Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

to think I should be given a couple of lessons free?

106 replies

whyohwhywhy · 30/12/2010 11:10

Started learning to drive in September. Took a long long time, we're talking a lesson every day, but had finally started mastering how to change gears, parallel parking, reversing round a corner etc and felt quietly confident. Booked test for early Jan. And then my driving instructor changed her car beginning of December.

I now feel like I'm back at square one. The car feels completely different, all the gears are in different places, the engine is so quiet I can barely hear it. Oh and it has something called stop start technology which means the car turns itself off if you're sat in traffic or stationery for any amount of time. I keep forgetting its turned itself off and then stall it.

I've had about 5 lessons in new car and still can't get the hang of it, I feel that my lessons are now all about getting used to a new car rather than preparing for my test. Feel quite annoyed to be honest, if she had to get a new car why couldnt she have got a newer version of her old car? Deliberately chose this instructor because her car is the same as DH's which I was eventually hoping to be able to drive...

AIBU in thinking that she should give all of her students some free lessons so we can get used to her new car?

OP posts:

GrimmaTheNome · 30/12/2010 13:21

The stop/start thing may unnerve you but I'm not sure it would cause you to fail your test since you'd be in a safe stopped position when it turned off, and you don't automatically get failed for a stall so long as you deal with it promptly. (I think)

If you want to hear your engine better you might find opening your window a tadge helps.

ChippingIn · 30/12/2010 13:21

Juney - I really don't think the major difference can have been the petrol/diesel - it's a barely perceptible difference.

Whyohwhywhy - I do think she should have given her more nervous/unsure drivers one free lesson, I would have. However, if you have now had 5 lessons in that car and are still uncomfortable in it, then I really don't think you are ready to take the test. As someone else said, rebook it for the summer.

There is an arguement to say if you can't easily switch between cars you shouldn't be driving at all - but there are plenty of people out there with licences who completely freak out at the thought of driving a different car.

I guess we all have different strengths and weaknesses, but as long as you work within your own then it's no problem to anyone else is it.... so if you only drive cars you are confident in, then you aren't putting anyone else in danger, only inconveniencing yourself.

[Before anyone starts on me, I am a confident driver, been driving for years and will drive anything my licence permits, on either side of the road.]

MrsDingDongMerrily · 30/12/2010 13:22

I've got a Toyota with this stop start thing, it took quite a bit of getting used to and I've been driving 20+ years. It has an override thing, why don't you ask the instructor if he can deactivate his till you get used to the car?

HappyHECmanay · 30/12/2010 13:23

I think that if it is taking you so long to get the hang of a new car, it's probably more to do with your ability than the car.

I am not being bitchy, honest but if you have had daily lessons for god knows how long and it's taking you months and months to master the basics, then you should be looking at yourself, not looking for external reasons / excuses.

It took me bloody ages to learn! That's cos I really wasn't very good

But once you know how to drive - you can drive. Familiarising yourself with a new vehicle should not be such a big deal.

I think you just need to carry on.

Perhaps manual is a problem? I lack the co-ordination to manage a manual and I just went for automatic. If changing gears is causing you so much trouble after all this time, perhaps you should give it up as a bad job and switch to automatic?

BetsyBoop · 30/12/2010 13:27

I feel your pain as my driving instructor changed his car two days before my test, so I only had one lesson in the new car. Indicators & windscreen wipers were on opposite sides. I kept putting windscreen wipers on instead of indicators & then it started to rain & I put the indicators on... I ended up in a right flap and of course failed my test... (passed next time round a few weeks later in the same car :) )

However YABU to expect free lessons, the driving instructor "has" to change the car at some point.

ILoveFrogs · 30/12/2010 13:33

YABU

My instructor changed his car 2 days before my test, I had 3 lessons in it before I took my test and I passed first time. A car is a car, they don't differ too drastically if you can drive one you can drive any, it takes all of 10 mins to get used to driving a new one.

RubberDuck · 30/12/2010 13:51

My dh has a diesel and I have a petrol - I can totally see that there are differences which take some getting used to and it's subtle things you have to adjust to.

Like the thing of turning the ignition one jump and waiting until all the lights have gone back out before you start. It's also much harder to stall a diesel - don't even need to depress the accelerator to start the engine, whereas my old petrol Micra needs quite a bit of welly before it 'catches' It does feel very odd switching between the two, and when I'd driven the diesel a lot I did find that I was stalling the petrol more frequently at traffic lights/roundabouts because I'd adjusted to not needing to depress the accelerator quite so much. Dh does the same when he drives mine for the first time in ages.

porcamiseria · 30/12/2010 14:13

yabu sorry

you need to drive different cars in life, hore cars etc. sorry, i feel your pain!

DontLetTinselDragOnTheFloor · 30/12/2010 14:34

YABU to expect free lessons.

i've driven petrol cars for over 20 years. I got my first diesel in October and I can categorically state that there is no difference whatsoever due to the fuel it takes (other thn filling up with the black hose rather than the green one!). Any differences are because they are different cars with different bite points on the clutch etc.

"However, my DH learned in a diesel last year and the instructor taught him to do stuff using just the clutch and not touching the accelerator at all. He definitely can't do this in my petrol car!"

Sorry but I learnt to do that in a petrol car :o

NinkyNonker · 30/12/2010 15:04

Yabu and very silly. Surely it doesn't take that long to get used to a new car? And if it does you're not ready to go solo,sorry. I learnt 12 yrs ago in a few cars,and have driven all varieties since. Tis life.

RockinRobinBird · 30/12/2010 15:21

Agree with tinsel. It's a difference in cars, not a difference in fuel.

juneybean · 30/12/2010 15:26

Thank you Rubberduck glad I'm not mad!

