to think that most driving instructors take the mick?

[StuckForWords]

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?

"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."

Load of bollocks, squeaky. You do not need to have someone giving you a non-stop running commentary on their marital issues while learning to drive. The idea is that you are learning. It was really obvious to me when I had another instructor .. we chatted too, but he would break off when we were practising something new, doing manoeuvres or there was a potentially tricky situation on the road. It is not a social occasion for the instructor and anything more than social chit chat that you can dip in and out of is really piss poor teaching. It's fine to chat when you are doing something you've mastered and/or doesn't require much concentration, but this is not appropriate in a learning context. It's not appropriate to be banging on about your problems when you are charging someone by the hour, anyway!

Also, first test with her: 15 faults, 5 majors. Next test, six weeks later with a different instructor: 3 faults, 2 minor and 1 major. Next test 1 major, no minors. 1 major is 1 major too many but it clearly shows her instruction was a pile of pants.

What does "learning normally" mean?

I thought I was!

Usually around 1 or two years between courses. I've never been able to "practice" without an instructor.

How does anybody manage to learn? I don't get it!

I thought you were going to talk about how flaky and down right annoying instructors are.

I had one that used to use my bog after EVERY lesson...so I stopped lessons with her. Then I had one who STUNK of cigarettes. he took £600 off me, and let me go off and take the test, which I incidently failed. I wish he'd told me to take more lessons rather than go off and fail. I've never failed any of my exams.

my final instructor told me exactly how many more hours I needed, and I took them. I passed with TWO minor errors and I was the only person that morning out of SIX who passed!

What do you mean by courses?

Find an instructor. Tell them you want to pass by x. Get lessons to work to that date, start learning, book tests, (hopefully) pass.

I'm not trying to be mean but what is there not to get? Most people find an instructor have lessons every week or twice a week for X amount of time, take their test and either pass or fail.

So, you just go off and take your test regardless of what your instructor says? How is that possible without the use of their car for the test?

SugarPustyBear - I'm not saying we don't learn at different rates. I'm saying the way people pass is through regular practice.

So, if you cannot get a loan of a car, you have to get your instructor on board? That's why I've never been able to sit my test.

They simply say "you need extra lessons" when they know I cannot pay for more lessons and the test fee. It all seems such a con.

You choose an instructor, have lessons, take your theory test, and when the instructor says you are ready, you book a test! If you fail, you book another one, until you pass. You can't keep doing batches of 10 with years in between them, you are wasting your money. You keep going until you pass, you don't stop learning because you aren't ready after 10 lessons. I can't believe you've never discussed this with anyone in the last 15 years!? Because I'd expect anyone to say that to you TBH.

It's not a con you probably aren't ready to pass after so few lessons. You need to be able to commit to paying until you pass, or not bother.

Maybe you do need extra lessons. It costs a bomb to take the test. Why waste the money?

I can see where you're coming from Eric, but the very fact that they took me on knowing the situation is very suspect ethically.

stuck learning to drive is expensive, and if you want to pass your test, you will have to have someone who knows what they are on about (an instructor) to teach you.

You need to get weekly lessons, not a crash course, and a driving instructor who gives written feedback as to how you're progressing so you can see how close you are to mastering the skills (it is quite common, all BSM instructors have to do this). Detailed debrief at the end of each lesson too.

Get a personal recommendation or at least scour the internet for reviews. Ask what their first time pass rate is. There are some shockers out there because people don't bother to enquire and instructors in driving schools like BSM or AA are just allocated learners no matter how good or bad they are.

'intensive' courses are dodgy to start with IMO, I think they set people up to fail. My SIL did one and her confidence was fucked when she failed, and she refused to drive again for years. Give up on the time limited course idea and try to make some budget cuts so you can have a weekly lesson for as long as it takes.

You should budget for 45 hours that is the average quoted by the dsa. After 10 hours with no practice you will be nowhere near - I am genuinely surprised that you find anyone offering a 10gr crash course including car hire for test because 10hr just simply isn't enough.

Many will offer block bookings of 10hrs. And many will offer car hire for test but they are completely ublinked.

The vast majority of instructors also have small print about not hiring you the car if you are not up to it.

Many grade 6 instructors do advertise so you can find them by Google - but if you ask they should tell you. As has already been said they are graded 1-6 but Iirc grade 1 and 2 aren't actually allowed to teach (without further training) so in reality they are grade 3-6.

Yes you pay a test fee on the day you take your test it includes: 1 hour lesson just before the test, test fee, hire of car for the test, it is really dear, but thats the way its always been.

It's a big mistake to start lessons then stop because you will forget a lot of what you learnt. Just keep going until you;'re ready for the test, take the test, and if you fail just keep taking lessons and tests and get practice in between. If you can't afford that, don't start in the first place.

10 lessons is not enough for most people (although some people are amazingly quick learners - alas not me!) . I speak as someone who had lessons on and off for years, finally kept going with it and still took 5 tests to pass fro stupic panicky mistakes. I lost count of the lessons and how much I spent on it. Also had lots of practice. I don't blame any of the instructors - it just took me a long time to learn. I am a good driver now!