The Ultimate Learning to Drive Thread - MK II

So how long has it taken all of you so far to learn to drive?

I had to change driving instructors a few weeks ago, and after having a terrible instructor (he kept taking the wheel from me whilst doing manoeuvres so I was just doing the clutch control...), I've found a better instructor. However, he's been looking at how my previous instructor has marked me, and she's marked me high for most of the manoeuvres which he says means I'm test standard - but he said I can't be cos I still hit the kerb etc whilst doing them...

Just getting a bit fed up of it now, obviously I'm the one hitting the kerb but I can't work out if they're just taking their time and trying to squeeze every penny out of me!! Been learning since August and I know that everyone is different but just getting tired of it now. I know how to do the manoeuvres...I just go too fast and steer too slowly when it should be the other way around!

Don't quite know what sort of response I'm looking for..I think just reassurance cos I'm feeling really rubbish about the whole thing at the moment!!

I've been learning for 8 months so far and was very surprised when my instructor said I could book my test soon as he still sometimes has to steer the wheel a little bit so that I'm not so close to the kerb or parked cars, and I think he still has to use the dual controls at least once per lesson... If he's still doing this when we get close to my test date I would probably cancel the test! But he has over 25 years of experience as an instructor so he can probably see signs that everything will fall into place soon.

I'm a bit fed up of learning too as a lot of people I know have learned faster than me!

i'm quite relieved you've said that in some ways...cos i've been looking up on here most of the morning and a lot of people are saying they didn't have many lessons at all! as i think i said before, i know people are different, but it's nice to know someone is about the similar pace as me my old instructor seemed to think it wouldn't be long until my test at all but this one thinks i'll need at least another 20 lessons which i think is a bit extreme! but will just see how it goes.

are you just learning through lessons or are you going out with a friend/family member too?

How many of you guys drive with your parents? Because I'm trying to convince my parents to insure me as a learn (in MY car, I should say) so I can get more than one hour a week practise (+theory). They say once my instructor says that I'm okay to, they will. How many hours of lessons did you have before you got insured on your own car?

What main problems do you have?
Have you had a mock test?

Mock tests are what really helped me.

I went from 9 serious and 17 minors on my first mock to 1 serious 9 minors literally 2 weeks later, just because I realised what I was doing wrong.

How many of you guys drive with your parents? Because I'm trying to convince my parents to insure me as a learn (in MY car, I should say) so I can get more than one hour a week practise (+theory). They say once my instructor says that I'm okay to, they will. How many hours of lessons did you have before you got insured on your own car?

The main problems are all the manouvres. I believe I am capable of doing them but I'm mainly unsure of myself when I'm sat in the car and need constant reassurance. But when I do them, I do end up hitting the kerb most times. Otherwise, my actual driving is fine, mirrors and observations are all fine. It's just cracking these manouvres which seems to be taking agesssss!!

Did you have to pay for your mock test? I got the impression when my old instructor mentioned it that she would just do it, pretending that she was the examiner etc - but then i found out I would have to pay..and after the amount of money I'm already spending on the lessons, I thought it was a bit cheeky when she could do her own mock test in one of our lessons! But I do see the advantages of them!

I've only recently got insured on the car. Think it was in February sometime and I have been learning since August. Had about 30 or 35 lessons by that time (felt I was going too slow so needed extra help!). I reckon your instructor will be okay for you to go out with your parents straight away - I think a lot of them encourage you to, at least my instructors have.

My brothers instructor told him not to go out too much with my parents when he was learning because he'd pick up their bad habits (because we all have them!).

Well if its just your maneuvers, which do you hit the kerb on? Them all?

And for the ones you do, what is your routine when doing it? Because i'm guessing its probably something wrong with the way you do it..

My brothers instructor told him not to go out too much with my parents when he was learning because he'd pick up their bad habits (because we all have them!).

So how long has it taken all of you so far to learn to drive?

I had to change driving instructors a few weeks ago, and after having a terrible instructor (he kept taking the wheel from me whilst doing manoeuvres so I was just doing the clutch control...), I've found a better instructor. However, he's been looking at how my previous instructor has marked me, and she's marked me high for most of the manoeuvres which he says means I'm test standard - but he said I can't be cos I still hit the kerb etc whilst doing them...

Just getting a bit fed up of it now, obviously I'm the one hitting the kerb but I can't work out if they're just taking their time and trying to squeeze every penny out of me!! Been learning since August and I know that everyone is different but just getting tired of it now. I know how to do the manoeuvres...I just go too fast and steer too slowly when it should be the other way around!

Don't quite know what sort of response I'm looking for..I think just reassurance cos I'm feeling really rubbish about the whole thing at the moment!!

are you just learning through lessons or are you going out with a friend/family member too?

I've been learning since august and have also had two instructors. I dread to think how much I've spent on it...