Driving lessons

DeeM · 27 Jul 2021 at 15:50

Just wondering roughly how many lessons it took before you felt comfortable in the car?

Hades · 27 Jul 2021 at 15:55

Driving tests are backlogged several months. So regardless of how many you need, it will be months before you can actually get a test.

dlockers · 27 Jul 2021 at 15:57

IIRC I did 20 double lessons and crammed them in: 2/3 a week. I passed 2 months after my birthday - but and here it comes - you only learn to drive once you have passed [/puts away pipe, hat and slippers].

Seriously though, cram them in, get it over and done with; get your theory out of the way ASAP. Don't do like my other half did and stop start over a decade.

Rroff · 27 Jul 2021 at 16:04

Depends - I felt comfortable in terms of being in control of the car far sooner than I did feel comfortable in terms of dealing with other road users, etc.

Cadder · 27 Jul 2021 at 16:07

I was comfortable straight away. The joys of driving vans, tractors and forklifts at 16 years old for the family business - not on the main roads of course.

I booked my test for 2 months after I turned 17 then asked a driving school to fit in whatever lessons they could until my test date.

dlockers · 27 Jul 2021 at 16:07

Rroff said:
Depends - I felt comfortable in terms of being in control of the car far sooner than I did feel comfortable in terms of dealing with other road users, etc.

Yeah I did a practice drive out with other half over the weekend. She has great control but she needs to take a lesson from the Rroff book when it comes to defensive driving. Being a passenger reminds you of how much crap you really have to deal with. And it isn't always just because of poor standards of driving... the roads just have junctions that are chaos.

Rroff · 27 Jul 2021 at 16:11

dLockers said:
Being a passenger reminds you of how much crap you really have to deal with.

I hate being a passenger these days - I dunno why but since I started driving larger vehicles I just can't switch off as a passenger.

DRZ · 27 Jul 2021 at 16:14

Hades said:
Driving tests are backlogged several months. So regardless of how many you need, it will be months before you can actually get a test.

Not if you know what you're doing with the booking system. My OH passed her test this morning having booked it in the last week of June.

Hades · 27 Jul 2021 at 16:18

DRZ said:
Not if you know what you're doing with the booking system. My OH passed her test this morning having booked it in the last week of June.

Interested to understand how I'm using the booking system wrong?

bainbridge · 27 Jul 2021 at 16:48

After a year on a 125cc bike I hated it at first, I was leaning in the seat around corners

I'd say I was comfortable after 2-3 lessons

DRZ · 27 Jul 2021 at 17:02

Hades said:
Interested to understand how I'm using the booking system wrong?

Book literally anywhere you can find a test at any time in the future (anywhere in the country) and then move the date up by getting a cancellation at your local test centre. If you are smart about it you'll get a test date at a centre of your choice within a day or two of looking.

Hades · 27 Jul 2021 at 17:06

DRZ said:
Book literally anywhere you can find a test at any time in the future (anywhere in the country) and then move the date up by getting a cancellation at your local test centre. If you are smart about it you'll get a test date at a centre of your choice within a day or two of looking.

That's exactly what I did. I booked elsewhere then took a cancellation at my local centre. It's still months away and (almost) nothing else has come up. I check frequently through the day and also bought an app which searches for you. The app did flag a date once but it went immediately.

It is highly dependent on luck and the area you live in.

Cadder · 27 Jul 2021 at 17:19

Regardless, the question was only about how many lessons it takes before someone feels comfortable in a car.

Housey · 27 Jul 2021 at 17:33

dave28 · 27 Jul 2021 at 17:33

I drove cars around empty car parks and then on back roads. I could drive before i had an official lesson so it was just details and highway code i had to learn.

Once you get the clutch control its quite easy really to do basic driving. Reverse parking properly i found hardest

DeeM · 27 Jul 2021 at 18:25

dLockers said:
IIRC I did 20 double lessons and crammed them in: 2/3 a week. I passed 2 months after my birthday - but and here it comes - you only learn to drive once you have passed [/puts away pipe, hat and slippers].
Thanks, I’m doing 2 lessons a week and if my instructor is free any other time then I’ll do another. Trying to do as many as I can to get comfortable in the car.

Seriously though, cram them in, get it over and done with; get your theory out of the way ASAP. Don't do like my other half did and stop start over a decade.

DeeM · 27 Jul 2021 at 18:28

arfoll said:
I wasn't comfortable in a car after I passed ahaha. Imho try pass as quickly as possible and then drive with sensible friends/family to get experience.

I’m trying to get in as many lessons as possible. At times I’ll have a great drive and others just frustrating and want to give up!

DeeM · 27 Jul 2021 at 18:31

Rroff said:
Depends - I felt comfortable in terms of being in control of the car far sooner than I did feel comfortable in terms of dealing with other road users, etc.

Some days I do and others I don’t guess I’ll get there.

DeeM · 27 Jul 2021 at 18:35

dave28 said:
I drove cars around empty car parks and then on back roads. I could drive before i had an official lesson so it was just details and highway code i had to learn.

Once you get the clutch control its quite easy really to do basic driving. Reverse parking properly i found hardest

Still trying to grasp clutch control! Guess I’ll get there, just frustrating at times