Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that most driving instructors take the mick?

116 replies

StuckForWords · 13/11/2011 19:51

I've been attempting to learn to drive for 15 years. It's actually seriously damaged my career not being able to.

I've done numerous "courses" over the years advertised by various driving schools/instructors and every single one has said at the end of it, more lessons are needed. These courses always seem to include loan of a car for the test and a pre-test lesson, none of which ever materialises. Shouldn't they refund that at the end if you're not going to get it?

OP posts:
TunaTiebacks · 13/11/2011 19:59

YABU. I have a relative who is an instructor and through him, several friends that also are and they are all professional and do a difficult job involving constant concentration and personal skills. They also have to get assessed every 3 years to ensure standards are upheld.

If you keep on failing, with lots of different instructors, has it occurred to you that maybe it's you?

Merlotmonster · 13/11/2011 20:04

yABU..if they say more lessons are needed, they are probably right..have you ever taken a test.....?
I think that if you still havent learnt in 15 years, the chances are that you are just not a natural driver... Are there similar themes as to what the driving instructors say or various different reasons?

Original poster
StuckForWords · 13/11/2011 20:09

I don't mind the "extra lessons are needed" part, but I would like to be refunded for the part of the service that they don't provide.

Is that so unreasonable?

OP posts:
FatimaLovesBread · 13/11/2011 20:12

Why can't you just do normal lessons and then take a test instead of a "course"?
Everyone knows these "10 lessons for £100" etc are a con.

How many lessons have you had over the last 15 years?! Confused

slavetofilofax · 13/11/2011 20:13

But have you taken the tests? If you have, then they have provided the service. If you haven't taken the test because you are still no good at driving, then it's your problem that you can't use that part of their service. They would be willing to provide it if you wanted it surely?

SnowChains · 13/11/2011 20:15

have you done the test yet?

squeakytoy · 13/11/2011 20:16

I've done numerous "courses" over the years advertised by various driving schools/instructors and every single one has said at the end of it, more lessons are needed.

I am sorry to say, that if after 15 years of trying, you still are not ready to take your test, then driving is not for you.

Have you taken them up on the "extra lessons" then? If so, what have they said at the end of those?

TunaTiebacks · 13/11/2011 20:18

Well you pay the usual lesson price for the hour of your test, as obviously the instructor can't teach anyone else while you've got the car. And say the lesson before is an hour (it might be more) that's 2 hours you're down. So do you not ask for these hours tuition, or have you had them as part of the course when it became apparent you weren't ready for the test? Rather than getting a refund, you really need to find an instructor you are happy with and stick with the lessons if you are serious about passing. Stopping and starting (I presume you haven't been learning for 15 years continuously!) will make it more expensive in the end as you forget what you've already learned. If you are anywhere near me I know a good instructor Wink

Whatdoyouthinkthen · 13/11/2011 20:18

I had 2 hour lessons- these always included a 10 min stop off at his wife's work place. I sat in the car and waited. I was 19 and didn't dare challenge him.

Ripeberry · 13/11/2011 20:21

You could have bought a car and paid someone to drive you around. Or better still use taxis.
Why don't you just do an intensive course, where you drive every day for a whole week or two and then take the test.
If you can't take the test on an intensive course then you should never drive.
It's not for everyone.

Original poster
StuckForWords · 13/11/2011 20:22

I've never sat a car driving test (I've ridden motorbikes for over a decade though). Instructors always insist you're not ready I find, at the point the money I've saved for the lessons has usually ran out!

OP posts:
LaurieFairyCake · 13/11/2011 20:23

You need to actually flex your driving muscle consistently. Stopping and starting again and again is not going to work.

It's approx 2 lessons per year of age. Do it twice a week. Sit test, if fail Immediately put in for it again. Keep lessons up in between fails.

Most people can learn honestly.

rocksandhardplaces · 13/11/2011 20:25

Some do. My first instructor spent far too much time chatting about her kids, her husband etc. The day before my first test, she was wittering on about her mother-in-law as I was trying to practice manoeuvres despite me asking her to shut up. As she was a neighbour, I wasn't as forthright as I could have been.. needless to say I failed, and switched to a new instructor.

