u/A_ok_attempt

Hey, I just want to ask if anyone else has made mistakes like this while learning to drive, because I’ve been really discouraged lately and I’m trying to figure out if this is normal or not.
I’ve been learning to drive for about 2 months. I have my permit/license and I’ve been practicing with my instructor and my dad. I’m trying my best, but I’ve had a few mistakes that felt pretty serious and have really shaken my confidence:
**Wrong-side / road position mistake (with instructor):** During a detour, I briefly ended up driving on the wrong side of the road after becoming confused about the turn I was supposed to make. It only lasted a short moment and I corrected it quickly, and there were no cars coming at the time, but it was still a really dangerous situation in hindsight.
**Parking lot direction mistake:** I’ve also gone the wrong direction in a parking lot before (driving opposite of the intended flow), which could’ve easily caused confusion or a collision if other cars had been present.
**Lane confusion / stop sign mistake (with dad):** My dad gave me directions that changed suddenly (first telling me to go into a turn lane, then switching to go straight). I got confused, had to quickly correct my lane position, and in that moment I also nearly missed fully stopping at a stop sign before realizing and My Dad corrected me and I made a. No one got hurt, but there were cars coming.
**Roundabout close call:** At a roundabout, I became overwhelmed because I was getting conflicting directions while also trying to process traffic. I was already in a turn lane approaching the roundabout, and I misjudged the situation and didn’t properly register an oncoming car in time. Both of us had to brake suddenly to avoid a collision.
**Cutting people off (multiple times):** I’ve also cut off other drivers around 3–4 times while learning, usually due to blind spots or misjudging space. I feel really guilty about this because it could’ve caused accidents.
A lot of these situations involve confusion, pressure, or getting overwhelmed when instructions or traffic situations change quickly. I’m trying to improve, but after these moments, I’ve started feeling really anxious and unsure of myself.
Has anyone else experienced mistakes like this when they were learning? Especially close calls, confusion with lanes/roundabouts, or getting overwhelmed in traffic? How did you keep going and build confidence again?

Hey, I just want to ask if anyone else has made mistakes like this while learning to drive, because I’ve been really discouraged lately and I’m trying to figure out if this is normal or not.
I’ve been learning to drive for about 2 months. I have my permit/license and I’ve been practicing with my instructor and my dad. I’m trying my best, but I’ve had a few mistakes that felt pretty serious and have really shaken my confidence:
Wrong-side / road position mistake (with instructor): During a detour, I briefly ended up driving on the wrong side of the road after becoming confused about the turn I was supposed to make. It only lasted a short moment and I corrected it quickly, and there were no cars coming at the time, but it was still a really dangerous situation in hindsight.
Parking lot direction mistake: I’ve also gone the wrong direction in a parking lot before (driving opposite of the intended flow), which could’ve easily caused confusion or a collision if other cars had been present.
Lane confusion / stop sign mistake (with dad): My dad gave me directions that changed suddenly (first telling me to go into a turn lane, then switching to go straight). I got confused, had to quickly correct my lane position, and in that moment I also nearly missed fully stopping at a stop sign before realizing and My Dad corrected me and I made a. No one got hurt, but there were cars coming.
Roundabout close call: At a roundabout, I became overwhelmed because I was getting conflicting directions while also trying to process traffic. I was already in a turn lane approaching the roundabout, and I misjudged the situation and didn’t properly register an oncoming car in time. Both of us had to brake suddenly to avoid a collision.
Cutting people off (multiple times): I’ve also cut off other drivers around 3–4 times while learning, usually due to blind spots or misjudging space. I feel really guilty about this because it could’ve caused accidents.
A lot of these situations involve confusion, pressure, or getting overwhelmed when instructions or traffic situations change quickly. I’m trying to improve, but after these moments, I’ve started feeling really anxious and unsure of myself.
Has anyone else experienced mistakes like this when they were learning? Especially close calls, confusion with lanes/roundabouts, or getting overwhelmed in traffic? How did you keep going and build confidence again?

