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Original poster

What do you think of my driving instructor forcing me to do 82mph on a motorway?

174 replies

HappyPeach · 07/09/2022 12:06

I had a pass-plus lesson on motorway driving to build my confidence. It was with the AA driving school, not my original instructor. I am an absolute stickler for the limit being the limit & not wanting to get fines or lose my reaction time. The instructor said I had to 'do 70 + 5mph + 10%' so I wasn't allowed to drive below 82mph as he called it 'failure to make progress' and I would piss off the other drivers. I'm really unhappy about this and I'm thinking of reporting him. I know many people drive at 80mph and above but that doesn't mean I have to. What d'you think?

OP posts:
fairgame84 · 07/09/2022 15:46

SofiaSoFar · 07/09/2022 15:28

In Scotland?

Or had you already done a speed awareness course previously, perhaps?

Show quote history

In England on the m180 in 2013.
First ever speeding offence. I was given the option of speed awareness but I couldn't do it due to work.

SlickShady · 07/09/2022 15:48

What an idiot. Speeding is an absolute offence, meaning you can technically be prosecuted for doing even one mile above the limit (though it doesn't usually happen in practice).

Personally I think urban should be minimum 30mph - none of that twentyplenty shit - and go up to 40mph on main roads, while motorways should be 90-unlimited. But the law's the law, albeit a total ass, and a driving instructor shouldn't be instructing anyone to break it.

Agrudge · 07/09/2022 15:59

SlickShady · 07/09/2022 15:48

What an idiot. Speeding is an absolute offence, meaning you can technically be prosecuted for doing even one mile above the limit (though it doesn't usually happen in practice).

Personally I think urban should be minimum 30mph - none of that twentyplenty shit - and go up to 40mph on main roads, while motorways should be 90-unlimited. But the law's the law, albeit a total ass, and a driving instructor shouldn't be instructing anyone to break it.

You should of put a trigger warning on that

ScreamingFrog · 07/09/2022 16:24

AssumingDirectControl · 07/09/2022 15:19

My goodness. I don’t think you ought to drive on motorways.

Show quote history

If you can't drive on a motorway, you can't drive anywhere.

She should hand in her license before she causes a serious accident.

Rosehugger · 07/09/2022 16:28

Personally I think urban should be minimum 30mph - none of that twentyplenty shit

Personally for urban driving short journeys if it were up to me I'd ban personal cars entirely and you can either use public transport, bicycle, electric scooter, or golf buggy and all limited to 20 mph.

Then for longer journeys there would be public transport or a convenient electric car pool (limited to 60mph) which you pay for according to use. Eventually a hop on hop off fully automated car/road network.

Whippetquick · 07/09/2022 16:29

My son failed his driving test for driving at 50 on a dual carriageway....apparently its illegal to drive under 60mph.........

Testina · 07/09/2022 16:32

Whippetquick · 07/09/2022 16:29

My son failed his driving test for driving at 50 on a dual carriageway....apparently its illegal to drive under 60mph.........

I doubt that’s why he failed. I do no my believe for one moment that the examiner told him it wasn’t legal. More likely, the conditions were such that drive 20 mph under the limit was impeding traffic flow and / or showing a hesitancy and lack of confidence that was the actual failure.

Whippetquick · 07/09/2022 16:32

As for you driving instructor saying you will piss people off, isn't that what multiple lanes are for ? You overtake then get back in lane Sounds like a twat

Whippetquick · 07/09/2022 16:35

Testing

So my sons a liar then ?

Said instructor is a well known arse, I know who I believe. Of course thats not why he failed his test, it was made up excuse to fail him. No doubt they have quotas of fails and passes to adhere to

Rosehugger · 07/09/2022 16:35

My son failed his driving test for driving at 50 on a dual carriageway....apparently its illegal to drive under 60mph...

There is a bit of dual carriageway near us that goes on for about 800 yards only between a 40 and a 30 limit. It was built as it was going to be a motorway junction originally, but then that idea was abandoned.

I rarely go above 55 on it as it seems pointless just for a matter of seconds before you drop down to 40 or 30 again. And going into the 40 limit there is often a policeman with a speed gun to catch those who haven't slowed down. I got done the other way for putting my foot down too early and doing 48 mph in a 40 mph zone- you could see the national speed limit sign just in front of the car in the photograph.

Whippetquick · 07/09/2022 16:36

Again if he was impeding traffic they ony had to overtake

WireSkills · 07/09/2022 16:40

I would email [email protected] and mention what you have here. There's no way a driving instructor should be teaching anyone to break the law.

If you're within the first two years of passing your test you only have to accrue 6 points to lose your licence, not 12, so you're putting that at risk as well as your insurance premiums.

