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Driving lessons - no instructor, just mum?

Hi I'm looking to start driving lessons, but they're so expensive. I was wondering how hard it would be to learn with just my mum in her car.
It's an automatic car, and I plan on doing the automatic test. So it's just with spatial awareness of the car and cars/buildings/cones etc around me that would be an issue.

Has anyone learnt like this or should I get an instructor at the beginning and then just practice without to save money?
Reply 1
I'm told that you need at least 10 hours with an instructor to be allowed to sit the test, that could be wrong though.
You have to make sure you're on the insurance on her car before you do this! By the time you pay for the insurance and the petrol, I don't know if you're any better off than paying for an instructor?

Anyway I did this and had a couple of hours practise driving with my dad, it built up my confidence, but I think you still need to have an instructor to teach you as well.
I don't know about if you have to have a certain number of hours with an instructor, that is worth checking out, but also bear in mind that there is a certain "exam technique" that your mum may not know unless she is a driving instructor.
A parent or partner tends to scream at the learner, an argument then starts.
instructors can cope and have dual controls

after a suitable number of lessons practice is ok with a family member but it is better for them to not advise to much in case it is against what the instructor says.

Unless you you really cannot drive a manual, I would qualify on one, even if you never drive one once you pass
Reply 5
Original post by domonict
A parent or partner tends to scream at the learner, an argument then starts.
instructors can cope and have dual controls

after a suitable number of lessons practice is ok with a family member but it is better for them to not advise to much in case it is against what the instructor says.

Unless you you really cannot drive a manual, I would qualify on one, even if you never drive one once you pass


I have my reasons for not doing a manual. That's not the issue.
But yeah I agree that maybe a few lessons with an instructor first and then mainly practicing on someone else's car with them until I get used to it.

Any ideas how much the average driving lesson is these days? Preferably in London. *GOD HELP ME* :frown:
I think its important to get an instructor to teach you the basics first. They can teach you the correct things and make sure you are ok for the test. Its really helpful to have the dual controls, especially if you have never driven before so it gives you some comfort that they can control the car if you can't. Sometimes parents can teach you their methods/bad habits which may not be ok to do in tests so in my opinion definitely get some hours in with an instructor.

After that practise a lot with parents to get used to the car and the road at different times :smile:
Original post by rayquaza17
You have to make sure you're on the insurance on her car before you do this! By the time you pay for the insurance and the petrol, I don't know if you're any better off than paying for an instructor?

Anyway I did this and had a couple of hours practise driving with my dad, it built up my confidence, but I think you still need to have an instructor to teach you as well.


Not a good idea. You really need your own insurance policy (Collingwood or Covered are good), otherwise if you have a prang as a named driver on her policy, she'll lose all the no claims bonus that she has.

If you're driving the car, you'll need to be insured to do so. Otherwise, police can seize your vehicle on the spot and you'll be walking home, along with facing penalty points for driving with no insurance.

Original post by Aph
I'm told that you need at least 10 hours with an instructor to be allowed to sit the test, that could be wrong though.


Not true, there's no requirement to learn to drive with an ADI before your test.


I would advise you start with an instructor first though - even if it's just 4 or 5 lessons to get you started, so that you have the safety of a dual control vehicle for your first few hours on the road.
I learnt solely with my dad, with the exception of one lesson on my 17th birthday to go over basic clutch control.

Although I passed first time (drove my own car in the test which was a bonus), I'd be cautious about recommending it to others. & it completely depends upon your relationship. Are either of you likely to lose your cool?

Edit: In terms of cost, for me..
Car ~Β£1300
Insurance Β£800 provisional insurance (car was in my name so insurance had to be in my name as well, ie couldn't be a named driver). That was for a year though and when I passed we just upgraded it to full licence insurance (think it was Β£1200 for the year, minus what we had already paid for the provisional insurance). This was particularly handy because I got my car insured on my 17th birthday and had my first year no claims on my 18th birthday.
Petrol depended upon how much driving we were doing. A tank for my car costs about Β£45 and it would last a few weeks.
(edited 8 years ago)
There's no minimum hours you have to do with an instructor.
I did 8 hours with an instructor and 8 hours with my mum before I passed but it varies massively from person to person. Obviously you'll need to be insured as a provisional driver on her policy and make sure you're insured for when you do the test.
Like someone else mentioned above though there's a certain style you have to drive in to pass your test, which isn't how you'll drive, or your mum will drive in so you need to consider that.
Like I said it can vary from person to person but on average I think it's about 45hours lessons with an instructor and 25 private practise so even if you want to primarily learn with your mum you'll need to budget for atleast 20-30 hours with an instructor unless you've done a lot of driving before
Original post by XMaramena
Not a good idea. You really need your own insurance policy (Collingwood or Covered are good), otherwise if you have a prang as a named driver on her policy, she'll lose all the no claims bonus that she has.

