Automatic only licence

robbies_gal

i would say dont teach her yourself just get her lessons conflicting info will just confuse things

ajb69

I think there are two issues here:

1/ Just having an auto-only license - I can't see this being an issue regarding insurance etc. It's not something I can remember explicitly checking , but I'm sure my insurance have only ever asked for license status (full, provisional, etc) and never whether it's a manual or auto license. But you can request two quotes on confused.com or similar which will show you if it's an issue money-wise (which is what this site is here for!). My wife did the same as you propose - her first license was auto-only and after a few years' driving, it was very simple & cheap for her to convert to a manual license, there's not much extra to learn.

2/ Teaching your wife to drive/helping her practice between lessons. Frankly, all down to your relationship with your wife - it works for some, wouldn't work for me, but your mileage may (literally...) differ.

Good luck with whatever you decide, but your plan sounds good to me,

drew

missbiggles1

rev_henry wrote: »

But would it not be utterly confusing for a learner going from one to the other? Not the actual driving but when one uses the brake pedal, the fact that the handbrake is redundant in an auto etc etc.

Why's the handbrake redundant in an auto?

Gloomendoom

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Why's the handbrake redundant in an auto?

Two possible reasons:

You don't really need it unless you are leaving the car parked.

You don't really need it when the car is parked because selecting "Park" usually locks the transmission and thus the wheels. Though, strictly speaking, the hand/parking brake should also be used.

AdrianC

rev_henry wrote: »

I didn't mean engine braking, I meant the fact of having ones foot on the brake all the time when stopped

When you're stopped at lights in a manual-gearbox car, what do you do?

Gloomendoom

AdrianC wrote: »

When you're stopped at lights in a manual-gearbox car, what do you do?

If you are my dad, you put the car in neutral and then apply the handbrake. Every time, for over 70 years.

robbies_gal

i was told in lessons to always use the handbrake at traffic lights in an auto-so i wouldnt sayits redundant if you want to pass your test

BeenThroughItAll

Handbrake in an auto at the lights is only necessary to prevent dazzling the folks behind. Having said that, I tend to use the footbrake during the day unless I'm stuck for a long period, as otherwise I'd be constantly putting the handbrake on and off. If it's night time or wet I'll use the handbrake as the dazzle-ability of the brake lights is increased so much.

Most automatic gearbox manufacturers advise not to take the car out of D and shift backwards and forwards into N or P at lights, as it causes extra unnecessary wear to the gearbox - they're intended to be held on the brakes (service or parking) in D unless parked.

I've mentioned this before, but the extra wear is such that when Volvo tried to introduce a 'Stop Neutral' feature into their automatics a while back, they had so many early failures of the boxes they removed the feature entirely.

Gloomendoom

I've never had the nerve to leave my car in D with just the parking brake set.

BeenThroughItAll

Gloomendoom wrote: »

I've never had the nerve to leave my car in D with just the parking brake set.

Me neither - I end up hovering over the footbrake as well just in case...