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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Is this normal for driving lessons??

44 replies

Aygooo · 19/03/2023 10:06

I pay for a double lesson as the instructor says they don’t do singles. Fair enough.

They pick me up from my house, drive about 15 minutes to a quiet place, let’s me drive maybe 45 minutes, and then drives me back for 15 minutes.

I start at say 12pm, and I’m back by 130pm, even though I’m paying for a two hour lesson.

This has happened 6 times now, and my partner has basically said you’ve only have 6 hours, rather than the 12 hours I’ve paid for.

Is this normal when you’re starting lessons? Or should I say something?

OP posts:

OnTheBoardwalk · 19/03/2023 11:23

Nope he's ripping you off

only twice got driven in my tests, first time when I got picked up for first lesson and also when I drove and dropped myself off for work in a major city centre

when he drove me into the city he was constantly pointing things out, bus lanes etc only happened the once

what does the instructor do/say during the 30 mins?

2bazookas · 19/03/2023 11:49

??? Ordinarily the learner drives from where they got in the car to when they park it and get out at the end of the lesson.

shelbaba · 19/03/2023 12:01

No not normal at all, get someone else ur paying for 2 hours u get 2 hours. Ur being conned.

Also I was only driven by the instructor my first lesson. He took me to an industrial estate and when we were finished, I drove home. After that when he picked me up I drove to the test area, did more driving about and then drove back to my house. I always had an hour, maybe 5mins over or under depending on traffic on way back.

Postapocalypticcowgirl · 19/03/2023 12:01

Do you live very rurally- 15 minutes seems a long drive to get to somewhere suitable for practice? I can understand it would take longer to drive door to door if it's down difficult country roads etc.

Could you meet the instructor somewhere else?

But yes, I think it's also worth trying another instructor!

Glitterblue · 19/03/2023 12:05

I’ve just had my 3rd lesson. On the first one she picked me up and drove to a quiet place under 10 mins away, I got used to starting and stopping the car and driving up and down that street then she decided I was ok to drive onto a more busy road so she had me driving all the time until I got home which was bang on one hour after she picked me up. The next 2 she’s driven to no more than 5 minutes away before we swap but she’s telling me things as she drives and she’s had me doing all sorts of junctions, roundabouts etc and I’ve driven back home again both times. Yours definitely doesn’t sound normal.

Thethingswedoforlove · 19/03/2023 12:08

My dd is with red driving school and she gets at least the full 2 hrs behind the wheel each and every lesson. It’s clearly instructor specific and nothing to do with the school or brand. Just to be clear. I would ditch this instructor. It’s really not ok and driving lessons are just so expensive….

PinkiOcelot · 19/03/2023 12:08

Not normal at all. You’re paying for 2 hours so should get 2 hours driving. I would sack him off but not before telling him he’s ripping you off.

loudbatperson · 19/03/2023 12:12

Not normal at all. You should be out in the car for the whole 2 hours.

At the very start I was taken somewhere quieter and then I drove, however this only lasted a handful of lessons, and I was living next to a roundabout that even experienced drivers hate with a passion.

Within a few lessons I was driving for the whole time, without only maybe 5 mins max at the start and end sat discussion lesson plans and next lesson.

Mumski45 · 19/03/2023 12:17

No not normal. My DS has 90min lessons and in the car for the full 90mins. The first few lessons he was driven to a quiet place and back as you can't go far from our house without going on a 40mph busy road but he was still with the instructor for 90mins.

He did the theory learning and practice at home. I can believe a pp was expected to pay for a full lesson and then left to do this alone.

OhSnakesandBastards · 19/03/2023 12:33

Are you sure your lesson is for 2 hours? Both my DC have been learning the past year and their lessons were always 1hr 30 minutes, and apart from the first few when they werent confident in driving out of our road, they drove for the entire lesson.

Pleasecreateausername13 · 19/03/2023 12:34

Agree with PP, my first lesson the instructor drove for 10 mins to a quiet place and after that it was me driving the whole time.

You are having the piss taken.

OscarHotelNovemberOscar · 19/03/2023 12:35

Just popping up to say what everyone else is saying - definitely not normal. I’m taking lessons and, other than the very first lesson, I always drive the car from and to home.

You need to speak up or get a new instructor

Dobbyismyabsolutefav · 19/03/2023 13:04

The instructor is taking the mickey. My DD had 1 1/2 hour lessons and apart from the 1st lesson would be driving the whole time. Occasionally they used to break for 5/10mins to go through driving scenarios/highway code but the lesson was never shorter than the allotted time. Time to find a new instructor.

trulyunruly01 · 19/03/2023 13:06

I've had two teens learn to drive in the last couple of years. With each, on the first ever lesson the instructor drove them away. From then on, they were in the driving seat outside the house and still in it on return.
They only had double lessons in the couple of weeks heading towards the test, and on the day of the test (which included the test itself).

Patchworksack · 19/03/2023 13:19

It’s worse than that - you’ve had 4.5 hours and paid for 12! I’d be asking for some of your money back and/or leaving very honest reviews and switching instructors. As others have said, normal to be taken somewhere quiet on the first lesson but I’d expect to drive home and drive for the whole time on subsequent lessons. The 15 min away thing just sounds bizarre - surely there is a quiet area nearer your home - the instructor is wasting time and fuel doing that as well as not giving you the time behind the wheel you are paying for.

EnthENd · 19/03/2023 13:28

They pick me up from my house, drive about 15 minutes to a quiet place, let’s me drive maybe 45 minutes, and then drives me back for 15 minutes.

This is normal when you're a beginner. How many lessons are like that depends on your area and how quickly you learn (which itself does depend on how good your teacher is).

Where I live it's busy narrow streets, and when I'm out of the area it's urban dual carriageways with 3-lane roundabouts, and the insurance premiums prove most drivers here are shit. It took quite a few lessons before I had the skills to drive directly from my house. And yes, getting to the nearby 'learner driver zone' was about 10-15 minutes depending on traffic.

I start at say 12pm, and I’m back by 130pm, even though I’m paying for a two hour lesson.

You should be in the car for the whole time you paid for. But has the instructor/school ever actually said it's two hours? A lot of driving schools list price per "lesson" and it turns out a "lesson" is 45 minutes.

Imamumgetmeoutofhere · 19/03/2023 13:31

Not normal. Complain as you should be in the driving seat the full 2 hours

Fuckitydoodah · 19/03/2023 13:32

Definitely not normal. They're taking the piss. I'd find a different instructor if I was you, and tell the old one exactly why you won't be using them anymore.

QuillBill · 19/03/2023 13:48

I live on a really busy yet narrow street with no pavements and a school at one end with parents parking all over and a MOT garage at the other end with cars waiting to be serviced all over the place and then you have to turn onto a busy high st.

My dd still left our drive on her first lesson driving the car.

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