what was your first lesson like?
- Thread starter ONESHOTKILL
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congrats mate !!!
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Just wondering how everyone is getting on who said they are taking lessons now,mine isn't going to well,tried turn in the road on tues which was pretty poor,found it hard to get everything in order,then i nearly crashed at a round about as i pulled out to slow and a car had started coming,instructor had to put on the breaks 
could have just got out the car and quit,felt like a right fool.
could have just got out the car and quit,felt like a right fool.
My brother has just started lessons and his instructor is doing it totally different to mine.
His first and second lesson the instructor drives him somewhere to practice and then drives him home again. Fair enough on the first lesson but the second as well? Its like paying to be driven about.
Ive told him to have 1 more lesson and see if it happens again and then to give another instructor a try. What do you guys think?
His first and second lesson the instructor drives him somewhere to practice and then drives him home again. Fair enough on the first lesson but the second as well? Its like paying to be driven about.
Ive told him to have 1 more lesson and see if it happens again and then to give another instructor a try. What do you guys think?
You will make mistakes, you just got to keep going and put them behind you, try not to think about them after you have made them (as hard as that is) because everything else will fall to bits around you. Then they're those days you seem to do nothing right.
My first lesson was pretty smooth, learnt in a 1.5TDCI (i think) clio, drove round an industrial estate getting junctions down etc, then drove from there home (pretty straight forward road, one set of lights and a roundabout)
Other lessons were pretty uneventful, but i have done something like that too oneshot, you do feel like a fool.
I passed 2 days ago with one minor (a silly one at that) and today have been driving round in my mums focus, its a lot more fun but you do worry as there are no dual controls, saying that my mum put a nice hole in the carpet
My first lesson was pretty smooth, learnt in a 1.5TDCI (i think) clio, drove round an industrial estate getting junctions down etc, then drove from there home (pretty straight forward road, one set of lights and a roundabout)
Other lessons were pretty uneventful, but i have done something like that too oneshot, you do feel like a fool.
I passed 2 days ago with one minor (a silly one at that) and today have been driving round in my mums focus, its a lot more fun but you do worry as there are no dual controls, saying that my mum put a nice hole in the carpet
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Just done my first lesson yesterday and went really well, however i have driven quite a lot before. Bloody reversing is hard though 
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Either your brother sucks or the instructor is a ****
I got driven back after the first lesson, number two had me driving.
Thats what I'm thinking. I'll tell him to have one more lesson and see what happens.
I feel a bit sorry for him as i got to drive around Burnley and then drive home along a 50mph road. I was buzzing when i got in and couldn't wait for my next lesson. Hes just driving in a straight line then round a corner. Stopping and starting etc, then gets driven home and charged £22 for it.
Then again i took more lessons than i thought i would have to to pass so maybe this instructor is doing it the right way.
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This is a bit late but got a bit of a tip for you. Wear thin shoes when learning to drive, buy a pair of £10 plimsolls similar to these when learning to drive, makes it much easier to guage where you're feet are on the pedals and makes clutch control etc far easier
Thats good advice... I had a really old pair of shoes that felt like slippers, but they where light and i found it easy to drive in them. I went out one day in normal trainers and it felt really funny and my clutch control was all wrong.
I would say get it done ASAP. I had my theory passed before my first lesson.
When my brother was learning he failed his hazard perception so had to wait while he booked another, his instructor said it he was a great driver and it waste really having lessons as he was ready for his test so he cut them down while he was waiting. Its also ~4-6 week wait for the practical.
Quite a few people not driving home on your first few lessons...
I guess it could depend where you live, but I drove home on my first lesson it was quite scary but got me out in traffic and boosted my confidence.
Most of my first lesson was driving around the trading estate mainly turning and using mirrors.... Scary.
Done 8 lessons now. Stalled 6 times in stop / start traffic on the last one! I think I might have to take shaun's advice as I do still find it a bit hard to tell where my foot is when moving off, which is a problem when you can't really hear the engine.
