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Driving Lessons

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07:23 / 01.09.04

I am thinking about learning to drive. In the past I've shied away from it, partly due to the cost of lessons, partly because cars/roads are bad for the environment and partly because I live in London and we have a great public transport system - ask Ken Livingston if you don't believe me.

As it stands I can now probably afford it, and it would make visiting realtives easier. Also I think the longer I leave it the longer it will take me. However, I don't want to wait 3 months until I get a shot at a test, I want to know now!

I was looking at places that offer intensive courses, but they all seem to be out in the sticks whcih would mean either travelling there each day or staying as part of their residential courses. Not too keen on either of these options, and the AA and BSM only offer limited intensive courses.

So, can anyone give me any useful tips on driving lessons? Anyone know of any decent intensive courses? What are the pros and cons of shared and one to one tuition. Are these intensive courses really much cop? Has anyone ever done the residential thing and stayed near their driving school? What can I expect to pay for such a learning experience?

We're The Great Old Ones Now

08:23 / 01.09.04

Do not put up with any shit.

I had an instructor who was rude. He had a high pass rate because his students were basically yelled at until they did what he wanted. It made learning a misery until I told him he was a rude little bastard and I wasn't paying to get shouted at. I found another teacher who was a gentle, wise Jamaican bloke who also trained the UK Karate team, and discovered driving is fun.

Both these guys were BSM, by the way.

09:14 / 01.09.04

I had a driving instructor who had a fantastic method of teaching emergency stops. He'd make me drive toward a brick wall at 30mph until he said stop. You learn to stop properly VERY fast that way. He was a bit of a twat in many ways (opening the door to apologise to imaginary cyclists if I forgot to check my blind spot on the left before turning). I would also heartily recommend trying to learn how to ride a moped first. You get to know just how scary the road is, and recognise exactly why BMW drivers are the ALWAYS the worst on the road.
Ooh, and don't forget to read Roadcraft, the police driver training manual. It's a shame they don't publish "Sorry Mate, I Didn't See You" any more, though. It was full of top tips they don't tell you about, like "If you see an animal or child at the side of the road, slow down. There's a good chance there will be another one one the other side trying to run across and join/chase it"

09:36 / 01.09.04

Learning to drive is an deeply tedious, expensive, frustrating and stupid experience.

My basic advice would be unless you live in the depths of the countryside, don't bother.

But then I guess I'm just bitter cos by my standards I can drive ok, but kept failing the test due to technicalities and endearing slow-wittedness.

09:55 / 01.09.04

I found another teacher who was a gentle, wise Jamaican bloke who also trained the UK Karate team

To drive?

11:12 / 01.09.04

As far as learning to drive in the sticks goes, I'd definitely advise it, and the further out the better, simply because you're pretty much unencumbered by the inconvenience of other road-users. I took my test in a small rural Scottish town and I passed first attempt, even though at the time, I really didn't feel I could drive a car to save my life, to be honest. Admittedly, it took me about six months after that to work up the courage to go near a big city, never mind the motorway, but at least I'd got a license, y'know ?

13:55 / 01.09.04

My driving instructor was a lovely beardy guy who was fond of fishing, brewing his own beer and smoking pot. I was learning to drive in the city with no problems. My instructor was totally calm and reassuring, as a result after 10 lessons I was about to take my test.

To contrast, whilst taking lessons my stepmother took me to an old airfield in Northumberland to practise driving and her hysterical manner had me driving like a crazy person.

A good instuctor will not yell at you or freak you out. I think that learning to drive in the city has its advantages, in that driving everywhere else will be a doddle in comparison.

14:10 / 01.09.04

You will never regret knowing how to drive.

Seems like it'd be easier starting somewhere without traffic, then getting used to city streets.

In the states, also, you can rent a car and get it totally covered by insurance for like $40 or so (that's insurance + rental). Get a friend to rent a car for you, go out to some parking lot, and figure out how the machine works. You'll need a patient friend for that, but it's a lot of fun.

15:14 / 01.09.04

In the past I've shied away from it, partly due to the cost of lessons, partly because cars/roads are bad for the environment and partly because I live in London

you were right. stay with it - your petrolhead craving will pass.

