Unreliable driving instructor!

[Chocladore]

In the past four weeks three cancellations for DS, previous to this lessons have been cancelled last minute, two week gaps etc. DS has been learning since September!

I tentatively messaged another local instructor, didn’t bad mouth current instructor, not tied in to any contract etc, but you’d think I was cheating on a current boyfriend and he basically told me he classes other instructors as colleagues and would feel uncomfortable teaching DS. I hadn’t even told him who his current instructor was!

I should have just lied and said DS doesn’t currently have an instructor but I’m too honest!

It’s frustrating and I’m now imaging all local instructors closing ranks and shutting us out! 😆

Anyone else struggled with driving instructors? Please tell me there are great ones out there (of course there and maybe we’ve just been unlucky)!?

I wouldn’t want an instructor with that attitude teaching my DD anyway! Probably a lucky escape. We had issues with an unprofessional driving instructor too, I contacted a different one who was more than happy to help us out and take her on after hearing what she had experienced with the other instructor. He was absolutely amazing with her, a blessing in disguise!

I had both good and bad ones. Admittedly, none cancelled on me but I had two lessons with one who kept getting calls on his mobile phone throughout the lesson (and answered them too). So I found a new one. I vaguely told him I had some lessons in the past so don't need to start from scratch.
I think it is perfectly normal to change instructors. My aunt spent a year with someone who really wasn't a good fit. The new instructor got her test-ready in 8 weeks. She was never questioned about why she changed. Just call a couple of others in the area. I am sure some are more understanding.

Is the driving instructor independent or part of a bigger company?
I had a really terrible instructor when I was young but was too nervous to say anything. He was moody, car smelled awful of smoke and he regularly just didn’t turn up. I finally contacted the company and they apologised and sent someone else to do my lessons.

If he’s part of a company then contact them and ask what the protocol is for getting a different instructor.
If he’s not then I’d contact him directly and explain that you’ve been let down a lot lately and your son isn’t progressing so you’d like to cancel the lessons. Check your policy first to see if you can get a refund!

IME it's normal to change driving instructors for whatever reason, and the second instructor was unusual to make an issue of it.

Current instructor is independent not part of a company.

Post anonymously on Facebook asking for recommendations for a local driving instructor then ditch the other one once you've found someone else.

My husband was an instructor for 30 years. Its not unusual for people to change instructors. In fact he would often cover lessons for his then boss who owned the company when he was a newbie and the pupils would ask to swap from the boss to him! This was always done with a smile... sounds like the bloke you contacted is a bit insecure. Try someone else - just say your ds isn't getting on with the learning style.

I’ve never encountered or heard of that before - an instructor not taking on a new client because they’ve had lessons with another local one. Perhaps he got his wires crossed by your use of “current” instructor and was thinking a bit too deeply or wondering if you’ll revert back to the “current” one.

I think you should politely and formally end lessons with the current one and make it clear to the next one you find that your son now doesn’t have an instructor.

There doesn’t seem to be any point continuing with this one and you’d be better off taking a break and saving your money while you find a new one.

There are lots of awful driving instructors out there though! I feel some favour those who are quicker learners or have more access to private practice thus making quicker progress etc and are more likely to cancel lessons from those who aren’t the favourites.

I definitely wasn’t a fave of my last instructor 😆 he was constantly cancelling and being super late.

A lot aren’t very good at teaching and their decent pass rate is more dependent on the skills of the learner they happen to be teaching. And for the learners who aren’t necessarily naturals they just keep telling them they’re not ready without actually doing much to help them progress.

I think my current instructor is pretty good though. Definitely try and read reviews though there are some gems out there. My previous instructor had terrible reviews which I didn’t see until after I’d started lessons and I can see why.

You're not obliged to say he's currently having lessons, but say he's had some in the past.

Thanks for all of your replies.

I think I will do as you’ve suggested @WhamBamThankU - could kick myself now for just being honest.

I have looked into RED driving school but was put off by the attitude of the call handler and some negative reviews on Trust Pilot. I’m thankful that at least we’ve not parted with hundreds of pounds of upfront fees and no lessons! Nightmare!

