Pretty straightforward for me, but then I've pretty much eaten and breathed anything motorised from about the age of 4!

Had done a few bits and pieces around carparks, before the age of 17. Then took to it like a duck to water; had a very good driving instructor which was invaluable. He'd worked for himself for god knows how many years and was excellent - and I see now that he instilled a fair few 'advanced' techniques and observation tips that come in very handy now!

Took me 15 lessons IIRC, so I passed first-time a few months after my 17th birthday.

I'd say the learner in this case needs to find someone else, perhaps who he's more compatible with. I know with a few friends that this can be the difficult bit and takes some a long time and several instructors before they find someone they 'click' with, and who understands them and the way they learn/absorb, and vice versa.

Steve

I can't really remember (from 26 years back), except that it took me 2 shots to get an instructor I was happy with, and actually gave me confidence.

For Captain S, the key thing about driving an auto is to remember that you don't have a clutch pedal! Of course, that's easy for me to say cos I've been swapping back and forward between my manual and other people's autos at odd intervals, never stuffed an auto into neutral whilst braking, and only done one stop with 2 feet on the brake pedal!

Edited 6 November, 200916 yr by KenONeill

My daughter passed her test this year in 4 months easily. First lesson she drove around the area for 2 hours - never driven before except once in my car in a carpark where she was very surprised that it kept moving when you took your foot of the accelerator:) Second lesson she drove into Norwich 20 miles away. She is very confident.

she was very surprised that it kept moving when you took your foot of the accelerator:)

I think a few more of the British driving public need to realise this; that the accelerator pedal is not an on/off switch

Due to experience with agricultural machinery and quad bikes etc I booked my test for 3 weeks after my 17th Birthday, took quite a few lessons in quick succession and passed first time. On my first lesson I drove around just with my dad around country roads. Second lesson my driving instructor assessed my ability, and then we just drove on dual carraigeways and in cities to practice manoeuvres and roundabouts etc. My biggest problems were road positioning (after coming from a tractor) and mirror checking (bad habits from having driven lots on private land all the time).

Having those 4 years driving tractors and perfecting clutch control etc before needing to sit in with an instructor is A HUGE advantage though....

I learned the basics of driving on a farm pottering around fields in tractors, and clapped out land rovers.

By the time i was able to take lessons i was confident in all aspects, and only had to worry about road signs and markings. The rest came naturaly, and i even overtook a 'sunday driver' on my second lesson, getting up to 70, and then slowing down to the speed limit of 60 once i'd passed. The instructor never batted an eyelid, and was pleased i had the confidence and road presence to do it safely.

3 lessons later i had my test, and passed with 6 minors.

I passed my LGV test with 3 minors, and a year later i passed my HGV test with 1 minor.

The biggest problem people have is confidence. Once you have that cracked, the driving is easy.

I had driven about 10 yards before my first lesson, and that was spent kangaroo-ing!

I did however used to ride everywhere on the roads, and was used to road markings etc, and trying to defend your space on the road vs. a 'superior' vechile.

It took me 14 lessons I think, over four months to pass. My insutructor was great, first lesson was spent in town and up to NSL speeds on country roads, with the belief of building confidence in the car, rather than spending it plodding around at 10mph, where everyone is getting cross with you.

Personally, I think this is a much better way of doing it, as it gave me a lot more confidence, which when coupled with driving everywhere with my parents allowed me to pass a lot faster than my friends who didn't have private practie, and spent thier first few lessons (months in some cases) staying in 30mph limits/housing estates.

The thoery bit I don't know about, but I would guess that maybe his first instructor may have been trying to string out the lessons as much as possible, which didn't allow him to build confidence, thus resulting in the current situation?

I passed after 11 lessons... but to be honest could have sat the test after 5. First lesson was 10 minutes explaining how to set mirrors up, clutch control etc. 10 minutes driving round an industial estate. 40 minutes driving on public roads with plenty round abouts and traffic lights (stalling at everyone!) and a duel carrage way inwhich he made me do 70. My instructor believed in chucking you in at the deep end and to be honest I have to agree.

Snap, exactly the same with me. 11 lessons and I felt like my examiner was milking that! Was on the dual A14 on my first lesson at 70mph, and driving through the centre of Cambridge.

I do think some people need to accept they aren't going to be good drivers, and its in their best interests to quit.

to OP.

As you can see by the responses, everyone is giving their own experiances, which is fine (many of whom did their tests a long time ago, the test is getting harder and harder every year.) It changes and evolves every year, for example soon there will be a part of the test where the examiner stops giving directions, and just says, for example " go towards maryport town centre"

I have a pupil at the moment who is doing his test next week, after approx 25 hours tuition,he had gone out with his dad a few times though to learn "the basics". He could always steer, most people can, very few people hit wing mirrors or drive over kerbs, if your friend is doing this after 12 hours, I would suggest he is not like "most" people who are on here, a car enthusiasts site. People like that can take much longer, my other half took approx a year to learn, and she drove my car all the time...

everyone is different. everyone will take to it in different ways. I have had pupils pass in 10 hours, and pupils take 5 years and hundreds of hours to learn. It all depends on the person in question. STATISTICALLY it takes the average 17 year old 40 hours to learn to drive, if they don't have any private practice, private practice can vastly reduce these times. everyone however is different.

