driving lessons

[Notamum01]

Hi, I am in fact not a parent but I have found no support in finding a car, organising my driving lessons and booking a test. My main concern is booking lessons as I know I can apply for a cancellation test and I can worry about a car after I have my license. I have passed my provisional so need to know where to find an instructor in Suffolk: I have checked every major company and many individual instructors already. I thought if any of you had recently booked lessons for your children you’d have recommendations as most people in my year group don’t know where their parents found their instructors.

Thank you

Can you ask people in your year group for the names and numbers of their instructors? Personal recommendations are helpful in choosing an instructor rather than googling and just getting one off the internet.

In our area the parents who have older children tend to talk amongst friends about who they are booking for their next child, or why they wouldn’t use X again, so people like me who are looking for an instructor go off their recommendations.

The good ones tend to be booked up in advance and have a waiting list though, I imagine it’s the same in your area.

There’s a shortage and huge waiting list.

I would buy a car and ask a friend / parent to take you out - you can buy learner car insurance by the hour I believe? Are you U.K.?

https://finddrivinginstructor.dvsa.gov.uk/DSAFindNearestWebApp/findNearest.form?postcode=IP1+5PD&filterByCop=true

Try here

Thank you and everyone for your help i feel much more confident now!

The .gov site linked above is good. We used it just before lockdown lifted and ds was looking for lessons. Most instructors ignored emails, I had more responses when I found their driving lesson pages on facebook and messaging them. Everyone had waiting lists - some said get back to them in a few months, others put me on their lists but said it could be months.

I had ds on over 20 waiting lists. Luckily the instructor that came back with a space first was one of the cheapest at £25/hr. Once ds started we found out he didn't have the best reputation allegedly making a couple of pupils cry, but ds is pretty resilient, said the guy was a bit awkward personality wise and just had a laugh with him. 25 lessons later (because we couldn't get a test sooner) he passed first time.

If you possibly can, once you have a few lessons under your belt start getting practise with family/friend in their car - even 10 mins here and there all helps give you road experience and confidence .