Let down by driving instructor on test day

[Oakleypaul]

DS has his driving test this morning. His instructor has phoned 10 mins before he’s due to pick him up for his pre test lesson to say his car has a flat tyre so DS is to meet him at the test centre in his own car for the test.

Im furious but keeping calm for DS. Thankfully DH is off work today so he’s quickly going over the under the bonnet stuff with him.

This instructor has also been an hour late on 3 occasions for lessons.

Poor DS.

I'm glad your son has passed in his own vehicle! He was going to be driving that one anyway so what's the problem? YABU things can happen any time with cars and tyres - he could have had a blow out on the test.

Grow up.

If you were able to 'keep abreast of it all' you would see my original comment pointed out that taking a test in your own car should be an advantagous, which was followed by my congratulating the OP DS for passing.

However, OP decided to get triggered by my mentioning that in general parents should idealy be helping our DC with their driving, and OP decided to reply sarcastically ('meanwhile in the real world').

Your 'please ignore this poster' attempt to buddy up with OP rather than give someone the benefit of the doubt is pathetic.

About three weeks ago I had two punctures in two days. I couldn’t believe it! But it’s just one of those things.

When my oldest was doing her test, the lad next to her had his cancelled because the instructor’s car had a flat tyre. I felt so sorry for him, especially as this was a couple of years ago when tests were even more difficult to get.

😆you're lovely! ❤

Well OP's DS is in that privleged position because he has his own car, as stated in OP.

I would argue those who don't need help from their parents are in more of a privleged position. Driving lessons are very expensive these days and instructors insist on a certain amount of lessons before allowing their students to take a test.

Certainly when my DC are of driving age I will be doing everything in my power to save on costly lessons by aiding their driving in my spare time.

As are you. Rather than directly addressing your issue with my comments you are attempting a 'bonding over a shared enemy' approach. A very toxic social tactic and quite boresome. But you do you.

Don’t need help? How about can’t help. Not every learner driver is 17 and living at home with parents ready and willing to help (never mind risk their lives teaching someone with no dual controls in their car). And how do you think it’s more privileged to have to find the money for professional lessons on top of rent because you don’t have access to parents teaching you? My parents didn’t have a car when I was growing up.

Your poor son. But at that notice I think it is probably just really bad luck. With more warning the instructor might have been able to drum up a replacement instructor but DS's own car was probably a better bet anyway at that point.

When I was at the test centre with DD one of the other candidates was not allowed to start their test because one of the tyres was illegal. On a driving instructors's car too. Awful.

How can it take 3 months to get a different instructor? Can you not just look further afield until you find someone with more availability? Slots come up unpredictability depending on who passes so it seems odd to have a blanket 3 month rule.

There are waiting lists for instructors where we are.

I don't know why it would take so long to put a new tyre on. Usually there's an hour lesskn before the rest so I don't see why he couldn't gave used half of that to get one fitted

Congratulations to your son for passing OP!
Just to side with a driving instructor for a moment...
They spend the day driving unsurprisingly so are somewhat restricted by the traffic which means they can't stick to a timetable perfectly which may explain your late instructor.
Also the DI I know gets extremely stressed pre tests. It's a nightmare if something happens to the car in advance of a test. He would move heaven and earth to get a car or borrow another instructors car if his was out of action and will also get out of his sick bed to take someone. I've even driven someone to a test once because he couldnt.
I do accept that there are shit ones out there like there are in any job though!

Its not that easy nowadays, last time I had a flat tyre, one had to be ordered in and I limped the car around on a dodgy tyre with a temporary sealant on it. Even space saver wheels aren't given out routinely in new cars.

So pleased for your son. My son who has ADHD and ASD gets very stressed before the test . Twice it has been cancelled. Once on the day and once 2 days before . It’s affecting his job prospects as well and he now has to wait another 3 months . Some posters don’t realise how messed up the system is