Saving up for driving lessons

[Dashik]

I asked in the BSM shop before starting my lessons how many on average, and when they said 40 I kept walking.

If it is taking someone 40 lessons to be to test standard (which is just that, not a good driver) then I would have to question the instructor's ability, as much as the pupil's.

Booked mine after 6 and passed after 10. I did however get to out on a sunday with my old dears as I had my first car already insured.

Actually its the DSA thats giving the figures. To be exact they say on average its 40 hours of instruction PLUS the same again in private practice.

The guide they give is 2 hours for each year of age.

As for the instructors ability, thats true to a point. What about the pupil who might not be confident, co-ordinated or just plane dumb?

As for me I teach my pupils to drive, not pass a test, so its not minimum standard in my case. In fact I make a point of telling my pupils this BEFORE they start so I can weed out the retards that think they know it all and want to pass in 2 hours for £5. I teach people who want to drive well. As such they are well motivated and in my experiance they get to a high standard and 90% pass easily 1st time with less than 6 driver faults and the examiners usually compliment them on a nice drive. I find that it takes between 40 and 60 hours per pupil on average with some taking slightly less and others a lot more depending on there ability or access to practice.

 

[Attu90]

I took 12 lessons including my test, id passed my bike test first so that helped and those 12 lessons cost me some thing like £60 so £5 each .
It was about 23 years ago though

 

[bobert50]

I had about 35 (not sure exactly) i think but a lot of that was due to the amount of hours i was having (3-4 hrs a week) and i continued with lessons right through to the test..and it took an eternity for the test date to come around.

I'd say 20-30 is reasonable, 25-30 probably a fairer reflection of being "test standard" with a decent instructor.

 

[Dashik]

I had about 35 (not sure exactly) i think but a lot of that was due to the amount of hours i was having (3-4 hrs a week) and i continued with lessons right through to the test..and it took an eternity for the test date to come around.

I'd say 20-30 is reasonable, 25-30 probably a fairer reflection of being "test standard" with a decent instructor.

Based on your extensive experiance as a Learner or as an Instructor?

You definition of whats reasonable is flawed. You have no basis to judge how many lessons somebody else requires.

My experiance is that its extreamly variable as to the number of lessons somebody requires and the factors include there ability, confidence and access to private practice to name a few.

It never ceases to amaze me that people with next to no driving experiance/never driven think its 2 hours £5 and test job done! Also they complain about the cost of lessons which for most people come to significantly less than say £2000 and will hopefully last the rest of there long lives, but will then happily pay vast sums of money every year to insurance company's to drive a shed.

Whats wrong with spending the right amount of cash to learn to drive PROPERLY?

 

[bobert50]

nah I was implying that more than 20 lessons would be quite normal as opposed to most people in here saying that 20 lessons should be enough! Think someones got the wrong end of the stick

 

[FreeStream]

nah I was implying that more than 20 lessons would be quite normal as opposed to most people in here saying that 20 lessons should be enough! Think someones got the wrong end of the stick

My mates passed in 20-25 with practice in their own cars.

I think its possible. If its takes 5 more so what..

 

[The Edge]

I was up to test standard in about 30 hours. I failed 3 tests on one silly no looking where i should at the precise moment i should do it on each one.

You might get to test standard quickly but you've then got to get through it! It's not difficult to pass, just really easy to fail!

 

[neoboy]

Well I had 56 hours now with 3 driving instructors and have a test coming up this Wed. Drove the 2 family cars as well for about 20 mins each but that didn't do much good. Having big gaps (upto 3 weeks) between lessons didn't help the overal progress, but feel confident now so fingers crossed I'll pass.

 

[Lopéz]

As for me I teach my pupils to drive, not pass a test, so its not minimum standard in my case.

As I'm sure I've told you before, my instructor had the same ethos (11 years ago )

Of course, I've still made mistakes, had crashes, so on and so forth...

But then I have never ever ever rocked up to a corner in the wrong gear, dipped the clutch, coasted round, selected a gear at the apex and booted it out of said corner - which is a "technique" that 80% of my mates at the time seemed to use for fast cornering

 

[Tony Williams]

If your parents or someone else you know has a car and is willing to let you use it then this will help out a lot also if you buy the the highway code (it's like £1.xx) you can revise in your unused time which really does help.

Also get them theory mock test discs (theory + HP), I wouldn't bother with the pratical simulation, I think they suck.

I would revise a lot right now, then when you start learning (driving lessons) get the theory out of the way asap as it'll haunt you.

Just how I'd get the job done quick and cheaply.

Most places charge like around £20/h I wouldn't pay more, unless they are really good. I can't tell you how many you'll need it depends on how quick you learn, revise and can make use of other cars (parents, etc)

 

[allllec]

The hazard perception test, realistically can you go into that with a fair amount of common sense and be alright do you guys reckon?

 

[Dashik]

Its better to practice. You know, actually do the work then pass

 

[Dashik]

If your parents or someone else you know has a car and is willing to let you use it then this will help out a lot also if you buy the the highway code (it's like £1.xx) you can revise in your unused time which really does help.

Also get them theory mock test discs (theory + HP), I wouldn't bother with the pratical simulation, I think they suck.

I would revise a lot right now, then when you start learning (driving lessons) get the theory out of the way asap as it'll haunt you.

Just how I'd get the job done quick and cheaply.

Most places charge like around £20/h I wouldn't pay more, unless they are really good. I can't tell you how many you'll need it depends on how quick you learn, revise and can make use of other cars (parents, etc)

That sounds rather like the advice I give my pupils....