To what extent can you self-study to drive without paying for instructors?

simmed

£23/hour is too expensive for me, but I still want to drive.

Joe_Horner

It can work (my partner passed like this with no lessons) but an awful lot depends on the accompanying driver / drivers.

They have to be prepared to comment rather than just sitting there, and they really need to have NO bad habits of their own, or at least know what their own bad habits are. Otherwise they'll end up teaching you "their" way of doing it which will probably be well below test standard. That includess them being willing to study the Higway Code themselves seeing as the chances are they haven't looked at it since they passed, some things have changed / been added, and their memory of it may not be quite as good as they think

It also depends on your attitude to driving, your ability to self-criticise and your willingness to accepting advice from people who aren't "professionals". If you try it believing that you already "know it" and are just "getting a bit of practice" then it won't work!

colino

It can work, but it is entirely down to you, what your natural abilities are and your learning processes. Just hope you don't suprisingly move from being unconsciously incompetent to consciously incompetent!

Hintza

Lots of road time over and above any formal instruction is important in my view and if you are generally competent at driving, then the bits you need to practice with an instructor should come easily.

Many moons ago (70's) when I passed my test I had a couple of early lessons then drove around with friends (normally just passed their test 5 minutes before) and family culminating in about 2-3 two hour lessons over the test route.

However if you are a nervous driver then I think it best to take more lessons. I remember I took my sister for a lesson it was horrific and was never repeated she wasn't nervous as such but ............ just a nightmare.

Mojisola

simmed wrote: »

£23/hour is too expensive for me, but I still want to drive.

I have a plan:

Study and learn the highway code extensively, and learn from the official learn-to-drive book. Then I will put the theory in place in a car on the road via paying for provisional license insurance and having a friend/family member supervise me. I have taken 5 lessons in the past and am already competent on the road.

How likely is this plan to work?

With the provisos given by the other replies, it can be done.

It might be worth saving up while you're doing this for a few lessons before your test to put a bit of "polish" on your driving. Cheaper than having several tests.

photome

Can be done but if £23 an hour is to expensive, how would you be able to afford to own and insure a car etc after passing test

Mojisola

photome wrote: »

Can be done but if £23 an hour is to expensive, how would you be able to afford to own and insure a car etc after passing test

You don't have to get a car as soon as you learn to drive.

The OP might be borrowing a car occasionally from a family member.

It's a useful skill to have whether you can afford a car or not.

Sharon87

Mojisola wrote: »

You don't have to get a car as soon as you learn to drive.

The OP might be borrowing a car occasionally from a family member.

It's a useful skill to have whether you can afford a car or not.

Very true, it could be for work purposes. I learnt to drive to help progress my career, because without it my career would progress much more slowly.

I wouldn't have dreamed learning to drive with friends driving me, but everyone's different. The dual controls of the instructor's car came in very hand during my lessons!!

[Deleted User]

Don't forget supervising drivers must be 21 or over, and have held a full Category B licence for a minimum of 3 years.

Lum

You should be able to do the theory test on your own, but I do say that having passed in the age where the questions were super easy, eg. which of the following can display flashing blue lights a) Police b) Taxi c) Indian restaurant.

Joe_Horner

Lum wrote: »

You should be able to do the theory test on your own, but I do say that having passed in the age where the questions were super easy, eg. which of the following can display flashing blue lights a) Police b) Taxi c) Indian restaurant.

.

Afaik, Indian restaurants - don't think the C&U restriction on them extends to buildings?