Can you imagine standing in front of a judge after pleading innocent and saying "my driving instructor told me to do it"??

PoshHorseyBird · 07/09/2022 16:41

I mean its about 100 years since I passed my test! But I thought learner drivers couldn't go on a motorway? Or has that changed? Also if you'd been caught you'd have been done for speeding as the driver. Not great having points before you've even passed your test!

Testina · 07/09/2022 16:42

Whippetquick · 07/09/2022 16:35

Testing

So my sons a liar then ?

Said instructor is a well known arse, I know who I believe. Of course thats not why he failed his test, it was made up excuse to fail him. No doubt they have quotas of fails and passes to adhere to

Not necessarily a liar. Could just be a bit dim 🤷🏻‍♀️
It wasn’t an instructor, it was an examiner.
If you believe they have quotas, why would they then give a made up reason that is obviously not valid, instead of one that it?
There are plenty of valid reasons that are hard to argue against that you wouldn’t have to defend in a complaint.
So no, I don’t believe for one moment that this examiner told your son it was illegal to go under 50, and that was why he failed.

OriginalUsername3 · 07/09/2022 16:46

Honestly it's my typical speed on a motorway and I do get, maybe, his logic that you Kind of need to be capable of going faster than you are going. I could comfortable drive at 90, I drive at 80, I don't drive at my limit is what I mean. If you don't feel able to drive any faster than 70, if that's as fast as you can drive, then you shouldn't be driving at 70. Imo anyway, I think driving as fast as you can, at any speed, is dangerous.

But it is illegal and he can't technically teach you to do that. Even if it is the done thing! It's like someone who works in the film industry telling you you can see a film quicker on pirate Bay.

Whippetquick · 07/09/2022 16:49

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Agrudge · 07/09/2022 16:49

Rosehugger · 07/09/2022 16:28

Personally I think urban should be minimum 30mph - none of that twentyplenty shit

Personally for urban driving short journeys if it were up to me I'd ban personal cars entirely and you can either use public transport, bicycle, electric scooter, or golf buggy and all limited to 20 mph.

Then for longer journeys there would be public transport or a convenient electric car pool (limited to 60mph) which you pay for according to use. Eventually a hop on hop off fully automated car/road network.

I'm guessing you dont drive

Testina · 07/09/2022 16:51

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🤣
or just not as easily swayed by a teen OTT grumpy excuse as you?
Do come back and update on the formal complaint you’ve put in, as you surely would if it were actually true 😉

SlickShady · 07/09/2022 16:52

@Agrudge

What a weird assumption.

KassandraOfSparta · 07/09/2022 16:53

There's no minimum speed on a motorway or dual carriageway. 🙄

Some very slow moving vehicles - bicycles, tractors, roadrollers, horse and cart etc - are not allowed to use a motorway. But that's not the same as a minimum speed. Failing to make good progress or similar is a test fail though, and that would include driving well under the speed limit for no good reason and holding up other drivers.

DappledThings · 07/09/2022 16:53

PoshHorseyBird · 07/09/2022 16:41

I mean its about 100 years since I passed my test! But I thought learner drivers couldn't go on a motorway? Or has that changed? Also if you'd been caught you'd have been done for speeding as the driver. Not great having points before you've even passed your test!

Learners can now go on the motorway with a qualified instructor, not just a random friend or family member supervising.

But this thread is referencing Pass Plus which you can do after you have your full licence but want some extra help with motorways.

RedWingBoots · 07/09/2022 16:54

KassandraOfSparta · 07/09/2022 16:53

There's no minimum speed on a motorway or dual carriageway. 🙄

Some very slow moving vehicles - bicycles, tractors, roadrollers, horse and cart etc - are not allowed to use a motorway. But that's not the same as a minimum speed. Failing to make good progress or similar is a test fail though, and that would include driving well under the speed limit for no good reason and holding up other drivers.

However you can be pulled over by the police for driving too slowly and fined.

Luckily the number of traffic police has decreased.

Whippetquick · 07/09/2022 16:56

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Agrudge · 07/09/2022 16:57

SlickShady · 07/09/2022 16:52

@Agrudge

What a weird assumption.

What's a wierd assumption?

Testina · 07/09/2022 17:01

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🤣 I’m a cunt because your little precious can’t just accept that his driving wasn’t good enough yet? He’s probably around 17, so I’ve some sympathy that he’ll want to blame “quotas” and make up something that wasn’t his fault as the given reason. No excuse for you through.

Do they still given out test sheets?
I’ll call myself a cunt if they do and you share one now with “illegally driving at 20th under limit” on it 😉

They don’t need quotas… there are enough people like your son who take the test before they’re ready 🤷🏻‍♀️