Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Young drivers experience

18 replies

UnhealthyCopingStrategies · 13/05/2024 14:12

Has anyone done one of these experience days and are able to recommend a company or specific track? Or even one to avoid?

Based around London, but can travel.

Thanks 💐

OP posts:
Outandabout43 · 15/05/2024 09:21

Bumping for you as I'm looking for the same thing

Original poster
UnhealthyCopingStrategies · 15/05/2024 12:30

Thanks, no idea whether to risk one of the ones like Virgin experience or not

OP posts:
Original poster
UnhealthyCopingStrategies · 15/05/2024 17:06

Thanks @youngestisapsycho

OP posts:
Outandabout43 · 15/05/2024 19:15

They have loads on wowcher but not sure which one to pick

PineappleBanana · 15/05/2024 19:19

My daughter has done a few with PSR, including the driving skills ones in a mini (they do 60 min and 30 min sessions) and she drove 3 sports cars on a track last year (aged 12).

I tend to buy a few in the Black Friday sale and then book them every few months the following year.

Tinytigertail · 15/05/2024 19:25

My kids have done them at the airfield in Hemel Hempstead, really good experience for them both. DD1s driving instructor said that, in his experience, young people who have done this are more confident learners.

PineappleBanana · 15/05/2024 19:28

I intend for my DD to be pretty much driving before she turns 17.

Abitorangelooking · 15/05/2024 19:33

Miles away but we did an off road one in Scotland in a Defender. It had dual control and they tackled lots of obstacles, going over rocks, through a mud run, ramps, drove through a pond. Dc loved it far more than the track day. It was with landrover experience they have multiple centres.

mysparkleismissing · 15/05/2024 20:40

Tinytigertail · 15/05/2024 19:25

My kids have done them at the airfield in Hemel Hempstead, really good experience for them both. DD1s driving instructor said that, in his experience, young people who have done this are more confident learners.

We've used this one too I'd definitely go back

S00tyandSweep · 15/05/2024 20:49

Mercedes world is decent, but they tend to take the kids out in automatics.

If you actually want them to learn how to drive a manual, the Young Drivers ones are good; but some tracks (& instructors) are much better than others.

Kempton Park is good, decent size and layout, so they can travel at speed and manoeuvre.

High Wycombe and Uxbridge are terrible. Far too small with kids crammed on, so they spend most the time at a standstill, waiting for someone else to move.

Book an hour at a time if you're serious about them learning to drive, as the half hour goes very quickly, and keep an eye out for offers, if you book without one it's about £100 per hour (compared to £40 per hour when they're 17 and on the road).

Alib79 · 15/05/2024 21:26

We recently went to Kempton Park Race course with Young Drivers. It was very good and my son would definitely go back. This was his first time and the instructor was excellent.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 15/05/2024 22:54

DS has done one with Young Driver on an airfield. He did 60 mins and had a great time. I'm going to try and get him a few more sessions before he's 17. He was in a Corsa.

We could have gone closer to home, in a car park, but friends told us that the airfield experience is better as there is more space, and he was able to go faster and further than his friend who went to a car park and barely changed gear.

theeyeofdoe · 15/05/2024 23:05

Generally we’ve had a really positive experience with them and the kids have had fun. It helped their skills and DS passes his test more quickly due to the course.

we had a booking glitch a few years ago and the booking details didn’t match theirs. We turned up and we’d apparently missed the slot - even though I pointed out that we had a written confirmation for a later time they wouldn’t back down and we had to threaten to charge back.
eventually they did apologise and give us a refund and free lesson though and they have been great each time.

Redglitter · 15/05/2024 23:12

My nieces both did several Young Drivers lessons. When it came to starting actual lessons when they turned 17 both their instructors commented on their confidence and skills being well above new learners

It was a fun experience but they learned a lot & benefited from them

PineappleBanana · 15/05/2024 23:24

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 15/05/2024 22:54

DS has done one with Young Driver on an airfield. He did 60 mins and had a great time. I'm going to try and get him a few more sessions before he's 17. He was in a Corsa.

We could have gone closer to home, in a car park, but friends told us that the airfield experience is better as there is more space, and he was able to go faster and further than his friend who went to a car park and barely changed gear.

DD, then 11, got up to 40 and 4th gear on a disused airfield in a mini on her first go. (She has a lead foot like her mother. 🤭)

Downsidesupside · 16/05/2024 00:36

https://under17driver.co.uk/

All of mine did this. All have been driving from a young age and have 10 years with a licence between them and no accidents so far.

I can highly recommend it.

Under 17 Drivers Pathfinder

Students of the Pathfinder Initiative have been statistically proven to be much less likely to be involved in an accident, and are more advanced drivers.

https://under17driver.co.uk

Original poster
UnhealthyCopingStrategies · 16/05/2024 12:23

Thank you very much for the personal recommendations, I will be researching over the weekend.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page