I'm a rubbish driver :(

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I know a guy who races go karts across the country but he hasn't passed his driving test yet. Basically you're talking total crap, doesn't take skills to put your right foot down :wink:

You know what forget it... I apologize to the OP for being so stupid and unhelpful...

Either way in London u cant drive fast everywhere...

Its nice that people dont see I was trying to be positive...

I maybe real stupid but at least Im not as mean as all of you!!!

Reply 21

Sgt.Incontro

Original post by Winning

What's with this 'get a new instructor'-bull****. Instructors are supposed to be tough, they're a bit like drill sergeants. If that really affects your condidence then you don't have a problem with driving, you've got a problem with life. Get over it and focus on working on your skills, that will help you a lot more than whining. Jesus Christ...

Said PERFECTLY mate.

Reply 22

frankieboy

Make sure you're parking's good, otherwise we might have to photograph you and put you on here :wink:

:

Linky

Reply 23

jojayne

You are EXACTLY like me, like I just finished my lesson half an hour ago and I made the same errors, but the thing is- like my instructor said some people get it it quickly and some take longer- I think the best thing for you (because your errors aren't major) is simply do what all the guys above said is change instructor- someone that'll push you but not make you feel bad then you'll do much better i'm sure :smile:

Reply 24

Stanza

Same here. I ended up giving up. But thinking back I shouldnt have, although at the time I had alot things going on and I just wasnt in the mood to learn how to drive .

Reply 25

Corfate

Probably best to change instructors. You need one who is patient, and won't rage at you if you make a mistake.

Don't put yourself down about making mistakes. I've passed my test, and today i cut someone up on a roundabout.. Totally my fault, and i genuinely didn't mean to do it, but we make mistakes and we learn by them :smile:

Reply 26

Megaross

Some instructors are ****, 30 lessons should be the maximum you need to get to the test.
Honestly, why do people stick with instructors when they aren't happy?

Reply 27

DOAADI

Original post by Megaross

Some instructors are ****, 30 lessons should be the maximum you need to get to the test.
Honestly, why do people stick with instructors when they aren't happy?

Total rubbish yet again. You should start a movement or something.

No one can say how many lessons a new driver will need. Well, apart from you, of course :biggrin:

Reply 28

Megaross

Original post by DOAADI

Total rubbish yet again. You should start a movement or something.

No one can say how many lessons a new driver will need. Well, apart from you, of course :biggrin:

My instructor, he taught several of my mates parents back years ago, and upwards of 20 of my mates. Girls, blokes, into cars, not fussed, confident, nervous. All types.
Almost every single one passed first time, none needed more than 30 lessons, less than 20 in a lot of cases.

A good experienced instructor will detect a persons strengths and weaknesses and teach around them to mould the person into a confident and skilled driver. You should need no more than 30 quality lessons to teach someone from scratch.
Any more than that your instructor is rubbish, they're either not great at teaching to individual needs or teaching slower to stretch more money from a student without having to do real work (cough, BSM, cough).

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 29

DOAADI

Original post by Megaross

My instructor, he taught several of my mates parents back years ago,

Yada-yada-yada :rolleyes:

No one can say how many lessons a new driver will require. This especially includes you.

It can be anything from under 20 to whatever.

My highest ever was 140 hours. He was a million miles away from my lowest ever of 17.5 hours in terms of ability.

Fortunately, neither of them were smart alecks who thought they knew it all, otherwise they'd have been jumping instructors on a weekly basis.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 30

tufc

Definitely get a new instructor. Someone who snaps at you like that will NEVER instil in you the confidence required to pass your test and be a safe driver. My instructor NEVER snapped at me, raised his voice or got at all angry in over 30 hours of tuition. An instructor should encourage you, and tell you how to correct your mistakes, not make you feel like an idiot.

Reply 31

tufc

Original post by Winning

The worst driving lesson I ever had was after I had an argument with my Dad. A fractious relationship between pupil and instructor just stresses the pupil and induces mistakes. Pupils have to develop a natural driving style, which isn't helped by the pupil constantly worrying if they're about to get shouted at.

Reply 32

frankieboy

Original post by tufc

Absolutely agree.

My instructor always said to me the three magic words - "Read the road". He said anyone can learn how to "operate" the car so to speak, but reading the road and predicting what's about to happen is the most important point he taught me.

Reply 33

Winning

Original post by tufc

An arguement with your father affects you emotionally, an arguement with your driving instructor doesn't. Of course you shouldn't be constantly under stress, but a instructor needs to be rude and use harsh language from time to time, that's part of the package - and according to the OP this was a one-time-occurence and still everyone shouts 'Oh no, he is so mean, you should get another instructor, and a pink unicorn while you're at it'. Backing off at the first sign of conflict or problems doesn't get you anywhere.

Reply 34

llama-beans

When I first started learning to drive, I was rubbish. I had no confidence at all and kept making silly mistakes. I spent the first month or so of lessons just doing left- and right-turns. My friends and family said I should change my instructor, but I didn't because it wasn't his fault that I kept doing things wrong.
Eventually, I took a test purely because I had been learning for so long. I failed, obviously, and gave up for a bit as I was moving away to uni.
When I came back the following summer, I wanted to pass my test before my theory expired etc. I got a new instructor and within just a few lessons I was feeling much more confident and wasn't making anywhere near as many mistakes. I passed my test at the end of the summer.

Now, I don't know whether it was the year off from driving (where living in a city and being a pedestrian all the time had given me more road sense) or the change of instructor, a combination of the two that did it, but the biggest difference I noticed was the different style of teaching. My new instructor explained things like manoeuvres differently which made them easier for me to understand/do.

So despite all these people telling you to just man up and you'll get it eventually, change your instructor. I felt the same as you after goodness knows how many hours of lessons, but in about 15 hours with a new instructor I passed, no problems.

Reply 35

Megaross

Original post by DOAADI

Yada-yada-yada :rolleyes:

Whats your average then? First time pass rate/ lessons needed etc.

And if you don't get on with an instructor you change, simple as really. Don't give the cowboys business and eventually they'll adopt a new game plan.

Reply 36

Aijin

Criticism shouldn't knock your confidence. But if you're really unhappy with the instructor, just change instructors. Work out what's best for you!

Reply 37

DOAADI

Original post by Megaross

Whats your average then? First time pass rate/ lessons needed etc.

An average number has nothing to do with a stupid statement like "people don't need more than 30 hours".

And if the average IS 30 hours, waving that in the face of someone who you already know isn't a natural driver reaches fantastic new heights of stupidity.

A new pupil can be told that the quickest can do it in under 20 hours, but most people take longer, because everyone is different. Giving them specific numbers before you know what they're like - and even when you do - is madness.

Reply 38

tufc

Original post by Winning

My instructor was never nasty to me, despite frequent near misses, and I passed after 3 months of lessons.

Reply 39

Kyrstano

I was exactly the same, tried learning to drive when I was 17and felt like I wasn't getting anywhere...until I swapped to learning to drive in an automatic car in February on my 21st birthday this year :smile:

I passed my test 4 days ago, after the second time.