I’m 19, and honestly I don’t even know where to start. I’m not suicidal, and I don’t want to hurt myself or anyone else. I just feel absolutely miserable. The best way I can explain it is that I don’t want to die, but I also don’t really want to be awake. For the past few months, all I’ve wanted to do is sleep. I’ll take over-the-counter medicine to help me sleep, and I’ll sleep anywhere from 14 to 16 hours a day. I wake up either extremely sad, extremely angry, or completely numb. The last time I remember genuinely feeling happy was back in February.
Recently, my mom was diagnosed with heart failure and cancer. I’ve almost watched her die three different times. She bled out after surgery, and thankfully the doctors got to her in time every time. She just got out of the hospital after being there for a week, and now I’m helping take care of her. I’m her IHSS home care worker, so technically I do have a job, and I’m grateful for it because I would take care of her regardless, but a lot of people don’t see it as a “real job.” Everyone in the house helps, but it’s still been emotionally exhausting watching everything happen.
About two months ago, my dog of 18 years also passed away. I didn’t even get the chance to bury him or have him cremated. My dad found him while I wasn’t home, and I never really got closure from it.
Around the same time, I started learning how to drive. I’ve been practicing for almost two months, but I keep making dangerous mistakes. Recently I accidentally cut someone off because my back window was completely blocked by things in my trunk, so I couldn’t see the car behind me. Later that same day, I almost pulled out in front of a BMW in a roundabout because I got so focused on my directions that I completely missed the car already in the roundabout. We both had to slam on our brakes.
Before that, I drove on the wrong side of the road once while learning with my instructor because I got confused about the directions. I turned the wrong way in a parking lot, almost went right from a left-turn lane because I misunderstood the road markings, and another time I almost rolled through traffic because I was so focused on following my dad’s directions that I forgot to stop and check for cars. Nobody has gotten hurt, thankfully, but I’ve made enough serious mistakes that I honestly question whether I’m capable of driving safely. More than anything, I want to drive because I want independence, but I’m terrified that one mistake could seriously hurt someone. That fear makes me feel completely worthless.
On top of all of that, my boyfriend has been upset because I haven’t been texting him as much or spending as much time with him. I’ve explained to him multiple times that I’m clinically diagnosed with severe depression and that everything happening with my mom and my family has made it a lot worse. He also struggles with his own mental health, so I understand that he has his own problems too. I even planned a date for next week, bought movie tickets, and told him I wanted to spend time with him, but he still tells me that I act like he’s a burden or that I don’t love him. I really do love him. I just don’t have the energy to call all the time or act happy when I’m genuinely not.
I also signed him up for therapy because he told me he wanted help. When he was struggling, I listened to him, reassured him, and helped him get signed up. When I told him I was struggling, though, it felt like the conversation turned into how my depression affected him instead of what I was actually going through. I don’t think he’s trying to be a bad person, but it still hurts.
Growing up was also rough. I spent time in foster care, and that was one of the worst experiences of my life. People constantly treated me like I was stupid and incapable of doing anything. They acted like I had the IQ of a two-year-old and treated me like I couldn’t make basic decisions for myself. Even now, I feel like people still see me that way. I feel like everyone treats me like I’m a child instead of an adult.
I’ve tried getting jobs. At one point I was applying to around 40 places a week. I volunteered somewhere for a few months, and eventually they fired me because they told me I needed to speak up more. Then, when I finally did speak up because one kid was being physical with another kid and I politely asked if he wanted to step away, they told me to “let the adults handle it,” even though I’m literally an adult myself.
I’ve signed up for therapy again because I genuinely enjoyed going last semester, even though I didn’t make huge improvements. Unfortunately, the counseling building at my school is closed for the summer, so I have to wait until next month before I can start going again.
At this point, I honestly don’t know what to do anymore. I feel like I’m failing at adulthood. I feel like I’ll never be independent. I feel like everyone around me learned how to drive, got jobs, and figured life out so much easier than I have. I keep trying, but every mistake feels like proof that everyone who treated me like I was stupid growing up was right.
I’m just exhausted. I don’t want to hurt myself, and I don’t want to die. I just don’t know how to stop feeling so miserable every single day.

