Driving Lessons - Lots of questions.

dug123

My son is 17 and we are thinking of paying for driving lessons for him for Christmas but I have a few questions.
I passed when I was 17, I had 10 lessons and passed my test as most of my friends did.
Nowadays it all looks so different I hear of people having 40 lessons:eek:
I know it is not really in the driving instructors interest for you to pass your test (they lose a customer) but I wondered how many lessons should I budget for?
I would love to teach him myself to help out but the insurance costs on my car are extreme and I will not be going down that route.
We live in Huddersfield and any advice would be welcomed.
Thank you

Evilm

Average I believe is 1.5hrs for every year of age. So he should be looking at about 25hrs. It does depend on skill level as some will pass easier and some will take longer.

Rates are about £20-£30 and hour these days.

Generally people seem to have the best experience with Independent instructors although some people do get on with BSM (others say that BSM tend to spend about 15 mins parked and drop off about 10mins early but it may depend on area/specific driver).

It might be work your son asking his friends at school who they use and whether they find them good (especially if one has already passed).

As for insurance check out the short term young driver insurances - I've heard they will provide Provisional cover for a month for £50 a month as and when you need it?

rev_henry

Evilm wrote: »

Average I believe is 1.5hrs for every year of age. So he should be looking at about 25hrs. It does depend on skill level as some will pass easier and some will take longer.

Rates are about £20-£30 and hour these days.

Generally people seem to have the best experience with Independent instructors although some people do get on with BSM (others say that BSM tend to spend about 15 mins parked and drop off about 10mins early but it may depend on area/specific driver).

It might be work your son asking his friends at school who they use and whether they find them good (especially if one has already passed).

As for insurance check out the short term young driver insurances - I've heard they will provide Provisional cover for a month for £50 a month as and when you need it?

25 hours sounds about right. I passed at 17 about 18 months ago now and I think I had about that, plus practice in my mum's car. ProvisionalMarmalade is the company you're thinking of. They'll insure your son in pretty much any car except a porsche or something silly for a flat fee. Friend of mine is using this and learning in his mum's old 405 TD estate. I am very jealous! This policy is just for learners to learn though. You can't have it once they've passed.

Leory

I used to be a driving instructor until illness made me get a regular job (not a nervous breakdown as some might think!)

1.5 hrs x age is the figure people use, but it really does depend on skill/progress. a lad of 17 can be anywhere between 10 and 30 hours, id be suprised if its more if he has an interest in driving already.

few tips here
* do the theory test before any lessons. you dont need an instructor to help here in most cases, plenty of books CDs to help pass. All this will lead to is more of a delay until you can even book your practical test. and delays mean.....more lessons!

* after 2/3 lessons get instructor/yourself to book a practical test. Gives the student something to aim for. Dates can be changed up to a week before the test if need be. Otherwise if instructor waits to book there is a 4 week wait in some areas. And wait means......more lessons to keep the standard up.

*book 2 hour lessons instead of 1, even if these lessons are every 2 weeks instead of 1hr every week. As stated above (especially in first few lessons) the instructor will have to drive somewhere suitable, and maybe back. On a 2hr lesson this time is halved.

*if going to BSM (or other chains) check if the instructor has a pink or green badge. Pink is a trainee, green is fully qualified instructor.
I was a trainee (a good one i might add!) before i qualified fully, but some students i got from other trainee instructors who failed were at a very low level of driving. They had basically been ripped off by being given a poor trainee instructor. I'm obviously not saying all trainees are poor, but if it doesnt feel right, then change.

*it can be beneficial driving parents car....but DON'T undermine what the instructor has told them to do even if you think it is wrong. You will have forgotten so much more than you think.

hope this helps!:D

Mark_Hewitt

Insurance for learners usually isn't too bad, as they will always be supervised of course.
I would say the time needed in the car is no different now than it was back in your day. It's just extra study for hazard perception, multi choice questions etc is needed but that can all be done at home.;

alexlyne

Are there any large carparks that are open and quiet on a sunday afternoon that you can take him out on - even prior to his birthday? Learning the fundamentals of clutch control, changing gears, basic maintenance etc ahead of actual lessons should make things easier and then the lessons will be spent driving and learning, not parked up and learning!

Strider590

Number of lessons can unfortunately depend on how busy the instructor is and what his/her financial situation is like.

Use a recommended (by friends) instructor and If the instructor ever seems to be dragging out the lessons, drop them like a hot potato.

anewman

Strider590 wrote: »

If the instructor ever seems to be dragging out the lessons, drop them like a hot potato.

I agree, a good instructor should see what you are capable of. Not be a gear one for first 5 lessons, gear two for next 10 lessons etc.

Mark_Hewitt

Plus don't be afraid of changing instructor if you don't get on with the first one.
I did - At first I got a grumpy old git who spent more time chastising me for making mistakes than actually telling me how to drive. The second instructor was great and very patient.

First one when I stalled I'd get a 5 minute rant about how I wasn't concentrating. Second one when I stalled was just "Ok, gear into neutral, hand brake on. Start the engine when you're ready".

Arfa__

Recently been trying to get my wife through her test. She's 32, but did get her full bike license over 10 years ago (which means no need for theory test!) She started out with the AA, as I used them way back when and had good experience. However my wife has a terrible time with the AA. Tried two of the drivers, suffered from problems with them turning up late, cancelling at last second, using mobile during lesson, stopping for fag breaks, dirty/untidy cars and the last chap fiddling lessons, claim her entire block, before she had even took them, then swapped about so much, we lost track of exactly how many lessons we had left!

After a little break, she's now with a nice independent lady, doing well and has now booked her test. Had one 1.5 hr lesson a week since July, and in last month upped that to 2 lessons a week.

Definitely second the tip to go for longer lessons, 1.5 hr or 2 hr. Often you'll spend first 10-50min just getting back into swing of it.
After you've got basics nailed, I'd recommend upping to 2 or 3 lessons a week (each 1.5 or 2hr), just to hammer things in.
Yeah book you're test really early on, hit this problem now. Instructor reckons my wife is ready, but down here in East London, its a 3 month waiting list!

anewman

Also don't forget https://www.2passforum.co.uk