The Student Room Group

driving lessons - think i am getting worse!!

Hello all,
I am currently doing my driving lessons, I am on my 15th one and I just keep getting things wrong.. I feel like I am actually getting worse and that I am wasting my money.. I just feel really negative about driving at the moment. I mean after 15 lessons all we have done is roudabouts and just normal driving on roads, no 3 point turns or reversing yet.. Is it cuz I am crap or is he actually ripping me off? He told me I should be done in like 20 lessons.. but now I actually doubt it.. How do I become positive again? Is there anything else I can do to somehow get better? help please! :frown:

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Reply 1
Everyone has their own pace. He is probably making sure you are confident on the roads before doing manouvers, it's pretty standard. Keep at it.
ive had 41 hours of lessons and i still make msitakes and im still not confident. i think every driver has their days but it will get better soon
Reply 3
Original post by Radzy
Hello all,
I am currently doing my driving lessons, I am on my 15th one and I just keep getting things wrong.. I feel like I am actually getting worse and that I am wasting my money.. I just feel really negative about driving at the moment. I mean after 15 lessons all we have done is roudabouts and just normal driving on roads, no 3 point turns or reversing yet.. Is it cuz I am crap or is he actually ripping me off? He told me I should be done in like 20 lessons.. but now I actually doubt it.. How do I become positive again? Is there anything else I can do to somehow get better? help please! :frown:


It doesn't take that long to learn to do 3 point turns and I'm pretty sure reversing around a corner was the last thing I did. I spent absolutely ages on roundabouts, and I hated driving with a passion. At the beginning I loved driving, then I hated it and by the end I really liked it again. I wish I forced myself to go religiously every week because I kept on having massive breaks. It took me about 30 lessons to pass but spread across a year.

Ask your instructor if he has any plan for the next 5 hours of lessons so you can see where you're going with the driving. It's completely normal to feel crap about driving part way through though. You just need to get your self confidence back!
Reply 4
When I was learning to drive I had lessons that occasionally went bad and really affected my want to learn to drive. My instructor and my family told me I will have days like that, it's normal and to get back in the saddle so to speak as soon as possible. So don't feel like just because things are going badly that they will never imrpove, because with practice they will. Perhaps when you have a bad lesson you can book another one that week to correct it? Or even better get out learning with your parents too.

By the way, after saying numerous times I wanted to quit I passed both my theory and practical tests first time, you can do it too! :smile:
Original post by Radzy
Hello all,
I am currently doing my driving lessons, I am on my 15th one and I just keep getting things wrong.. I feel like I am actually getting worse and that I am wasting my money.. I just feel really negative about driving at the moment. I mean after 15 lessons all we have done is roudabouts and just normal driving on roads, no 3 point turns or reversing yet.. Is it cuz I am crap or is he actually ripping me off? He told me I should be done in like 20 lessons.. but now I actually doubt it.. How do I become positive again? Is there anything else I can do to somehow get better? help please! :frown:


Hey, dont worry. I had exactly the same problem. I thought my driving teacher was ripping me off but then I thought about it and realized that the reason why he had not taught me how to reverse was because I couldn't even going forward properly yet. :biggrin:

What you have to do now is to change your attitudes, and believe you can do it. Concentrate more in lessons and it will help. That's what I did. I learned my first maneuvers in my 15th or 16th lessons and each of my lesson was 2 hours. =.= I was really crap, hehe. But then once you do that, you will be able to get hold of it very quickly.... That's what happnened to me. I hope this helps. :smile:
Original post by Radzy
Hello all,
I am currently doing my driving lessons, I am on my 15th one and I just keep getting things wrong.. I feel like I am actually getting worse and that I am wasting my money.. I just feel really negative about driving at the moment. I mean after 15 lessons all we have done is roudabouts and just normal driving on roads, no 3 point turns or reversing yet.. Is it cuz I am crap or is he actually ripping me off? He told me I should be done in like 20 lessons.. but now I actually doubt it.. How do I become positive again? Is there anything else I can do to somehow get better? help please! :frown:


It's hard to comment constructively based on the contents of your post so I will try a broadbrush approach and hope something makes sense to you.

1. When you first start to drive you are particularly concerned with the technical/mechanical stuff that happens inside the car, largely ignoring the stuff happening outside the car (which your instructor is looking after). Eventually you have to move your focus from one to the other and your mechnical control of the car can suffer as a result. It's temporary and it will pass.
2. No manoeuvres as yet is unusual, nearly all my pupils learn their first in the 5th or 6th lesson - it helps with all sorts of aspects of driving. I have only had one pupil who has taken longer than that but she is more advanced in years...:wink:
3. Some instructors like you to be complete competent on easy roads before taking you into more difficult situations. Personally I take my pupils into traffic as soon as possible because it is the best place to learn...! Stopping and starting is a great way to learn clutch, brake, gas and gears.
4. You are not c*** and he might be ripping you off. Talk to him about the progress you are making. Point out that you are feeling negative and that you are struggling. If he doesn't do anything to fix it, then he may not be the right instructor for you.
5. You might try varying the period between lessons. I find that sometimes taking a break for a week improves a pupil's driving - don't know why but it works.
6. You wont do it in 20 lessons so ask for a reassessment. Or take an assessment with another instructor and see what they think.

