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AIBU?

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Original poster

How are DC learning to drive these days?!

51 replies

FlyRobinFly · 30/01/2023 12:50

Looking to book an intense driving course for my niece’s 18th. Don’t mind spending a few hundred, we are very close so I want to help her. She lives rurally and is tearing her hair out not having access to jobs etc. Her mum tries her best but can only afford the odd lesson every 6 or so weeks (and that’s through scrimping and scraping) so DN isn’t progressing. Before somebody says she should be paying for her own DN literally cannot get a job because there’s only hospitality jobs going in the nearby village and she’d be doing late finishes with no car, her mum is a carer working funny shifts. She’s been outright told at interviews they will probably go with a candidate with better access to work. We are in Cheshire, I can’t seem to find any taking bookings. Has anybody’s DC done one? How do you get a place? We don’t mind travelling, she needs to get driving ASAP.

I’ve even looked at block paying for normal lessons but cannot get a place. Ideally it’d be an intense course. Can anybody recommend one? It’s a bit of a desperate situation.

OP posts:
Original poster
FlyRobinFly · 30/01/2023 12:51

DN’s dad will be buying her a little runaround car when she passes so that’s not a problem.

OP posts:
RB68 · 30/01/2023 12:56

We were advised against intensive course and have weekly lessons round by us this is 40 a time with a slight discount for 10 at a time. We have also paid for a separate insurance on our small car through marmalade for a learner driver you can buy as few as three months worth. We try and do at least one session per week with DD on top of lessons but its hard fitting it in with college, working and social events (not that there are loads of those) but its difficult to find the time in both our schedules

Lordofmyflies · 30/01/2023 12:57

We reserved a slot with a driving instructor 9 months before DC's 17th birthday as they are so booked up at the moment. I'm not sure there is any short cut - it comes down to a backlog from covid. Ds had 10 x 2hr lessons over 10 weeks and passed thankfully but it cost £660 for them which was half birthday present and half paid by himself.

adulthumanfemalemum · 30/01/2023 12:59

Round here a batch of ten hours costs £300, an intensive course of 40 hours was £1250 so you might need more than a few hundred lol

LeapingCat · 30/01/2023 13:03

A few hundred will only get you a few weeks of lessons. It’s £30 an hour+ for a decent instructor and they recommend at least two hours a week. Get on all the waiting lists you can get on, many instructors aren’t even adding new pupils to waiting lists because they’re so busy.

whytesnow · 30/01/2023 13:06

You can hire a driving instructing car from Arnold Clark and give her some lessons yourself

PeekAtYou · 30/01/2023 13:09

A few hundred won't be enough for an intensive course. It's just under £30ph for a lesson here.
Driving instructors are in high demand because of the pandemic and difficulty in accessing tests. Does she have her provisional and theory test sorted ?
Local FB sites are good for recommendations of good instructors. If they are all busy for a few months then getting on any waiting lists would be a good idea.
Can her mum add her to her insurance and practice in her car? My dd had to make do with driving with a parent because instructors weren't allowed to do lessons. Learner insurance on a small car was surprisingly affordable compared to new driver insurance.

Original poster
FlyRobinFly · 30/01/2023 13:11

Practicing in mum’s car isn’t an option. Mum is a nervous driver and will only drive very specific routes and takes long diversions to avoid certain junctions and roundabouts, won’t be any good for DN.

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 30/01/2023 13:12

We pay £35 per lesson here, we approached driving instructors just before DD turned 17 and got onto a couple of wait lists. Someone had a space around 3 months after her bday
As for the test itself - her instructor put her in for it in December, first available date is May

Original poster
FlyRobinFly · 30/01/2023 13:13

We could stretch probably to £1000 if we all chip in. Me, her mum, her dad and DN from savings. She is desperate

OP posts:
PeekAtYou · 30/01/2023 13:13

You said "we" are in Cheshire. Could you insure her on your car and take her out?

redskydelight · 30/01/2023 13:17

Has she at least passed her theory test? If so, get a practical test booked asap - it's 6 months away here and then you need to look for cancellations to bring it forward.

There is still a huge backlog on instructors and tests since Covid. I'm not sure you'll be able to do anything quickly. It seems that intensive courses have died a death (probably due to test shortages).

