Driving lesson advice - aggressive instructor

Blackpool_Saver

I meant can't your partner drive you to the lessons?

thisuseridistakenagain

That's no good, I changed instructor loads of times, your skills stay with you, so don't worry about swapping and wasting money. your not.
If you change to a better instructor chances are you will save money because you will be more relaxed and pick things up more easily.

you need to be supported and guided not shouted at. Especially for the prices they charge!!

I said that to one of my instructors, 'if you keep shouting at me im going to get out, and not pay you for this lesson or any more'

He apologised and said people seemed to learn quicker when he shouted, and that he would take a different approach from then on, he did. But i ditched him anyway, he didn't deserve my hard earned cash!!

Happychappy

thisuseridistakenagain wrote: »

That's no good, I changed instructor loads of times, your skills stay with you,

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Strider590

And what are you doing while he's ranting on for 5 minutes?

While I think the guy is acting like a bit of a tit....... You have to remember that your not just driving a car, your driving a lethal weapon. Some people just don't realise that they are in control, no one is going to come to their rescue.

When I learnt to drive I got driven home by another student (with the instructor there obviously) and she was sooooooo ditzy it was untrue, she relied on the instructor so damn much, she wasn't scared or afraid, but she just acted like she was stupid and dumb when she clearly wasn't, she'd then argue blind that she had done nothing wrong.... His ordinarily calm demeanour very quickly turned to impatience. This behaviour may get men to lift heavy objects or do other daft things for her, but when she's behind the wheel of a car it's just not on.

Now there could be many reason why your instuctor is being aggressive, but if you don't concentrate, don't treat his car with respect or argue instead of listening, then changing instructors is unlikely to be much help.

aqueoushumour01

i had an instructor who always used to shout at me so after a few lessons I just changed and passed first time with the next one.

Moody_Mare

Change instructors now, I must have gone through 4 or 5 instructors until I found one that I liked. I had 10 lessons with her and passed and touch wood I have been driving for 15 years with no problems. Yet the other instructors I tried thought I would need 30 + and were arrongant to say the least. Good luck on your driving and test:D

Zanzibar

If any instructor can't keep their cool then its their issue - end of story - its THEM being paid. Ditch the dog.

I've heard this a few times - I'm not sure in what other sector trainers actually get away with shouting at their students.

I'd have one more lesson - wait for him to shout them smack him one. See his surprise as you jump out and run off with the keys...

busiscoming2

Change instructors, my dd had this problem and it got to the point where she didnt want to drive anymore, I gave her the yelow pages told her to phone a few and explain her situation and go by gut instinct. She did and passed with the new instructor.

DaveF327

Strider590 wrote: »

she was sooooooo ditzy it was untrue, she relied on the instructor so damn much, she wasn't scared or afraid, but she just acted like she was stupid and dumb when she clearly wasn't, she'd then argue blind that she had done nothing wrong.... His ordinarily calm demeanour very quickly turned to impatience. This behaviour may get men to lift heavy objects or do other daft things for her, but when she's behind the wheel of a car it's just not on.

Now there could be many reason why your instuctor is being aggressive, but if you don't concentrate, don't treat his car with respect or argue instead of listening, then changing instructors is unlikely to be much help.

As an ex-instructor myself, I can see an awful lot of truth in that post.

Whilst there is no excuse for "flying off the handle" at the drop of a hat, there are usually two sides to every story. Sometimes you'd remain calm, professional and patient and explain things (yet again!) in a different way, but some would get the hump thinking you were being sarcastic or unsympathetic. Although I pleased a lot of people (the vast majority, in fact) who had bad prior experiences, and went on to sing my praises, I learned that you just can't please everyone. There are some people who just cannot be helped and will find fault in everything you do.

Funny how the hardest ones to teach (and the least reliable who would mess you about and cancel late) were the ones who came to you after having dumped umpteen instructors. To dump one, there must have been a problem with him. To dump that many, can so many really be doing it wrong? They're probably still at it years later, still going nowhere and with an ever bigger axe to grind.

Sarsie

Change instructors for sure.

I had a similarly very bad experience with a motorcycle instructor and it has inspired me to take my bike instructors training as soon as my health allows (my licence has been held plenty long enough). I got through my training but honestly all he taught me was how to be scared of the machine. It was only after that was all over and I had my licence that I learned what I needed to know from other bikers. I was amazed how easy riding was when you took the paralysing fear out of it.

I know someone's gonna read this and think "better than being under-scared and riding like a tw*t" but I would disagree, total disregard for road safety is not cured by fear, it is cured by responsibility, which is harder to teach than just scaring the holy cr*p out of a novice so the lazy and incompetant don't, but responsibility is entirely teachable if they could only be bothered!

This instructor is not teaching you anything, in fact he'll be making it harder for you to pass (the cynic in me wonders if this is because he's just cr*p or is a calculated effort for the sake of his mortgage). What you need is to find an intructor who you can put your faith in and thus you will relax into that receptive state neccessary to openly learn and you will also relax because you will realise he/she has dual controls and can keep you out of nearly any harm you can place yourself in.

Even on bikes where I have no control of a learners machine (I teach informally within my social circle at the moment- which is all legal don't worry) it is possible to reassure someone that if they are open to your guidance you can keep them out of harms way in all but the most freaky-rare circumstances.

If you rant at someone then deep down not only does it scare them but it gives them the impression you are scared or nearing your limits of control too, it's impossible for a student to have proper confidence in any teacher who looses thier cool. I couldn't care less if you bunny hopped a speed bump or mounted the curb and sent granny leaping for the hedge- if you're gonna teach novices you better expect and be ready to deal with mistakes in a professional manner. It is, after all, the job you trained for.

I reckon you ought to consider a formal complaint just for good measure too. However for certain change your instructor and take your time finding one you can rely on.