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Learning to drive over the summer?

I've been thinking for a while about trying to learn to drive over the summer - I never learnt before coming to University, and I know I'll need to learn eventually, and it would be good to do it sooner rather than later.

Anyway, I'm a bit uncertain about how or where to learn - I'm at home from 24th June until the end of September, which is probably pushing it for learning and passing my test, so I might well I guess end up having to have some lessons once I'm back at Uni as well, but I can worry about that when the time comes.

The other issue is that I have a job which is going to mean working on days all over the place - I'll know in advance, but I probably won't be able to have a lesson at the same time every week. Is this a problem with most instructors or are they pretty flexible? Am I going to find someone at fairly short notice for the summer? Just a bit uncertain really.

Reply 1

Olyy

My instructor is pretty flexible,
I have two mornings off from 6th form (double free first thing) so my lessons are normally in one of those, but i do have them on other days wheenver he, or i, can't make those times
As long as you let him/her know in advance there shouldn't be any problem,
And finding someone at short notice should be pretty easy,
I phoned up my instructor on a friday after school, and my first lesson was the saturday after (as in 8 days) but this was through my choice, as my first two lessons were 90minutes, so couldnt do them before school etc.

Reply 2

kookabura

13

Instructors are generally quite flexible, at the end of the day you are paying them (a fair bit of money!) for lessons, so they are going to try and fit you in as and when you want them/and then can give you them. I know with both my instructors they had some pupils who always had the same time every week and others who had different times.

You don't have to write off starting to learn to drive this summer. You could start to look at your theory test and consider taking that over the summer if you wanted, rather than having to learn that when you are back at uni and working on coursework etc there. Generally instructors are constantly needing new pupils - they will want to maintain their number of pupils, so they will have people passing quite regulary and need new pupils. You say your not back home until the 24th june, so you could ring round instructors now and you will probably find that there will be some that are free to take you from then onwards. Generally the 'average' number of hours stated that it takes to learn to drive is 30 (but obviously, there is a HUGE variation in this), but if you have a couple of say, 2 hour, lessons a week there is no reason why you couldn't learn over the summer. Having said that, the main problem is the waiting time for tests is generally pretty long (up to 6-8 weeks for practicals) so that may be a problem. But overall I would say you may as well start to learn this summer and see how it goes.

Reply 3

Tofufi

4

My instructor let me choose the time of my next lesson at the end of every lesson :smile:

- I generally had one or two a week.

I would advise trying to revise for and booking the theory test now, to speed things up a bit. You need to have done the theory test to book the practical.

Reply 4

PinkPig

OP

Tofufi

I would advise trying to revise for and booking the theory test now, to speed things up a bit. You need to have done the theory test to book the practical.

I was thinking of doing just that. I just did the two practice tests I could find on the internet, just failed one and passed the other (without actually finding anything out in advance), so I'm sure that if I got hold of a book of the questions and learnt the things that need learning (I guess stopping distances and the more obscure questions) I could pass the questions fairly easily.

What I'm more worried about is the hazard perception test. Would I be at an advantage if I took this after having driven for a bit rather than before ever getting in a car? I suppose I can get hold of some practice tests and things, but it just feels quite a lot more arbitary and difficult than the questions. Though I'm tempted to just try and learn a bit and book a test I'm a bit cautious about wasting money on the test if I'd probably not pass this bit of it. I'll try and find out a bit more about hazard perception.

Reply 5

Tofufi

4

I got hold of a CD with practise videos and questions on it from WHSmith (or similar). Very useful :smile:

Reply 6

PinkPig

OP

Sounds like a good idea, will get hold of some practice videos and the book with all the theory questions.

Reply 7

kookabura

13

It can be easier to have had a few lessons before taking your theory, it generally means you will have picked up some signs, 'rules of the road' etc without having to learn them as such. Also, as you say the hp part can again be a bit easier with some driving experience. But it is by no means essential! Tbh, the hp part didn't really feel like how you 'actually' drive, it totally focuses on you seeing the hazards. There are loads of cd-roms etc out there with practice clips on them, just keep going through them, there is a bit of a knack to the timing of clicking on the hazards, once you have worked out when you are meant to click you should be ok.

With the mcq questions, you will need to learn stopping distances, have a read through the highway code, and a go on some practice tests and there fairly easy. If I remember right stopping distances are the only thing you *need* to learn, alot of the other questions are fairly straight forward (or at least 2 on the answers are totally stupid!)

Reply 8

Ice_Queen

17

Instructors will generally let you book as and when.

But if you are stuck for time, why don't you try an intensive course? I'm doing one after my exams, thirty hours in two weeks.

Reply 9

PinkPig

OP

Ice_Queen

Instructors will generally let you book as and when.

But if you are stuck for time, why don't you try an intensive course? I'm doing one after my exams, thirty hours in two weeks.

Well I'm working over the summer so that's not really feasible, I certainly couldn't afford to pay for it all in one go, my parents wouldn't agree to me having an intensive course (and I'll be living with them during the holidays and hoping they might even lend me some money for lessons until I get paid, so best to stay on their good side!), and finally I wouldn't be especially happy learning to drive in 2 weeks and perhaps not driving again for months or years (because I'm not likely to drive soon). So all in all that's not for me! But by all means I might well consider having more than one lesson a week in order to learn fairly quickly and increase the chance of being finished during the summer.

Reply 10

kookabura

13

^^yeh, I would def suggest that you are much bette planning on spreading it out over more than one or two weeks. If you are spreading it out over july/august you could have say, 2 two hour lessons a week or so, which would help speed up learning to drive, without it being in to short a space of time.

Learning to drive over the summer?

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