Had an accident in driving instructors car - he said I have to pay for it

[Yupbabs]

A question for uk learner drivers

I had a driving lesson today and I had an accident, I took the wing mirror off when passing a parked car. Instructor said he’ll try to lower the price as much as possible but he’ll be in touch with how much I need to pay. Is this right? Do I need to pay? My previous driving instructor said if there was an accident then his insurance covers the damage

I feel like he’s trying to con me. This was the first lesson I ever had with the guy, I had about 50 lessons with my other instructor and he made sure I didn’t have any accidents by using the dual control. This guy today just tilted the steering wheel away from the parked car and it still hit it.

Hi, I hope you read this but please don’t give up! I could not even tell you how many hours I had in lessons, but it was A LOT much more than 50 Although I had year long breaks inbetween. Long story short I failed 3 tests, this Made driving into such a big deal and was super nervous of it all. Decided to try once more. One of my biggest things was spacial awareness, or lack of it!! Started lessons again did LOADS of hours again, took my test…. And I passed!!! Now I’ve been driving a year and I would actually say im
a good driver! I think once the pressure is off it helps a lot and you’re more relaxed! But what I’m trying to say is just please keep trying!! It’s so worth it once you pass, you have so much freedom and a whole new world opens up to you!!
also defo don’t pay anything and find a new instructor!!

@Yupbabs that sounds like you've had an awful fright - are you ok?

Learning to drive can be hard. People talk about it so casually, but actually learning how to safely manoeuvre a ton of metal, around other tons of metal which can also move, is quite complicated.

You were doing your best to do things right. You hired an instructor and did what he said to do. When a supposed expert in something tells you to do something, it's not unreasonable to follow their instructions. Unfortunately, in this case, it sounds like he was in the wrong!

Hopefully the police can sort out anything that needs sorting. You've done your bit by telling them, so try not to worry.

Don't let this destroy your confidence. Have a break if you need to, then find a reputable instructor who can support and encourage you.

@ScattyHattie thank you for your understanding, yes that’s exactly how I felt. I was shocked, I was overwhelmed, I struggled with being able to see the sides of the car, I didn’t know how wide it was but clearly it was bigger than I thought!

Don't give up OP, driving an automatic is totally different. Sorry people are being so pedantic, you've done all you can do in terms of reporting, and it's not possible to go back in time to do things differently, so really try not to let it worry you.

@Yupbabs - It sounds like you've covered everything you need to do in relation to this accident now, so please stop worrying about it. It must have been quite a shock and it certainly can't have helped that your instructor was trying to push both the blame and the cost of the repair onto you! Please don't give it another thought, it's his problem, not yours!

@Yupbabs dont give up!!! Honestly the best thing to do is find a new instructor and have another lesson ASAP! After my 3rd test I gave up and ended up passing 20 years later!!! Partly nerves and partly because I just couldn’t afford it.

you must keep going 😊

People have been a bit shit to you. Huge well done for seeing this through and contacting the driving school and the police to let them know.
Driving is just hard for some people. Passing in an automatic is better than not passing and really not an issue these days anymore. Try a lesson in an automatic and you might find you dont have to have someone swerve the steering wheel for you. Which is concern after 50 hours of driving, but honestly, try and automatic and you’ll be able to concentrate on the distance so much better.

Didn’t RTFT because there is a lot but firstly I wanted to say, I have done more than 50 lessons over the span of like 5 years, had most likely over 5 instructors and I’m still waiting to pass my test which is next month. As the OP said this is a new instructor and I know from personal experience, you have to get use to each car your about to start driving all over again! My latest instructor has a SUV and I have never driven in a car that big, cant see the floor and special awareness is SO different! OP didn’t mention anything to do with what type of car this was but remember you have to get use to EVERY car you start to drive especially as a learner!