So basically what happened was, the first time I got flipped off today, I was driving down the street. My dad was arguing on the phone with my mom. I was really confused about directions. My dad literally took my GPS and put it down, and also because he was giving late directions (not blaming him though). I’m just saying at that moment I was a little confused, and I went to change lanes because I could tell this way went right. You can’t go straight, so I accidentally cut someone off really badly. I didn’t know that when I put the stuff away in the trunk, it blocked off the back window completely, so I did not see their car and got flipped off.
Then everything for the most part went fine. I got honked at because a truck in front of me like not a semi truck, but I would say a really big U-Haul was trying to get into the turn lane, and I didn’t want to just go past him. I got a little scared because I didn’t want to hit the U-Haul while he was trying to get into the turn lane, and this dude behind me kept honking until I had to speed up.
And then I made a really, really big unsafe mistake. We were going to the hospital, and I was making my way there, but it’s very busy in this area where I live, and there’s this big roundabout. So I entered into a turn lane. There’s a straight lane and a turn lane right next to this roundabout you’re supposed to go into, and I was gonna try to change lanes into the straight one, but there was a car so I couldn’t. I was like, “Dad, I have to go right, I cannot go straight in this roundabout.”
Of course, you can’t technically go straight—you’re not going to go over the center divider—but I’m probably just going to have to take the next turn basically because it’s a turn lane. I could be wrong.
So I’m so focused on that, like an idiot, I don’t see this BMW going 25 miles per hour in this roundabout. I had to slam on my brakes and the dude had to slam on his brakes too. He rolled down his window, flipped me off, and drove away. I was so shaken up I pulled out of the roundabout, tried to park where you obviously couldn’t park because there were cars driving there not in the middle of the lane, it was like a parking area so I had to find a parking spot, park, and let my dad drive.
I feel miserable. I feel like I’m never going to get driving. I keep making stupid mistakes like this, like I keep making dangerous mistakes. I’ll drive fine one day and then the next I don’t know what I’m doing.
I got out of the car and had a whole breakdown inside the hospital because that’s where we were going. My mom is in the hospital right now. I feel like an idiot.
I’ve been considering giving up driving since I started back a month and a half ago.
When I can, I’m going to figure out how to ride a bike because I have no idea how to right now. I think that will be an easier way to get around. It’s just hot here, man it gets up to 110.

So basically what happened was, the first time I got flipped off today, I was driving down the street. My dad was arguing on the phone with my mom. I was really confused about directions. My dad literally took my GPS and put it down, and also because he was giving late directions (not blaming him though). I’m just saying at that moment I was a little confused, and I went to change lanes because I could tell this way went right. You can’t go straight, so I accidentally cut someone off really badly. I didn’t know that when I put the stuff away in the trunk, it blocked off the back window completely, so I did not see their car and got flipped off.
Then everything for the most part went fine. I got honked at because a truck in front of me like not a semi truck, but I would say a really big U-Haul was trying to get into the turn lane, and I didn’t want to just go past him. I got a little scared because I didn’t want to hit the U-Haul while he was trying to get into the turn lane, and this dude behind me kept honking until I had to speed up.
And then I made a really, really big unsafe mistake. We were going to the hospital, and I was making my way there, but it’s very busy in this area where I live, and there’s this big roundabout. So I entered into a turn lane. There’s a straight lane and a turn lane right next to this roundabout you’re supposed to go into, and I was gonna try to change lanes into the straight one, but there was a car so I couldn’t. I was like, “Dad, I have to go right, I cannot go straight in this roundabout.”
Of course, you can’t technically go straight—you’re not going to go over the center divider—but I’m probably just going to have to take the next turn basically because it’s a turn lane. I could be wrong.
So I’m so focused on that, like an idiot, I don’t see this BMW going 25 miles per hour in this roundabout. I had to slam on my brakes and the dude had to slam on his brakes too. He rolled down his window, flipped me off, and drove away. I was so shaken up I pulled out of the roundabout, tried to park where you obviously couldn’t park because there were cars driving there not in the middle of the lane, it was like a parking area so I had to find a parking spot, park, and let my dad drive.
I feel miserable. I feel like I’m never going to get driving. I keep making stupid mistakes like this, like I keep making dangerous mistakes. I’ll drive fine one day and then the next I don’t know what I’m doing.
I got out of the car and had a whole breakdown inside the hospital because that’s where we were going. My mom is in the hospital right now. I feel like an idiot.
I’ve been considering giving up driving since I started back a month and a half ago.
When I can, I’m going to figure out how to ride a bike because I have no idea how to right now. I think that will be an easier way to get around. It’s just hot here, man it gets up to 110.

