[HSRMJ]

Hi,

I have been told by many of my friends and even my dad that my instuctor who is good but wasting my time and this is why. I am on my fifth lesson and I have done no manouevers and he won't let me drive over 40 minutes out of my hour and 30 mins lesson. He only lets me drive on narrow roads where only a few cars are on road with me. I'm on my 5th lesson and i pay 175 for 5 lessons which like i said is 1.5 hours but feels like 40 minutes. I know many people who drive on the open roads second lesson and I feel like I've got my money wasted with this guy. He talks too much and won't let drive as much. So what I'm asking is how should I tell him I want to leave? Should I tell him I can't afford it or that I'm going to stay at my cousins house for a few months and I'll contact him if I want to drive again?

Thanks,
HSRMJ

[Yawn11]

Driving Instructor: "When would you like to book your next lesson?"

You: "Never. Peace out".

Spoiler:

Show

Or you know, just say you have insufficient funds and wanna put a hold on lessons for a while, and you'll contact him when the situation's different' Dunno why so many people are such pussy's around Driving Instructors, it's YOUR MONEY at the end of the day.

[Emma:-)]

just come up with some excuse like you cant afford driving lessons or something.
The instructor cant force you to book more lessons with him.

[FXX]

If your 40 minutes of driving for every 90 minute lesson is accurate, you can be honest and say you don't think you're getting much for your money as you're getting less than 30 minutes of driving per hour, and that your friends instructor offers much more driving time.

There's no reason you can't talk while practicing, and if you wanted a lecture, you'd look for one on YouTube.

Driving instructors are in a difficult situation with fuel prices as they are but if there's someone doing a substantially better deal, you're obviously going to go for it.

[M4LLY]

Don't. When you pass your test, its the greatest feeling ever. Just because you don't like your instructor it is no reason to quit.

[andrew_c]

Just dont book more lessons.

[restoration]

(Original post by HSRMJ)
Hi,

I have been told by many of my friends and even my dad that my instuctor who is good but wasting my time and this is why. I am on my fifth lesson and I have done no manouevers and he won't let me drive over 40 minutes out of my hour and 30 mins lesson. He only lets me drive on narrow roads where only a few cars are on road with me. I'm on my 5th lesson and i pay 175 for 5 lessons which like i said is 1.5 hours but feels like 40 minutes. I know many people who drive on the open roads second lesson and I feel like I've got my money wasted with this guy. He talks too much and won't let drive as much. So what I'm asking is how should I tell him I want to leave? Should I tell him I can't afford it or that I'm going to stay at my cousins house for a few months and I'll contact him if I want to drive again?

Thanks,
HSRMJ

I told my last instructor that I didn't have enough money to carry on when it was really because he was rubbish. My new one is great though and not doing manouvres by your 5th lesson isn't that bad but if your confident you should have been doing main roads/roundabouts/dual carriageways.

[persov]

Just say you don't want to continue with lessons with him.....simples.
I can't quite remember what I said to my first instructor roughly 3 years ago, but I just said I didn't want lessons with him anymore. You're not bound to a single instructor.

[2_plus_X_equal_me]

Just blank him or her. If hes a prick insult the motha ****a, or use your common sense and say the following:
1) putting lessons on hold
2) going to be doing my CBT so i can ride a 125cc bike instead

3) running low on funds, saving for a trip during the summer holidays

4) I DO NOT THINK IM PROGRESSING AS I WANTED GIVE ME MORE TIME ON THE ROAD OR I'M GONE.

[yothi5]

(Original post by 2_plus_X_equal_me)
Just blank him or her. If hes a prick insult the motha ****a, or use your common sense and say the following:
1) putting lessons on hold
2) going to be doing my CBT so i can ride a 125cc bike instead

3) running low on funds, saving for a trip during the summer holidays

4) I DO NOT THINK IM PROGRESSING AS I WANTED GIVE ME MORE TIME ON THE ROAD OR I'M GONE.

That's how not to talk to your instructor....

[freedomyak]

Seriously, the con of having a driving instructor is absolutely horrific - Why pay £15-20 an hour, especially if they are not going to let you get some real experience half the time.

