Slow progress?

Luseac

Luseac

Luseac

Soldato
Joined
23 Jun 2005
Posts
3,751
Location
York
I'm a tad concerned that my driving instructor is going at a rather slow pace. I have had 19 lessons and have nearly finished reverse parking into a bay. I was speaking to a mate earlier who hasn't even had 10 lessons and is already on parrell parking.

Here is what my lessons have consisted of:

1. Moving off/block gears
2. Steering/Junctions
3. Junctions left/right
4. Junctions emerging
5. Junctions emerging
6. X roads
7. X roads
8. Roundabouts
9. Roundabouts
10. Turn in the road
11. Turn in the road
12. Emergency stop + looking at mirrors
13. Pedestration crossings
14. Reversing round a corner
15. Reversing round a corner
16. Reverse parrell parking
17. Reverse parrell parking
18. Reverse parking into a bay
19. Reverse parking into a bay.
= £380


I have now only got to go on the A1 for my dual carriageway's and then he says it's just a matter of going over things.

Someone who went with the same instructor took 9 months to pass, i've been learning for 6 and would like to pass ASAP.

After talking to my instructor the other week he commented that i'm actually doing really well to be on reverse parking into a bay at this stage. But after seeing people on here and hearing other people saying that they passed in under 20 lessons i find it a little demoralising.
 
I took around 25 lessons to pass, and it did seem a lot of my mates were doing all the manouvers and stuff a lot earlier than I did, but I guess it will depend on the instructor, and their style.

If you are really unhappy with it, speak to your instructor about it, or find another, bearing in mind you'll probably need a couple of lessons with a new instructor for them to find out how well you drive and what you need to work on.

Don't take it as a kick down, some people pick it up quicker than others, but then again some instructor like to take their time with their students and let them get good enough to pass first time, instead of good enough to pass, but a worse chance of passing.
 
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Don't feel rushed just because of what everyone else is saying.

As you've already done, speak to your instructor. Find out if he thinks you'll cope with speeding up the lessons.

I know people who passed with 10 hours of lessons, and some who passed with 50 hours of lessons. It doesn't matter how long it takes you. It's how much you feel you're progressing.
 
I've just had my 6th lesson and I've did what you have done up to lesson 9.
If you're really unhappy look for someone else as it's costing you a lot of money that you may not need to spend if you're with another instructor.
 
NathanE said:
6 months... that is just ridiculous IMO. Nothing takes 6 months to learn...
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It's not how long it takes to learn it.

It's how long it takes to practice and perfect your driving so that you stand a half decent chance at passing the test :)

It was almost 6 months between me having my first driving lesson (and first EVER time driving a car) to passing my test.

Feb 13th to August 5th.
 
Took me 3 months including crimbo to pass (22) lessons, but it all depends upon ability and learning rate. :)
 
NathanE said:
6 months... that is just ridiculous IMO. Nothing takes 6 months to learn...
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that has to be the most arrogant comment i have ever seen on this forum.
i am a mechanical engineer and have been for the last 8 years, i am still learning and so are some of my colleges who are about to retire.
back on topic. as long as you feelyour progressing thats great id rather you learn properly than get rushed in 10 lessons and kill someone through your lack of training
 
I think various instructors do things in different orders or at different paces i went round my 1st roundabout & down my 1st dual carriage way on my 3rd or 4th lesson, well before i went through any cross roads.

Mainly because there are loads of Roundabouts & carriageways here.

Think i covered everything by my 10th & then spent the rest going over stuff, cant remember how many lessons i needed but it took 3 attempts to pass.

Took 6 - 7 Months and was definately over 20 hours worth, prolly 35 - 40ish hours.

My 1st test was prolly after 25ish hours but i failed on mirrors.
 
I had my first lesson on December 3rd (seems ages ago...).

I'm not a great driver but i'm certainly not bad, my main concern is that we have spent 2 lessons on each manuvoure, is this normal? Also the fact that I would guess he wants to spend another 10 lessons (at least) getting me upto standard.

My parents seem to be of the impression that it doesn't matter because he is going through everything in a precise manner which will make me into a better driver in the long run and not just rush me into my test.
 
personally I think spending 2 lessons on a technique is ridiculous.

On the first lesson all we did was sit in the car with a bunch of diagrams and him explain to me what to do.
2nd lesson did some things in an industrial estate, perfecting clutch control etc
from then on we just pottered around random areas of sheffield, starting with quite ones and bulding up.

ended up doing 20 1hr lessons.
 
Different people learn at different rates.

Maybe your spending two lessons on each element because you can't get it right?
 
Maz said:
Maybe your spending two lessons on each element because you can't get it right?
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Well maybe so, but I will have just had a good lesson and got to know a manuvoure and it just seems to be a case of "We'll be looking over xxxx again next week".
 
Jesus christ... people complaining about doing 20 hours worth of lessons?

What the hell is wrong with you?

Your instructor is doing you a favour, allowing you to take your time on each manoeuvre so that you can perfect it. He's stopping you from going straight into your test, trying a 'turn in the road' and screwing up because you didn't know what you were doing and having to go through the upset and hassle of having even MORE lessons while you wait for another test spot to become free.

Have some patience please. Being a driving instructor has to be one of the most difficult and taxing jobs out there.
 
agw_01 said:
It's not how long it takes to learn it.

It's how long it takes to practice and perfect your driving so that you stand a half decent chance at passing the test :)

It was almost 6 months between me having my first driving lesson (and first EVER time driving a car) to passing my test.

Feb 13th to August 5th.
Click to expand...

Malachy said:
that has to be the most arrogant comment i have ever seen on this forum.
i am a mechanical engineer and have been for the last 8 years, i am still learning and so are some of my colleges who are about to retire.
back on topic. as long as you feelyour progressing thats great id rather you learn properly than get rushed in 10 lessons and kill someone through your lack of training
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Don't take it so personally guys :) The 6 months bit was just my opinion... and really more than anything a stab at the driving instructor for dragging it out so long when clearly this guy wants to speed the learning up!

The OP wants to speed his lessons up and I was just giving my little bit of encouragement that he can do it...
 
The rate of progress all depends on the person who is learning. Its better to do more lessons and pass first time than go too early and waste your test money as well as lowering your self confidence because you wasn't ready for it.
A friend of mine was a driving instructor for a few years and one person that stuck in his mind was a chinese guy who spoke very little english, after giving a really good 'white knuckle ride' on his first lesson he asked "when I take my test"?
 
lucasade1 said:
Well maybe so, but I will have just had a good lesson and got to know a manuvoure and it just seems to be a case of "We'll be looking over xxxx again next week".
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In all honesty mate, a lot of people feel the way you do because they want to get out there on the open road.

But just take your time, imagine you rush in and fail - I can only imagine that it would be FAR more demoralising than taking a few more extra lessons!

I know when I learned to drive that my instructor wouldn't let me do my test until he thought I was absolutely perfect which was after about 25 lessons, whilst I thought I was ready after 15 ish.

Thing is the guy had nothing to gain from extra lessons because I wasn't paying for them! he's my uncle.

And in the end it all paid off, I passed first time with 2 minors.
 
Talk to him is the only real option. People on here can give you their opinion all they like, but tbh, its pretty worthless, as non of them has seen you drive, and iirc, there's only 1 instructor on here, and I've not seen him in ages. So none of them are in a proper position to tell you.

People learn differently. People teach differently. We all have to achieve the same standard. What does it matter how long it takes?

The only reason is should matter is the cost.
 
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