Intensive Driving Courses

[Minibiker]

Hi all

So I've recently been offered a new job and I'm awaiting a start date, the company has said they want me to atleast have my driving test booked for the end of the 6 month probation... I'm really keen to crack on with my driving as I've wanted to do it for a while now and having my own little family has made me more determined, it will make life a lot easier for us all...

I'm looking to do an intensive course, I've been riding motorcycles for 13+ years so have the road knowledge and sense and had driving lessons a couple of years back, so I have some clue of control and the ins and outs of driving, using the clutch etc

Has anyone done a course or in the process of doing one? It will be good to hear your thoughts on this and get some advice

Cheers

 

[Martynt74]

I didn't do a specific course as such, but i had around 16hrs worth of lessons over around 3 days prior to the test with a local instructor.

I'd had lessons at 17, then broke my arm prior to the test. Then went to Brasil and working in the centre of Manchester so used public transport. Then i met my wife who lived a bit further out and decided it would be useful to learn to drive. Think i was around 23/24

 

[Minibiker]

I didn't do a specific course as such, but i had around 16hrs worth of lessons over around 3 days prior to the test with a local instructor.

Do you think it's best to go with the big courses or just have a few hours to see how things are before spending loads?

 

[Martynt74]

I'd probably have a lesson with an independent guy and see where you are.

I'd imagine the main thing for you would be to get used to driving the car, as the other stuff you'll be alright with. I imagine the big courses are usually aimed at complete beginners so would be overkill.

 

[Minibiker]

I'd probably have a lesson with an independent guy and see where you are.

I'd imagine the main thing for you would be to get used to driving the car, as the other stuff you'll be alright with. I imagine the big courses are usually aimed at complete beginners so would be overkill.

Yeah I thought it may be worth having a lesson or two with a instructor to dust off any cobwebs as I haven't drove in a while... I did say to the missus the only problem I can imagine I'd have is getting used to downshifting as when I'm on a bike I blip the throttle but in a car it's more a case of just break, clutch and downshift

 

[grudas]

I did 30ish hours over a month evenings and long weekend drives and passed first time.

no issues, can be tiring and stressful etc depends on instructor.

booking a test at the right time was harder than finding the school/instructor etc

 

[ttaskmaster]

I'm looking to do an intensive course, I've been riding motorcycles for 13+ years so have the road knowledge and sense and had driving lessons a couple of years back, so I have some clue of control and the ins and outs of driving, using the clutch etc

I'd been riding for a couple decades before I did my car lessons, too. Forget the intensive courses because, 'for all intensive purposes', they're pretty lacking.
What you want is time for your brain and body to process each lesson. Consider taking a couple of 2-hour lessons each week, or maybe just two 1-hour sessions. That should see you passing your test well within the 6-month period.

 

[Minibiker]

I did 30ish hours over a month evenings and long weekend drives and passed first time.

no issues, can be tiring and stressful etc depends on instructor.

booking a test at the right time was harder than finding the school/instructor etc

Yeah I've got a few contacts for driving instructors, they seem to be around £25 an hour which seems OK to me...

I'd been riding for a couple decades before I did my car lessons, too. Forget the intensive courses because, 'for all intensive purposes', they're pretty lacking.
What you want is time for your brain and body to process each lesson. Consider taking a couple of 2-hour lessons each week, or maybe just two 1-hour sessions. That should see you passing your test well within the 6-month period.

Yeah maybe this is the route to go, I am just going to crack on with lessons I think and get myself familiar again, I don't think I'll need to many hours, that's why I wasn't 100% on the intensive courses

 

[kurosagi01]

You can probably get licence in 2-4 months if you learn in an Auto.

 

[Minibiker]

You can probably get licence in 2-4 months if you learn in an Auto.

We had that discussion but all the work vans are Manual

 

[Quartz]

So I've recently been offered a new job and I'm awaiting a start date, the company has said they want me to atleast have my driving test booked for the end of the 6 month probation...

Get your workplace to help you! Once you've had a few lessons, find a colleague who lives near you and is wiling to let you do the commute driving. Similarly, if you have to visit a site with a colleague, use a work car and make sure you do the driving.

We had that discussion but all the work vans are Manual

I'm not sure that you're allowed to drive a van on a provisional license. Your workplace should check its insurance to see if you'll be allowed to drive a van around its car park for you to practice parking, turning, and so on.

 

[Minibiker]

Get your workplace to help you! Once you've had a few lessons, find a colleague who lives near you and is wiling to let you do the commute driving. Similarly, if you have to visit a site with a colleague, use a work car and make sure you do the driving.



I'm not sure that you're allowed to drive a van on a provisional license. Your workplace should check its insurance to see if you'll be allowed to drive a van around its car park for you to practice parking, turning, and so on.

That's some good advice there mate, didn't think of these things, my brother in law works there aswell so may be able to drive his car to work if he allows me

 

[Semple]

I always disagree with these intensive style courses, i fail to believe anyone could build up a full level of experience and confidence crammed all into a week. I mean heck you could do 5 days of learning on glorious sunshine days and dry roads, and the day of your test it completely pours down.