If he has already tried switching instructors once, maybe he should try again? I tought a brisky members wife to drive (Eddy, of 400bhp 4WD octy fame) and I was her second instructor, and when she switched to me she came on much faster than she was before, but that doesn't mean your friend will. I took Gillys son round the caravan park this summer, it was his first time in a car, and he got to second gear, didn't stall, and steered fine, in his first ten minutes, but one of my pupils (who spent a year with me) had been learning 17 years, and had had 10 instructors, plus about 100 hours and three tests with me!

lesson is, you never can tell, and everyone learns to drive at their own pace. And yes, some people NEVER will, I've been teaching 15 years, and in that time I've told three people to give up, but then I had one girl who had had three other instructors tell her to give up, and I got here through

your friend may simply struggle, or may have a poor instructor, all I would suggest, is never try to compair, even siblings differ vastly in their ability to learn to drive

Dave DSA ADI

Some people just seem to have good co-ordination and quickly pick up their driving skills, and some people just don't have it. If you are a practical person who is good with their hands and can turn their mind to fix anything they also seem to learn how to drive a car and just as easily master a truck, train etc.

In my younger years I used to make models, yes the old Airfix kits, and went on to take apart a pushbike and rebuild it, all this at 8 years old.

As for driving, I started at 10 driving my dads Cortina around Silverstone cct. as we lived on the farm enclosed by the circuit so I grew up with cars & tractors and passed my test a few weeks after my 17th. birthday.

I can imagine that Moggytech and Oilburningnut had no trouble in passing their test either. It sounds like your friend just isn't a natural driver and will be struggling to pass a driving test.

I took 5 weeks, about 4 hours a week ish. I did 13 hours total + 1 hour for the test. Did a bit of driving in my own car with parents though, I think this is what helped. First lesson wasn't brilliant, spent about 25 mins driving somewhere "safe" and the same driving back, waste of time.

Paased after 6 lessons with 3 minors, but my dad (an IAM observer) had me driving an old Ferguson T20 tractor at the age of 8, and the family car aroung the airport roads from when I was 10, so I had an advantage in terms of experience.

My first instructor lesson went well. He turned up outside my school, walked me to the car and as I climbed into the passenger seat he said “what the hell do you think you are doing?!” I looked a bit shocked and he added, “I thought you were here to learn to drive?”. He was a brilliant teacher and we got on famously.

On my way to my test, he said if I wasn’t going to look in the rear view mirror, then I wouldn't have one to use…………he pulled it off it’s mount and chucked it on to the back seat!!!!! Naturally it was replaced for the test and the examiner even complimented me for my awareness using the rear view mirror.

A great instructor with just the right amount of psychoanalysis in his bag of talent.

Mind you, learning with my dad was awful as we don’t really get on and I can travel faster on a space hopper than he drives.

Passed first time at 17, but I think it is fair to say the test was a bit easier in my day:D

Edited 7 November, 200916 yr by Lady Elanore

there are a few good ones

My dad used to let me drive on deserted industrial estates when i was younger!!

I past my car test after just 4 lessons, 7 weeks after my 17th birthday.

I have every category on my license now, Car, Bike, HGV, bus and i can honestly say that i havent even had 1 minor fault on any of my tests!!

to OP.

As you can see by the responses, everyone is giving their own experiances, which is fine (many of whom did their tests a long time ago, the test is getting harder and harder every year.) It changes and evolves every year, for example soon there will be a part of the test where the examiner stops giving directions, and just says, for example " go towards maryport town centre"

Dave DSA ADI

Slight o/t, but what is this supposed to achieve other than making it obvious when someone is taking a test outside their local area?

It's a desire by the government to make everything more difficult because by making it more difficult, it creates an industry where one didn't before. In turn this can be used to justify higher fees for licenses and tests. Girlfriend's daughter is going through this at the moment, and this is what it's cost her so far:

£77.50 for passport

£50 for Provisional

£31 for theory

£62 or £75 for Practical

By making all these little government departments self funding by making their charges cover their costs, it makes me wonder where the rest of the money goes.

O/T rant over.

I was lucky my father taught me, at the time he was a traffic officer and police driving instructor which helped! 2 months to passing from 17th bday.. About a month before being 17 we spent various evenings on some private ground doing clutch control and driving around in 1st/2nd. Then after 17 it was out every evening. I put in for a cancellation, one morning the card arrived through the post telling me my test was the following afternoon. No time to get in a panick about that, just oh my god where is the highway code book!

Slight o/t, but what is this supposed to achieve other than making it obvious when someone is taking a test outside their local area?

