Probably BU, but jeez!

[BeccaAnn]

ok, so I may well get flamed for it but need to rant.

I wholly accept that learner drivers are 'a thing' I was one once, however what in the world would possess you to book what was obviously a lesson very early on in this particular learners driving career in the middle of rush hour?!

I ended up immediately behind them for about half of my (normally) 30 min commute in that time they managed to stall 4 times which wouldn't be impressive but one was while we were moving! I can only assume they jumped a few gears, they were drifting out of their lane with no indication and would swerve back in. we then spent a good 5 mins at a fairly simple T junction while they missed several pretty large gaps and only moved when a driver 'flashed' them out.

I know if you want to learn to drive you have to be on the road, but couldn't they have done it at a quieter time? rush hour traffic is not fun for anyone, I cant imagine how stressed they must have been, and it took me a few cups of tea to calm down once i got to work.

What are your best/ worst driver stories (learner or not)?

[constantlyseekinghappiness]

Perhaps the learner driver is a worker like most people and was trying to accommodate his lesson around his working hours??

Or this was the only time the instructor had available?

YABU

[pinkyredrose]

YABU. Learners have to learn to cope with rush hours.

[bettytaghetti]

This happened to me on my second lesson; I totally agree that the instructor should never have taken me through the middle of Camberwell in rush hour at such an early point. I stalled three times whilst waiting at right hand turn light & each time, by the time I had gone through the rigmarole of neutral, brake, restart etc, the lights turned to red again. I am forever grateful for the patience of the drivers behind me & have always extended the same courtesy to learners since then.
FWIW, I passed after only 8 lessons thus cutting short the amount of time I had to sit with creepy instructor commenting on my skirt etc.

[Flumplet]

I think that there should be designated learner driver centres where learners should go to:
-learn basic control of the vehicle to an adequate and safe standard before being out on the road in rush hour
-learn manoeuvres for their tests
-learn basic vehicle maintenance (washer fluid, tyre change, wiper blades etc)

[MissionItsPossible]

And the alternative is that everyone learns to drive on quiet roads and the first time they're in rush hour traffic they panic and stall the car then but now they haven't got any L-Plates or an instructor to help them?

[mustbemad17]

I find this frustrating too!! When I learned to drive I wasn't taken anywhere hectic until I was confident in the basics; if a learner is stalling three times in slow traffic it suggests that they don't quite have a grasp on the gears. I'm all for learners doing every aspect; ie rush hour, rain, night driving etc but surely common sense dictates that you only start those things once you're comfortable with the car?

[PinotAndPlaydough]

YABU the only time I cameo my lessons are on weekdays between 9.30-12. I am almost ready to take my test but am really worried about driving at busy times onces I've passed because there is just no way I can have lessons at busy times unless I take my children with me.

I bet that learner felt like absolute crap and was completely stressed by the whole thing.

[LambMadras]

Wow you’re tolerant.

What’s the alternative? The learner practices in an environment that bears no reflection to reality then passes their test and panics in rush hour traffic and makes a mistake and causes an accident?

Leave more time for your journey and have some understanding. You were a learner once too.

[MyOtherNameIsAFordFiesta]

The alternative is that they practice on quieter roads until they can drive without stalling, and THEN start rush-hour practice.

But it's possible that this was really the only suitable time, I guess.

[Ifartrainbowsandglitter]

you need to learn to be more tolerant

[mineofuselessinformation]

You're bothered about learner drivers?
Round here it's tractors pulling trailers full of shitty straw (at least you don't have a smell to deal with), sugar-beet lorries, delivery lorries, people on mopeds, I could go on.
It's par for the course of where you live.
Personally, I leave enough time so I can sit behind them and only swear to myself a little bit.

[SomewhatIdiosyncratic]

In my early lessons, the instructor picked me up and took me to "nursery roads" to learn basic control. I live on a dozy estate that's very attractive to the instructors of novice learners.

I had lessons after work so my two hour lessons fell between 5pm to 8pm. My first experience of morning rush hour was my 8:40 am test. I failed and timing was a factor. I passed 3 weeks later, mid-morning with only one lesson in between.

