I accidentally hit my mum's car.

SmileMore

Well-known member
Our driveway is quite narrow and I misjudged how close I was to her car. There's a pretty big dent on hers and a crack on my front bumper. She was obviously annoyed and I feel terrible. I passed my test November last year but have only just been able to afford to buy my own car so I haven't actually driven at all for 8 months. I've only been driving on my own for 2 weeks and this has really knocked my confidence.

I passed my test 3rd time with 4 minors so before this I didn't think I was a terrible driver but now I'm wondering if I should just sell my car and not drive anymore. I'm terrible at parallel parking and the car i own is completely different to the one I passed my test in. It's a lot lighter and faster so I find it harder to do my manoeuvres. I offered to pay to repair her car but she told me not to worry about it. I just feel really embarrassed like I'm a typical woman driver now.
 

Pacific_Loner

Pirate from the North Pole
Lol it sounds like you are a typical woman driver indeed, and the only way to become a better driver is... to keep driving. That's what you have to do.
 

Hoppy

Well-known member
And my brother bended my fathers car against the house.

And I reversed into a tree, and also into a lamppole.

And the only reason I haven't been in a major accident is because other drivers have some very fast reflexes.

Now that I think about it, no member of my family hasn't scratched a car at some point.

Don't worry about it, you will get better, at least you can blame your inexperience now. It is much more difficult to explain when you have been driving for 10 years. And buy your mother dinner sometime.
 

bladeds

Active member
When I first passed my test my mum got me insured on her car and I hit the side of the car against a wall in a car park and scratched it and felt really bad. Trust me every one has these moments. I pretty much had the same reaction your having now and didn't ending drive for a year. Don't sell your car and giving up on driving, you will become much more confident and forgot it after not long. If you do the same as me you will just end up regretting it.
 

Pacific_Loner

Pirate from the North Pole
I'm worried about doing something like that again.

It's normal that you're not a good driver if you have no driving experience. You learn from your mistakes. The kind of mistakes you will be making as a beggining driver are not the kind of mistakes that kills people, so the worst that can happen is some material damages, which, seriously, is no big deal since everyone got car insurance. Don't give up so easily.
 

SmileMore

Well-known member
It's normal that you're not a good driver if you have no driving experience. You learn from your mistakes. The kind of mistakes you will be making as a beggining driver are not the kind of mistakes that kills people, so the worst that can happen is some material damages, which, seriously, is no big deal since everyone got car insurance. Don't give up so easily.

I just don't have much confidence anyway so anytime I make a mistake I beat myself up about it. My Mum said it's not a big deal, it's just a car and it can be fixed but I still feel like an idiot and that I don't deserve my license. I mean, who hits a parked car?
 

coyote

Well-known member
the only way to get better at something is to keep doing it over and over again

so to become a better driver, you just have to keep driving more - no one was an expert at first

try not to do the crashing part so much, though - you don't want to get better at that
 

Pacific_Loner

Pirate from the North Pole
I mean, who hits a parked car?

Trust me, I've seen a lot worst than that from people who had their driver's license since many years. This is embarrassing of course, and it's hard to get over it, but just forgive yourself for this time and try again. :)
 

neardeath

Well-known member
the only accidents I've had in 15 years are the ones backing out of my own driveway. Very silly. Monty Pythonish.
 
Hey, take it easy on yourself. When I was learning to drive I ran red lights I didn't see, I have been in like 4 driving accidents. Once, even after driving for a long time, I wrecked a fire engine I was driving to a fire. Everyone I know has had driving accidents and there is a whole industry devoted to it (tow trucks, auto body repair services). When my wife was just my girlfriend she drove her car right into the side of one of my 4 wheel drive trucks. These things happen but the key is not to give up, practice practice practice. It's just like riding a bicycle, everybody has wrecked a bicycle haven't they? There are two kinds of drivers on the roads, those who have had an accident and those who will. Look at it this way, nobody was hurt and cars can be fixed. Stop beating yourself up. Stick with it and keep driving.
 
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