Managed to find another driving instructor who hasn’t asked any questions, has a guaranteed slot free the same time each week, so fingers crossed this one works out.

Have you read their reviews or spoken to anyone who’s been taught by them? From experience if they can fit your DC in oddly quickly it’s often a bad sign

Go with a national chain AA or BSM etc.. Send current instructor a very short message - no details just “not continuing with lessons at this stage”. Then give it not a single further thought.

Phone a couple of instructors, just say he has already had lessons. People change for many reasons. DS moved to another part of the country for his studies so had 2 different instructors and has just passed. I phoned a couple and rejected ones who I just didn’t get a good first impression from. Some sounded really difficult and that was before the lessons! Then short listed, read reviews and picked one who had good reviews and a high pass rate. We also booked his test and told the instructor, for 6 months time so he had something to aim for (obviously we would change if we needed to closer to the time). Not all instructors are good.

He's probably just had a pupil pass. 🙄

Maybe it’s different in other areas but where we are all of our best instructors have relatively long waiting lists. DD waited 4 months to get in with her (very good) instructor, it was definitely worth the wait though - first time and super confident pass. The first instructor she had was an absolute creep who turned out to not even be qualified.. funnily enough we only waited 2 weeks on him!

He seems legit, has good reviews on google and is also on the Gov.uk site. I’ve also noticed, from the comments on his fb page of pupils passing their test, that a mum I used to know from DS’s old primary school’s DS passed with him and she commented singing the instructors praises. Hopefully that’s a real positive sign.

Think he’s managed to fit DS in as it’s a weekday morning, so possibly not a popular slot. DS is at college & work experience 4 days a week but mid week has a free day.

We’ll see how it goes. I’ve not pre-booked the 10 lessons to get a reduced rate yet. I’ve told the instructor we’ll book one lesson first to see if he feels he needs another 10 lessons (most likely) and also to see if DS ‘gels’ with him.

I’m still perplexed at the other driving instructor closing ranks, very bizarre. Oh and we’ve now got to let the current one know, tempted to cancel DS’s rescheduled lesson at the last minute, just as he has multiple times but we won’t, I do want to tell him why we’re cancelling but DH thinks it will fall on deaf ears.

I’d do the last minute cancellation 100% - instructors who repeatedly act like that deserve it, there’s no excuse.

There really isn’t any excuse, especially multiple times! It’s bloody expensive between £37-£45 per hour in our area, usually £37 if you pre-book multiple lessons upfront! I’m a little resistant to do that yet because of such a negative experience!

I would love to cancel at the last minute but I suppose that’s not me, even though he’s done the same. I treat others like I like to be treated, doesn’t always make you feel good as people can be pretty shitty but there we go 😆

I hear you!

My DDs 1st instructor was told 6 weeks in advance that we had a one week holiday planned (I also emailed and was told that was fine). We took the holiday then found out he had given DDs space away. I then called 17 instructors as we needed a slot after school hours and no one had any space. I finally found someone who turned up in a car that was 15 years old, and whose key had to be ‘wiggled’ to even start the car! 😂 The car was also not well kept! I wasn’t happy with the state of the car so back to the drawing board.

She is currently with a company the instructor is fab but you just can’t book in - you have to literally be on the system at the time the slots are released to have any chance of getting a time after school or on a saturday. My DD is out driving now but hasn’t had a lesson for over 2 weeks because of the ridiculous booking system the company has (not the instructor who I can’t stress enough is brilliant). So whilst she is practicing with us we have been at this since last Aug!!

She starts with a new lady a week on tuesday as its the same day and time every week. Its been a nightmare- all her friends who are at college have passed as they can have lessons during the day when there is plenty of space - but Ds school won’t let them drive in their free periods!

I have had no issues with moving instructors though it seems really odd they are all so close knit!

I hope you get it sorted and that all goes well 😀

I would message current, unreliable instruction and say he's no longer needed and then phone around new instructors. That way, you don't have to lie when they ask if he's currently learning with anyone else.

OP is already sorted.