Overall though driving was much more consistent than before. I think in the lesson before I had a bit of a revelation as I was changing down too soon coming into roundabouts etc. and throwing off my 'rhythm' entirely if I was wrong about whether or not I had to stop. Basically I was making too much of an association between braking and changing gear, for which I blame racing games
My first two lessons my instructor drove me there and back. First lesson was mostly talking about the theory side in quite a lot of depth, and I wouldn't have felt happy driving home at that point as I live off of a very busy road.
Overall though driving was much more consistent than before. I think in the lesson before I had a bit of a revelation as I was changing down too soon coming into roundabouts etc. and throwing off my 'rhythm' entirely if I was wrong about whether or not I had to stop. Basically I was making too much of an association between braking and changing gear, for which I blame racing games
My first two lessons my instructor drove me there and back. First lesson was mostly talking about the theory side in quite a lot of depth, and I wouldn't have felt happy driving home at that point as I live off of a very busy road.
Before my first lesson I was convinced I wouldn't be able to coordinate my legs, arms and head 
First lesson though went quite well, the driving instructor showed me what everything did on the car (brand new car for him also with me being the first person to have a lesson in it) We then drove around a large housing estate for about 20-30 minutes so I could get a feel for driving. Last 15 minutes of the lesson he let me floor it down a dual carriage way to see how fast I could get it
First lesson though went quite well, the driving instructor showed me what everything did on the car (brand new car for him also with me being the first person to have a lesson in it) We then drove around a large housing estate for about 20-30 minutes so I could get a feel for driving. Last 15 minutes of the lesson he let me floor it down a dual carriage way to see how fast I could get it
Before my first lesson I was convinced I wouldn't be able to coordinate my legs, arms and head
I was the same, it doesn't take long to get used to it though. I found i kept pulling the wheel to one side when changing gear.
Also because i was used to riding a bike before driving i kept turning the wheel less than a quarter turn and expecting the car to go round a 90o bend lol.
Bit of a bump.
Had my first lesson for 2h today (hadn't driven before). 30 mins talking at the beginning on a country lane, set off, driving around for about an hour, all going fairly well, got used to clutch control, got up into 4th a few times.
Went down a busier road, through a couple of sets of traffic lights, onto an estate, where we pulled over and I stalled (didn't push clutch all the way down!). Drove around this for a while going up and down side streets learning how much I need to steer and how much to brake.
Stopped and stalled again. doh, same mistake as last.
Drove back home, now in the rather dark rain, stalled on a junction, got up to about 50 on the NSL road home, stopped without stalling, chatted for a while and he said he was fairly impressed.
Made a couple of mistakes not steering enough/oversteering in places which he had to help out with but overall very happy, glad I've got basic clutch control all sorted. It's just the co-ordination of doing it all
Driving a Corolla Diesel btw. Comfortable
Had my first lesson for 2h today (hadn't driven before). 30 mins talking at the beginning on a country lane, set off, driving around for about an hour, all going fairly well, got used to clutch control, got up into 4th a few times.
Went down a busier road, through a couple of sets of traffic lights, onto an estate, where we pulled over and I stalled (didn't push clutch all the way down!). Drove around this for a while going up and down side streets learning how much I need to steer and how much to brake.
Stopped and stalled again. doh, same mistake as last.
Drove back home, now in the rather dark rain, stalled on a junction, got up to about 50 on the NSL road home, stopped without stalling, chatted for a while and he said he was fairly impressed.
Made a couple of mistakes not steering enough/oversteering in places which he had to help out with but overall very happy, glad I've got basic clutch control all sorted. It's just the co-ordination of doing it all
Driving a Corolla Diesel btw. Comfortable
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Got 4 more lessons now until my test on the 29th, not long to go now and i think i should be fine providing i dont get too nervous, thankfully i will have a 1 and half hour lesson prior to my test so should be more than comfortible.
Thread Revival Alert
Thought I would revive this as I finally passed yesterday.
Booked my test in mid-december and the earliest available was last Saturday. That was cancelled due to snow in side roads, moved to this week and I passed with 3 minors (2 for mirror checks and 1 for signals iirc)
Anyone else?
Thought I would revive this as I finally passed yesterday.
Booked my test in mid-december and the earliest available was last Saturday. That was cancelled due to snow in side roads, moved to this week and I passed with 3 minors (2 for mirror checks and 1 for signals iirc)
Anyone else?