Remember learning to drive isn't just about passing your test, you're in control of a big metal box that could potentially kill someone, or even you and your family if not driven with consideration.

If you've got a 6 month probation, that's 26 weeks. I'd be looking to do 1-2 lessons a week, and then that'll give you some allowances to repeat your test before your 6 months if you fail it.

 

[Minibiker]

I always disagree with these intensive style courses, i fail to believe anyone could build up a full level of experience and confidence crammed all into a week. I mean heck you could do 5 days of learning on glorious sunshine days and dry roads, and the day of your test it completely pours down.

Remember learning to drive isn't just about passing your test, you're in control of a big metal box that could potentially kill someone, or even you and your family if not driven with consideration.

If you've got a 6 month probation, that's 26 weeks. I'd be looking to do 1-2 lessons a week, and then that'll give you some allowances to repeat your test before your 6 months if you fail it.

Very true bud, I see where your coming from... Atleast with lessons I can alternate times and it's most probably going to be different weather over the weeks... I think I'm going to go with what most of you have said and do 2 lessons a week

 

[Quartz]

Remember learning to drive isn't just about passing your test, you're in control of a big metal box that could potentially kill someone, or even you and your family if not driven with consideration.

As a bike rider you already have a sense of situational awareness but it's very different in a car. You have blind spots, the rear-view mirror, and the vehicle is much, much, more massive. Massively more massive, even.

You're half-way there already so with regular lessons and doing the commuting, possibly with longer drives at weekends, you should be ready very quickly.

 

[Woodsta888]

I knew that new drivers these days had to do more lessons before their instructor put them in for their test. But as you've been riding for so long, your road knowledge and awareness should be right up there as bikers are usually better than car drivers. Only thing you lack experience in car control. Shouldn't take you too much to get up to speed. Bin off specific intensive courses and find a local independent instructor, go out for a double lesson so he can assess how far off you are and see what they say. You'll be different from someone learning new that has to process not only the rules of the road, situational awareness AND car control. You'll just be learning predominantly car control. You'll be fine, so don't get fobbed off with you'll need the same amount of hours as someone that hasn't held any road license before. Your road sense, speed awareness and situational awareness will be second nature already.

 

[Luckystrike123]

I think you'd be better of doing 2 or 3 two hour lessons per week. Frequent enough to learn efficiently without being too physically/mentally demanding.

 

["andy"]

go for a few lessons with a few different instructors. tell them of your plans to get a lot of lessons in a short period of time (to make sure their schedule is free)

work out which instructor you get on with then book a test and the lessons.

reason i say this is when i was 17 i planned to pass as quick as possible and had the money saved. I ended up hating my instructor , he was nervous and non 'bossy' which then made me make mistakes and be nervous. This made me hate driving and i gave up doing lessons.

a year or so later a new job gave me a similar ''you will be much more useful to us if you get your license'' talk so i decided to find an instructor i liked and that could fit me in one week. i booked a couple of lessons but actually had a good laugh with the first guy and decided to go with him. i had a week holiday coming up and did 2 hours a morning and 2 hours an afternoon monday to thursday. my test was on a saturday a few weeks later and i had a refresher lesson before it . passed with one minor


i guess my point is that being stuck in a car with someone you cant get on with or dislike for a week would be horrendous

good luck

 

[Minibiker]

go for a few lessons with a few different instructors. tell them of your plans to get a lot of lessons in a short period of time (to make sure their schedule is free)

work out which instructor you get on with then book a test and the lessons.

reason i say this is when i was 17 i planned to pass as quick as possible and had the money saved. I ended up hating my instructor , he was nervous and non 'bossy' which then made me make mistakes and be nervous. This made me hate driving and i gave up doing lessons.

a year or so later a new job gave me a similar ''you will be much more useful to us if you get your license'' talk so i decided to find an instructor i liked and that could fit me in one week. i booked a couple of lessons but actually had a good laugh with the first guy and decided to go with him. i had a week holiday coming up and did 2 hours a morning and 2 hours an afternoon monday to thursday. my test was on a saturday a few weeks later and i had a refresher lesson before it . passed with one minor


i guess my point is that being stuck in a car with someone you cant get on with or dislike for a week would be horrendous

good luck

Ive had a chat with a few instructors and have been in contact with this one guy who seems to be a laugh and rides motorcycles so we have something in common that could maybe help me as i get nervous around new people and hardly talk.

 

[Minibiker]

Question for all you drivers out there...

Say I'm driving along a road in 3rd or 4th gear and the lights ahead go red is it best to start dropping down through gears and then come to a stop or is it best to stay in gear, brake and come to a stop then put it into Neutral or 1st?

Only reason I ask is because I go down through the gears when on my motorbike and slowly roll to the line with clutch in, I'm just not sure if there's a right or wrong way in a car

Cheers