Instructor ripping off my niece?

mruncleman

I think I now see this as typical accepted driver instructor behaviour. I have told her not to bother waisting her money on the instructor and I will teach her. I think having knowledge of the routes should just be an advantage. Someone ready for their test should be (in my view) confident in passing their test having never seen the roads they're driving

caprikid1

"And the speed of their ability isn't close to the speed limit of the road. Then you get frustrated drivers trying to over take stressing out the new passed driver and potentially causing accidents."

Poor driving on the part of the following drivers should not be blamed on those driving at the pace they feel most comfortable at. We have a major road closed by me at the moment and the standard of driving of people trying to achieve the same Point 2 Point speed as they do on the A road is exceptionally poor. 

If you are going to get frustrated at slow moving traffic on a country lane then quite frankly don't use them, slow moving traffic is a major part of country lanes with cyclists , horses and tractors who are all wishing to avoid the sort of driver the OP seems to think is not the problem.

ciderboy2009

The problem is where do you stop deciding what must be included before they take their test?

Should we say that nobody can get a licence until they have encountered all situations including those mentioned above plus things like driving in heavy rain, fog, strong wind, snow, ice?

The problem is that this would cost the learners more money which they don't want to spend after learning enough to get the pass.

I think it's Australia where, for so long after getting a pass, new drivers have a lower speed limit and a nighttime curfew as well as having to display the equivalent of P plates so other drivers are aware that they might do silly things - now this is something that I think we should introduce in this country.

mruncleman

caprikid1 said:

"And the speed of their ability isn't close to the speed limit of the road. Then you get frustrated drivers trying to over take stressing out the new passed driver and potentially causing accidents."

Poor driving on the part of the following drivers should not be blamed on those driving at the pace they feel most comfortable at. We have a major road closed by me at the moment and the standard of driving of people trying to achieve the same Point 2 Point speed as they do on the A road is exceptionally poor. 

If you are going to get frustrated at slow moving traffic on a country lane then quite frankly don't use them, slow moving traffic is a major part of country lanes with cyclists , horses and tractors who are all wishing to avoid the sort of driver the OP seems to think is not the problem.

There's a big difference between being slow because it's not yet safe to pass a horse, cyclist, tractor etc then there is a car that doesn't have the confidence to maintain a decent speed where possible and safe to do so

caprikid1

"There's a big difference between being slow because it's not yet safe to pass a horse, cyclist, tractor etc then there is a car that doesn't have the confidence to maintain a decent speed where possible and safe to do so"

No there is not, they both need to be treated in the same way to ensure any overtake is a safe one. 

Bonniepurple

When I learnt to drive (20+ years ago), I had to go on country lanes to get to the city with the test centre in.  If I had lived in the city, we wouldn’t have gone near them.  By the time I eventually passed my test I had driven in all sorts of conditions (night, rain, snow and ice) and didn’t feel I needed PassPlus.  

Learners are taught to the test.  The test checks certain driving skills at a certain point.  The real learning comes once you are let lose by yourself.  I am (almost certainly) a better driver than I was 20 years ago when I passed my test.  Would I pass my test now?  Almost certainly not due to the bad habits I have developed.  I am becoming more aware of these as my children are getting closer to 17.  That’s worth remembering if/when you’re teaching your niece.  

mruncleman

ciderboy2009 said:

The problem is where do you stop deciding what must be included before they take their test?

Should we say that nobody can get a licence until they have encountered all situations including those mentioned above plus things like driving in heavy rain, fog, strong wind, snow, ice?

The problem is that this would cost the learners more money which they don't want to spend after learning enough to get the pass.

I think it's Australia where, for so long after getting a pass, new drivers have a lower speed limit and a nighttime curfew as well as having to display the equivalent of P plates so other drivers are aware that they might do silly things - now this is something that I think we should introduce in this country.

Im not saying change the test, I'm saying that instructors shouldn't have the attitude of I'm only teaching routes that will be on the test. I think it's possible to learn just as quick given the right teaching methods.

 Confidence on country lanes given all the hazards with bends, choosing the correct time to over take, cyclists etc especially in the dark would be an advantage when that student then goes onto a duel carriageway for example given the clearer vision. But that doesn't necessarily work the other way around. We live in UK, there should always be plenty of opportunities to do driving in the rain. Some things are not necessarily possible and will have to be figured out when it happens. But teaching someone to drive easy routes doesn't teach them much 

Come to think of it maybe it's a money spinner. There was no pass plus when I learnt. Maybe instructors teach the bare minimum so they can then charge for pass plus 

Chris_English

mruncleman said:

I think I now see this as typical accepted driver instructor behaviour. I have told her not to bother waisting her money on the instructor and I will teach her. I think having knowledge of the routes should just be an advantage. Someone ready for their test should be (in my view) confident in passing their test having never seen the roads they're driving

Oh dear.

A professional who knows how to get people through her test was doing this, and now someone unqualified as an instructor has decided that they know better.

Worse, rather than discussing it with your niece as an adult, you have “told her” that you will take over.

I genuinely feel sorry for your niece at this point.

mruncleman

caprikid1 said:

"There's a big difference between being slow because it's not yet safe to pass a horse, cyclist, tractor etc then there is a car that doesn't have the confidence to maintain a decent speed where possible and safe to do so"

No there is not, they both need to be treated in the same way to ensure any overtake is a safe one. 

They wouldn't need to be overtook if they had the confidence to drive on the road. Would it be acceptable for someone on the motorway to drive at 40 because they don't feel confident at 70? 

Cyclists, tractors people etc can't get close to the speed limit. If they could I'm sure they would. Cars can

mruncleman

Chris_English said:

mruncleman said:

I think I now see this as typical accepted driver instructor behaviour. I have told her not to bother waisting her money on the instructor and I will teach her. I think having knowledge of the routes should just be an advantage. Someone ready for their test should be (in my view) confident in passing their test having never seen the roads they're driving

Oh dear.

A professional who knows how to get people through her test was doing this, and now someone unqualified as an instructor has decided that they know better.

Worse, rather than discussing it with your niece as an adult, you have “told her” that you will take over.

I genuinely feel sorry for your niece at this point.

You feel sorry for my niece that she has someone that cares about her life enough that he doesn't want to see her in situations she can't handle. That wants her to go into driving with the best chance of avoiding an accident as possible.

Makes sense 🤣