Learning to drive

fatsmoker

So my wife has decided to start learning to drive to enhance her career opportunities. She read in the official book that it takes on average 42 lessons and 22 practice sessions with a practice partner. The practice partner in this case will be me, not known for my patience. So, what are others' experiences with teaching the other half and how many proper lessons?

team47b

I taught my son to drive, then he had a few lessons to learn how you are expected to drive during a test, then took the test in his own car. He passed.

I think I should have gone on a driving lesson first, they told him for example, to drive up to a junction in fourth gear and brake, stop, then engage first gear ready to drive off, I was always taught to use engine braking to reduce speed change down through the gears so that you were always in the right gear for the given speed.

Teaching your kids is easy as at least you can tell THEM what to do

VTech

I used Acclaim School of Motoring, £750 for 40 lessons, the theory and the final test.
It was without doubt superb value and my boy passed 1st time.
We bought him a VW Up which costs under £500 fully comp for anyone wanting the cheapest car to insure for their kids.

I wouldn't teach the wife if I were you, its very stressful and only one mistake will cost you more in repair than the £750 for the lesson package.

Ben6899

42 lessons plus 22 sessions with an exasperated spouse seems a lot.

I had 12 lessons and that was it.

fast as fupp

under no circumstances attempt to teach your wife to drive.

divorce is expensive.

capt_slog

team47b wrote:

I taught my son to drive, then he had a few lessons to learn how you are expected to drive during a test, then took the test in his own car. He passed.

I think I should have gone on a driving lesson first, they told him for example, to drive up to a junction in fourth gear and brake, stop, then engage first gear ready to drive off, I was always taught to use engine braking to reduce speed change down through the gears so that you were always in the right gear for the given speed.

Teaching your kids is easy as at least you can tell THEM what to do

yeh, take care on this. A lot has changed, I was told that......

It's no longer wrong to cross your hands on the wheel, and you can do that "ball of the hand roll on one bit of the wheel" trick as it re-centres itself.
You can fail for indicating when pulling out from the side of the road :shock: apparently you are sort of intimating that your indicator will clear a right of way.

The two above were told to me by my sons, who have passed within the last 5 years, take with a pinch of salt.


I had little to do with them driving, they organised their own lessons and sorted themselves out. The one bit I did do was take the eldest on a piece of private road the night before his test. I remember he was pootling along at about 15mph carefully trying to keep in the dead centre of the single track (we were the only people there BTW) and showing an astounding LACK of confidence. Eventually I just said "Come on Chip, just drive the f***ing thing!", and he then loosened up and did so

I also sat with him for a long drive just after he had passed, because he wanted a bit more guidance and a confidence boost.

The youngest was more difficult, mainly due to a difference in temperament (mine and his), and I couldn't use the private road any more.

If you're accompanying your wife without dual controls, you're a brave man. Let the instructors do the first few, and then take her out. It might be an idea to chat with the instructor? and if I was doing it, I'd ask the driver to use the "commentary system", so at least you know that they are seeing what you're seeing and thinking the same way.

monkimark

42 lessons does seem like a lot, I think I probably had about 10 lessons and a fair bit of practice driving with my dad in the car.
Thinking back, he must have had the patience of a saint the first time he took me out - we drove round an empty car park and I must have stalled it 20 times in a row before I managed to even pull away from the kerb.

The not indicating to pull away from the kerb is kind of right, I did my motorbike test 3 years ago and was told that anything you do that causes somebody to swerve/brake to avoid you is a fail and that includes indicating to pull out into traffic and having the other car slow/stop to let you out. You still have to indicate before pulling out but you have to do it when the road is clear and there's nobody to see you indicating

Jon_1976

Capt Slog wrote:

team47b wrote:

I taught my son to drive, then he had a few lessons to learn how you are expected to drive during a test, then took the test in his own car. He passed.

I think I should have gone on a driving lesson first, they told him for example, to drive up to a junction in fourth gear and brake, stop, then engage first gear ready to drive off, I was always taught to use engine braking to reduce speed change down through the gears so that you were always in the right gear for the given speed.

Teaching your kids is easy as at least you can tell THEM what to do

yeh, take care on this. A lot has changed, I was told that......

It's no longer wrong to cross your hands on the wheel, and you can do that "ball of the hand roll on one bit of the wheel" trick as it re-centres itself.
You can fail for indicating when pulling out from the side of the road :shock: apparently you are sort of intimating that your indicator will clear a right of way.

The two above were told to me by my sons, who have passed within the last 5 years, take with a pinch of salt.

I think the indicating one has been going a while, didn't know it was a fail though. I passed my test in 96 and there was no mention of it. My girlfriend passed her test in 97 and she was told the same thing as your sons re: indicating.

Jon_1976

monkimark wrote:

42 lessons does seem like a lot, I think I probably had about 10 lessons and a fair bit of practice driving with my dad in the car.
Thinking back, he must have had the patience of a saint the first time he took me out - we drove round an empty car park and I must have stalled it 20 times in a row before I managed to even pull away from the kerb.

