effect of oncoming headlights at night. Good Luck !

My Mum started when she was 68 after my Dad died. She learnt in an automatic and bought her first car. She's never looked back, she's 75 now. It's given her her own independence. Go for it!

I passed my test a few years ago when I was 57, so definitely give it a go. I had taken lessons when I approached 40, failed the test and promptly gave up. I'm so glad I tried again and persevered.
I don't love driving, but I love that I can!
Recently got my own wee car (though goodness knows why when there's nowhere to go really!) and can finally go shopping without DH in attendance.

if you want to do it ,do it,lots of gains with having a car, lots of minuses too! People do pass their test when they are older, go for it, don't let people put you off.good luck

Give it a go, maybe on an automatic. A friend of mine learned to drive in her late-fifties and has never looked back. Good luck.

Chloejo - go for it - you're in your 60s not your grave. Forget the comments about cost, and go with those about self-development. You regret not having persevered with your lessons when you were younger, now you have the opportunity to do that. Many people take up dancing in their 60s, or learn a foreign language. It's not about whether it saves or costs you money in the long run, but more about recognising that life doesn't end at 60 and you may have many years of driving ahead of you. Personally, at over 70, I wouldn't set foot in a taxi in these times and I would never want to be without the power to take myself somewhere, especially in an emergency. Have your lessons and if you don't take to them, at least your regrets about not continuing when you were younger will be diminished.

I learned to drive at age 64 because my husband was ill at the time. I had never wanted to drive before that time but so wish I had done it years ago. I love driving even now when my husband is well and he too still drives. Its six years now and I drive my friend when we meet up. I passed first time having taken lessons for three months. I would say go for it.

I dread the day, which may come, when I can no longer drive or afford to, and I will lose my independence

Justanotherwannabe

My GM won a big prize on the Dublin sweepstake and announced that she was buying a car and my DD (dad?) would teach her (he wasn't keen).
One of the little problems was that she was trying so hard that shew obeyed him implicitly. "when you come to the roundabout drive straight on" - which she did.
He used to come home shaking.
She passed her test on the seventh go, but dad refused to let me drive with her. I had to invent all sorts of excuses!

You see I personally think there should be a limit on the number of tests one can take ? Surely after 4 or 5 it becomes clear it’s not your thing !

I am a 75 year old retired driving instructor, who taught for 45 years. I had many senior ladies come to me for lessons. They took a little longer to pass their tests, but more often than not passed first time. As you did it in the past, you will find it will soon come back to you. Like the others have said, give it a go, you won't know unless you try. Good luck and have faith in yourself.

I did it and it’s opened up a whole new world to me. I did learn and pass my driving test in my early 20s but I was never a confident driver and having a husband who loved driving I never had to. As the years went on I considered taking refresher lessons but was far too nervous to even drive. Then last year, 2 things happened. My husband started having serious health problems and I came into a position to have a puppy I’d wanted all my life.

These 2 things made me get back in the car because a) I needed to know I get to a hospital ASAP if anything happened to DH and I also wanted to be able to get to parks and forests and beaches with the puppy.

Someone suggested taking refresher lessons in an automatic so last summer I bit the bullet and had 10 refresher lessons. We exchanged the car we had for an automatic. So much easier not having to think about gears. I’ve never looked back...it’s opened up a whole new world to me.

So I guess I’m saying if the desire is there...
Go for it

I learnt to drive in my early 30s so I could take my youngest DS to school when his dad was on shift work I had to take two buses at the time.
I passed first time and collected him from school that very afternoon.
I have just bought myself a new little car as I sold the car my husband had before he sadly dies last year it was too big and powerful for me so decided on a new little run a bout,because I had no claims bonus in my own name the insurance company transferred my late husbands full NCB to my new insurance making it very reasonable indeed .
So go with it and get some more lessons,I agree an automatic may be the way to go. Good luck to you.

Go for it. Embrace the freedom it gives you and the satisfaction of learning something new.

As others have suggested I think you’ll soon pick it up in an automatic and all electric cars are automatic anyway . Also as others have suggested my night vision is not so great .

Lucca, as a "mature" learner, I took quite a few driving tests (failing due to nerves) and since passing, I've had over thirty years of trouble-free driving. In contrast I've heard of more than one youngster who passed their test first time at 18, then crashed their car a few months later....

Go for it!

Having returned to the UK after 21 years of living in European countries, and exchanging my UK licence for first a Spanish and then a French one, since I came back to the UK it was my intention to have a refresher course ...i.e. haven't driven on this side of the road for years, speed limits, etc etc have changed as may have rules of the road....so looked around at a small car to buy ...mmm ...reasonably priced..lots out there ...BUT I am over 70 and must change my licence back to a UK one (passed my test more than 50 years ago ..am now 73)...and then came lockdown ....so no lessons ...........then got used to the bus (outside my new door ! and the Metro, ditto ......taxis are numerous and not expensive) so began totting up costs .........insurance, really high at my age and with my medical conditions ...........cost of buying an maintaining car ........unexpected things needing replacing (its always windscreen wipers ha ha )....parking ...I now live on the outskirts of a big city and I am on the coast ...summer is a nightmare ...nowhere to park .....city centre ditto, the only place I could guarantee a place would be out of town supermarkets ....and now the people of Northumberland (2 miles from me) are complaining about day trippers parking ...no one seems to have considered making money by opening a park n ride scheme ..........impossible to park anywhere near the city centre ....so although I do MISS my car...especially when I just want to 'pop' to a supermarket (not possible to ;pop; anywhere .....it is good for me to walk round the corner to the metro and THANK GOD at last the council has removed the useless cycle lane which took away half the seafront and meant an extra 5 miles on a journey by car or taxi ! SO...overall, I decided against it....when things were normal and I went often to the airport, or the big concert hall, about 15 miles away, taxi cost around £20 ...expensive, but not as expensive as running a car ......so think about the expense and parking, and weigh it up against the cost of taxis, public transport, etc ..may be hard if you live in the country, but definitely not worth the expense in a town, unless you need it for work ...the only thing I found is that volunteering for the hospital which I did, is impossible because I would need two busses to get there and my bus pass doesn't start until 9.30 so starting work at 8.00 would not be possible....have to find something to volunteer for nearer to home !

Lessons cost about £25 per hour..... if you’re lucky!