DontLetTinselDragOnTheFloor · 30/12/2010 15:30

Sorry, Juney, but all the differences Rubberduck mentions are because they are different cars, not the fuel.

Except the bit about lights going out because I have no idea what that means. My diesel has nothing like that.

almostmadeitto2011 · 30/12/2010 15:33

The only issue you are allowed to have with switching from petrol to diesel - is when it won't start at the petrol pump after filling up - that's when you realise you should have noticed the difference between green and black

Hasten to add - this was my dh not me - why he chose petrol god knows, for the last 3 years both our cars have been diesel!!!

almostmadeitto2011 · 30/12/2010 15:34

OP if you are this unsure of being behind a wheel of a car - regardless of make/model. I think it's someone's way of telling you, there is no way you should have a licence at the moment.

Original poster

whyohwhywhy · 30/12/2010 15:37

I hear what people are saying re should be able to get into any car and drive it BUT this comes with time and practice. Everyone I talk to tells me that you only really truly become a confident and proficient driver once you pass your test and actually start doing a lot of driving in a non test environment.

I have all the time to learn to drive different cars once I pass my test. I don't have all the time in the world to get accustomed to my driving instructors new car at £25 a lesson.

The instructor spent no time talking me through new aspects of the car ie new position of indicators, wipers, gears etc so I had to learn pretty much from scratch.

At work we had a new IT system put in and we were not thrown in at the deep end ie here you go get on with it. We had a weeks worth of training to make sure we knew what we were doing.

As to the argument some have said about the instructor being self employed and not being able to afford to give out a free lesson, well she takes great pleasure in telling me she does not declare her income (all cash in hand) and receives a full range of benefits. I can't say I feel too sorry for her when her pupils are paying £25 for a lesson which she pockets excluding fuel etc

OP posts:

tyler80 · 30/12/2010 15:40

Swapping from a petrol to a diesel not a problem. Swapping from a diesel to a petrol can be much harder if you've only ever driven a diesel. It is far far harder to stall a diesel than a petrol (I know driving instructors who teach in diesels for this reason)

The company I learnt to drive with changed my driving instructor (and therefore car) the week before my test. The new one was rubbish and started to try and tell me to do all sorts of stupid things. I chose to ignore him and passed anyway.

I'm a bit surprised at all those who say that to pass your test you should be able to easily switch between cars. I think you do a great deal of learning after you pass your test and the switching between cars is something I'd not necessarily expect people to be 100% comfortable with before passing their test.

I don't think it's actually the size of car that matters so much. I learnt to drive in a Corsa and had no problems driving my Dad's Cavalier because they were both Vauxhalls and had the same basic setup. Driving my mum's micra was a different matter, kept reaching for the gearstick to find it wasn't where I expected and instead of evenly spaced pedals there was a great big gap between the clutch and the brake. Now I can merrily switch between cars no problems, but I found it difficult at first and could see why you'd feel it had halted your progress somewhat.

Lulumaam · 30/12/2010 15:43

after a lesson every day for 3 months, i would be doubting your instructors' ability to teach you that well if you are still so unready and lacking in confidence, that a new car throws you completely.

perhaps you should consider a new instructor ,full stop, rather than free lessons ?

you are nowhere near ready for your test if you are unable to drive the car after 5 lessons despite having had daily lessons for months

RubberDuck · 30/12/2010 15:45

Don'tLetTinsel: I've driven two different diesels and one petrol on a regular basis, both diesels were the same.

You wait for the light to go out as it pre-warms something (I forget what) when starting from cold.

Just asked dh and he says it's the glowplug indicator light.

A quick search on google confirms that diesel cars don't stall as easily (something to do with torque).

Maybe the newer diesels don't have that, we have older cars :)

almostmadeitto2011 · 30/12/2010 15:46

But you have had time and practice you've had 5 hours in the new car.

Which is exactly 50% of the total number of hours I undertook before I passed my test.

I did 2 hours a day Mon-Fri and passed my test Friday afternoon.

Original poster

whyohwhywhy · 30/12/2010 15:48

Lulu, you haven't seen me drive so you cannot comment on whether I'm ready for my test or not.

My instructor is confident that I have a good shot at the test, and despite me talking of postponing wants me to go ahead.
She thinks its more of a confidence issue with me rather than a driving issue ie I'm thrown by the new car, looking for excuses etc when my driving is actually OK. She may have a point. I'll have to come back and update you on whether I pass or not

OP posts:

LookToWindward · 30/12/2010 15:51

YABU.

You are learning to drive, not learning to drive a particular car.

If you are not able to pass drive a different car after five hours of practice then to be blunt you shouldn't have a license.

What are you going to do when (if) you pass your test and have to drive your own (presumably) different car?

almostmadeitto2011 · 30/12/2010 15:52

Good luck - and relax

expatinscotland · 30/12/2010 16:01

Then report your instructor for benefit fraud and change instructors.

I agree with LovePink.

Unreasonable to expect lessons for free just because they're expensive.

Lulumaam · 30/12/2010 16:05

no, of course I've not seen you drive, but it does not mean that I cannot proffer my opinion

which is that after 3 months of daily lessons, you are unable to drive a diffrent car to the one you've been learning in after 5 more lessons... tehrefore IMO, you are not ready to take your test.

i don't see why that is such an unreasonable thing to think ..

I learnt to drive in 3 different cars... my instructors, my DHs and mine.

it took a few minutes each time to orientate myself as to where each switch etc was, but that's all

your isntructor should be teaching you to drive not drive their car

i think , as i said earlier, you might want to consdier a new teacher as this one does not seem to be getting you very far

Flip

1 2 3 4 5