15:42 / 01.09.04

i often mull to myself: 'being unable to drive in the twenty-first century is the equivalent of being illiterate in the twentieth'

it's bollocks of course, but i think useful for folk contemplating life behind the wheel: it's a piece of piss -one foot goes up at the same time as the other one goes down, simple as that. people a lot more stupid than you can do it without thinking. ten lessons, two months, hundred and fifty quid and you're mobile for the rest of your life. in london it'd be even easier - no point ever using mirrors or reverse gear, and once you've passed there you won't be scared of driving anywhere else in the world.

and you've not heard music til you've heard it driving.

18:07 / 01.09.04

To contrast, whilst taking lessons my stepmother took me to an old airfield in Northumberland to practise driving and her hysterical manner had me driving like a crazy person.

That reminds me, NEVER make someone you are in a close relationship with teach you to drive. You need someone who can shout at you if necessary and to whom it doesn't matter if you shout back. Driving's dangerous for all concerned, and I for one never want to be in or outside of a car when an argument or sulk is brewing if one participant can't drive and is trying to do so.

18:47 / 01.09.04

NEVER make someone you are in a close relationship with teach you to drive.

seconded. sadly, my best friend of 16 years just got his learners license (this is a good thing). I have the only car he can possibly drive (this is a bad thing). In my backwater Canadian province, we have a graduated licensing system (this is good thing). This means he can only drive with someone else present, under 60kph, and not at night (this is a bad thing, as night driving on an empty road is a lot less stressful than dealing with other people during rush hour). He has nerves of steel and a heart of pure goodness (good thing). By the graduated licensing laws, I cannot be drunk, stoned, or asleep while he drives (bad thing, as I have nerves of glass and a heart of pure hatred where driving with my friend is concerned). And, y'know, I was going to offer some advice, but it's quickly becoming apparent to me that I could use some. Quickly, as we're heading to a cottage this weekend.

My driving test went relatively well. I'd say perfect, save for the "three-point parking" exercise. Wherein I executed a perfect three point turn (2.5, if we're being exact) straight into a parallel parking position. Upon being instructed to leave said position, I hit the gas. Hard. With the car in reverse. I estimate (in golden retrospect) about a micron's distance between my instructor's car and the car parked behind me as the brakes locked, and time hang like a guillotine. I recall turning to the tester and saying something like : "I'm sorry, I'm extremely nervous. Terrified, in fact. I'm really sorry." Put the car in drive, left the spot, aced the test (well, passed. she had to dock me that gargantuan fuck-up). Moral of the story: always be a courteous driver, especially when you fuck up.

(And if my friend is reading this, no worries, mate. Rest assured, I'll quit quitting drugs and be stoned to the point of gill-soaked bliss by the time you get behind the wheel. Don't say I never do anything for you, eh? The rest of you should get off the sidewalks.)

19:29 / 01.09.04

My driving teacher was a racist homophobic fucking fuck. As was said upthread, do not take any shit. I had to tell him if he said "faggot" one more time in my presence I would drive on the left (which, Stateside, is the wrong side), and was he sure that he could hit his brake before I killed us both. He then stopped, but only when I was behind the wheel.

Other than that, pay attention in class, cause the written can bite you in the ass, and remember the minutia and drive like every little teeny tiny law matters, because to the dude in the passenger's seat, they do.

It is, however, worthwhile, and hopefully you won't get an asshole.

22:24 / 01.09.04

Written? hahahahahah oh, you poor fools: born too young or in the wrong country. Written driving test, I ask you, what's that skreeeeee crasssshhh...

22:28 / 01.09.04

Hah. Didn't take any classes. Had one lesson, because I knew the guy and m'parents gave 'im a case of beer. Lived with my parents shouting at me for six months. Shrugged.

Still can't park worth a damn.

06:47 / 02.09.04

All very good. Thanks guys!

On this advice, I probably wont do the intensive thing, just incase I get stuck with nazidrivinginstructorman.

Will take it easy and maybe do a couple of lessons a week. I heard you need more lessons as you get older, and that the average is 40 hours. I'm 26. (not to mention extremely unco-ordinated!) How many lessons do you reckon it'll take?

07:35 / 02.09.04

I learned to drive in Germany. You have not experienced terror until you go onto the Autobahn in a car marked 'Fahrschule'...every driver in a 100 kilometer radius goes insane and seeks you out with the purpose of flashing highbeams, tailgating and generally being an ass. And then I failed my first test by almost putting the car in a ditch. When showing up for my motorcycle exam that afternoon I was mortified to see I was being tested by the same guy. Who promptly informed me that if I made the same mistake as I made that morning, I'd be dead. Charming.

