Miserble Learner Driver

KittyKate

Hi all

I'm currently learning to drive. I'm 24, and had about 10 lessons when I was 17. I went to uni, was skint, and took another 10 lessons in August 2006. Sadly my nana passed away and what with one thing and another I never got back into it. Anyway since Feb this year I've had 27 lessons covering EVERYTHING - all manouveres, roundabouts, dual carriageways, you name it. I also passed my theory test about 10 months ago (full marks!)

The problem is, my instructor wont book my test until I've passed 2 mock tests with him. Which would be fine but there is a 6 week wait for my test. I said to him, please book it and we will work towards it (I'm currently taking 5 hrs a week to keep my hand in, so to speak) but he won't. Now, he's charging me £180 for 10 lessons but these are taken up in 2 - 3 weeks so it is costing me a small fortune. My family and friends think he is fleecing me. All I seem to do on my lessons is drive round in circles - 'confidence building' he calls it...

I called another school and they have agreed to give me an assessment lesson of 2 hrs for £40 then tell me how many lessons they think I need prior to the test, then book it and give me the lessons on an intensive basis (as it is an intensive school they can get the tests with only a 2 week wait). Am I better off doing this? And how can I avoid paying my instructor another £180 - if I only pay for the lessons I need up until the intensive, wont he smell a rat and check if I am in for my test (can he do that?)

Luckily I go to tenerife in 2 weeks so if I use up all my prepaid lessons with him I just won't call him when I get back. I feel a bit guilty cos he is a really, really nice guy, but I can't help but feel a sense of dread before a lesson cos I feel I am not working towards anything.

wolfehouse

no advice -just want to say I agree with you. I would rather fail the test a few times and get the experience of doing it (as long as you're not a danger) than not be put forward for one until the instructor, who has his/her own agenda agrees.

My daughter is a similar position and i am thinking of booking her in for a residential course with test. (there was another post about that not so long ago)and they had a few including this one:
http://www.apass4u.com/residential.htm

I vaguely remember you being allowed to take a test in any car (a friend's for example)so long as you have double mirrors? (but it may just be me getting old)

good luck- let us know what you do.

scbk

Remember you can book the test yourself, think the car has to have dual controls and mirrors though? Company round here hires out these cars for £6 an hour (no doubt more fees on top though). Tests are about £60 each.
My nextdoor neighbour was in the same boat as you, instrutor kept saying he needed more and more lessons, and wouldn't book his test. So he went for an assesment with my instructor and he told him to book his test straight away!!
Whilst there's loads of genuine honest instructors out there, IMO there's also a good few trying to fleece people.

I passed my test first time after about 12 2-hour lessons. The examiners expect you to be nervous and makes mistakes (I did!), so long as you don't do the same mistake 3 times you'll be fine

jswaminathanuk

No,
Car need not have to have a dual control.
You can give exam in any car as far as it is allowed on road (MOT etc).
Proper tyre pressure etc.
You have to get an L plate fixed (as per guidelines) and an extra mirror.
You have to sign on a form that you are insured to give the test (basically test).
If you are giving test in instructor’s car then the car will be insured for pupils as well.
I would recon you to book an exam and give it a go.
It is not always 6 weeks. Sometime you can get a booking in next 10 days.
I am not sure about intensive basis I never heard of this and never saw on DSA. (They might be fooling you).
Visit DSa and book yourself and ask your instructor that you will drive on how you will give exam not he.
Many instructors bully their pupil by saying all these things. See if you give 2 mock tests and then say you get a booking after 4 weeks means you will take at least 10 classes in 4 weeks.
Instructors play on pupil's fear and make money out of it.

jswaminathanuk

just wanna add that even after you book the exam you can change the date. You cannot cancel it.
however someone suggested that if you change the date 3 times it will automatically be canceled and you will get your money back

chrisw

You can give exam in any car as far as it is allowed on road (MOT etc).

I've got a new Passat and apparently that can't be used for driving tests as it has an electronic automatic handbrake. I don't know how may other cars have these but the number will probably increase in the future.

cajef

You do not need a dual control vehicle to take the test in, though the examiners prefer one for obvious safety reasons and are more likely to abort the test if anything dangerous happens.

The car must be insured for a learner driver and you must be accompanied by a qualified driver, there must be L plates and an extra interior mirror for the examiner.

One word of warning about booking your own test, a driving instructor can refuse to let you use his car and take you for the test if he does not think you are up to the required standard, so you would need to have your own car or vehicle if he decided against taking you.

All instructors pass rates are monitored by the DSA, if they have a very low pass rate the DSA can and will call the instructor in to explain why he is putting pupils in for a test that are obviously not up to standard, and he could lose ADI qualification, which is why a lot will not put pupils in too early.

However I agree that some will try it on to get more money, the best action in this case would be as already suggested, get a second opinion from another instructor, once again remember you are customer, do not be frightened of changing instructor if you think you are not getting fair treatment.

Hintza

My daughter was 17 in January and passed test in ealy April, went at it with a mission. Instructor told her the same thing but she booked her test anyway she failed twice for minor problems on roundabouts (read to aggressive!!).

If you don't trust your instructor get another one, but you need to sit down and be honest with yourself. Would you let yourself loose on the road? Are you fit to pass your test?

colin79666

If he's anything like my instructor he's doing it because he's teaching you to drive - not just pass the test.

I know several people who passed their test within a few weeks of becoming 17 - several of them crashed pretty quickly.
Others such as myself spent 6-12 months learning (without a break) but far fewer of us have had accidents which were our fault.

C_Ronaldo

The instructor wants to make sure that you are at the stage of taking the test but at the same time he shud b askin u if ur ready for the test, id see what the other driving school were to say tbh, you seem eager to do it

KittyKate

Hintza wrote: »

My daughter was 17 in January and passed test in ealy April, went at it with a mission. Instructor told her the same thing but she booked her test anyway she failed twice for minor problems on roundabouts (read to aggressive!!).

If you don't trust your instructor get another one, but you need to sit down and be honest with yourself. Would you let yourself loose on the road? Are you fit to pass your test?

To be honest, yes, I am ready for my test, I'm nervous, but I am a competent driver, I have had plenty of experience, and would happily trust myself out on the roads and more importantly driving my loved ones around. I am very cautious which I think is a good thing, and I personally feel that with any other instructor , my test would have been booked a few weeks ago.

It's getting to the point where I just don't trust my current instructor. He's a nice enough guy but I really do feel that he sees pound signs when he looks at me (he often picks me up at work and knows I have a decent job - maybe he thinks I can afford to pay £180 every 2-3 weeks - money I could be putting towards a better car!)

I'm thinking about cancelling the cheque I wrote him for 10 more lessons and not seeing him again. I get back to England on the 30th and can take an 18hr refresher + test that weekend. Work have agreed I can have the time off, and I think personally an intensive course will be the thing I need to get to know the new car and the area.

Thanks for your suggestions and support - I will let you know how it goes