In theroy its about being able to read roadsigns. If an examiner said turn right, 4th exit at the next roundabout, the pupil would signal right and take the righthand lane, if a few miles earlier he said "go to maryport" the pupil would be approaching the five exit/3 lane roundabout with nothing but the road sign, and have to choose the appropriate lane and exit ect, just as he would in real life....

when I do pass plus courses, I tend to do them in one day, so I can get people down to Blackpool where most of them haven't driven before, once driving along the front, I'll then say, right take us back to the M6 North..... youd be suprised how hard new drivers find this to do after being told which lane to be in throughout their training, better they learn it for the driving test, how to look ahead read the signs and choose the appropriate lane, rather than cut you up at the last minute from the wrong lane, just before the turning they want

I had never driven before when I had my first lesson. I had 15 hours then took my first test and failed for being generally not good enough!

I then had another five hours and re-took my test. I got only one minor and failed on a major. This happened another twice. :rotz:

In three tests I only got 4 minors but a major on each. Stupid mistakes through nerves such as touching the kerb.

5th time lucky. I chilled out, forgot about being perfect at everything and got 13 minors but no majors.

Now of course I'm mint!!

Oh and my first lesson I took on a large roundabout.

In theroy its about being able to read roadsigns. If an examiner said turn right, 4th exit at the next roundabout, the pupil would signal right and take the righthand lane, if a few miles earlier he said "go to maryport" the pupil would be approaching the five exit/3 lane roundabout with nothing but the road sign, and have to choose the appropriate lane and exit ect, just as he would in real life....

when I do pass plus courses, I tend to do them in one day, so I can get people down to Blackpool where most of them haven't driven before, once driving along the front, I'll then say, right take us back to the M6 North..... youd be suprised how hard new drivers find this to do after being told which lane to be in throughout their training, better they learn it for the driving test, how to look ahead read the signs and choose the appropriate lane, rather than cut you up at the last minute from the wrong lane, just before the turning they want

Would you agree then that the practical effect is likely to be to make it harder for someone who is taking a test in an area they don't know, simply because they are less likely to know that there are 3 lanes entering and spiralling round the roundabout they're approaching, and they need to be in the extreme right-hand lane in order to use the 3rd or 4th exit?

potentially yes, but then just teaching people test routes doesn't produce a good driver, I always include a spiral roundabout where I can reasonably get to one, all big cities have them, I make sure I take my pupils all over, so they get to experiance as much as possible... for example at hilsborough test center in sheffield, the routes never cover a speed limit higher than 40 mph, when I was working that area I always took people onto national speed limit roads so they could drive at speed with their instructor before being let loose on their own...

a learner who has only been taught test routes will generally be a pretty bad driver if they try to drive anywhere else. My philosiphy is, teach them to drive, and the test will take care of itself...

people generally want to spend as little money as possible, but this is a life skill, 70 people a week die on britains roads, its worth trying to make them that little bit better than they need to be, and then trying all out to get them to do pass plus.Anything that will not make them one of he statistics...

the last stats I saw said new drivers cause 30% of fatalities during the day, and 50% of fatalities during the night, yet they only make up about 3% of the drivers out there..

I would like our test brought up to the German standard, they have 3 sections, one like ours, mixture of roads and manouvers, one at night, and one on the motorways, and they have to pass all three before they get their lisence.

potentially yes, but then just teaching people test routes doesn't produce a good driver,

I've always been of the opinion you take driving lessons to pass your test and after that you learn to drive. Not necessarily a good thing.

I'm in agreement with both of you, but IMO performing an manoevre which is not "by the book" but is done safely should not be a driving test fail when driving on unfamiliar roads.

For example, again discussing roundabouts, if you nearly miss your turning off, then carrying on for a full circuit is safe, but technically illegal, and therefore a fail. Since you can miss a turning due to poor signposting, and/or a truck in the wrong place at the wrong time...

I'm in agreement with both of you, but IMO performing an manoevre which is not "by the book" but is done safely should not be a driving test fail when driving on unfamiliar roads.

For example, again discussing roundabouts, if you nearly miss your turning off, then carrying on for a full circuit is safe, but technically illegal, and therefore a fail. Since you can miss a turning due to poor signposting, and/or a truck in the wrong place at the wrong time...

most examiners would pass you if you did this, and did nothing else wrong... here at Workington, there is a junction called "the viaduct" you wont find this in the highway code, as its a rather unique pice of road architecture... It could be called a roundabout in theory, but is a big oval, and some lanse just "come off" by themselves, some dont.... our examiners just give directions by name, i.e. follow the road to town center ect, I cant really explain it any more without diagrams,

workington - Google Maps

but thats besides the point, point is, I recently had a pupil on test , was asked to go to harrington, (from where it says viaduct to A597 on the pic) which requires him to approach in the right lane and drop down to the left lane as he goes to the other side of the viaduct, he didn't and carried on in the right which brings him back round to where he started from, next time round the examiner said "move to the left lane here" and on he went to harrington... at the end of the test the examiner said to me, "he went round in circles on the viaduct, but did nothing else wrong so I told him where to go and passed him anyway with a lecture about what to do..." so in the end he went round in circles, but still passed, as using your words, did nothing that was unsafe