Learners need to be accustomed to as broad a range of driving conditions as possible, but it's not fair on them or any other road user if they're driving in busy, complex road conditions that they're not yet ready for.

[CurbsideProphet]

My driving instructor always used to say that she did not take learners out on main roads until they could drive appropriately for the traffic ie keep road position, change gear, use mirrors etc. I think that's the best way to do it, otherwise you get aggressive and impatient drivers overtaking etc.

[TooManyPaws]

I learned to drive in the country and passed my test in a small town with no traffic lights or roundabouts. One of the first things I did after that was book a couple of lessons in the nearest major city. They were a bit confused by someone who'd passed wanting lessons but it was very useful.

[deepestdarkestperu]

I think it's really irresponsible for instructors to take complete beginners out in rush hour traffic, actually.

My first few driving lessons were spent on a VERY quiet industrial estate with minimal traffic, where I learned how to stop/start a car safely, how to turn, how to change gears and how to use roundabouts. My instructor picked me up from home, drove me to a safe location, then drove me back again.

I didn't do dual carriageways or anything too challenging for at least 4-5 lessons because I needed to be able to control the car and drive safely, even though my instructor had dual controls.

YANBU at all. Yes, learners need to experience rush hour, busy conditions, roundabouts etc, but not until they can safely drive a car, change gears and cope with basic T-junctions. It's not fair on them, or on other road-users.

[CherryChasingDotMuncher]

I think it's really irresponsible for instructors to take complete beginners out in rush hour traffic, actually

This. YANBU, when they are more experienced than fair enough otherwise it’s just unfair on road users and the learner.

Our village is just off a 60mph bypass, we get a lot of learners on the bypass as it’s a good road to practice. It has everything - roundabouts, parts that are dual carriageway etc. However it infuriates me when they sit at 30mph, my instructor always used to tell me to get up to speed. It’s actually dangerous for them to use it as an easy little route for clearly inexperienced drivers.

[KeepItAsItIs]

YANBU. A learner should be taken out in rush hour, but not when they clearly aren't ready. The test centre is near my house so lots if instructors bring their learners around here. It's very frustrating to pootle along behind a clearly unconfident learner at 20mph on a 30mph road.

[CigarsofthePharoahs]

My driving instructor didn't let me on busy roads until I could competently manage the quiet roads.
Part of being able to manage in busy traffic is confidence, and by the sound of it, the learner in the op didn't have any.
I've also found myself stuck behind a learner on a 60mph road, when the learner has been doing 20-30mph. Yes, everyone has to learn, but what sort of instructor takes someone on a busy nsl road when the learner isn't even confident enough to do 40, never mind 60!

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

My drive home is through the sort of quietish, wide roads that the instructors like to use for the complete beginners. After-school time there are often loads of them there at once.

I like to think I am patient. Some people are not though - when my husband was learning to drive and I cba to take the L plates off the car when I used it I did notice a definite increase in twatty behaviour from other drivers towards me.

[happinessischocolate]

My very first lesson was in the snow, the instructor drove a few miles from my house and had a chat and then we swapped over so I drove. Less than a mile later I was crossing over a very narrow bridge with a massive lorry coming the other way so I just shut my eyes and gripped the steering wheel and slowed down to 5mph 😂

I try to remember this when I’m stuck behind a learner going 5mph

[DJBaggySmalls]

YANBU. Learner drivers should learn to control the vehicle off road. People who stall 4 times in half an hour. aren't ready for traffic.
Compulsory Bike Training has massively reduced the number of motorcycle deaths. They should do something similar for cars.

[JaneEyre70]

My DD learned to drive recently, and the instructor kept her on quiet lanes until she'd got a better idea of controlling the car, then they progressed to a small local town before heading into the city we're by. By that stage, DD was more confident and it wasn't too stressful for her. That poor learner today must have felt under so much pressure .

[Doomhutch]

If they're absolute beginners, then they should be taken around quieter roads first. It doesn't sound like this learner was ready to drive in rush hour! It's also a question of the instructors safety, I'm surprised they did it themselves!

[BeccaAnn]

Thanks for the responses, they were fun to read! Just to clarify, I showed no aggression to the learner driver, like I said, I've been there too, but damn it was frustrating! hence having a bit of a moan on MN