To ditch Driving Instructor or not ...

[Autolearner]

Name changed for this, and hopefully not to out of place here , but I am looking for people with more experience than me .

At 30 I’m finally learning to drive, which if you knew my history is a miracle in itself and have been having 4hours a week in Automatic lessons since September and been practicing with family and friends probably at least 5/6 hours extra a week in my own car. A month ago I passed my theory test and have booked my practical for second week of December.

Now my problem is I have not been taught any of the necessary manoeuvres needed for test? We parallel parked once in a lesson right at the start , but thanks to my own practice I’m comfortable . Bay parking (I’ve done fine outside of lessons), reverse bay parking, emergency stop etc we haven’t even touched at.

He claims I’m a natural driver , but when I mentioned I had booked the test last week he dithered slightly , I questioned whether he didn’t think I was ready . He repeated adamantly your a natural driver , but I want a few more lessons on motorways until your completely comfortable on them (I personally find them boring and have no enthusiasm, but at his prompting drive a junction or two every lesson for the last few weeks and join confidently and can read when to overtake etc)

I mentioned about manoeuvres and he said well some natural drivers struggle with them, and I thought I wouldn’t know because we don’t do them . I understand he teaches for life not just to past your test , but I’m getting frustrated. Every lesson we don’t drive the local test routes which I knew because I live on them, we drive outside spending most of our time on motorways , dual carriage ways and roundabouts off them. I’ve never seen another learner driver about during our lessons except just before the finish when we head back to nearer my home .

We do get on , he can be very funny however can overstep My own personal boundaries physically and verbally with actions and certain remarks quite often , and I have to tell him sometimes that when he shouts
“GO ,GO”
at roundabouts I find it makes me actually become hesitant when I’m not usually . Or, instead when you make a silly mistake he won’t just tell you once , he will keep on about it for the whole of the rest of the lesson so I find my confidence feels absolutely knocked and I end up making more silly mistakes that I never make outside of lessons checking my mirrors after I’ve indicated and not before, indicating the wrong way .

I just don’t know what to do? Do I postpone my test until he says no go and book it or do I look for a new instructor?

Is it possible to reschedule your test without being charged to give yourself more time. If not, cram lots of lessons in so you are ready.

My driving instructor told me when I was ready to sit the test snd booked at a time he was available with his car. I don’t know why you have booked it without checking his availability, especially when you aren’t sure of the manoeuvres. He sounds a bit weird.

Can you phone another driving school locally for a trial lesson or a mock test? They could then let you know if you are going to be ready. You could take lessons/sit it with them in another months time or whatever they suggest.

Your current instructor perhaps just said you were a natural driver to give you confidence. If he thought you were really good I would have expected he’d want to get you to go for a manual driving license instead of an automatic one as it gives you more opportunity, but automatic is very convenient and less learning to do.

Motorway driving lessons are sensible. It’s a good skill to have. Eventually they will bring in modules for day and night driving, rural and urban driving, local roads and motorways.

I passed at 41 just over a month ago. Manoeuvres aren't the big thing they used to be, the test doesn't focus on them as much anymore as people don't tend to crash doing manoeuvres. There aren't as many either so I wouldn't worry too much about that. I didn't do bay park until the day of my test (I had had lots of lessons previously though). I agree with the one hour only, my final instructor who I passed with said two hours was too long, my previous horrible instructor insisted I do 2 hours. In terms of motorway, rubbish, I didn't even do it on lessons! Also they should never shout or make you loose your confidence. For that I would re-book the test and find someone else to teach you. I had three instructors from April this year onwards. The second was awful and really destroyed my confidence so I had to re-book my test and find a new one. Good luck.

Also it's standard to book on your own and then check with them after. If they have a lesson booked in that day they'll just change it. They will usually give you times to avoid if they've got holiday booked.

Elieza, he had insisted previously as soon as I had done my theory to book test on my own, that not having my theory pass was holding me back from doing it. He says it’s the way he does it then he moves things around to make sure he’s free , but then he never books the next weeks lessons in until the Friday so I assumed it was just the way he worked .
Learning solely automatic has been my choice all along , just a personal preference. Family and friends have all agreed I’m a good driver, even DP who is the absolute worst passenger I’ve ever met and I feel confident and comfortable when driving.

Go with your gut I say, if it isn’t working and you don’t feel you’re getting what you need then look elsewhere. When you’re driving the ‘fit’ of the instructor is so important, I had one who used to shout at me and scoff loudly when I made mistakes - it meant I was constantly on edge and terrified of getting things wrong (which looking back is ridiculous! I’m learning, I’m going to make mistakes!). I got a new one who was much calmer and softer and I felt much more confident which meant I drove better. It can make a real impact.

The best way to look at it is you’re paying for a service, like any other. If you hired a builder who built a wobbly wall or a dog walker who only took your dog to the end of the driveway and back then you would hire a different one. It’s strictly business and nothing personal.

