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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Driving theory test expires next month, so I'm doing intensive crash course

29 replies

letsgetdriving · 13/04/2023 15:02

I've been learning to drive on and off for the last few years with the same instructor. No real progress and they weren't encouraging or pushing me to go forward for the practical test.
Last week, a family member of mine made some enquiries with another local instructor (who has fantastic reviews, hundreds of them in fact) and explained my situation. The instructor was available the same day so we arranged to have our first lesson together then. They assessed my driving and said it's nowhere near as bad as expected and that I just need to work on my confidence. They're confidence of being able to offer me a test date within next couple of weeks (which would possibly even allow me enough time to re-sit if necessary). Hoping to pass before my theory expires and they seem confident I have a decent chance.
Anyone done this before? I mean spend years with an instructor, making no progress them move on to a more intensive one who pushes you to get ready for test?

OP posts:
marrymeadam · 13/04/2023 15:05

not to be negative but are you going to get a test date? At the moment where i live people are having to wait 3-6 months to get to take their test

Spottycarousel · 13/04/2023 15:07

No but I'm really surprised that an instructor would keep seeing you for that long if you weren't making progress with them. Not very professional on their part. Just money making.

Glad you've found someone more suitable. No doubt you just needed a different approach to teaching. Every instructor is different. I had a horrible instructor when I was 17 so I gave up trying to drive until I was 24.

Good luck.

NoodleNuts · 13/04/2023 15:07

I would be wondering why he was available same day if he was so good, surely he would be booked up months in advance?

And how is he able to get a test date in a couple of weeks?

greyhairnomore · 13/04/2023 15:07

I can't book a test before the end of the year where I am

Original poster
letsgetdriving · 13/04/2023 15:07

That's a question I asked the new instructor, but they said there's lots of availability in our area at the moment. Especially if you're willing to pay a bit more for a weekend test.

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 13/04/2023 15:09

Why have you stayed with the other instructor so long , it’s totally ridiculous and a waste of money . My daughter sat her theory last month and the earliest test we can get in our town is September so that’s booked already .

FlyingCherries · 13/04/2023 15:09

Where in the country has good availability for tests at the minute? People travel all over to take them as there’s such a backlog.

When does your theory test expire?

Floralnomad · 13/04/2023 15:10

We also had to wait 3/4 months to get on the books of the driving instructor we wanted .

FlyingCherries · 13/04/2023 15:10

Also, good instructors have waiting lists. How come this guy could fit you in on the same day and has enough space to offer intensive lessons? Is he definitely an ADI?

TorchwoodWho · 13/04/2023 15:12

Have you checked he's right about test dates? I booked mine for 2 weeks ahead, granted it was over 10 years ago, but even then it was because I kept logging on looking for cancellations and got lucky. Originally it was 6 weeks.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 13/04/2023 15:12

How could you have spent ‘years’ with an instructor during lockdown?

Wc100423 · 13/04/2023 15:14

Go for it loads of tests become available within 3 days cut off as people cancel last minute. Mu DC got to test standard witching 6 months got a late cancellations and passed at 17 and a half years. If your instructor thinks they can get you ready then go for it like you said it’s mostly confidence. Good luck 🍀

Felixss · 13/04/2023 15:14

Do it. I did one of these and passed in 7 days and I had no prior experience of driving. I've been driving for 7 years and no incidents. I'm one of those people who learns by immersing myself if I did one hour a week it would have taken me a life time to pass.

Wc100423 · 13/04/2023 15:14

Typos !

Felixss · 13/04/2023 15:15

FlyingCherries · 13/04/2023 15:10

Also, good instructors have waiting lists. How come this guy could fit you in on the same day and has enough space to offer intensive lessons? Is he definitely an ADI?

He might only do intensive courses as they are a fair whack the waiting lists aren't as long.

Ktime · 13/04/2023 15:15

letsgetdriving · 13/04/2023 15:07

That's a question I asked the new instructor, but they said there's lots of availability in our area at the moment. Especially if you're willing to pay a bit more for a weekend test.

Why would you rely on an instructor to tell you about test availability? Why not make enquiries themselves?

Remember that instructors are in the business of making money, they will say what they need to to get you on their books and pay them a £1000 or whatever this will cost you.

How many lessons have you had to date?

Namechanger355 · 13/04/2023 15:16

Because it’s been at least 2 years since the end of lockdown?

and op probably drove before then

op - this guy sounds good and am sure you can do it. I do think the right instructor makes a lot of difference. I got my licence 15 years ago but being in London never needed to drive until now as I’ve moved. I then took quite a few refresher lessons last year but we didn’t do much real driving at all - up and down the back roads etc and I didn’t learn anything. I had so many lessons with him!

ive now switched to a new instructor- he only wanted to give me two lessons as he said I was good but just needed to practise! I thought we would drive down the backroads on the first lesson but within 5 mins I was goikg on and off slip roads onto a massive dual carriageway and reached 70mph

i now feel much more confident after only 2 lessons and drove a bit myself the past few days

stealthninjamum · 13/04/2023 15:17

I was with a driving instructor for months and he was critical of everything I did. One day I was getting a taxi somewhere and I was chatting to the taxi driver and she was telling me that her daughter had been ripped off by a critical instructor who said she wasn’t ready when she was. Anyway it was the same guy and he was locally known for it. So I got another instructor and passed first time.

So op it’s possible you weren’t ripped off.

Have you thought of just redoing your theory test? Maybe it’s changed but when I did it (over ten years ago) it was fairly straightforward.

stealthninjamum · 13/04/2023 15:18

Sorry about the typos op

i meant to say it’s possible you’ve been ripped off.

Lougle · 13/04/2023 15:28

I did lessons Mon-Thurs and test on Friday just over 20 years ago. It was good for me.

greyhairnomore · 13/04/2023 15:35

letsgetdriving · 13/04/2023 15:07

That's a question I asked the new instructor, but they said there's lots of availability in our area at the moment. Especially if you're willing to pay a bit more for a weekend test.

Can you set where you are in the country ?

turnthebiglightoff · 13/04/2023 15:51

Lots of theory and practical test availability where I am, too. Hampshire.

Also, very little actual help for the OP here. They didn't ask for feedback on what happened in the past, but are looking for advice for the future.

@op I'll be doing the same when I (hopefully!!) pass my theory test next week. Best of luck!

rosemarypetticoat · 13/04/2023 16:20

Following this thread with interest as my daughter may do an intensive course next year but I am worried it might not give as much driving experience as spreading it out over a longer time IYSWIM. So you pass in a couple of weeks but you're not quite as ready and equipped as if you'd been having lessons and practising over a number of months. Does anyone have any experience of this?

FlyingCherries · 13/04/2023 16:36

turnthebiglightoff · 13/04/2023 15:51

Lots of theory and practical test availability where I am, too. Hampshire.

Also, very little actual help for the OP here. They didn't ask for feedback on what happened in the past, but are looking for advice for the future.

@op I'll be doing the same when I (hopefully!!) pass my theory test next week. Best of luck!

It translates into useful advice because the circumstances with this instructor and what he’s saying are a bit unusual. My advice would be to a) check he’s actually an ADI, b) check his reviews and c) check local test availability herself.

newtb · 13/04/2023 16:38

Many years ago, more than 40, I blew half my term's money after my hall fees were paid from my full grant on driving lessons.

The lessons consisted of driving from 1 ctn to another so the instructor could buy more player's no 10.

I failed for exactly the same reasons that I failed the first time. £40 down the drain.

So, it does happen, and always has done.

Good Luck with your test.