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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Original poster

Learning to drive and uni

26 replies

Sallyingon · 08/06/2022 10:42

Our son has an August birthday and started driving lessons on his 17tg birthday last year, but he is quite nervous and was hindered by not getting extra practice as we didn't get him his own car until Christmas time (ours is automatic and a company car so he couldnt learn in that). He has been making good progress since but is still nervous and not ready for his test. He currently isn't doing anything this month as he didn't want any lessons during his alevel exams. He will pick up again after exams but I'm coming to the conclusion that he isnt going to get his test passed before he goes to uni. So what do we do? I realise there will have been a lot of the covid generation who would t have been able to get it done before they went so I'm interested in your experiences. I can't get my head around it. I know we won't be able to afford his lessons for him as well as his living costs when he has gone but Im gutted at the thought of all that money and effort and him stopping altogether..I think I will ring his instructor at the weekend and see what he thinks but just wondering if anyone has any ideas...

OP posts:

FatOaf · 08/06/2022 11:03

I would suggest he get a job during the summer vacation in 2023 and take some further lessons. He might need to get a test booked for next August/September well in advance, though.

ScootsMcHoy · 08/06/2022 11:44

Yes, get a test booked now for before university starts.

Rebook lessons for after the last A level.

Or book an intensive course.

I agree that he can get a job in a couple of weeks.

In the meantime take him out yourselves in his car every day. It doesn't have to all stressful like the actual lessons can be. You can do it at the crack of dawn or late at night at the moment, whenever suits you all.

WonderWine · 08/06/2022 17:31

Depending on where you live you may not be able to get a test before September - there's a massive backlog.

DS was the a summer born covid generation learner driver. Was 17 in Summer 2019 and had a test booked for... yes, you've guessed it - March 2020!
He had a whole series of cancelled and rebooked tests/ unable to get driving lessons etc and didn't manage to pass his test before going to uni last September.
I managed to get him a test this Easter. He had one instructor lesson and we took him out every day the week before for an hour. He passed!
To be honest, the delay seemed to help him. He was way more mature for his test than he would have been at 17/18.
Don't think of the lessons having been 'wasted' - he won't forget most of it.

WonderWine · 08/06/2022 17:33

The other thing is to BOOK A TEST (if you can) and then move it forward if he's not ready.

Twizbe · 08/06/2022 17:40

I failed my test at 18 and then went to uni. I had no need of a car at uni. I was either on campus or on a uni bus route. I lived in a city for second and third years and managed fine.

It was annoying in the holidays as my parents live in a village but I coped.

I also had boyfriends with cars lol. That helped.

I didn't retake my test until I was 25 and had moved to London.

WonderWine · 08/06/2022 17:46

Try to find out what the likely waiting time for a test is in your area. It's about 6 months on average in the UK. In our area they're not expecting to clear the backlog until the end of 2023!
Your worry may be academic if he can't get a test anyway.

ScootsMcHoy · 08/06/2022 18:06

It's about the money though @Twizbe , not the inconvenience.

I used the Testi app to find tests. Where I am there are always tests for the same week so hopefully if you can't get one for the start of September now, you should be able to get a last minute cancellation.

Darbs76 · 08/06/2022 19:27

We are in the same boat with DS being an August baby. He’s found driving quite hard and won’t be in a position to do a test before he goes to Uni, especially as he’s away a fair bit over summer. Depending on his timetable he’s either going to book a 2hr lesson every few weeks or find a local instructor near Warwick. He’s not giving up, my eldest did that and had to start from scratch and it was a lot of money wasted

Twizbe · 08/06/2022 19:51

I was and it wasn't a waste of money in that I got to test standard, but I would have needed more lessons before retaking my test anyway.

I also would have driven so infrequently at uni (Warwick by the way) that I likely would have needed more lessons later even if I did pass.

BigWoollyJumpers · 09/06/2022 15:58

So, DD was another of those start/stop Covid generation of young learners, and went off to Uni not being able to drive. She finally took a test this last Easter, and failed. I think the two years of disruption, delays, cancellations, and then going off to Uni just put a complete downer on the whole thing. As she failed, she now has completely gone off the idea, which is a terrible shame. On the other hand, she has seen how you don't actually need to drive whilst at uni. She has become and very proficient train user, and has visited family and friends, and gone on city breaks with her BF, all by train. It isn't very expensive either.

Older DD, now 25, passed her test prior to Uni. She never needed to drive, and couldn't have a car at Uni anyway. She came back home, bought a car, within three months was working and living in London, she didn't need a car. The car sat on the drive for a further three years, and we just sold it (for more than she bought it for!), but during that time it needed quite a bit of maintenance as it was never being driven.

So.... in summary, they don't NEED to drive before uni. And they actually don't need to drive AT uni, or even when they graduate, depending on where they are and what they end up doing.

Original poster

Sallyingon · 09/06/2022 19:54

Thanks so much for all your comments..I've been on the test booking site and spoken to his instructor and we've got him in as early as we could which is mid October. He will only have been at uni for a fortnight so can come for the weekend and do it Monday morning.and we'll get him out as much as we can over the holidays. Not ideal but worth a go..

