Learning to Drive

[GlennCullen]

Some 10 years later. I think if I was taking the test today I absolutely would say that, as an acquiescent 17 year old who just wanted to do late night McDonalds runs with his mates, not so much unfortunately.

[Teedy Kay]

I saved up the money and did an intensive course.

 

I'd previously done hour long lessons with BSM, but felt the instructor was ripping me off and not advancing me quick enough just to take my money. Really put me off driving.

 

I basically had to pass my test as I live out in the sticks around Reading and when my missus was preggers I needed to drive to get to the hospital. The intensive course, 6 hours of driving each day over 5 days, was brilliant. The constant repetition was what I needed. The constant repetition was what I needed. The constant repetition was what I needed.

 

In an hours lesson a mistake could fuck you up, with 5 hours left you could put it behind you. The constant driving, although tiring at times, just built the confidence and myelination. Plus the instructors are actively trying to get you through by the end of the week.

 

My course involved 2 days where we'd go to a car park and different instructors would take you out. Highly beneficial, yet ever so slightly like dogging.

 

I would highly recommend it. Save that cash you'd spunk on an hours lesson, put it to one side and save up for a weeks course.

[Chest Rockwell]

Learning in a manual will really help your concentration and decision making with the rest of the learning process. I know everyone is different and learns at different a pace and all, but driving manual really isn't that difficult that you need avoid it completely by just learning an automatic.

That's true, but on the flipside there's less and less reason to need to know how to drive a manual these days. So I can see the reasoning behind just going 'fuck it'.

[Rey_Piste]

He said it was BSM. when I passed it did 2, 2 hour blocks every week for a couple of months. I found an hour lesson would fly by with not much time spent on maneuvers. It would be a 20 minute drive to the test area10 minutes on some maneuvers then another 20 minute drive home. The longer blocks meant I could have more time in the test area and even a little break to go over stuff.

[Teedy Kay]

I did it with oneweekdrivingcourse.co.uk, but they only cover my area down here in the Berkshire area.

 

Just google intensive driving courses and your area and see what's available.

 

I said BSM were shitehawks fleecing me of my money.

[Fox Piss]

Thing i took away from learning to drive is don't do lessons until you pass your theory. I passed them both first time but the amount of friends who have took huge amount of lessons and not done there theory so basically just wasting time and money. 

[Teedy Kay]

Can't see how it's wasting time and money? The theory test has absolutely no bearing on how you drive.

 

If you're short of money and need a month till next pay day there is no harm in getting in a car before your theory.

 

Plus the theory has an expiry, potentially worth doing it closer to your practical test.

[Fox Piss]

You can't do your test without doing your theory first. Isn't the expiry two years? In my experience i've just seen friends take "x amount of hours" doing lessons without even the chance off going for their test because they haven't got round to their theory. Eventually getting bored and binning them off. 

Nobody to blame but themselves like.

[SpursRiot2012]

The (admittedly bad) instructor I had a while back told me that he didn't like people doing their theory before they'd started practical lessons as he felt both went hand in hand. Then he'd get mad at me for forgetting some shit in the theory.

[Teedy Kay]

I'm not saying do it after, I'm saying do it when you need to.

 

You might get behind the wheel and loathe driving. You've wasted money.

 

It could take you 2 years to pass. My sisters were bloody useless and took them that length and more. They still are shite as well.

 

Plus, hazard perception is a hell of a lot easier with road craft under your belt.

 

One thing to definitely avoid, mainly from the bigger companies is the driving simulator hours. Waste of time, you can't feel a biting point on them or breaking speed. I was told to do them and ended up using my 2 sessions just going all GTA about the place. My driving in the simulator wasn't even monitored. Complete waste.

[Grecian]

20 hours of lessons so far, learning in a manual and still stalling the damned thing every lesson as I keep arsing up the clutch. How many lessons have other people had before attempting their test? I'm starting to just think about sacking off the manual and go automatic, or am I being unrealistic in thinking I should have cracked this by now? 

[Keith Houchen]

I know it's a cliche, but once it clicks it clicks.  I used the approach of not setting a number for a target and it suited me fine.  How do you find your instructor? Do you have the same one every time?

[Grecian]

Aye, same instructor each time. Just seems any time I'm on anything more than a mild slope, I seem to release the clutch too quickly and stall it. Then I find myself contentrating so much on not stalling that I do something stupid like cut a corner or clip a kerb. Just starting to feel a bit special that something that looks so easy for other people seems to be on a par with Khali learning to wrestle.

[Rey_Piste]

It doesn't matter if you stall, it's how you handle it. If you start panicking and getting flustered then it's a problem. You should be able to discuss with your instructor that you would like to spend a lesson practising your hill starts. Your instructor should be able to take you to a hilly quiet area just to practice.

[Grecian]

Just passed my test first time with five minors. Boom!