08:04 / 02.09.04

My experience: don't feel inferior if it takes you longer to learn than it does for some people. It may take you longer, but stick with it, you'll get there eventually. If you are finding it very difficult, you could always just learn to drive an automatic car instead - after lessons on and off for about 30 years, my mum finally went for that option. Don't just take the theory test if you're not having lessons - it may run out before you take your test.

I've been having driving lessons about every week for an hour for maybe 1.5 years. I had a few lessons when I was 17, but gave up when I had exams. After that, the 2nd instructor I had was nice - told me a lot about the countryside, and I enjoyed talking to him, but maybe he didn't teach me that much about driving really. He quit to become a taxi driver (more flexible hours). My current instructor is not as pleasant, but he's stopped playing Christian motivational tapes at me now. I've become more used to him and feel a bit more comfortable about driving now than I did when I initially started having lessons with him.

08:07 / 02.09.04

40 hours?? That seems like a lot. I reckon a course of 10-20 lessons should do you fine.
It seems utterly impossible at first, as you try to get the hang of the clutch (assuming you're going to learn in a manual?) while doing all the other stuff like indicating and steering and trying not to drive off the road. But then one day, click, it falls into place and it's just a case of getting practice.
Bloody hell, though, I'm glad I never have to do the test again. I'm usually good at exams but I've never been more stressed. I failed the first time, and the tester mentioned the old man "that you nearly hit at the end of XX Street".
"What old man?" I said.
"Well, quite," he said.
I'm a good driver now, honest! I just don't have a car.

08:10 / 02.09.04

Sorry squirmelia, you posted while I was writing and now my post looks really snotty - of course it can take a while to get the hang of it.

08:17 / 02.09.04

Give the girl a break eh, your so mean!

I've had about 10 lessons I think that was back home were there's lots of nice easy driving in the countryside. The thought of trying to drive in London fills me with dread and I don't think I'll ever bother. I'm just happy know that when the end of the world arrives I can drive well enough to drive a car out of London

08:30 / 02.09.04

Yeah, I can't really talk when I learned to drive in Lanark: no streets with more than one lane, one set of traffic lights, and no roundabout. The first time I drove somewhere 'real' was in Auckland. It turned into a Carry On style loop the loop as I kept getting stuck in the wrong lane and having to go the long way round. A journey that should have taken five minutes took half an hour.

11:42 / 02.09.04

Apparently I have had 17 lessons with my current instructor. (Obviously any lessons with previous instructors don't count.

) Today he wanted to lend me a book about miracles.

08:08 / 03.09.04

Do it, even if you don't own a car you can hire one if you need to, the ability to drive a car or transit van has come in very handy more than once. It also looks good on the CV and if you need to get anywhere outside a city and public transport it's essential.

My experience was with two very patient driving instructors, if they're shouting at you get another one, you have enough to worry about without your instructor hassling you.

The way I passed my test was with lots and lots of practice, you need to drive so much it becomes automatic. Took me a good 30-40 lessons with a big gap in the middle, this is where practice in other peoples cars might be handy in the bit before you take the test to get the practice down without breaking the bank.

Oh yeah and expect to almost kill yourself at least once in the first year you're driving, this is normal. Once you've passed your test you actually need to learn how to drive.

07:25 / 08.09.06

Well. I finally passed. Yay me.

In retrospect I wish I had done an intensive course. I started doing lessons with a guy, moved house and kept going down to surrey to see him, which again was a bit silly. I got my SO a car so I could practice but we just argued so in the end the only experience I got was my weekly lessons.

Maybe I'm just offering up excuses for why it took so long, - I started about 6 months after starting this thread - but it's a big relief to have finally got it under my belt.

pointless & uncalled for

07:52 / 08.09.06

Congratulations Jub.

For anyone else thinking of learning to drive, I encourage non-intensive instruction because that much information crammed into your brain in such a short space of time tends to leak out if not used regularly.

The bit about relatives and SOs is true, they make terrible instructors. But they can be useful if used properly. Spending instruction time on learning manouvers like three point turns and parallel parking is a bit of a waste really. To practice them you don't really need to be in traffic conditions. Have your relative/SO in the car with you while you spend an hour or two in a parking lot practicing these things regularly until they become second nature.