OP posts:

MidLifeCrisis007 · 09/06/2022 20:06

If you have a manual car that he can drive, then take him out yourself to give him the experience and confidence he needs.

My DD and DS didn't have a single lesson with an instructor. I taught them how to drive and they both passed on roads they'd never driven on before. It's not rocket science.... examiners just want safe drivers, not brilliant ones.

etulosba · 09/06/2022 20:20

So.... in summary, they don't NEED to drive before uni. And they actually don't need to drive AT uni

That rather depends on what kind of course they are doing. Non driving students can find themselves at a distinct disadvantage when applying for summer internships or placements for intercalated years etc.

User56785 · 10/06/2022 08:27

So.... in summary, they don't NEED to drive before uni. And they actually don't need to drive AT uni

In summary...the OP isn't worried about that.

She is concerned that she had spent a lot already on lessons and if he doesn't have any more lessons until after university in three years, she will have spent that money on nothing.

Also in summary, you can't possibly know that a student you don't know doing a course at university you don't know doesn't need to drive.

thing47 · 10/06/2022 09:35

Also in summary, you can't possibly know that a student you don't know doing a course at university you don't know doesn't need to drive.

Not just the course, either. It might also be necessary to get to sports training or an extra-curricular club. Sports training might be some way away, definitely not walking or cycling distance, and not necessarily anywhere near campus.

DD1 had training before it got light and after it got dark for her sport. In a big city, travelling on her own, even though she was very streetwise, I was much happier when she had a car to get to and from.

BigWoollyJumpers · 10/06/2022 14:52

I did say depending on where they are and what they end up doing 🙄

Libertybear80 · 10/06/2022 14:56

Length of time my daughter had to wait for a practical driving test after passing her theory - 6 months! Yes we keep trying the apps to get an earlier test.

TheRoadToRuin · 10/06/2022 14:57

It may not be essential but it's a valuable skill.
I would shelve all lessons for now as you won't get a test before September.
Book a test for late August 23 and get him a course of lessons when he returns home in May / June 23.

Xenia · 10/06/2022 15:39

Sounds like the booking for october 2022 is the best plan. He can just come home and do it. I was a eyar young at school so only passed mine the Sept before - days before university (2nd time I tried and aged 17). My late July son took his theory test day of 17th birthday and did pass(2nd time he took it) in upper sixth (and the other 4 children were all Autumn birthdays so all passed in lower sixth at 17. This was before covid put paid to many driving lessons.

My sons who are just finishing their studies - last exam was earlier this week - have friends who are taking driving lessons again now at 23 because they are in a job that needs it or just want to have another go as they did not get on with it at 17. Lots of people learn at different times. My mother failed her test 3 times, then stopped and had 2 children and when she was pushing my sister in the pram a mile or two, whilst 6 months pregnant and with me walking or in the pram aged 4 to school and back and then back at lunch time and back and then end of school time and back !!! she then took more lessons and passed as it was just too much to do that walk to and from the school 3 times a way with pregnancy and then new baby and the toddler and little me, the oldest.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 10/06/2022 15:43

They don't need to drive before uni, in fact having a car can be a hindrance not a bonus in some uni cities. Cars are expensive to run especially while on a student loan.

Ds will be learning when he finishes his master's and hopefully the backlog of tests will have eased by then and he can just crack on and learn with no start/stopping.

lightisnotwhite · 10/06/2022 17:10

Can’t he just take it in his car? Mine used mine as the driver instructor wanted a 3 hour session ( £120) and that was too much.
He did actually fail on the parallel park but only got 3 minors so I knew he could do it. The only tests I could find were the take in 3 days cancellation ones, Booked him one straight after the 10 days after his first test. Different centre but he passed!
You need a rear view mirror for the examiner (£5 Halfords) and no warning lights can be on.
So relived the expensive lessons are at an end if nothing else. Can’t imagine how much they’ll be with the cost of fuel sky high.

Floydthebarber · 10/06/2022 17:18

As someone who is trying to book a test at the moment, unless he has one booked he's very unlikely to get one booked before the end of summer.

And I imagine you are funding it so are probably a bit annoyed with him but he's nearly 18. He needs to sort these things out himself.

aftonwater · 10/06/2022 17:22

My ds was in a similar position (although 8 years ago so without the covid factor). He booked a test for just after Christmas. Once he was home for the Christmas break we took him out for some practice and he had a couple of lessons. He passed! Luckily he could drive my car so I made sure he went out driving every time he was home.

DentonsFringeArnottsWaistcoat · 10/06/2022 17:27

If you’ve got a test booked then get him driving his car as much as possible after his exams are finished, then use the short cancellation option for changing the date - this will give you tests for the next three days - they come up often. If he does the test in his own car instead of the instructors then you don’t have to waste time liaising with the instructor as to whether he’s free on that time slot or not.

etulosba · 10/06/2022 19:58

Cars are expensive to run especially while on a student loan.

One of my students drove a Lamborghini. Not all students have financial worries.

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