It might be useful if you can give us some idea of the difficulties you are experiencing and we'll see if we can help more.

Dont give up - it will come together but you might need to change your approach to facilitate that happening.

Best Wishes
Original post by Radzy
Hello all,
I am currently doing my driving lessons, I am on my 15th one and I just keep getting things wrong.. I feel like I am actually getting worse and that I am wasting my money.. I just feel really negative about driving at the moment. I mean after 15 lessons all we have done is roudabouts and just normal driving on roads, no 3 point turns or reversing yet.. Is it cuz I am crap or is he actually ripping me off? He told me I should be done in like 20 lessons.. but now I actually doubt it.. How do I become positive again? Is there anything else I can do to somehow get better? help please! :frown:


Don't worry I had close to 100 hours of lessons :frown: It used to really get me down because it often felt like I'd make one step forward and then be knocked back by about five. Some people can take ages to learn but end up being a really good driver by the end of it. If you have any way of gaining practice outside of your lessons do it, and make sure you don't have massive gaps between your lessons.
Keep at it :smile:
Original post by Radzy
Hello all,
I am currently doing my driving lessons, I am on my 15th one and I just keep getting things wrong.. I feel like I am actually getting worse and that I am wasting my money.. I just feel really negative about driving at the moment. I mean after 15 lessons all we have done is roudabouts and just normal driving on roads, no 3 point turns or reversing yet.. Is it cuz I am crap or is he actually ripping me off? He told me I should be done in like 20 lessons.. but now I actually doubt it.. How do I become positive again? Is there anything else I can do to somehow get better? help please! :frown:


The average is 40 lessons. I’ve booked my test for 3 weeks’ time. And by the time it comes to my test i would have had 41 lessons. If i was you i would start reading up on the monouvors so you get a basic idea of how to do them and that. As that helped me as instructors seem to explain them more complicated... i know how you feel though. Some days i can’t wait to go on my driving lessons other days i hate it. I’m really struggling on my reverse round a right corner atm! Hopefully i will get it perfect for my test :rolleyes:
Original post by Emma-Ashley
It's hard to comment constructively based on the contents of your post so I will try a broadbrush approach and hope something makes sense to you.

1. When you first start to drive you are particularly concerned with the technical/mechanical stuff that happens inside the car, largely ignoring the stuff happening outside the car (which your instructor is looking after). Eventually you have to move your focus from one to the other and your mechnical control of the car can suffer as a result. It's temporary and it will pass.
2. No manoeuvres as yet is unusual, nearly all my pupils learn their first in the 5th or 6th lesson - it helps with all sorts of aspects of driving. I have only had one pupil who has taken longer than that but she is more advanced in years...:wink:
3. Some instructors like you to be complete competent on easy roads before taking you into more difficult situations. Personally I take my pupils into traffic as soon as possible because it is the best place to learn...! Stopping and starting is a great way to learn clutch, brake, gas and gears.
4. You are not c*** and he might be ripping you off. Talk to him about the progress you are making. Point out that you are feeling negative and that you are struggling. If he doesn't do anything to fix it, then he may not be the right instructor for you.
5. You might try varying the period between lessons. I find that sometimes taking a break for a week improves a pupil's driving - don't know why but it works.
6. You wont do it in 20 lessons so ask for a reassessment. Or take an assessment with another instructor and see what they think.

It might be useful if you can give us some idea of the difficulties you are experiencing and we'll see if we can help more.

Dont give up - it will come together but you might need to change your approach to facilitate that happening.

Best Wishes


hi since your a driving instructor! can you give me some tips on reverse around a right corner! as i really can not do it! i can do the left corner fine!! its just the right corner !! i have had loads of lessons on it! but i just cant eem to do it!
Original post by nikki-jones2009
hi since your a driving instructor! can you give me some tips on reverse around a right corner! as i really can not do it! i can do the left corner fine!! its just the right corner !! i have had loads of lessons on it! but i just cant eem to do it!


Wow, you're unlucky! Down here they never ask for a right reverse on test so most instructors don't bother to teach it. I do it once with my pupils and that's all.

