To teach my 3 sons to drive myself?

[girlwhowearsglasses]

One is 19 next week, the other two are 17 in July. DH never passed his test and is actually a good driver if only he could pass his theory and get a driving test.

i am beyond fed up of taxi-ing now as you can imagine. We are rural and no buses although the station to London is a 6 min drive (1.5 h walk though).

is there any way of doing this that doesn’t involve at least three sets of driving lessons! They do have jobs but also study and they just wouldn’t afford all the lessons themselves.

I bought the cheapest level of car for insurance last year and it’s insured for the 18 year old, and I’ll insure it for the other two too.

anyone taught their kids themselves? Or got some lessons to start and then gone forwards themselves? I’m quite patient and we do get on well….

Good luck is all I’ll say

to every person in this scenario!

Your dh is also reliant on you for transport
and another non driver living rurally with very poor transport

I don’t get it!

Also: can’t find any bloody driving instructors!!

Who taught your dh to drive?

Good luck with that.

How is your dh a good driver if he can’t drive ?

We do a mix of lessons and practice in our car.

19yo and dh I’d put on an intensive course and just get it done. The theory test -use practice apps over and over. There’s only so many combinations of theory test questions. The fact your dh hasn’t passed that would concern me. Sounds like minimal effort because why bother when you can drive everywhere.

I think 20 years ago when I learned this was really common? I had a few lessons to start, lots and lots of practice in my own car with my dad taking every opportunity to practice and then a series of lessons just prior to taking my test.
its worth finding out the current “curriculum” though as styles of teaching and driving to pass the test does change, I’m actually fairly horrified at the modern way of driving (dp apparently taught completely different to me as he only passed a few years ago) and in my head it’s totally wrong but there you are.

Where are you? There’s loads round here now the tests are more available.

I would do it the other way round. You teach them and then get them lessons. My mum taught me this way, and it worked because any 'bad habits' she passed on, I could then do it properly with lessons before my test. They're so expensive I don't blame you

My nephew just passed his driving test with no lessons. They live in the Hebrides though (no roundabouts, no traffic lights, no dual carriageway etc! In fact almost no other cars!). So goodness knows how he'd cope with city driving. But he passed!

There is a lot to this that doesn’t make sense
Namely the non driver dh who is actually a really good driver
and the decision to live very locally with one being a non driver and two teens (but seems pretty commonplace on mumsnet!)

Who taught him?

I tired it with my son when he was 18.

We almost killed each other in a B&Q carpark.

Never a good idea. And your husband isn't a good driver.

My husband taught the basics of driving to both my children, they did have some lessons (less than ten) before the practical test, just to make sure they were fully ready. He is very calm and patient and great at giving them positive feedback. We obviously had to insure the car so that they could learn. They are both now excellent drivers.

That's actually crazy when you actually think about it.

I got a pack of lessons to start with and then once the test was booked (6month delay) I went out with my DS17 most days and most weathers. We get on ok, it was only the evening I made him practice parking over and over that annoyed him. I did get 3 more lessons just before the test to make sure he sorted bad habits and had all his manoeuvres sorted

His girlfriend's dad took him out a few times in his car. There really wasn't any teaching, he just picked it up really quickly and is confident. But it's all single track roads, I'm amazed they have a test centre in the Hebrides! The pass rate is like 95%!

Dh is teaching dd2 to drive due to lack of instructor availability… she has finally got an instructor who said whoever taught has done a good job … the extra cost is now coming from the upkeep of lessons as she can’t get a test booked !

Yes it definitely is possible, my husband just taught oyr 18 year old, she passed first time, it saved A LOT of money and it went well. He was inspired as her friends dad also did the same and another friend of ours. You can get an app and also download your local test routes to get familiar with. We booked a instructor for her towards the end for 2 hours and he was happy with where she was at, he gave a few pointers and we booked the instructor once more in the week before her test.
Go for it, it is doable if you are both focused on getting on with it 😊

I did it with my boys, They started out with a professional lesson, then I took them out for a few weeks, they drove me everywhere in the summer, even if I was going to the shop for milk, then they had lesson number two with the instructor who told them what to work on next. So back with me again, then lesson three, back to me, Lesson four and he said they were ready to take the test.
Worked for us. Dd is going to be starting hers this summer, but I'm buying her a package of lessons (birthday present) and see how she does from that.

Oh and I think she booked her test around 5 months in advance maybe, as in quite soon after she started learning as she could change the date later if necessary

There are certain techniques and protocols that have changed a LOT since I did my test, and some of the things DC told me about their lessons was a bit WTF. So I would say they def need some lessons with an instructor to make sure their exam technique is correct. I’d say a minimum of 4-5 to go over everything.

However you can start them off and do lots and lots of practise which should helpfully reduce the overall cost rather than relying on just lessons to get them through.

and your DH needs to pull his finger out his arse and sort his pass out too.

I taught my 3 sons. Start off in a really large empty car park and get them used to turning the wheel and the response, and the clutch. Then set them challenges of driving down particular rows and pulling into parking spots. Then try a few emergency stops. Then try a really quiet housing estate (you drive there and back). and just build up slowly. Dont do more than 30 mins at a go to start with, and have an agreement that they never pull out or manover unless you have already agreed, and you have you head on a swivel. Then when they are a bit more confident, start practicing in actual traffic and with rain and at twilight etc. also check the driving test for what they have to do in the test