TAKE THE By Sarah Diallo
INTRODUCTION My name is Sarah Diallo, I’m 23 years of age and currently based in West Sussex. A place I didn’t even know existed until I moved there. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a South Londoner at heart. The reason for writing this book was because during learning to drive, I never found any positive or encouraging advice that didn’t come across as patronising. I did however find YouTube videos about their experiences helpful and inspiring. I told myself when I finally pass, I will tell my story and hope that it will encourage others.
I got an overwhelming response on my video when I finally did pass. It made me forget about the struggle and just feel blessed to be able to turn a negative situation into a positive and help others. So whether you’re just learning to drive or have had a few tests, then read on and learn that sometimes taking the L isn’t always such a bad thing.
youtube.com search ‘Sarah Diallo’
MY STORY On the 28th of December 2017 after 7, YES 7 times, I finally, finally passed my driving test and I can tell you it has been a struggle. I have been learning how to drive since I was 18 just before I went to uni, and then it got to the point where I had to make uni a priority. As uni was coming to an end in January 2016 I started taking it completely seriously again because I thought I can’t keep going around in circles with this. I thought I have to get this done because I was moving back home to Sussex which I think is the worst place to live for public transport! I’ve had problems in the past that were so irritating and I felt like I couldn’t get to where I needed to.
Failing my driving test so many times has taught me the value in having a licence.
If you’re reading this and you’ve maybe failed your test, do not be discouraged. Work out a plan that will suit you better, try to find alternatives, talk to people who are close to you. You will find a resolution because if someone as ditsy as me has passed, you can definitely do it too!!
LEARNING TO DRIVE If you’re in a similar situation to me where you’ve done a couple of lessons in the past and then taken a long break, I’d say try to get back to learning ASAP! I know it’s so easy to put it off and there’s always loads of excuses but trust me you really just have to make a start and get those lessons booked.
I would definitely advise if you have a family car in the house get yourself insured on that car. If you have done quite a few lessons and you’re getting to the point where you can drive but you really need to brush up on skills, this can be a huge help. This is what I did and I think it’s what got me through in the end.
HAVE YOU PASSED YOUR THEORY TEST YET? If not, I’d recommend downloading the official app! Search for DVSA Theory Test Kit It’s super helpful and lets you do practice tests before you go in for your exam!!
did you know? iPhones aren’t jus t for selfies, th ere is als oa ‘do not d isturb wh il e driving’ fe ature. tion will That notifica when you still be there you’re stop driving, out. not missing
You don’t need to answer y our phon e to talk abou t what’s fo r dinner. G etting ho me safe is m ore impo rtant! emojis designed by Twitter from Flaticon
THE DRIVING TEST(S!) Yikes! The big day; one that I have had maaaanny times, (7 to be exact) but we’re not counting. I’ve gone through many emotions each time; nerves, anxiety, stress, confidence and even no emotion whatsoever. Something I learned, was to just not put pressure on myself and knowing when I was actually potentially ready to pass. On the day of my final test I told myself if today is the day I pass, then today is the day I pass. Nothing else and nothing negative. Don’t think about the people you’ve told, don’t think about the money you’ve spent.
Ever y time I failed it really felt like a slap in th e face.
Here’s what happened on my tests Test 1
I ended up on a dual carriage way in the right-hand lane doing 30 miles per hour, and I also didn’t have time to complete my parallel park.
Test 2
When I was trying to move to 3rd gear I accidentally moved to 1st, and the car started jumping and shaking!! A truck behind me had to break quite rapidly.
Test 3
For this test I tried going to a different test centre. I almost touched someone’s wing mirror and I drifted in to the wrong side of the road at one point.
Test 4
I didn’t realise I was at a junction so I didn’t give way, I just kept going. And then I made a mistake on a roundabout! It had so many lanes and I didn’t know what I was doing.
Test 5 Roundabouts... again. Test 6 -
Roundabouts... AGAIN.
Test 7 -
I FINALLY passed, with only 1 minor!
AFTER YOU’VE PASSED! Every time you drive you are reponsible for your own safety as well as people and other car users around you. Any little distraction or anything illegal such as being on the phone can have devastating effects. I’m careful not to do anything that will put myself or others in danger when I’m driving, and I hope that through your own journey you will have the same mindset too.
When I’m feeling down or sad I look to my driving test certificate. It’s a piece of motivation to say no matter how impossible something seems, if you just don’t give up and you come up with a new game plan, then it is possible! “Drivers who use phones, either hands-free and hand-held, have been found by researchers to be four times more likely to be in a crash resulting in injuries than drivers not distracted.” brake.org.uk
I hope my story will help anyone who is feeling low or sad about their driving. When I was learning to drive I went to YouTube to look at people who have been in a similar situation to me and it really helped, it was encouraging. Please check out my video for more of my story. youtube.com search ‘Sarah Diallo’
For help and information on road safety visit: think.gov.uk rospa.com/road-safety/ brake.org.uk
fixers.org.uk/takethel