(18F, almost 19) BF 19 OP 19

have been dating my boyfriend for a while. and I know he likes showing love through gifts and planning things.
The problem is that I genuinely hate my birthday.
This isn’t new. I’ve hated birthdays since I was around 10–12 years old. I don’t even eat birthday cake. If it were my choice, I’d sleep through the day and treat it like any other day.
Back in April, I told my boyfriend I didn’t want to celebrate my birthday. We argued because he got upset and said he already had things planned. Since then, I’ve reminded him multiple times that I don’t want gifts or a celebration.
Recently I told him:
“I love you, and I appreciate the effort, but birthdays are really hard for me. I’d honestly rather just sleep. Please save your money.”
He got upset again and said he’d already spent money and basically told me, “Well, I already wasted my money then.”
He also called me a “Debbie Downer.”
This isn’t the first time we’ve had an issue like this.
A few days ago, he ordered food to my house without asking. The problem was I’d literally just eaten three burgers with a friend, so I gave the food to my nephew instead of wasting it. He got mad and said he’d rather I had thrown it away than given it to someone else.
Another time, he surprised me with some expensive gifts after I’d been crying all day. I thanked him, told him I loved them, and appreciated everything. Later he got upset because I wasn’t excited enough and said I acted like I didn’t care.
I feel like he expects me to react the way he would instead of accepting how I actually feel.
I know he’s trying to be thoughtful, and I appreciate that. I’m not upset that he loves me.
I’m frustrated because I’ve been honest for months that birthdays are emotionally difficult for me, and I feel like my wishes aren’t being respected.
AITA?

I did post this yesterday, but my grammar was really bad so I fixed it.

I think I’m actually cooked.
Basically, I got my license two days ago and passed my test with a 100% score. Today, I got in the car with my driving instructor, and overall I was doing okay, but there were a few things I messed up.
The biggest mistake happened when we were supposed to make a right turn into an area, but it was blocked off, so he asked me to make a left instead. I got confused and accidentally went onto the wrong side of the road. Of course, he was like, “What are you doing?” I realized my mistake and corrected it right away, and thankfully there were no cars coming.
Then, there was a yellow light. I was already going about 40 mph, and I honestly thought I could make it through safely. My instructor slammed on the brakes and asked why I tried to go through it. I asked him if he thought I could have made it, and he said, “Probably, but it’s better to be cautious.”
Another thing that happened was while we were practicing one-way streets. Where I live, there are mostly two-way streets, but in that area there are a lot of one-way streets, which still confuse me.
I’m not exactly sure what happened, but we were on a road with one side going one direction and the other side going the opposite direction. I was in the lane going straight, and my instructor asked if I could make a left turn. I said no because I wasn’t in the left lane. He looked at me and said, “There is no left lane. What are you talking about?”
I felt so stupid.
Honestly, I’m starting to feel like I’m never going to learn how to drive confidently by myself because I keep making mistakes that feel really serious.
Edit:
After my lesson, I drove my dad down the street and somehow tried to make a right turn while I was in the left lane. I genuinely didn’t realize I was in the left lane.
Then I cut across a parking lot and ended up going the wrong direction again.
At this point, I’m seriously thinking about giving up driving.
It sucks because I literally just want to be norma

So I think I’m actually cooked

Basically, I got my license. I think two days ago passed with 100% score easy test so I get in the car with my driving Instructor today and I’m doing everything OK but there’s some things I’m messing up on but one big thing I did is we’re supposed to make a right into an area but it was blocked off so he asked me to make a left and my stupid self got confused I guess and went into the wrong side of the road which of course he was like what the Frick are you doing and I realize what I was doing and I just moved But still, there was no cars Coming

And then there was a yellow light, but I was already going 40 and I believed in my heart I could make it but he slammed on the break and said why would you try to go and I was like do you think I could’ve made it? he said probably yeah but still it’s better to be cautious.

But other than that, that’s and also I don’t know why I said this I just I’m getting irritated with myself. We were on a street and we were practicing one-way streets cause where I live. There’s a lot of two-way streets but over this area. It’s one way and I’m in two-way street and I think this goes into a one-way street. I’m not exactly sure on what even happened but it was just two lanes one opposite direction. I wouldn’t call them lanes sides of the road one going one way one going the other, I was in the way going straight and he asked can I make a left turn and I said no cause I’m not in the left lane and he and he said there is no left lane. What are you talking about? I feel stupid. I honestly don’t think I’m actually gonna learn how to drive and be able to drive by myself because I feel like I keep making crucial mistakes and I’m actually cooked.

