Driving Lesson Advice

BellyDuJour

Hi Everyone,

I'd like to buy my husband some driving lessons for Christmas as he recently passed his theory and hazard perception tests and is planning on starting lessons in the New Year.

It's been nearly 13 years since I took lessons, so as you can imagine, costs have increased considerably since then!

I'm after some advice on whether it is worth paying extra to go with the national chains such as AA and RAC or is it worth seeking out a local reputable school (I live in Reading)?

Any experiences or recommendations would be most appreciated.

BDJx

anewman

I'd ask around friends/family to see if they know of anyone who's just had lessons and know a good instructor. You can get good/bad instructors from anywhere. But people often complain of not fully qualified instructors (pink windscreen badge) working for BSM/RAC. Best way is probably to get one lesson booked and if he feels happy with that instructor block book some lessons to get the discounts sometimes given that way.

The_Undercover_ADI

Most instructors start with the national schools, then go independent once they have experience and feel they can work on their own, so my advice would be to try local instructors as they have slightly lower overheads.

However, if your OH doesn't get on with one, don't be afraid to move to another.

Don't look for the cheapest price - look for the best. A good one at £25/hour may take 40 hours (£1000), but a bad one at £17/hour may take 80 hours (£1360) to get someone up to standard.

Try asking for recommendations with friends, colleagues and relatives, or if stuck, on the 2pass forum - www.2passforum.co.uk

Lord_Sid

Here is a squidoo lens with a lot of good advice on choosing a driving instructor.

http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-choose-a-driving-instructor