Other than that, ride a bicycle a lot while learning to drive, gives you such excellent road sense that you'll be able to spot dangers way ahead of your instructor.

11:24 / 08.09.06

I did an intensive course and failed my first test pretty spectacularly. (I threw up halfway round a large three lane underpass roundabout beacuse I was so nervous - The instructor was really impressed with that)

My dad took over and then decided that clutch control was best learnt doing starts on a huge hill in an old garden centre, and that spatial awareness was probably best taught by going round and round Greenwich one way system at pub kicking out time.

Once I'd stopped stalling and rolling backwards down the hill, and the terror of drunk people staggering towards the road had abated slightly I was much better, and only needed a couple more lessons before I aced the second test.

My grandafther was a lorry driver working at Surrey docks and this was how he taught my dad apparantly. I may well end that tradition, as my grandad died in a road accident and my dad is currently banned. I'm not too bad though, honest.

pointless & uncalled for

11:33 / 08.09.06

Learning on Greenwich one way system treads a fine line between inspired genius and cruel and unusual punishment.

I ride it often and find that it is best done at speed with a justified disregard for the law.

Tryphena Absent

11:51 / 08.09.06

My driving instructor was an ex-policeman and ex-Thatcherite. I spent a few months talking about politics with him once a week. His wife was an old-Labour supporter and had converted him. He was really interesting to talk to because I'd never met someone who had genuinely shifted from one political view to another before. Just before my second practical test (which I passed) he said that he'd had his doubts at first but that I'd turned into a good driver. I was pleased. Frankly the last few weeks were more like driving around discussing things that were interesting than actually learning anything.

13:00 / 08.09.06

Jub: do you feel differently about yourself? About traffic?

14:25 / 08.09.06

In fairness I haven't driven on my own yet - after the test I went on the lash and feeling a bit sheepish today! Will probably have a go tomorrow morning. It's a bit daunting to be honest, but I'm sure it'll be fine.

It does feel a bit like I'm part of a club now, as most people can relate to driving tests and can share their own experiences which is good. As for traffic, hmm, still think it's a horrid, noisy, smelly beast. As a cyclist I'm not a fan of cars, but think it's definitely one of those "life skills". Am pleased I passed, because I think if I had to pay anymore money on it, I would have probably cried.

18:33 / 08.09.06

Well done, Jub. I've been trying on and off for about 12 years. 2 passed theory tests, millions of lessons, and 3 failed practicals later the appeal is starting to wear off.

Must get it together.

23:16 / 08.09.06

I find few things so terrifying. The thought of ever driving in London, and becoming one of them, having cycled for the last couple years makes me feel slightly ashamed as well. Because I would definetely be on the worse end of them.

Like Alex and Bear, I think country roads are the way forward. When I'm at home, it drives me insane that I can't drive. There's only so long you can cope with 4 buses a day that go anywhere, and that time ran out about 3 weeks ago.

Previously I'd only driven with Dad, and now I've had to go out with Mum it makes me more nervous, because she's flipping out about x, y & z, and hanging onto the door half the time. It doesn't inspire much faith. Next year I'll get some proper lessons.

18:51 / 11.09.06

Well done, Jub. I passed in March on my fourth go (I'm in the multiple theory tests gang, too), I suspect due to the combination of a compassionate instructor and a fairly evident eight month pregnancy (yes, I'm one of those, and depending on your commute I might even have given you, yes you, an evil stare at some point over the course of my confinement). It makes me feel more grown up finally being able to drive than it does being married and having a baby (two other small things that happened in the last nine months). Recently I drove myself (and the wee one) to both my parents' houses and it felt great. Self-sufficient at last! I'm still totally shit and stall all the time, though, as well as being terrible at parking and relatively bad (but improving) at checking my wing mirrors. I am also a London cyclist and that has probably helped, but only to the extent that I'm now very slightly less completely fucking oblivious to everything happening around me.

I have terrible environmental guilt, though. I would never have driven anywhere I could have cycled, walked, taken public transport or a combination of the three prior to the arrival of the young lady.

Seconded the joy of music in the car (finally a use for those boxes of tapes!) and the inadvisability of trying to learn from a loved one.

19:10 / 11.09.06

Seconded the joy of music in the car

Probably the single biggest source of jealousy between me and the licensed.

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