What happens when you do it? What method do you use for your left reverse?
Original post by Emma-Ashley
Wow, you're unlucky! Down here they never ask for a right reverse on test so most instructors don't bother to teach it. I do it once with my pupils and that's all.

What happens when you do it? What method do you use for your left reverse?


Oh god i wish i lived where you live! 2bh when I pass I doubt I will ever use reverse around a right corner. As I hate it! Lol. For the left reverse i flip the left mirror down, so i can see the wheels and the curb. for the right corner my instructor told me to look out my window , but i found it impossible doing it that way, so on my last lesson i flipped the right mirror down and i got better at it. I just seem to either drift away from the curb - or when I’m round the corner my back wheels hit the curb. It’s so difficult!
Original post by nikki-jones2009
Oh god i wish i lived where you live! 2bh when I pass I doubt I will ever use reverse around a right corner. As I hate it! Lol. For the left reverse i flip the left mirror down, so i can see the wheels and the curb. for the right corner my instructor told me to look out my window , but i found it impossible doing it that way, so on my last lesson i flipped the right mirror down and i got better at it. I just seem to either drift away from the curb - or when I’m round the corner my back wheels hit the curb. It’s so difficult!


Hmm...interesting. :confused: In my experience, examiners don't like you adjusting the mirrors for manoeuvres particularly if you forget to adjust them back. That said, if it's okay where you live, I would certainly use the same method for both left and right. Generally speaking in most modern cars you can adjust the door mirrors to see both the vehicles behind and a lot of the road. Make sure that when they are adjusted you don't see too much sky - you're not a plane spotter after all. :smile:

As Bern said in another thread, keep the car slow - it gives you more time to adjust if you see it going wrong. If you can keep the kerb in sight, you won't hit it! If you lose sight of it, you have no idea where it is!

Once you are round the corner, use your mirror periodically to maintain your distance from the kerb.

Follow your instincts, adjust when you know you need to, not when you think you need to.

I hope that helps.
Reply 13
Original post by Emma-Ashley
It's hard to comment constructively based on the contents of your post so I will try a broadbrush approach and hope something makes sense to you.

1. When you first start to drive you are particularly concerned with the technical/mechanical stuff that happens inside the car, largely ignoring the stuff happening outside the car (which your instructor is looking after). Eventually you have to move your focus from one to the other and your mechnical control of the car can suffer as a result. It's temporary and it will pass.
2. No manoeuvres as yet is unusual, nearly all my pupils learn their first in the 5th or 6th lesson - it helps with all sorts of aspects of driving. I have only had one pupil who has taken longer than that but she is more advanced in years...:wink:
3. Some instructors like you to be complete competent on easy roads before taking you into more difficult situations. Personally I take my pupils into traffic as soon as possible because it is the best place to learn...! Stopping and starting is a great way to learn clutch, brake, gas and gears.
4. You are not c*** and he might be ripping you off. Talk to him about the progress you are making. Point out that you are feeling negative and that you are struggling. If he doesn't do anything to fix it, then he may not be the right instructor for you.
5. You might try varying the period between lessons. I find that sometimes taking a break for a week improves a pupil's driving - don't know why but it works.
6. You wont do it in 20 lessons so ask for a reassessment. Or take an assessment with another instructor and see what they think.

It might be useful if you can give us some idea of the difficulties you are experiencing and we'll see if we can help more.

Dont give up - it will come together but you might need to change your approach to facilitate that happening.

Best Wishes


Hiya, thanks for the advice! Basically, what used to happen was, I think I am just slow at learning new things and getting used to the car.. I am always nervous after every single lesson still, which I don't think is normal at all. I quite like my driving instructor, it would just help if he would support me a little i don't know. Like today we did a bit of reversing, and this was my first proper time, so I was more concentrating on the mechanical side rather than being aware of the outside, so I didn't notice there was a car behind me, and he didnt get frustrated he was calm, I just wanted it to go so much better :frown: at the moment all I have done really is roudabouts and turning into side roads things like that.. nothing really proper and major. I think I am getting the hang of it now after todays lesson, but its just annoying because he spoke to my dad today and he told my dad that I take a really relaxed approach to driving, when I feel like I am not relaxed at all! I just look it so that I don't stress out in situations.. I had my 15th lesson, and my driving test has been booked for 28th june. So I will see how it goes I guess, I just want to be better thats all and prove to him and my parents that I am perfectly capable of driving, its just hard when you know they all have doubts on you and stuff.. I need help with hills and stuff, I find it hard because when I am stationary, and I have to move again on a hill, he tells me I still take my foot off the clutch too quickly, but I dont know how else to do it? If I dont act fast, the car would just roll back!! and I don't want that.. so what do i do exactly? I know the process on a normal flat road, but on hills its really hard..
Thank you for all your help!
Original post by Radzy
Hiya, thanks for the advice! Basically, what used to happen was, I think I am just slow at learning new things and getting used to the car.. I am always nervous after every single lesson still, which I don't think is normal at all. I quite like my driving instructor, it would just help if he would support me a little i don't know. Like today we did a bit of reversing, and this was my first proper time, so I was more concentrating on the mechanical side rather than being aware of the outside, so I didn't notice there was a car behind me, and he didnt get frustrated he was calm, I just wanted it to go so much better :frown: at the moment all I have done really is roudabouts and turning into side roads things like that.. nothing really proper and major. I think I am getting the hang of it now after todays lesson, but its just annoying because he spoke to my dad today and he told my dad that I take a really relaxed approach to driving, when I feel like I am not relaxed at all! I just look it so that I don't stress out in situations.. I had my 15th lesson, and my driving test has been booked for 28th june. So I will see how it goes I guess, I just want to be better thats all and prove to him and my parents that I am perfectly capable of driving, its just hard when you know they all have doubts on you and stuff.. I need help with hills and stuff, I find it hard because when I am stationary, and I have to move again on a hill, he tells me I still take my foot off the clutch too quickly, but I dont know how else to do it? If I dont act fast, the car would just roll back!! and I don't want that.. so what do i do exactly? I know the process on a normal flat road, but on hills its really hard..
Thank you for all your help!


