The Ultimate Learning to Drive Thread - MK II

Yeah I had my first lesson 3 weeks ago. Drove for about 3 minutes. Second lesson drove for 5 minutes. 3rd lesson 20 minutes.

My instructor likes to talk about the car. He doesn't just want me to learn about how to drive, he wants to explain what happening to the car when I'm driving, so for example on the first lesson he taught me about the biting point and exactly what the flywheel blah blah is doing when you lift the clutch.


Posted from TSR iPad

Fair enough, and great if you wanted to learn about that stuff, but apart from the stuff which keeps the car running I don't really care if that makes sense haha? Obviously the questions you get asked for show me tell me are important, and there is stuff I will pick up, but honestly I just wanted my instructor so I could pass, but wouldn't have minded say he started talking about the stuff once I was more confident in driving and whilst I was driving, rather than being a brand new learner and being overwhelmed with how the car worked

Have to say though, I was surprised to be going 40mph and 4th gear and driving home on my first lesson. Then just driving the whole time from there on.


Posted from TSR Mobile

Wow haha. And yeah I would have preferred that but I'm not really complaining.

Was quite angry on the first lesson though. We were just talking about college and general things and cars etc and I was joining in with the conversation (this was outside my house). THEN... we spent 10 minutes in the car... So he counted the chitchat at the start as part of the lesson!!!

I like him though which is why I've kept him.

EDIT : I like the car very much too, another reason why I've kept him

Posted from TSR iPad

I've had my licence three years and am SO GLAD I learnt to drive before going to uni. The thought of going through everything again seems like such effort now XD

JWTS, I highly recommend having your instructor in on your test. I 'failed' my first one, but luckily my instructor was there and fought my case to get me re-assesed a week later for free because he knew the examiner was in the wrong, and that (his words not mine) no one who wears small sunglasses over large normal galsses should be testing people's ability to do anything.

If he hadn't have been there, justice would not have been served!

Good luck everyone

well done for speaking to her and reaching a compromise. The plan sounds good and I hope you don't have to put your test back and you pass
with roundabouts and junctions, it really does just click someday...its not something that can be taught...i think it clicked for me like 2 lessons before my test lol

My lessons were 1 hour long after the initial 2 hour long ones. I only got one minor and that was because i was about to go on a busy roundabout when a van came speeding around and i had to brake harshly and i thought i had failed because the examiners foot went by the brake but she only gave me a minor for approach speed so all was good

Thanks I hope so too, I'm just desperately praying for a nice examiner and quiet roads! I think so too. Surely the examiners understand that you're not an experienced driver, so you might be a little more cautious at times. Oh that's reassuring, hopefully the same will happen for me, haha. We practise them a lot so I am gradually getting more confident at them.

Oh yeah, one minor, sorry! I see, if that was me I would have assumed it was a major too! So she didn't actually need to press the brake? That's good, you probably showed that you were able to control the car under that sort of pressure.

Just out of interest, what was it you had done that the examiner deemed "wrong"? I absolutely love driving everywhere , and the freedom you get is amazing!

You won't believe this but I tell this story so often, that I have an MS paint diagram.

The yellow arrows are the route I took from the main road, over the mini road and into the test centre car park.

The pink woman stopped to let me pass, I waited, but she beckoned me in, so I went in. That was why I failed



Don't deny the love for my sick 'paint' drawing skills.

That's actually a pretty good drawing.

Yeah I had my first lesson 3 weeks ago. Drove for about 3 minutes. Second lesson drove for 5 minutes. 3rd lesson 20 minutes.

My instructor likes to talk about the car. He doesn't just want me to learn about how to drive, he wants to explain what happening to the car when I'm driving, so for example on the first lesson he taught me about the biting point and exactly what the flywheel blah blah is doing when you lift the clutch.


Posted from TSR iPad

You won't believe this but I tell this story so often, that I have an MS paint diagram.

The yellow arrows are the route I took from the main road, over the mini road and into the test centre car park.

The pink woman stopped to let me pass, I waited, but she beckoned me in, so I went in. That was why I failed



Don't deny the love for my sick 'paint' drawing skills.

Ah, how very harsh! Ah we'll, you passed in the end so that's the main thing. Might have to neg you for the drawing skills however . I'm joking I'm joking :P

Thank you for not judging me on having diagrams about my life on hand

Haha you're welcome. Infact, it was a good drawing and I'm in a good mood, so I gave you a positive on the latest post. Cherish it!

Hey guys,

Does the examiner fail you during your practical when he is giving out instructions (not during independent part) e.g. turn right and you turn left? Hope I make sense

This was posted from the Student Room's Android App

Hey guys,

Does the examiner fail you during your practical when he is giving out instructions (not during independent part) e.g. turn right and you turn left? Hope I make sense

This was posted from the Student Room's Android App

When is your test ??
yup, I saw her foot go by the brakes out of the corner of my eyes so I slammed my brakes on and assumed that I had failed. But she said at the end that she was about to use them but didn't need to because i stopped in time even if it was harsh!