If you're driving the car, you'll need to be insured to do so. Otherwise, police can seize your vehicle on the spot and you'll be walking home, along with facing penalty points for driving with no insurance.




Not true, there's no requirement to learn to drive with an ADI before your test.


I would advise you start with an instructor first though - even if it's just 4 or 5 lessons to get you started, so that you have the safety of a dual control vehicle for your first few hours on the road.


Stop scaring the poor kid! If they're a learner driver then being a named driver on a parent's car is totally legal.
Your mum probebly wont pick up all the tiny mistakes which could fail you. Get an instructer
get an instructor.

Firstly no doubt your mom considers herself a superb driver. Which means in a test situation id put money on that she would fail. She will have picked up lots of bad habits over the years that whilst not necessarily bad or dangerous (though seeing the ways moms drive by my local school id argue that one as well) are not approved methods on the test

Also dont be so lazy and learn to drive in a manual. By all means buy an automatic car after that but learn and pass your test in a manual
Reply 13
Original post by silverbolt
get an instructor.

Firstly no doubt your mom considers herself a superb driver. Which means in a test situation id put money on that she would fail. She will have picked up lots of bad habits over the years that whilst not necessarily bad or dangerous (though seeing the ways moms drive by my local school id argue that one as well) are not approved methods on the test

Also dont be so lazy and learn to drive in a manual. By all means buy an automatic car after that but learn and pass your test in a manual


Again, like I said. I have my reasons for not learning manual and laziness isn't one of them so cheers for being judgemental :')

But thanks, I get what you're saying.


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Reply 14
Original post by earthworm
Your mum probebly wont pick up all the tiny mistakes which could fail you. Get an instructer


That's true, I may get a few lessons first and then practice on her car to speed up the process & save money too.


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Original post by Nuffles
Stop scaring the poor kid! If they're a learner driver then being a named driver on a parent's car is totally legal.


Not scaring him at all, just stating the facts. Insurance is something that police really crack down on when it comes to learner drivers.

And yes you're right, being a named driver is perfectly legal (I never said otherwise?!) but if you're just starting out, a bad idea. Hence, I said "not a good idea", not "you'll be thrown in prison".
Original post by XMaramena
Not a good idea. You really need your own insurance policy (Collingwood or Covered are good), otherwise if you have a prang as a named driver on her policy, she'll lose all the no claims bonus that she has.


I asked my mum about this today and she said something like I couldn't get insurance of my own to drive someone else's car? Or it would be really expensive??
Original post by rayquaza17
I asked my mum about this today and she said something like I couldn't get insurance of my own to drive someone else's car? Or it would be really expensive??


Insurance covers people, not cars.

The only reason you would have not to be able to get your own policy, is if there was something specifically on her insurance policy prohibiting it. As long as she's the named owner on the V5C, there should be no issue. And it'll be much cheaper than what she'd pay in premium increases if you bumped it (remember there are no dual controls just in case!).
Original post by rayquaza17
I asked my mum about this today and she said something like I couldn't get insurance of my own to drive someone else's car? Or it would be really expensive??


I'm learning at the moment - I got my own policy with Covered. It takes about 30 minutes after processing before your temporary certificate comes through, so there's no waiting about for certificates to arrive in the post or anything like that.


http://www.coveredlearnerdriver.com/?cid=fc&gclid=CPfK5KObxsUCFULJtAodkHQAtQ

It was better to have my own insurance because my mum has something like 35 years NCB. That I (almost) would have screwed yesterday :P
Reply 19
Original post by stemmery
Hi I'm looking to start driving lessons, but they're so expensive. I was wondering how hard it would be to learn with just my mum in her car.
It's an automatic car, and I plan on doing the automatic test. So it's just with spatial awareness of the car and cars/buildings/cones etc around me that would be an issue.

Has anyone learnt like this or should I get an instructor at the beginning and then just practice without to save money?


Maybe start off with a couple of lessons then practice in your parents car. Thats what I'm doing. I got a discount code from my instructor for learner driver insurance on my mums car if you want that? You get special rates as you've had lessons from a driving instructor.

My policy for 4 months full comp cover was Β£249.00 (Β£2.08 a day)
and it was in my name so if i need to claim it doesn't effect my mums no claims bonus as you claim from the National learner driver policy.

The code i got giver was NLDICODE
(edited 8 years ago)

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