Driving instructor now messing about with driving test

bigbulldog

Hi, just after some advise about my sons driving instructor...

My son has had a lot of lessons with this instructor and booked his test date over 2 months ago on the advise from him as well as a double lesson beforehand now this evening he advised my son that another one of his pupils has booked( a cancelation test and has only notified him today) the hour before my sons test therefore he cannot drive the car he learnt in before his test other than for 10 minutes and has offered a lesson between 7.30am to 8,30am he has then got to hang around the town where the test centre is until 9.50am when the instructor is available again then his test at 10.15,

Any thoughts as I'm not to happy about this.

1956

hi
I feel for you i would not be happy, just gone through this stress of son on test two days ago, however what you gonna do, have a word with his instructor and tell him your not happy? risk alienating him?, too late to get another instructor as will prob have a different car anyway so worse, cancel test? expense not sure if you can now without cost? if hes had a lot of lessons one would hope he does not need too much instruction just before his test, so i would take the early lesson and can you sit with him , distract him/or keep him focused by not nervous till his instructor can come back to him?
wish him the best and good luck
dean.m

bigbulldog

Thanks for the reply your right there's nothing I can do.:)

1956

No problem , just be supportive, even if you are nervous! dont let him see and be prepared for some more hard work to get him insured and worry when he goes out on his own, like me and my sons mother today!!
cheers dean.m

kmcqueen

Your sons instructor should really advise the DSA that he can not be available at least 2 hours between tests, and all pupils should quote the instructors ADI number to prevent this problem of the car/instructor being double booked. I could help if you were in the Fife are! If not I really hope your son does well on his test, good luck

bigbulldog

Thanks for the offer Kmcqueen.;)

skiddlydiddly

Unlike the other similar thread, this does seem extremely unprofessional and very short notice and if your son failed I'd be looking at some reduced rate/free lessons to compensate.

stef73

20 years ago this happened to me . I had driven the same car for all my lessons and first test (which i failed) booked retest sorted out 2 hr lesson with driving instuctor 2 days before he called and said hed double booked and couldnt do my test . He was part of a small chain of driving schools and arranged another instuctor to take me .Differnet make of car and a diesel i passed . If he isnt part of a chain of driving schools he must know another driving instuctor who might be able to help ? might be worth asking ?.

mountainofdebt

tbh the driving instructor is at fault here - after all at the end of the day, the car was previosuly booked (by your son) for the time needed and if it wasn't available for the other learner then tough luck!

Its a pity that your son didn't tell him this but I guess that's the advantage of having some life experience behind you.

having said that it may be better for your son if he does have a break between the lesson and the test ........at the end of the day its only about an hour and a half so its not that too long.

DaveF327

On one hand, I'd like to quote "first come, first served".. so the instructor should have put his foot down with the muppet who booked a test behind the instructor's back then announced it last minute. Why on earth didn't the instructor book tests on behalf of their pupils so they can manage their diaries more effectively and control the situation? Double bookings don't just happen through luck; instructors should control every booking.

On the other hand, some pupils have even been known to request a break between the practice session and the test as they become too stressed during a continuous two hour stint. Everyone's different and the OP's son may be the kind of person who finds this a benefit rather than a detriment. It's only an hour and twenty minutes, so if he forgets that much in that time, maybe he wasn't ready for the test in the first place. An hour in Starbucks or similar with a nice coffee and a cake whilst listening to an iPod may be perfect to unwind and de-stress. Just a thought.