Driving Lessons; Slow Progression | Being Ripped Off?

Well I've been having lessons since the start of July, and I've had 30 lessons now, all of which I've paid for in bulk per 10, (£20 a hour), and well I've just not done the things people would have done by now which is making me feel like a s**t driver.

In the 30 lessons for around the first 5 I was in a parking lot, and the next 7-8 in quite roads (which still happens now too), I have only been on busy main roads for around 8-10. Throughout these 30 lessons ive learnt no manoeuvres properly (just a turn in the road on a country lane) and basically a left hand turn by accident. I feel this is incredibly slow, when talking to my instructor he says "don't worry it's only a small part and you'll learn them all" then keeps saying I need "ten more lessons" before he books my test, he said this on my 20th and again on my 30th. Should I just get a new instructor?

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Reply 1

PerArduaAdAstra

Sounds a bit dodgy to me. I've still not passed and changed my instructor after my first fail because his prices were extortionate and he didn't really seem in any hurry to push my progress along. Don't be afraid to change - you're paying for a service and if it's crap, get a better deal.

Reply 2

peedie pixie

I would say to get another instructor, however, I started learning at the end of april 2011, and by august 2011, I hadn't done any reversing AT ALL. My instructor thought it was best to spend at least two lessons on one thing, then move on. At the same time as I was making no progress, my friends were booking their tests as they'd done everything before me.. sucked haha. Check out other instructors :smile:

Reply 3

Lizzie246

5 in parking lots?? yes the instructor is ripping you off. (unless you're just a really bad driver). Get a different instructor or demand to do maneuvers ( remember it's your lesson and you're driving)

Reply 4

Cannotbelieveit

5 in the parking lot? I was on an A-road on my 3rd, and driving myself home on my 2nd.

Change him/

Reply 5

thatg

He's stringing you along to get as much money as possible, find a new instructor ASAP!

I've got my 4th lesson today and I've already done a lot of driving, I've done the turn in the road and hopefully reverse around the corner today. I've already been around a few roundabouts, including the biggest one in my town.

Reply 6

3nTr0pY

Get rid of him, he's clearly rubbish. And what do you mean by '[I learnt] a left hand turn by accident'? Surely you do left hand turns all the time?

Reply 7

mr j man

Original post by urbanbirdie

My first lesson was in the road and the lessons were always mixed up so sounds like he is trying to slow your progress so find someone better and ask how the structure lessons.

Reply 8

urbanbirdie

I mean reversing around a left hand corner, since we were at at dead end. And he said he's done around 5 in parking lots with everyone ._., so they can't really all be bad drivers. Think I will end up changing though since I'm not made of money and he's just wanting me to pay in advance for 5-10 lessons at a time.

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 9

Monstersandmen

I started on quiet roads, some people take longer than others, but he sounds like his is taking the proverbial

Reply 10

Octohedral

Something's definitely wrong - it may not be intentional on his part, but I did manoeuvers almost straight away, and I went on main roads on my first lesson.

Reply 11

LETSJaM

Change.
I was on the motorway on my second lesson, and drove home on a major A-road on my first. By my 10th I'd learnt all the manoeuvres.

Don't be afraid to walk away; never mind how 'charming' your instructor is.

<3 x

Reply 12

amyshamblesxx

It sounds like you're being ripped off, change instructors.

Reply 13

muffingg

Original post by urbanbirdie

That's quite odd. Just confrtont your instructor and ask him why you haven't learnt any maneuvres in the 30 lessons, while others have even taken their driving tests in less than 20 lessons.

Reply 14

Coffeegirl

I would also say change your instructor because at first I thought my instructor was ripping me off as well because I spent about 9 hours on quite roads, practising junctions and a few small roundabouts and it was then i got to drive home as well.

Luckily my instructor explained to me that from where we are practising to my street, there is a lot of advanced stuff that I wouldn't be able to cope with and also there is no place to pull up in in my street which was why we delayed driving home :smile:

Now I have done 25 hours and done all the manouvers except PP. I have driven on busy roads since then and they are busy roads like I have never seen. I have booked another block of 10 lessons just because I want to and will soon maybe getting private practise :smile:

by what you have done, it does seem like your instructor is holding you back :smile:

If you need more advice, don't hesitate to PM me :smile:

Reply 15

sabian92

Original post by LETSJaM

Same here. A good instructor will tailor lessons to the student based on their speed of progression, not tailor students to lessons.

You're being mugged off if you're paying in advance (which is what he wants so he gets more money off you!). Ask for your money back on any lessons you haven't had and take your business elsewhere. An instructor should never only give the option of upfront payments (which to me says he does it because he knows he's **** and lots of students leave him early, so once he's got your money you have to stay with him).

I can't believe he spent 5 hours with you driving around a car park. I didn't do that amount of time on anything when I was learning to drive!