The not indicating to pull away from the kerb is kind of right, I did my motorbike test 3 years ago and was told that anything you do that causes somebody to swerve/brake to avoid you is a fail and that includes indicating to pull out into traffic and having the other car slow/stop to let you out. You still have to indicate before pulling out but you have to do it when the road is clear and there's nobody to see you indicating

42 does seem a hell of a lot. I was similar to you, had 12 lessons and went out driving with my Grandad in between lessons. I guess times change, all my mates and I were around the 10-12 lessons mark and passed. One was a complete maniac and should have never been allowed a license though :shock:

DeVlaeminck

I don't think you have to indicate to pull out if there is sufficient gap to pull out - but you may do so. What you shouldn't do is just stick the indicator on saying you want to pull out and then wait for a gap because it may cause traffic behind to think you are about to move in front of them.

capt_slog

monkimark wrote:

42 lessons does seem like a lot, I think I probably had about 10 lessons and a fair bit of practice driving with my dad in the car.
Thinking back, he must have had the patience of a saint the first time he took me out - we drove round an empty car park and I must have stalled it 20 times in a row before I managed to even pull away from the kerb.

The not indicating to pull away from the kerb is kind of right, I did my motorbike test 3 years ago and was told that anything you do that causes somebody to swerve/brake to avoid you is a fail and that includes indicating to pull out into traffic and having the other car slow/stop to let you out. You still have to indicate before pulling out but you have to do it when the road is clear and there's nobody to see you indicating

That's so wonderfully pointless that it could only happen in the UK

I had five lessons BTW, but I'd been riding a motorbike for years, and spent a lot of time as an accompanied driver of my girlfriends car.

But I recall well my first ever go in a car on the road, it was with my dad. I could tell he was really proud as I pulled away from the kerb, perfect clutch control, up smoothly through the gears along a 2 mile straight and down the gears again as we approached a left turn that I was to go into. His pride stopped however when I moved the wheel about 5 degrees and leant right over the gear console to get the car around the corner. Luckily it was all clear as we went into but across the side road and up the pavement on it's opposite side, because of course, cars don't steer like that :roll: ("what the hell're you doing you tw@t?" was his response as I recall)

Alain Quay

I bought a 1962 car for £80, got a mate to drive it to the rural town I lived in, I practiced on country roads then drove it to the police station and drove a policeman round the block for my test.

But I'll pay for lessons for my children.

tlw1

that seems a lot of lessons

I only had a few, but that's because I'm a driving god (ish)

drlodge

There's a big difference between teaching someone to drive, and teaching them to pass a driving test.

My dad taught my mum, sister and me to drive, must have had a dozen lessons in the station car park before I ventured onto the road, and lots and lots of driving at weekends before my test. We all passed first time.

It may be possible to teach someone to pass a driving testing in 12 lessons if they're capable, but I don't believe it will teach them what they really need to know to be good drivers.

pdstsp

My girlfriend (now my wife) taught me to drive as we had bought a car together. I applied for my test thinking I'll get a few lessons once I know when the date is but ticked the box on the form saying willing to accept a test at short notice, and then got a cancellation so had 24 hours notice of the test. Rang round all the driving schools who all refused to give me a pre-test lesson as I was a guaranteeed fail, but somehow I passed! Think we had a few cross words but nothing relationship shattering as, 28 years later, we're still together.

thomthom

team47b wrote:

I think I should have gone on a driving lesson first, they told him for example, to drive up to a junction in fourth gear and brake, stop, then engage first gear ready to drive off, I was always taught to use engine braking to reduce speed change down through the gears so that you were always in the right gear for the given speed.

Nah, it's cheaper to replace the brakes than clutch and gearbox...

dhobiwallah

But back in the day the brakes (drums) weren't guaranteed to stop you. Especially if you warmed them up nicely with a few sharp stops first..

fatsmoker

madasahattersley wrote:

I passed only 2 years ago off the back of 8 lessons of 1 hour each. Not the cheapest at £24 a pop but hey, under £200 ain't bad whichever way you cut it!

I'll make that her target. :shock:

secretsam

Whatever you do, do not follow the SecretSam model of learning to drive. Which goes like this: learn at an early age in a proper driving instructor car. Fail test 'cos a) not ready and b) instructor is cr&p.

Go to Uni. Take two more tests in the next two years - both fails - with only one lesson beforehand, going into test totally cold.

Leave Uni. Find another driving instructor. Get some really good lessons. Fail again due to being an idiot. Get shouted at by driving instructor for being an idiot. Book next test immediately. Pass.

The only bits I would recommend from my experience are: good instructor, NO INPUT from family - and take a motorway lesson once you've passed.

MountainMonster

I only had 2 formal lessons here in the UK. One to diagnose my driving and pick up any faults, and the second when I took the test.

It helps to have been driving in the states.

thomthom

Quite the difference to get the damn license... By law we have to have go through:

A minimum of 29 theory lessons of 45 minutes -> pass a test
A minimum of 24 practical lessons on the roads with instructor of 45 minutes -> pass a test

Price is about 1000-1500 pounds in total and normally takes about 3-6 months - both depending on how poor you are in the process...

thomthom

madasahattersley wrote:

ThomThom wrote:

Quite the difference to get the damn license... By law we have to have go through:

A minimum of 29 theory lessons of 45 minutes -> pass a test
A minimum of 24 practical lessons on the roads with instructor of 45 minutes -> pass a test

Price is about 1000-1500 pounds in total and normally takes about 3-6 months - both depending on how poor you are in the process...

That system produces some cracking rally drivers though

UK not doing much worse than Denmark on this list, though.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co ... death_rate

fatsmoker

So, I took my wife out last night around an industrial estate. She more or less cracked the biting point on the clutch and changing into 2nd gear, and stopping, but not very gently. I think the 40+ lessons will be in order. I may also get a few more grey hairs as we practice in my car