You’re not with a guy with a a name beginning with m are you? This sounds familiar

No not M. Mine has really good recommendations which is why I chose him. I have a lesson tomorrow so I’m going to bring up my concerns and then decide from there . Thanks all for your help and advice .

Your instructor doesn’t sound like he’s preparing you for the test at all. To be concentrating so heavily on motorways when they won’t be on the test, not taking you on any test routes and not teaching you manoeuvres is bizarre. You must be a competent driver if he’s happy to have you drive on the motorway so I can only assume he’s trying to keep you on as a client for as long as possible i.e. he is not teaching you what you need to know to pass because he wants you to fail. Regardless, ditch him and get a new instructor ASAP as you are paying for a service that he is failing to provide- I bet you wouldn’t put up with that from a tradesperson!

Oh and I took my test in my own car and passed. I got a cancellation at very short notice and my instructor wasn’t free so my Mum took me.

The only real test route driving I’ve done is in my own car with family/friends.

This is really bad, OP. You’re wasting your time and money.

Driving instructors have been allowed to take learners on motorways since March this year and it can be included in the tests.

I was doing motorway driving last year.

Expressedways - I would understand more if I planned to do lots of motorway driving but I won’t , and yes I assume he trusts me as he no longer gives any instructions on how to join, speed , when to overtake , it’s all left to me except for the decision for what actual junction we join or leave .
Tbh I would rather do the test in my own car, I’m more comfortable in it and that’s where I have done the most parking etc

Havaina - it’s cost me £140 a week since the start of September so again that is playing on my mind .

I should add that I do think it is important to do motorways as practice- that’s why the law was changed after all, but not to do them every lesson at the expense of test routes and manoeuvres. You’re clearly a good driver if you can drive on the motorway with little to no instruction so he’s absolutely taking the piss!

@Butchyrestingface - Doh! Of course. It was 2018. Time goes so bloody fast

And 2 hour lessons are a con. My driving instructor was reputedly one of the AA’s best and he just didn’t believe in 2 hour lessons because the lapse in concentration means the second hour is wasted!

Not a con - just one person's opinion!

My middle one had 2 hours lessons and it meant they had tme to go further afield in lessons - to get to fast dual carriageways / country roads / busy High Streets - whatever you aren't near. I think it is really useful and sensible.
When I learned, I had 1 hour a week and used to feel the first 20mins was getting me back to where I left off the previous week. 2 hours lessons suited my dd.

You need to be doing manoeuvres, test routes, Sat Nav routes & also mock tests if ur test is soon.
Ditch this guy, he's taking the piss, change ur test date & get a new instructor ASAP.
I only passed my test a few months ago.

He's taking the wotsit. Not being funny but you haven't got all the clutch nonsense to work around so what's he been doing?

You need the manoeuvres for God's sake.

As for test routes, why the hell wouldn't he do this? It's like past papers in exam prep. Remember my instructor shouting quick follow that car! He'd recognised an examiner out on a new route on a horrible back road in bandit country. He rang the instructor. The student had failed on this road for something relating to a frankly strange speed limit. Even the instructor who knew the area didn't know this info.

Unless there aren't many other automatic specialists in the area, ditch.

My twins had a driving instructor who would never book a 2 hour lesson each for them (this was needed to drive to the next town where the test would be, do the rest route and drive back again). After several months I felt they weren’t getting anywhere and changed driving instructor. They passed their tests 6 weeks later! I really feel that the previous instructor was trying to make as much money out of them (me) as possible 😡

God I’m feeling worse now , and a bit panicky about the test. Following satnav I’m fine with, I use it all the time practicing esp with friends , we pick somewhere new to go on my day off usually about 40/60 mins away like a garden centre etc and solely follow that . The test routes are around near my home and I know one person (a dc of a friend of dp) who failed a few streets away last week for using a one way street . It’s the manoeuvres that concern me most.

Salcombebabe that is genuinely what I’m starting to think is happening . I suppose In some ways with my MH I may seem an easy target as I had to be open from the start about it, but surprisingly to me the driving has only improved my confidence in all aspects of my life

I would definitely find a new instructor. If you hadn't said your location I'd have thought it was the same guy. I pointed out we had never done any manoeuvres and he TALKED me through a parallel park and said "but we don't want to spend too much time on this." Like you said

I found a new instructor and she was incredible. She focussed on the areas I felt less comfortable with and was calm, patient, encouraging, and really varied the lessons so that I could build up my skills without rehashing the same test routes again and again. A mix of preparing for the test and "real world" driving. That's what you need.

Also it's standard to book on your own and then check with them after. If they have a lesson booked in that day they'll just change it.

No this is definitely not standard. Most instructors won't let you use their car for a test unless they've decided you're up to standard.

You sound exactly like my wife. An intelligent and able woman who happened to be very nervous of driving. She spent some 6-8 months the same instructor who never made her face her fears of roundabouts or on main ‘'A' roads etc. Basically I believe he saw her as a source of income as it was not in her nature to push for more complete lessons.
Eventually I persuaded her to change instructor / school and within a month she was booking a test.

As everyone else has said .... Change change change.