Edit

I took My Dad down the street and I accidentally tried to make a freaking right turn in the left lane somehow I didn’t notice I was in the left lane. I’m actually cooked and then I cut across a parking lot and went into the opposite way of traffic again. I’m probably gonna give it up. I’m actually being so serious. It sucks I literally just wanna be normal.

so My Mom got diagnosed with breast cancer in October and she’s done Chemo here and there and right now she’s on xolota but there’s a problem her feet are now extremely painful. She can’t walk at all. I’m rubbing them 24 seven but now she says it feels like fire on them she can barely walk to the bathroom. We have tried ice packs. We’ve tried cold towels. We’ve tried bottles of lotion. We’ve tried aloe vera we’ve tried fans. We’ve tried everything we can honestly think of what helps this. We’ve tried rubbing the feet and trying to get her to walk, but it’s too painful for her to walk.
I even have tried contacting a physical therapist, but no matter what the physical parent does it doesn’t work
I assume it’s because of the cancer or the chemo or something that’s causing the pain. I’ve contacted her doctor and she’s prescribed her creams and lotions and all that other stuff but none of it work.

So I’ve been driving for about a month now I still get very confused and make mistakes. I did in fact hired a driving instructor and I did mess up on a couple things. He said it was nothing emergency wise and he says I should go take my test and then use the rest of my lessons. If I don’t pass, I still have two left so I decided to not trying to be a jerk but not take all that advice. I did one of my lessons. I have scheduled right before the test like two days before, and then my last lesson, I have scheduled after the test in case I fail.

Driving is hard I honestly feel like I’m not gonna be able to get it. I’m always confused on right a way.

Well, I’ve been again driving for a month. I feel like I should be more advanced than I am now I’m driving instructor put me down as consistent which basically on the platform I’m using means I could do that you know what required what is it required actions with only a few corrections so like no slamming on brakes or taking over wheel but verbal corrections

This was my report

Today was the student's first lesson. She has some previous driving experience. I explained the SMOG system (signal, mirrors, over the shoulder and go) for all turning movements. She did well with residential and commercial turns and stops. Remember to do traffic checks (look left, right, left) before crossing intersections. We practiced protected left turns (arrow light-right of way on green) and unprotected left turns (no arrow-yield to oncoming traffic before turning). We practiced lane changes, u-turns and traffic circles. When making lane changes, don't slow down during the lane change. We practiced perpendicular parking and parking lot driving. She parked between two cars with no problems. She learned and did well with curbside parking and reversing. Keep your eyes and your head moving as you drive. Good job today

I feel honestly like I’m never gonna learn. I’ve been driving for 17 days since I got my permit and I keep making big mistakes. I’ll do good like really good for the first like 2 1/ hour.

And then I do something stupid like really stupid for example yes I was driving. My Dad said dang you’re perfect for about. I guess an hour or two only needed minimal help and made like a light mistake. Like touching the curb or something when I made a U-turn but then I got into the bigger mistakes. There’s just one road we go on sometimes it’s confusing for me and I went into the wrong side of the road the wrong direction and we had to quickly move to the other side then we don’t get hurt and I got scolded for of course and then I almost hit another car at a four-way stop. I’m just so freaking aggravated. It makes me feel like I’ll never learn and just to give it up now. My Dad says I do almost perfectly fine on the freeway, but I’ve even had some mistakes on there too. One time I was checking a blind spot and swerved not severely. My Dad grabbed the steering wheel and then I wouldn’t do that again and I haven’t did it. I don’t think since But so I feel like I’m never gonna learn that and it hurts everyone around me has their license. Everyone throws it in my face and treat me like I’m less and I wanna learn so bad.

Well, at this point, I’m so hopeless

When I get paid, I’m gonna buy some lessons from an instructor maybe that can help me a little bit, but I don’t know it just sucks

I feel honestly like I’m never gonna learn. I’ve been driving for 17 days since I got my permit and I keep making big mistakes. I’ll do good like really good for the first like 2 1/ hour.