The second one made me go pick up a load of wine from a warehouse to "practice driving with a load". This was just before Christmas, and he spent 30 mins of our allotted time chatting to some mate of his who'd arranged this consignment for him.

Next two were much more decent but I had picked up SO many bad habits that needed to be unlearned. Still haven't passed as eventually, having spent 4K I ran out of cash. It is a pain.

Original poster
StuckForWords · 13/11/2011 20:29

It does make you wonder how on earth these people survive, I mean it's not like they're going to get many personal recommedations.

OP posts:
squeakytoy · 13/11/2011 20:32

Well there are thousands of people who DO pass their test every year, so instructors are not short of people becoming 17 and wanting to learn.. sorry but you must be doing something really wrong to have not even got so far as to take a test after all this time Confused

MangoMonster · 13/11/2011 20:36

Think you need to find a good instructor. If you're in Dorset, I know one.

rocksandhardplaces · 13/11/2011 20:41

The problem is you don't realise. I spent nearly nine months with the first one. I thought we were progressing well and naively thought she wouldn't be talking so much unless I was pretty good at driving! Blush. I spent an absoute fortune with her. People do pass with her though, but some people are faster learners/can cope with the chat I guess and/or have better opportunities for private practice I suppose.

manticlimactic · 13/11/2011 20:41

You need to have lesson by the hour not the crash courses.

If driving instructors are getting pupils to stop at shops and doing errands then they need to be told that the extra would be added on at the end of the lesson.

But then my instructor (who was recommended by a work collegue) said I was his bossiest pupil. Grin

TrinityRhino · 13/11/2011 20:43

you haven't found a good instructor and you must be doing something very wrong

squeakytoy · 13/11/2011 20:45

Unless you intend to drive around with no radio, no passengers, no children in the car, then you HAVE to be able to drive with distractions in the car, and learn to ignore them. That is part of the teaching.

Original poster
StuckForWords · 13/11/2011 20:46

Seriously considering saying fuck em, booking test, borrowing car and getting on with it.

OP posts:
HauntedLittleLunatic · 13/11/2011 20:47

2-4 hours per week is optimal, more and it is too intensive and often counter productive.

You should also budget for 45hrs (that is the national average according to the Dds although xp has very few pupils that need this much tuition) and get as much practice as you can between.

TattyDevine · 13/11/2011 20:49

My instructor said I wasn't ready, I insisted that I wanted to sit the test even if I failed (and if I did I would have said to him that it was time to find another instructor because I'd had a fair few lessons). There was something lacking in his tuition, it was my husband in the end who taught me to reverse park - amazing, kind, patient, and good at explaining things man that he is!

I did a 2 hour lesson with a different instructor about a week before I took my test and he pulled me up on a few minor things like hugging a roundabout a bit more etc but basically said I should be fine if I practice my parking things a bit (which I did and that's where my DH came in)

So I took the test and passed first time. My instructor didn't even say congratulations, he just sort of shrugged and said "well that was very lucky" etc Hmm

I was 25 so a bit older than the average 17 or whatever when I did it. I actually sped a little during the test (not hugely but I went a few miles over for a short time) and dropped a few points but passed. I don't know to what extent the examinor exercised some discretion and thought basically I was ready to just go for it alone.

I'm not sure if he was taking the piss or just a bit crap really (my instructor) but sometimes I think he was trying to string me out a bit. Regular, reliable, never cancelled, could afford it, 2 incomes no kids, I figure he wanted to keep that going but I might be wrong. There was a time where I was driving around thinking I just wasn't learning anything! Also he was a bit creepy, and was always commenting how long my legs were Confused and then would say "oh I'm not allowed to say things like that"...well don't then! Hmm

TattyDevine · 13/11/2011 20:50

Anyway that was 10 years ago and I've never had an accident which is as much about not being in the wrong place at the wrong time than anything to be fair. Did a couple of scrapey scrapeys on concrete posts and the like when I first started driving but was just crappy old Nissan Almera so no sweat! Grin

JamieComeHome · 13/11/2011 20:59

Have you tried learning on a Automatic car? My dad failed his test 4 times (he was in his late 40s when he learned), but the "turned a corner" when he switched to an automatic car.