Just get yourself added on your parents insurance for a month, costs about £60 and you can drive 24 hours a day if so be it.

[Michaelj]

Most people don't do manoeuvres after 5 lessons but everything else if what you say is quite bizzare, just sack him I say.

[Firelight670]

"I want to quit."

[fury147]

When you book your next lesson add that you don't want any more after that one. Rather than surprising him when he asks and you being like "no more thanks". Also, it gives you the option of changing your mind if your "final" lesson is actually quite good.

[Advisor]

(Original post by HSRMJ)
I am on my fifth lesson and I have done no manouevers

Seriously, what do people want to be doing on lesson number five? Handbrake turns on motorways? You have to learn to walk before you can run.

You must perfect car control before you can fully grasp road procedure, observation and anticipation. Otherwise you'll have too many problems still piling up while the next subject is piled on top of you. The first couple of lessons should be spent training you to control and fully understand the control of the car, including all ancillary controls. If you still can't figure out how to operate the windscreen washers and wipers while on the move, without your instructor helping you, then this is far more important by lesson five than reversing. The first five lessons should include basic junctions, use of mirrors and the emergency stop. How far you progress after this depends on your aptitude, attitude and recall / understanding.

Are you being kept on smaller roads for a reason? Does your instructor have to keep physically helping you by dual braking or pushing the steering away from parked cars? If so, you're nowhere near ready to be reversing near them when you can't judge or control the car when driving past them in a forwards direction.

he won't let me drive over 40 minutes out of my hour and 30 mins lesson. ... He talks too much and won't let drive as much.

Have you actually measured this? Is there a solid 40 minute block of driving surrounded by 25 mins of stationary chit-chat? Or do you drive a bit, then stop and analyse what happened.. then drive a bit more?

What exactly does he talk about? If it's training you in hypothetical situations relevant to the lesson you're on.. and constantly questioning you to establish your thought process in situations, then there's nothing wrong with that; he's doing exactly what you're paying him for and you're getting excellent value for money as you're being trained to cope with situations that can't quite be found on lessons. On the other hand, if he's constantly nattering on about his holidays, his wife and kids, his shopping, or is merely stopping for lengthy smoke breaks or to pop into shops, then this is unacceptable.

Don't just get friends / parents advice on whether instruction is correct or value for money, as they aren't qualified instructors, so won't know a thing about how to bring about a change in people's driving behaviour. If you really have your doubts, you should ask another instructor for a lesson - mentioning your concerns - and compare methods.

You should seriously reconsider whether it's worth leaving your current instructor before making excuses to him, which is quite lame anyway. It's far better to tell the truth. You say he is good, so does that come from his pass rate? Or just his rapport? If his success rate is high, then you have nothing to worry about. If he's merely good at "getting on" with people your age, but can't teach for toffee and gets lots of test fails before scraping a pass (plenty of instructors like that out there, I can tell you), then you'll be doing yourself a favour by changing instructor, but don't lie about it.

This video explains a lot about two different "types" of instructor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Suo-MMnY0c0

[Svenjamin]

Advisor pretty much said it all.

You may think driving is a case of sitting in a car, driving around for an hour and then getting shown all the manoeuvres... but the reality is it takes time and the first few hours will be about becoming comfortable with much more general driving skills. It takes most people 30+ hours for a reason, if it was as simple as you make out everyone would be passing within 10 hours!

Give it time, as the lessons progress you'll get less explaining and more drive time.

[ROG.]

Give him one of these -

[Jay™]

Just say im not sure when i want my next lesson, and that you'll ring him to book. Then don't ring.

[Emma-Ashley]

(Original post by Jay™)
Just say im not sure when i want my next lesson, and that you'll ring him to book. Then don't ring.

From an instructor's point of view, this is one of the most annoying approaches. I would rather someone just told me outright so at least I can fix it for the next pupil - if it needs fixing. i have always been very grateful for that level of honesty.

[leedslad1]

(Original post by Advisor)

This video explains a lot about two different "types" of instructor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Suo-MMnY0c0

Lmao, that is one of the funniest things I've watched in my life