Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My friend just told me I will never pass my driving test only doing a 1 hour a week lesson

172 replies

Evangeline1992 · 14/10/2020 22:47

Is she right? :( I am not in a position to afford any more than that right now and feel a bit deflated now. My first lesson is tomorrow and she said I might as well not bother as it isn't enough time.

OP posts:
MotherPiglet · 14/10/2020 22:54

Took me just shy of a year to pass when I was having 1 hour weekly lessons

AvoidingRealHumans · 14/10/2020 22:55

Everyone is different and picks things up at different speeds.
I think it wasn't very nice of your friend to be so negative, don't let her dent your confidence.
I think your time frame is more than realistic, go into your lesson tomorrow with confidence and positivity.
Don't worry about not doing enough lessons, starting is the main thing.
Good luck

Smallsteps88 · 14/10/2020 22:55

I did one one hour lesson a week and passed after 25ish lessons. I think I did an extra lesson or two in the couple of weeks before my test.

Original poster
Evangeline1992 · 14/10/2020 22:56

Thanks everyone. She actually told me that no decent instructor would even consider doing an hour lesson as it is a waste of time Hmm she knows I'm a single mum on a tight budget so I am a bit miffed at her comment. I'm willing to prove her wrong though and I'm in no rush to pass quickly :)

OP posts:
BluebellsGreenbells · 14/10/2020 22:57

I did about 12 lessons at one hour a week. No extra practise.

DD passed last year doing similar.

It’s perfectly possible! Good luck!

Phoenix76 · 14/10/2020 22:58

Op, I was a driving instructor for a good few years, please tell your friend she’s talking nonsense, you can indeed learn enough to pass your test with weekly hourly lessons (I say this even though the 2 hour weekly lessons were encouraged by my driving school). I passed my own test on hourly lessons and taught others who did the same. Go for it!

Onxob · 14/10/2020 22:59

She's wrong! I did just that. I had one hour a week for a few months and passed first time. Good luck 🍀

mnahmnah · 14/10/2020 23:03

I did one hour a week for 5 months, no practice in-between, passed first time

fanniboz · 14/10/2020 23:15

She's talking shite OP. One lesson a week is fine and quite normal, an hour is also fine and you can of course pass learning that way. Some pass within a few months, others take much longer regardless of how long their lessons are and how many a week they have. You'll pass when you're ready! Good luck 🚗

Els1e · 14/10/2020 23:18

I only had 1 hour a week and no other practice time and passed first time. Can’t remember how many lessons. Take no notice of your friend. You’ll get there.

krustykittens · 14/10/2020 23:20

It depends on you. I had two lessons a week and it took me five attempts to pass my test because I was so nervous when I was being tested!

Ariela · 14/10/2020 23:21

Rubbish. Depends on the person.
My eldest passed 1st time with no minors after just 10 lessons. Admittedly did a bit of driving us about in our cars for practise, that will help if you've anyone can let you drive them about.

I have a friend who is still trying to pass about 10 years and masses of lessons, 4 tests just too nervous. Keep saying she might as well try hypnotherapy, she drives perfectly OK just falls apart at test.

daffodilheart · 14/10/2020 23:23

Does your "friend" drive? Everyone is different so just remember that! Concentrate on how you're doing not what the "expectation" is!

ShinyMe · 14/10/2020 23:30

Lots of people say you need practice in between lessons and I honestly think that's very debatable. When I first learnt I had practice with both my parents in between lessons and it was awful. They both said different things to my instructor and to each other, and made me so much more confused and less confident. I failed several times and gave up for a bit. When I tried again later I just did lessons and didn't practice in between, and that was much better because I could focus and wasn't all confused.

Skysblue · 14/10/2020 23:30

What everyone else said, but also...

Have a think about where you do your test. I failed the ones I took in London (on one occasion where I was booked on the last day of the month at a very busy test centre, the instructor made me drive around for 90 minutes until I eventually made a mistake. Quotas??)

The test I did in a small suburban town I passed easily.

Hmm.

LadyLoungeALot · 14/10/2020 23:31

My best friend passed after 20 lessons- once a week, aged 17.
Definitely doable.

Sciencebabe · 14/10/2020 23:32

One lesson a week is normal. I was once told the average amount of lessons someone had before they pass is their age+3. Do it your own way. You will learn a lot more by learning slowly rather than banging it out in a week. Good luck x

ShinyMe · 14/10/2020 23:33

And for lots of people, practicing with someone you're close to can be really tough, as people react in ways you don't expect. My mum, usually very calm and laid back, sat bolt upright clutching the dashboard with white knuckles with a constant stream of "that's fine, fine, that's fine, not too close, you're a bit close, you're fine, yes, not too fast, that's fine" and she terrified me and didn't make it easy for me to like her for a bit. It's not a great way to learn and not great for your relationship. Stick to driving with a professional instructor is what I say!

Osirus · 14/10/2020 23:37

I had one lesson a week over 6 months with no practice in between up to test ready. My lessons were two hours though.

PyongyangKipperbang · 14/10/2020 23:38

Practice does help, there is no doubt about it but my sister couldnt practice and still passed after 9 months.
The first time she tried she had 18 months of lessons and was hopeless, she wishes she had changed instructors because the first one gave her no confidence at all. That was the biggest thing for her, she didnt feel that her instructor was the right one, and I would say that if you get that vibe, dont feel awkward about changing.

And dont feel awkward about telling your "friend" to fuck off.

rorosemary · 14/10/2020 23:40

It's still doable but my instructor did say that she felt that people made quicker progress if they did a 2-hour lesson per week. I mostly did the 2-hour lessons and it did work better for me. No idea why.

MoiraNotRuby · 14/10/2020 23:41

Good luck, its definitely worth it! And I'm sure there will be you tube videos you can watch in between lessons to kind of revise what you cover each week.

Downwithcovid · 14/10/2020 23:42

I did six one hour lessons and passed first time. (It was 20 odd years ago though)

Passed my bike test afte 3 one hour lessons.

Its perfectly doable so ignore her (actually just make sure you prove her wrong by being confident and determined)

Good luck

redastherose · 14/10/2020 23:44

I passed after 8, 1 hour lessons! Three with first instructor who I didn't get on with then put myself in for my test and booked a lesson a week when I got my date through (4 weeks later) and had the hour before my test as well. It really depends on the person but it's doable. It would help if a friend or relative could take you out for practice.

BashfulClam · 14/10/2020 23:45

I passed with 1 hour a week, I tried to practice with my dad but stopped the car and walked back as he was shouting and being fucking ridiculous!

Swipe left for the next trending thread