Paid Members SpursRiot2012 Posted February 16, 2015 Author Paid Members Share Posted February 16, 2015 So nobody would recommend (legalities aside) after a certain amount of lessons, if you've got access to car, going to some quiet place to have a little practice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Maverick Posted February 16, 2015 Paid Members Share Posted February 16, 2015 You can if you have a license holder with you I think and L plates up, isn't that legal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members herbie747 Posted February 16, 2015 Paid Members Share Posted February 16, 2015 Do you not need to have a qualified driver in the car with you to go and drive by yourself for practice? You do now - but didn't in 1999 if on a 2nd provisional licence. Not sure how long it's been that way; 10+ years probably. And now you need to do a theory test to get your 1st provisional - when I got mine in 1997, I just sent off for it and it cost IRE£26. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members SpursRiot2012 Posted February 16, 2015 Author Paid Members Share Posted February 16, 2015 You can if you have a license holder with you I think and L plates up, isn't that legal?  I meant without a license holder. Which of course, nobody should do as it would be illegal and you wouldn't be insured and lots of others reasons!   Do you not need to have a qualified driver in the car with you to go and drive by yourself for practice? You do now - but didn't in 1999 if on a 2nd provisional licence. Not sure how long it's been that way; 10+ years probably. And now you need to do a theory test to get your 1st provisional - when I got mine in 1997, I just sent off for it and it cost IRE£26.   You don't need to do a theory test in the UK in order to get your provisional, I don't think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members herbie747 Posted February 16, 2015 Paid Members Share Posted February 16, 2015 So nobody would recommend (legalities aside) after a certain amount of lessons, if you've got access to car, going to some quiet place to have a little practice? Â I used to do it in an industrial estate at night. Just drive around - practice your left & right turns & your observation, reverse, turnabout, etc. Good practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rey_Piste Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 You can if you have a license holder with you I think and L plates up, isn't that legal?you also have to have to be insured on the vehicle, then it's fine. Â As for ROI being mental with their driving I used to work with a mick and he was a fucking atrocious driver. One example of this was when I was sat in the passenger seat giving him directions and I said turn left at these lights. Without stopping or checking he went straight through a red light very nearly knocking over a biker. His excuse was I said it was fine to go when all I did was tell him where to go, with me thinking he would have the common sense to stop at a red light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members herbie747 Posted February 16, 2015 Paid Members Share Posted February 16, 2015 He just sounds like a retard though, Rey - you find them everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Sergio Mendacious Posted February 16, 2015 Paid Members Share Posted February 16, 2015 I periodically think about learning — I was waiting for the bus the other day and a bloke kept encouraging me to do it, broaden my horizons. Maybe if they make it free one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rey_Piste Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 He just sounds like a retard though, Rey - you find them everywhere.let's just say that he did not help disprove the stereotype that the Irish are less intelligent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members herbie747 Posted February 16, 2015 Paid Members Share Posted February 16, 2015  He just sounds like a retard though, Rey - you find them everywhere.let's just say that he did not help disprove the stereotype that the Irish are less intelligent.  That's a stereotype? Nobody told us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattyc Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 One bit of advice I'd give to any new learner is not to feel any pressure to stick with a certain instructor. They may come with recommendations online or from friends of being a great instructor and they probably are, this doesn't mean they're great for you and your needs. We all learn in different ways, if you find you're not clicking with an instructor after 2 or 3 lessons. Drop them and find another.  My first instructor was fantastic as far as what he taught me goes and I still use much of what he taught me in my driving today. The only reason I left him was because A) I got the feeling towards the end that he was stringing my lessons along for more money despite constantly telling me I was test ready and B)My dad shockingly died just as I was about to change instructors and after this I had a 2 month break from learning anyway.  When I resumed my lessons I tried three different instructors, two of them were decent guys and one of them was a complete twat...but the problem I had with all of them was that they were all intent on trying to break down everything I'd learnt and start me from scratch with methods that I found to be more confusing than how I'd been taught before. I didn't stay with any of these for more than 3 lessons. I made sure I moved on quick before any lasting damage could be done.  After my extended break and my failure to click with any of the new instructors my once high confidence in my driving was starting to slip at this point and there were moments during this time where I asked myself "Is the problem them? or me?" and I did feel like quitting during these moments.  Luckily I didn't quit and I tried one more instructor and that instructor was fantastic. He picked up on everything my original instructor had taught me and he built on that rather than trying to break it all down. The confidence came rushing back and I was soon back to the level I'd been at with my original instructor before my dad died and I passed my test. I can honestly say that every lesson I had with this instructor was a pleasure too. A sound guy who i'm still friends with today.  If I'd have stayed with one of the other three instructors, I'd probably still be taking driving lessons all these years later!  In the end the only way you really fail is if you quit, so don't do it!  One little thing I'll say about the theory, I was actually more nervous about taking that test than I ever was for my actual driving test. In my mind I looked at it like this, people openly pass and FAIL driving tests every day so there is no real stigma to failing it a few times, but failing the theory?"  That was just how I honestly thought at the time because back then I knew of nobody who failed the theory (or at least admitted to doing so). In the last 12 months this has changed, I know more than one person who's been open about failing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I'd stick to learning g by lessons than driving about with a mate or family member. Instructors teaching you to pass a test. You learn to drive after you pass. Can be easy to get lazy with mirrors checks etc when instructors not there to pull you up on it. Â Don't go practicing anywhere quiet yourself. All it takes is one call of someone looking shifty in a car and you has points and a fine which will ruin your insurance hopes further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MungoChutney Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I've always felt driving is one of thoes things that you can be taught to a certain degree but some peopel are far more natural at it than others. I'm not a natural driver at all and I foudn I had to work really hard to master basic things like the clutch and stopping distance.  That said, I put in about 45 hours of lessons before I went for my test and then passed first time. I found the actual test to be much easier than a lesson. You're only driving for about 35-40 minutes total and I'm assuming England is the same as Scotland now with only one manouevre on the exam plus self-directed driving where they tell yout o follow the directions to such and such a place. I did the older test with two manouevres and foudn it quite a relaxing experience comapred to a lesson. I also booked it for bank holiday when there are no schools and less van drivers on the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Teedy Kay Posted February 19, 2015 Paid Members Share Posted February 19, 2015 Avoid the 'big' companies, all they want is your money. For example BSM made me stump up money for going in a simulator before going live on a road, I thought it was a good idea, then was sat in  cubicle that was basically a shit arcade game with no monitoring on my progress at all, I grew board of the sloppy graphics and went all GTA on it, and was allowed afterwards in a car.  After growing disillusioned with BSM I gave up learning for a few years. Then work seemed to become more dependant on me being a driver and cuts were happening to my department.  I had cash from my Grandad and went all out a did a weeks intensive course, constant hours on the road for five days straight and with the company I went with I had four instructors at times giving valuable input on styles, something as stupid as adjusting my seating from one who spent 20 mins with me made my gear changes easy for example.  Passes it first time come the end of the week. Now granted a grand is a lot of money to stump up up front, but I reckon I saved money in the long run.  It's all about hours on the road and constant driving IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members SpursRiot2012 Posted February 19, 2015 Author Paid Members Share Posted February 19, 2015 Would you say one of those intensive courses are good for someone who has literally never sat in a drivers seat before? Did you use a particular company? I could use the bursary I'm getting to pay for that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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