Driving test, making me go round the bend

[zinher]

I have started my driving test lessons again. I started in the summer, had a tear booked and cancelled it because the instructor made me feel crap.
Tried another instructor, found him very good at what he taught but he was too pushy, making me book 2 hr lessons which left me completely exhausted.
Now had a lesson with a third one and he seems really nice but not sure if I should stick with him or go back to the second one as I didn't feel like I learnt a lot from him.

How do you know that your instructor is a good one?

Have booked my test for end of Jan and really want to give it a go this time rather than chickening out again.

Try 3rd guy for another lesson. You want to consolidate what you picked up previously. If you are still unconvinced go back to instructor #2. They all try and press for more lessons especially as a test nears. If you can't afford it just say that doesn't work for you. Can you ask for an hour and a half if you feel two hours is too tiring? Always have a snack before your lessons. Open the window and don't have the heating up too much. Try sipping some water when stopping for pep talk or highway code etc. At first the intensity of 60 minutes is draining so you won't pick up much thereafter but after some time taking tuition you'll cope with an extended stretch of concentration.

Crucial thing is plenty of practice. Are you getting practice between lessons? Good luck.

PS I learned a while ago when smoking was still acceptable in public so my instructor chain-smoked continuously. He was monumentally patient. My DCs took lessons with different people, both were encouraging without babying them. Whatever your mood on starting the lesson you should pull up at the end feeling you've made progress. Listen for local recommendations and testimonials.

Thanks Donkey, booked with the third guy for tmrw again. Lovely weather to be learning to drive

I think 2 hour lessons are the norm. Ds1 has just started driving and all the instructors we contacted offered 2 hour lessons. We live 20 minutes from the nearest town, so if he is driving in town he really needs 2 hours as otherwise he has to turn round and drive home almist as soon as he gets there.
Practice is also important, I try to take ds out for 3 or 4 hours a week ( not at the same time!).

Hideous weather! But you will learn how to cope.

So I took the lesson with the third instructor again. I do feel I am improving, however he keeps telling me I wnt be ready in time for my test which is on 25 jan so I feel quite a bit away. And I do know how to drive, I just need some practice.

The second one gave me a lot of confidence to drive and said you will be ready. I don't like the car of the second one and sometimes to demonstrate a point he gets me out of the car and drives around for 5 min himself which I dnt like as out of the 2 hrs lessons he ends up driving for around 15 min himself.

DP is telling me to just pick one instructor and stick to them. I am feeling so confused. It is so much money to keep on spending.

The other thing is that the second instructor charges double for a lesson as it is obviously an hour longer so I can do fewer with him. At the end the lessons with him would be more spaced out but driving time would be the same. I dnt have a gut feeling about either.