60 hours to learn to drive?

[mamaandthegirls]

I'm on my second driving instructor right now as I didn't get on with my first one and she seemed very money grabbing!
With my second driving instructor I have only had 5 lessons with him, today he told me that I will most likely be in it for the long haul and that I'm not a "natural driver" I asked him how long he thinks it'll take me to learn and he said about 60 hours of 1 hour lessons every week, which obviously works out a year or so.
I was absolutely gutted! I am 32 weeks pregnant at the moment, which he is aware of and knows I won't be straight in the drivers seat after birthing out a human! But I know the birth recovery etc may hold me back even longer!

I have had a few weeks with him where I have felt very confident and he has complimented me on my driving, but today he seemed stressed with me and told me that I'm not a natural driver and that it'll take me a while to learn. I am learning in an automatic due to co-ordination difficulties, so couldn't grasp a manual when I tried.
I'm wondering does this sound about right? Or have I found another money grabbing instructor?
I must admit, I do struggle with steering and with several things going on at once, so I'm not exactly Lewis Hamilton! I'm just feeling really down and put off by the comments today, it's making me wonder if driving just isn't for me I have always wanted to drive since have my first child, and now having a second it does make me want to try even more, but the fact that the length of time is so long, I am really unsure and feel like 'what's the point?'

I wouldn't be offended by his estimation. He may be right, or he may be wrong. Time will tell as a lot can change over that 60 hrs. It might just suddenly come together for you. Or not.

However, perhaps look at it as a positive - more hours experience under your belt and being fully prepared will hopefully make you a safer driver in the long term.

I remember back in my day several of my friends, mainly male it had to be said, passing first time after six or eight lessons, but being an absolute nightmare on the road and in many cases having accidents and lots of near misses as new solo drivers.

Taking your time and having the right attitude so you feel safe, confident and in control is much more important than the number of lessons it takes.

Good luck!

I took ages. One and a half hour lessons are great and at least two a week or extra time practising in your own car. Two hour lessons you get tired by the end and make mistakes and one hour lessons, by the time you drive to a quiet spot and drive back, there's too little time in between to do much.

This time last year I signed up for a 40 hour 'intensive course' which was meant to last 10 days. It very quickly became clear this wasn't going to work for me and my instructor suggested spreading the hours out a bit more and having a go at a less intense learning style. I still couldn't bloody get it so I appreciate not 'being a natural.' I think the poor bloke was a bit flummoxed given he was used to teaching rural teenagers who'd been having a go with their folks' car on a driveway since they were fourteen or so. To put that in context, I'm nearly 28 now and had just moved from London to County Durham so had never bothered learning.
Honestly, I hated it. Couldn't use the gears, nervous, covered my eyes when trucks drove down the other side of the road... Instructor was an absolute saint and so bloody patient but it wasn't going to happen.
After the 40 hours he referred me on to an instructor from the same company who had an automatic. What a difference. It STILL took me another 25 or so hours (and two failed tests) but I did eventually pass my test a few weeks ago. Now I'm tentatively trying to get used to driving without dual breaks!
It is tough. Fantastic if you're a natural etc etc but something about 'thinking, looking and doing' at the same time just didn't click for me like I thought it would.
And all cars will be auto soon anyway (she said, with no knowledge or expertise to back up her statement.)

I think some PPs are being mean, everyone is going to take different amounts of time to learn anything. I did 60 hours of lessons and passed first time, but I did them all in about 5 weeks so multiple long blocks, started with a few 4 hour lessons and then cut to 2 and 3s every other day. It took me a long time to feel comfortable at the beginning, my DB was learning at the same time and was miles ahead of me by the first week, I found the basics really hard and quite stressful, but by test time we were the same. Now I love driving, and I’m good at it, have never had a crash that was my fault (I can’t control other drivers!) If I was doing an hour a week I think it would have taken me years to grasp. It’s really all about repetition and in an hour a week you’re spending half that time getting comfortable again before you starting learning anything new. Could you do longer chunks of lessons?

I have also wanted to drive since i had my first DC - shes now 3 and i have had around 70 hours or so of lessons and still not test standard as im so nervous i think some people are natural born drivers and take it all in their stride

How many driving lessons did you have with the first instructor? I’m wondering how many you’ve had altogether.

OP - I haven’t read the full thread but your post rings lots of bells for me.

Cutting a long story short, I was under a lot of pressure to drive from some relatives who paid for my lessons. I was 19, found coordinationabd steering difficult, and the instructor was just very laid back and continued to take my money with no tips for progression or improvement.

I failed my test twice, stopped learning and just lost all confidence.

Fast forward 14 years, my DH and I wanted to start a family but he insisted I could drive first so I got a (obviously) new instructor. It was transforming.

She was firm, strict, funny and very insistent I could do things in an encouraging way.

I got further with her in 2 weeks than I did in 6 months with the others. Seriously, my relatives paid out about £2k for lessons the first time but the pressure was too great.

I passed first time with her with three minor faults for really trivial stuff and it’s been transforming.

Dump your teacher. They may be right, you may need more time, but you need to find some who gets you and you gel with. I think about my instructor a lot - she was amazing.

Also, I found I needed more than one lesson a week - 90 mins twice a week kept me in the game.

Good luck - you can do it.

Also not everyone has someone to practice with. I don't, so it gets very expensive very quickly doing all your driving with an instructor.

Also not everyone has someone to practice with. I don't, so it gets very expensive very quickly doing all your driving with an instructor.

Definitely agree with this - getting practise in-between your lessons makes so much difference but if you don't have that opportunity the cost of lessons soon mounts up.

I did weekly 2-hour lessons for ages and was making progress (but very slowly) and it was only when I started having practise in between that it made any noticeable difference to my confidence.

When I learned to drive the rule of thumb was an hour per year of your age. Cars are much more complicated now and roads much busier so two hours per year if your age wouldn't necessarily be unreasonable.

Learning any new skill requires lots of practice like learning a musical instrument. Little and often if you can go out with a partner or friend. Otherwise more / longer lessons.

I'd suggest waiting until after you've recovered from the birth, as I suspect at the moment it's more hassle than you need.

Best of luck with it.

I would look for another instructor and get lots of practice
Both my DC passed first time after about 20 lessons but I took them out 2-3 times a week and in the last few weeks before test went out with them for an hour every day

I've just looked back on my dates between starting driving and passing my test, and it took me about 94 hours. In an automatic.