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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My driving instructor blamed me

139 replies

emily0108 · 25/10/2018 19:25

So i had a driving lesson yesterday, only my 3rd one, and it ended in such a disaster. I'm learning in an automatic as I had a few lessons in a manual and just could not grasp the clutch and gears and felt like I wasn't progressing.

I was coming up to a T junction, and a few minutes before approaching my instructor tells me to take my foot off the gas pedal and let the car slow down a bit on its own before even touching the break pedal. So at this point both my feet are flat on the ground. He then tells me to put my foot on the break, but I lost my foot bearings and accidentally put my foot on the gas pedal (and quite hard oops) so instead of slowing down we sped up and was almost at the end of the junction. There was no cars in front luckily, but we kept moving forward as if we was going to pull out. He shouted at me quite nastily "BREAK BREAK BREAK", and slammed his foot really hard down on his break. Obviously the car stopped but the break pedals came loose and neither would work at all. This was due to him making an emergency stop . He then shouted at me nastily "it's your fault, you have broke the car and I have a test in 45 mins". It's a bit of a blur because I was so worked up, he said other things to me out of anger as well.

I was so shocked, I felt liking crying my eyes out. I'm an inexperienced driver who is still very nervous on the road, and surely my instructor should be able to take full control over the car? What if an examiner had to do an emergency stop for someone and the breaks broke? It's made me feel very unsafe and even more nervous for future lessons. He was so nasty to me about it, I even apologised and he just ignored me. He managed to tighten both breaks back up, and then drove me home. Later on I realised that I shouldn't of apologised for temporarily breaking his car because it wasn't my fault? Or was it.. AIBU?

OP posts:
BlueBug45 · 25/10/2018 19:27

Find a new driving instructor.

If someone tutoring you 1:1 loses their temper with you then move on.

BlueBug45 · 25/10/2018 19:29

Oh and it's "brake" Wink

You break a cup but you brake in a car.

Witchofwisteria · 25/10/2018 19:30

YANBU infact if he's working for a driving school I would report him immediately as the car is obviously not safe to be driven. You cannot break a car by applying the breaks there ridiculous! Imagine if you needed to apply the breaks again and couldnt and a lorry rolled over you!

Also the way he spoke to you was unacceptable and shouldn't be in that role if he cannot handle the pressure of controlling a car.

ItWasntMeItWasIm · 25/10/2018 19:30

How awful for you! That shouldn't happen to the brakes. Sounds like a brake pipe burst or something Shock

ShinyMe · 25/10/2018 19:31

When you take your foot off the pedals, you're not meant to move them completely and put them on the floor. You're meant to lift your toes off and keep your foot covering the pedals ready to quickly hit the right one.

In an emergency your instructor does need to be firm and shout e.g. BRAKE, they can't pause to consider saying it nicely.

But yes, it does sound as though he was a bit harsh to be blaming you for damaging the car, if you didn't.

Bunbunbunny · 25/10/2018 19:31

Change instructor he sounds like a complete arseholes. His job is to give you confidence in driving as that’s half the battle!

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 25/10/2018 19:32

YANBU. Find another instructor. I'm learning too & the early days are so intense even with a good instructor, you really don't need someone making you feel like that!

Sparklingbrook · 25/10/2018 19:32

That sounds awful. Definitely find a new instructor, sounds like the car isn't too good either if using the brake makes them loose.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 25/10/2018 19:32

YANBU, find a new driving instructor. When I was learning to drive the instructor shouted at me when I braked suddenly and his coffee ended up in his lap. It really dented my confidence but thankfully I found another, more patient instructor.

Good luck

RayRayBidet · 25/10/2018 19:33

You are supposed to "cover the brake" when you do this not put your foot flat on the floor. So you should be hovering over the pedal.
You are only supposed to use one foot to operate both brake and accelerator.
Tbf the instructor was probably scared and sounded angry because of that. Adrenaline can do that.
Maybe you should be on quieter side roads while you get your confidence up.
I would probably get a different instructor if you feel you can't get on with him and it would make you nervous.