hold clutch at bite and apply a bit of gas, it should stop the car from rolling back. easyier said then done though. you should lift your foot of the clutch slowley, while still applying gas
Original post by Emma-Ashley

Original post by Emma-Ashley
It's hard to comment constructively based on the contents of your post so I will try a broadbrush approach and hope something makes sense to you.

1. When you first start to drive you are particularly concerned with the technical/mechanical stuff that happens inside the car, largely ignoring the stuff happening outside the car (which your instructor is looking after). Eventually you have to move your focus from one to the other and your mechnical control of the car can suffer as a result. It's temporary and it will pass.
2. No manoeuvres as yet is unusual, nearly all my pupils learn their first in the 5th or 6th lesson - it helps with all sorts of aspects of driving. I have only had one pupil who has taken longer than that but she is more advanced in years...:wink:
3. Some instructors like you to be complete competent on easy roads before taking you into more difficult situations. Personally I take my pupils into traffic as soon as possible because it is the best place to learn...! Stopping and starting is a great way to learn clutch, brake, gas and gears.
4. You are not c*** and he might be ripping you off. Talk to him about the progress you are making. Point out that you are feeling negative and that you are struggling. If he doesn't do anything to fix it, then he may not be the right instructor for you.
5. You might try varying the period between lessons. I find that sometimes taking a break for a week improves a pupil's driving - don't know why but it works.
6. You wont do it in 20 lessons so ask for a reassessment. Or take an assessment with another instructor and see what they think.

It might be useful if you can give us some idea of the difficulties you are experiencing and we'll see if we can help more.

Dont give up - it will come together but you might need to change your approach to facilitate that happening.

Best Wishes


No offence but as a driving instucter, you have too much time on your hands. Why are you on a student forum, why dont you go on a learner driver forum? I am not being rude, but maybe potential customers see you on here and think I won't be booking any lessons with her If you get me. Good luck :smile:

EDIT: I'm sorry, maybe I got this wrong. But yee...I wouldn't have lessons with you as you spend so much time on here. Each to their own.
(edited 13 years ago)
Reply 16
Original post by nikki-jones2009
hold clutch at bite and apply a bit of gas, it should stop the car from rolling back. easyier said then done though. you should lift your foot of the clutch slowley, while still applying gas


i tried that but the car made this really weird cackling sound and my instructor said that i was taking my foot off the clutch too quickly while i was still pressing the clutch :s
Original post by Radzy
i tried that but the car made this really weird cackling sound and my instructor said that i was taking my foot off the clutch too quickly while i was still pressing the clutch :s


try takin it off slower?
Original post by slacker07906
No offence but as a driving instucter, you have too much time on your hands. Why are you on a student forum, why dont you go on a learner driver forum? I am not being rude, but maybe potential customers see you on here and think I won't be booking any lessons with her If you get me. Good luck :smile:


If she is helpful on here, one might think she would be helpful out on the road. So not necessarily. She's getting her name out, which is also helpful. Good advertising, really.
Reply 19
Maybe because a lot of people that are learning to drive are students and she'd like to help them get through their tests. Learning to drive follows the same principles as studying in a way, you still have to learn to do the content you will be examined on before you can pass.

To the OP, maybe try a lesson with a different instructor. I changed twice and the first two didn't seem to have any intention of putting me in for test any time soon. Had 2 lessons with the third and she told me to book my test. Even with the first instructor I did TIR within 2 hours.

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