Best bet is to get her name down on as many instructors' waiting lists as will take her. Can she be flexible about timings of lessons? There will likely be more availability during the day.

PeekAtYou · 30/01/2023 13:21

The other problem you have is booking a test. Even if you could get an instructor now, getting a test date is another ball ache. Have you seen if it's even possible to do a test in the next 3-6 months ? If there's no tests for say 6 months then you'd want the course closer to the time.

Cheapest way is for someone to insure her on their car and take her out. My dd couldn't do lessons because of the pandemic so she watched LOADS of YouTube videos and went out with her dad. There's lots on YT content by professional driving instructors that she thought was really good.

FancyFran · 30/01/2023 13:27

DD waited 8 months for a test. Intensive lessons are £50 and £1400 for a course (South West). We insured her on our mini through Vego. About £40 per month. She did her test in her own car as her instructor wasn't available on 5 occasions (all very odd and dodgy). When she passed we used GoGirl for insurance.

Proteinpudding · 30/01/2023 13:28

There has been a huge backlog in lesson availability due to covid, as well as a shortage of instructors (many who were self employed left the profession during covid because of having no income)
In our area it's at least a six month wait to start lessons with any local instructors and it's usually only one lesson a week that they will be available for.

Laiste · 30/01/2023 13:32

One of my DDs failed her first test late Nov last year. She waited the 2 week wait to book a second and nothing was available till this MARCH 😳

She's booked it but is hoping to grab a cancellation before then - no luck so far.

There was only one instructor available too. He was ok, but that was sheer luck.

It's a nightmare at the minute.

Her theory process in comparison was easy peasy mind you. All looked for booked and passed last Sept.

HesDeadBenYouCanStopNow · 30/01/2023 13:32

My 18 year old did a week's intensive course and test the following week.

It was expensive but the difference in capabilities between day 1 and end of day 3 was incredible.

It suited his learning style with no time to get nervous before individual lessons and no having to relearn/remember what was covered in the last lesson.

He's a good safe driver and drives every day now.

Cost was about £35 per hour but all done in 6hr long days

Princesspollyyy · 30/01/2023 13:35

My son has just started driving lessons. His lessons are £35 an hour and I enquired just after he turned 16! I thought there would be a waiting list because of the pandemic.

Hope you get sorted

welshpolarbear · 30/01/2023 13:36

Op no help at all but I wanted to say how lovely it is that you want to help her so much.

Good for you 💐

emark · 30/01/2023 13:44

Also in Cheshire, its a huge area!
Some of the lowest pass rates nationally.
There are long delays for tests. Pass theory first, book a practical test and find an instructor. Lots of instructors dont like rural due to travelling distance between lessons Alternatively buy a run around and insure as a learner if a competent person can take herboutnif had some lessons previously.

PeekAtYou · 30/01/2023 13:49

Anybody know what the waiting time for a theory test slot is? I have a son turning 17 at the end of the summer holidays and I'd like to book one as soon as I can.

Princesspollyyy · 30/01/2023 13:49

PeekAtYou · 30/01/2023 13:49

Anybody know what the waiting time for a theory test slot is? I have a son turning 17 at the end of the summer holidays and I'd like to book one as soon as I can.

I haven't had a problem booking a theory test slot. My son has his on Thursday.

Hoppinggreen · 30/01/2023 13:50

Theory tests are fast here, couple of weeks tops

PeekAtYou · 30/01/2023 13:59

That's good news on the theory tests.

ILiveInTornadoAlley · 30/01/2023 14:14

I thought I'd take a minute to share how it works for us
Starting at age 15 here in the US you can take drivers education through the school or do it online which it called "Parent Taught".I thought that would be difficult but it was very easy.I think it was about $150.You can also go through driving schools which costs around $400.You would only have to do 10 Hours Class & 6 Hours Driving
Meets the State Requirements.
They can get their permit at 15.5 years old for $4 and license at 16 for $38.50.Of course they have to pass the permit written test and the driving license test.
Students are required to complete 30 hours of classroom training and 55 hours of actual behind the wheel training if they do a class setting but still have to do those hours if they do a Parent Taught/online class.
All 3 of my kids got theirs on 16th birthdays or just a few days after.

I hate reading how hard and expensive it is for some of you guys to get your driver's license!
Good luck to everyone that is trying so hard😊