Now to the actual question .. I was told by my instructor before the one I have now (who wasn’t so great in the end and scammed me) that On the exam, the examiner grabs the wheel or takes over if they think you will clip the curb or whatever because any damages would be on the Examiner and they me liable to pay for it! I have had 3 exams, never hit anything so don’t know the truth in that but I do wonder if that’s why they are so “drastic” in the way they pull the steering wheel in exams.

I was told if I’m speeding and it’s picked up by a camera or similar, im held liable for that and points can be added onto the licence i don't even have yet! I was told all sorts of stuff but then again everyone has a point.. the instructor or anyone’s car you are using will have to have the right insurance to enable a learner to use their car which DOES cover accidents.. Not sure if an exam is different but even my last instructor in her big SUV didn’t say in my last exam she will charge me for any damages on this unfamiliar test route i last took! The roads were also narrow and I complain about special awareness but got through it with no issues luckily!

I was with RED driving school before this one and when I was scammed and went through all sorts of stuff with my instructors with them, when I called them up to complain they refused to help or take any responsibility and even said not being taught certain things until 10 minutes before the exam was “normal” which really is not!

i know for examiners they are governed by someone as I looked at complaining for my first test but gave up.. I wonder if an agency like DVLA are able to better advise you in this regard incase he is somehow right and tried to take things further because you refuse to pay up?

Hope you feel better about what happened now OP. I would have been worried and shaken up about it. It's not terrible if you want to leave driving for a bit, it'll be there when you are ready. I think I was similar and you know when you're not ready!! I learnt around the age of 30 after 2 or 3 attempts at different ages.

As for the judgy twats, they live for shit like this and if it's not you getting their internet outrage it will be written to someone else on another thread.

Fwiw, you seem very together, did what you could and went beyond what many others in the same position would do.

Please dont let this put you off. Accidents happen, not to the perfect drivers on this thread, but back in the real world, accidents happen, every single day, up and down UK roads, by people who are qualified drivers, some with years and years of experince. This was a very minor bump.

If a driving instructor told me to keep going, i would of, just like you did and so would quite alot of people. Well done for doing all you have done in reporting it. You prob feel like shit tonight made worse by the some of the comments on here but it was a minor bump made worse by the instructor, not by you. Best advice I could give you is to take abit of time then look for another instructor and be honest with them about how nervous you are. You will get there. Try not to let this get to you too much.

It took me 60+ lessons, 2 instructors, 3 tests and 2 years before I passed. I'm not good at learning physical things in general. Don't give up. This twatty instructor is not worth it. Find an understanding, patient instructor, with a small ish car so you have good awareness of where everything is. I've not driven much since (it's nearly 20 years since my final test) but it's been so useful for holidays.

No, he should be insured for this, if not he is breaking the law
Please don't pay him anything.

Remember also you had a long break and even as an experienced driver, having a long break from driving means it can feel a bit rusty when you drive again.

You’ve done everything you can and hopefully can put it behind you, find a recommendation for a good driving instructor who specialises in nervous learners or learners who have autism and can learn to drive.

Some people are giving you some crazy advice or maybe they’ve never had proper driving lessons in a dual control car or maybe they just like to make other people worry or feel bad. As a learner driver with an instructor, you don’t have to know any highway code or anything at all about driving. EVERYTHING is the instructor’s responsibility. As the learner, your only responsibility is to listen and act on your instruction which you did. Now the police have confirmed that is the case too, you can forget about it and put it behind you.

But don’t let a shit dodgy instructor crush your confidence. Put the responsibility where it lies with the instructor and move on. Thank goodness you only had the one lesson with him so can find a better instructor abd not waste money on a crap one. Everyone makes judgment mistakes at times. People who have been driving for years knock their wing mirrors. Hope all goes well for you.

His responsibility, not yours.

He should be insure experienced driver ed - and should also be able to take control of the vehicle.

This was a wing mirror - what if a child had run out in front of you? As the experienced driver and instructor he should be alert enough to avoid to at worst minimise the damage.

This is not on you.