And then I do something stupid like really stupid for example yes I was driving. My Dad said dang you’re perfect for about. I guess an hour or two only needed minimal help and made like a light mistake. Like touching the curb or something when I made a U-turn but then I got into the bigger mistakes. There’s just one road we go on sometimes it’s confusing for me and I went into the wrong side of the road the wrong direction and we had to quickly move to the other side then we don’t get hurt and I got scolded for of course and then I almost hit another car at a four-way stop. I’m just so freaking aggravated. It makes me feel like I’ll never learn and just to give it up now. My Dad says I do almost perfectly fine on the freeway, but I’ve even had some mistakes on there too. One time I was checking a blind spot and swerved not severely. My Dad grabbed the steering wheel and then I wouldn’t do that again and I haven’t did it. I don’t think since But so I feel like I’m never gonna learn that and it hurts everyone around me has their license. Everyone throws it in my face and treat me like I’m less and I wanna learn so bad.

Well, at this point, I’m so hopeless

When I get paid, I’m gonna buy some lessons from an instructor maybe that can help me a little bit, but I don’t know it just sucks

I already posted on here, but I’m back so it’s been about. I don’t know a week and I still have not seen parking lot or somewhere, where I could just practice My Dad just takes me out on the main road. I’m planning on buying an instructor soon but it’s gonna cost me like $400-$500 just for six hours and again I feel like this is a skill that I can’t learn. Keep messing up example going on the freeway today which My Dad has me on the freeway I turned into the freeway without checking properly and then when I checked my Blindspot, I accidentally moved the wheel too much with my body, and I swerved on the freaking freeway of course My Dad grabbed the wheel and makes sure nothing happen. I didn’t do it again after that but still freaking sucks and I keep getting confused on what lanes are trying to do because to me every moment it’s changing so I’m just so confused.

My Dad‘s been taking me driving for I think 15 days straight every single day or like at least 10 to 15 minutes sometimes a couple of hours just driving places he need to go and I’m struggling

I feel like I keep forgetting what I’m learning and I feel like I’m not learning quick enough or efficiently. I feel like I’m sucking at this.

So basically, I got my permit a week ago. I’m currently 18. I’m late to getting all that stuff and I’ve been learning how to drive for 11 days. And I made some really bad mistakes and honestly, I feel like I’m never gonna learn this. A lot of things in life come very hard for me to learn. I’ve always been in the special classes and I’ve struggled a bit with things that come naturally to other people for example, some things I really messed up on is turning into the wrong lanes. I do that often or attempt to anyway before being corrected. I also got into my almost 1st accident because of a stupid freaking thing I did so basically I was trying to pull into a parking space. I was driving My Dad‘s Tahoe, which is a bigger car and I went too much on the gas and almost hit a truck and then got screamed at by My Dad then got screamed at by the people because they said I hit their truck by the way I did not hit the truck granted I was 2 inches away from hitting the truck, but I did not hit the truck. Also, another time this guy was walking in the crosswalk at a parking lot and I almost hit him My Dad told me to stop and of course I stopped. I did not see him. My parents say I’m seven out of 10 driving and that I’ll be able to take my driving test in June but I don’t know. I never got to practice in a parking lot on the first day. My Dad took me to a quiet road, and then the second day he took me to the highway and then on the fifth day, he took me on the freeway, which was terrifying my dad’s the type of person to throw you into water and then just hope you swim type of person. I just get confused on things very easily. I just feel like this is a skill I’ll never be able to learn everyone around me already has their license income second nature to them while I’m struggling.

Also, something else that I struggle on is today I figured out after driving for 11 days straight. What a one-way road is of course I know what a one-way road is from the test, but I had no idea about actually how to drive on one and all that other stuff and accidentally almost turned into the wrong lane. Apparently My Dad wanted me to go into the lane closest to left, but I was trying to go closest to right because apparently up ahead he wanted me to make a left turn and it’s freaking screwed up and then I also appeared the way of traffic today because I did not know about the center lane. I knew of course about it because of videos and because of the test I had to take, but I never actually had to drive in one so I was so confused and just kind of into the crosswalk in front of a cop. Luckily, I did not get pulled over but I did get yelled at.

But yeah, My Dad is tall multiple people how to drive and this isn’t him. I’m very just confused basically about everything.