Thomlin · 25/10/2018 19:33

I think it probably was your fault to be honest, I also drive an auto and rarely do I have both feet on the floor unless the handbreak is on. If he tells you to come off the gas, your foot should be hovering over the break. If it's not hovering over the break it should be hovering over the gas. This will stop this happening in future. Perhaps the driving instructor should have taught you this but I can't remember mine doing so, it was just kind of instinctual.

Have you made sure the car is adjusted correctly for your body? Also maybe consider a change in instructors, it was obviously quite a scary situation for you and for him too, so he may have reacted the way he did due to this, but i'd still probably change if I was you.

Aquamarine1029 · 25/10/2018 19:34

Lesson #1, you NEVER put your feet flat on the floor. You always keep your right foot in it's heel, ready to use the pedals.

MonteCarla · 25/10/2018 19:34

Don't ever put your right foot on the floor!

Pepper123123 · 25/10/2018 19:35

Driving students make driving mistakes....that's the whole point of having lessons and your instructor is there to teach you CALMLY how to correct any mistakes you make.

I'd have thought communication skills and controlling his temper would be some of the most basic part of his job.

He's absolutely being unreasonable and I'd go as far as to complain.

It's so easily to be put off driving when the instructors are bad tempered or don't give you confidence. But hopefully you're not put off.
I'd find a new instructor and tell your current instructor exactly why you're leaving his company.

SLL · 25/10/2018 19:35

I would get a new instructor irrelevant of the shouting because he should have already noticed and told you that whether you are driving an automatic or a manual, you NEVER have both feet flat on the floor!!!! EEEEK!!! In an automatic your left foot should be on the foot rest and your right heel kind of rests on the floor with your toes over the pedal, even if not pressing so you can immediately move to the correct pedal and press down!!

AwdBovril · 25/10/2018 19:35

The instructor is supposed to be in charge of the car, in a driving lesson? He sounds unpleasant. Find a new instructor.

BlueBug - really? Hmm

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 25/10/2018 19:36

The route is down to the instructor so it's his fault if he's taking the OP on roads she's not ready for.

Also surely he should have braked for OP?

Houseonahill · 25/10/2018 19:37

He shouldn't shout and you should find a new instructor he sounds awful. But for future reference in all my years of driving I don't think I've ever had both feet flat on the floor, you cant drive with your foot permantly on the brake but it shouldnt really leave the accelerator, he should of taught you this though so definitely find someone new.

Butterflycookie · 25/10/2018 19:37

Surely the instructor has his own pedals so he could’ve braked himself if it was dangerous?

MrsStrowman · 25/10/2018 19:37

Never have both feet on the floor in a moving car, crikey. He shouted probably because he thought you were about to speed through a junction and panicked, then the abalone kicks in, and actually your very dangerous behaviour has led to the car being broken. Driving isn't for everyone

veggiethrower · 25/10/2018 19:37

You need another instructor.
You made a mistake - others have explained that you need to keep the foot hovering between the two pedals.
Your instructor should not have lost his temper.
Shouting "brake" is fair enough..... but actually he should have realized what had happened and his first reaction should have been to brake himself to avoid an accident.
He doesn't sound like he is in control to be honest. He needs to be in control of the car and his temper.

Nicknacky · 25/10/2018 19:37

Why did you have both feet flat on the floor?

GinIsIn · 25/10/2018 19:38

I mean, technically that is your fault, yes - you are always meant to ‘cover the brake’, your feet shouldn’t be flat on the floor at any point, you should always be poised to stop if you have to whenever you are in the driver’s seat.

But he sounds like an arse.

MrsStrowman · 25/10/2018 19:39

Those saying he should've taught you not to put both feet flat on the floor, you've had lessons before and it's pretty common sense that you need at least one foot hovering in case you need to react quickly.

user1457017537 · 25/10/2018 19:40

Sorry I shouldn’t laugh but they say all instructors are nervous decks after a year!

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