Don't give up in despair! Consider this: I have been driving for almost as many years as you have had lessons, and last year I still managed to bash against something sticking out of a hedge in a narrow lane and break my car's left-side mirror clear off. Something like that happens to us all eventually; anyone who says it has never happened to them may well have forgotten about it.

If it was a new and unfamiliar car whose width you were unsure about, it's bound to take a little while of driving it before you know exactly where its edges are.

Don't have any more to do with that instructor, take a couple of weeks to get over what was clearly a nasty incident, and then try to find an instructor who specialises in new drivers who have had a bad experience and are nervous as a result. You'll manage.

Oh, and ignore all the people calling you names and telling you how bad you are; crothounds, the lot of them.

@Yupbabs I saw your post that you are autistic, and I'm stunned that your previous instructor didn't suggest learning in an automatic

It may be that driving isn't for you right now but, before giving up totally, find an automatic teacher preferably with experience of teaching ND people. Explain what you need eg pictures, written plan for the lesson, single instructions ... whatever helps you to manage. Try a couple of lessons and see if you can process the other techniques you need without the worry of clutch/gears.

Bless you.
You must have been so shocked.
I remember my DC having driving lessons and trying to answer their questions on how on earth they were going to manage steering, gear changing and working the pedals all at the same time, pretty daunting for them at the time.

I really can't see why you should be held responsible in paying for the damage to the instructors car, the very nature of their job means there's a chance the occasional bump may happen and they should be insured according.

I'm surprised that the instructor didn't get you to stop and they check the other vehicle for damage, that in itself sounds very odd and unprofessional to me.

IMO by phoning 101 and reporting you have done the right thing and can do no more.

Hopefully you won't hear from the instructor again but will one day by Word of mouth/recommendation find one that will put you at ease so that you can start afresh and go on to pass your test.

Don't worry. This instructor is 100% in the wrong. Don't pay and if he bothers you tell him you've reported him to the police.
Please don't give up driving. It's an essential life skill. My sister passed on her 21st attempt. I passed on my third.

You won't have insurance and there's no way you should pay this. He must have insurance. He sounds unhinged.

OP

My DD has a driving instructor who specialises in people who are anxious drivers .

She is also learning to drive in an automatic because its much easier as she has a neurological condition.

These 2 things have made it enjoyable for her .

for you and ignore all the arseholes on this thread.

Thats a great update. I'm glad 101were helpful.

I'm also glad you told the posters making snide comments to fuck off 😅

Don't write off driving though. It's such a useful skill. Some people take longer to learn but it doesn't mean they will be bad drivers.

www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/complaining-about-a-driving-instructor-avdXQ6n5Ffu7#harassment-misconduct-or-inappropriate-behaviour

This. And you’re taking wing mirrors off?

@mintbiscuit you clearly haven’t read my comments. Take your sh¡tty comments elsewhere instead of trying to make me feel bad. There’s experienced drivers who have drove for years who do what I did.

I agree with PPs that learning to drive in an automatic would be much more of a success for you than a manual.

I have a full manual licence but I had an automatic car a few years ago and it was actually great, even though I’m a bit of a petrolhead and enjoy driving anyway.

With an automatic you don’t need to think about gear changes or clutch control. It is the easiest experience ever. Pop it into gear and go. No stressing about being in the wrong gear, stalling, rolling down a hill on a hill start, etc.

Also, for when you hopefully do pass your test, plenty of cars come with sensors and cameras these days. My current car has sensors all round and a camera for parking and again, it’s fantastic. I actively take the car into the city over my partners as it’s so much easier to park in tight spots as I have the peace of mind of knowing if I’m getting too close (even though I can parallel park well as it is).

There’s things you can do that will make things you struggle with easier. I doubt an instructors car will have sensors on it but it’s worth keeping in mind for afterwards.

The only thing perhaps worth keeping in mind that automatic cars tend to be a bit more expensive than a manual but nearly every single manufacturer are moving towards automatics these days, so they aren’t in short supply like they were 10 years ago.