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Parents or driving instructor?

I turned 17 in October but haven't started lesson, revision or booked anything yet as I am unsure on wether I should do it with my parents or a driving instructor. I think the pros and cons are quite obvious in terms of 💸💸💰 but most of my friends say that i won't pass first time if i learn from my parents
I would like some advice from people that perhaps experienced both and can help me out
Thanks in advance

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Reply 1

JackSR

Original post by ggwannabe

An instructor knows how the test works and how you should drive to pass it. Your parents might be experienced, but they will most likely have picked up bad habits from driving themselves. I'd pick an instructor for learning and ask my parents to practice with them instead.

Make sure you get a well rated instructor, I got a cheap one who I thought would get me through the test quickly but he ended up taking a lot of my money before I changed to someone much better.

Reply 2

Muttley79

Original post by ggwannabe

Both - have lessons with an instructor and then get additional driving with a parent. You can get learner insurance from a company like Provisional Marmalade which protects parents NCD.

Reply 3

IWMTom

Original post by ggwannabe

There's nothing an instructor can teach you that your parents and YouTube can't. Save the money.

Reply 4

Dancer2001

If you haven’t had any lessons, it might be a bit dangerous to just start with your parents. An instructor's car will have two sets of pedals. If your parents are willing to risk it, it would be much cheaper though. You could always have some lessons with an instructor closer to the test.

Reply 5

Fresher18

When I learnt to drive I did both started with my parents just getting used to the car and going short distances like around a supermarket car park once closed on a Sunday but then got an instructor once I got more confident, I think I had like 18-20 lessons with the instructor and passed first time. When I started with the instructor he picked up on the bad habits my parents had passed on so they will be able to correct you on that

Reply 6

bones-mccoy

I'd definitely start with an instructor first and then perhaps get some extra driving in with your parents after a while.

You're safer with an instructor as they have a separate set of pedals and a decent one will only let you go on faster roads when they're sure you're ready. Your parents have also got to add you to their insurance or get you to take out your own provisional insurance on their car, both of which are expensive. Plus most people pick up bad habits when driving for years whereas an instructor is trained to teach people to the correct standard.

Reply 7

IWMTom

Original post by bones-mccoy

an instructor is trained to teach people to the correct standard.

HAHAHAHAHAHA tell that to the instructors who teach their pupils to get through the test rather than real life.

Reply 8

username5027880

I think definitely an instructor.
With parents more likely to have arguements or disagreements.

Reply 9

OscarG88

Definitely an instructor but I'd advise that you keep a check on your own progress. Like any profession there will be a few bad apples; the labourer that charges for parts you don't need, the salesman who charges you more and presents it as a discount - there will be driving instructors who will deliberately give the impression that your progress is slower than it is because you're paying the £25 an hour.

Reply 10

nintysixthousand

use an instructor, just like exams at school there is a technique to the driving test, little things you need to do to pass that your parents probably wont know

Reply 11

IWMTom

Original post by nintysixthousand

use an instructor, just like exams at school there is a technique to the driving test, little things you need to do to pass that your parents probably wont know

Not really. There's no special technique to the driving test beyond.. yknow.. driving correctly..

Reply 12

OscarG88

Original post by IWMTom

Not really. There's no special technique to the driving test beyond.. yknow.. driving correctly..

There's the 'get through test' standard though. You only really learn how to drive after you pass and you spend the next few weeks remembering not to shut your eyes and scream when a car comes in the opposite direction.

Reply 13

IWMTom

Original post by OscarG88

People make a big deal out of this magical standard you need to meet to pass a test. It's nonsense.

So many myths surrounding the driving test.

Drive correctly, don't crash, you'll pass.

Reply 14

Phoenixfeather99

Start with your parents in a car park when it’s empty like on a Sunday evening. You’ll waste loads of money just learning how to get the car to stop and move. Then have lessons with an instructor and between have your parents take you out doing local easy routes when it’s quiet. Me and my brother both did this and passed first time. I passed in 3 months with 12 hours driving with an instructor and probably at least 40 with my mum.

Reply 15

OscarG88

Original post by IWMTom

People make a big deal out of this magical standard you need to meet to pass a test. It's nonsense.

So many myths surrounding the driving test.

Drive correctly, don't crash, you'll pass.

But you're judged by a small group of people in a certain area with a limited number of routes. People who have dozens of pupils who have passed and failed when being assessed by these people and know precisely where all the routes are would surely be better than someone who passed their test 30 years ago, doesn't know what the examiners are 'hot' on an don't really know where the local test routes are?

On my test there was a really tricky (at least for a novice) roundabout. My instructor knew it was on one of the test routes so we practised it over and over again.

That's surely better than "Crap, I've never seen this before because my mum didn't take me down here when she taught me"

Reply 16

IWMTom

Original post by OscarG88

If you can't drive in a new area correctly, you shouldn't pass your driving test.

All of these instructors going over the same route are pathetic. They're teaching their pupils to pass in a very specific scenario rather than gear them up for driving ANYWHERE.

Reply 17

OscarG88

Original post by IWMTom

You're being ridiculous. Nobody is perfect or even very good driver after passing their test. If you think you were then trust me - you really, really weren't.

You can't gear someone up to drive anywhere. You can be driving for years and come across roads and ares and layouts that throw you. Every experienced driver knows this.

How do you think people learn how to play guitar? They learn the chords over and over. Presumably you think this is 'pathetic' and all someone needs to learn the guitar is for their tutor to say to them "learn all songs".

A good driver never stops learning and developing as a driver. An awful driver thinks they're a good driver and can drive on all roads confidently as soon as they pass their test. I fear you fall into the second category.

Reply 18

IWMTom

Original post by OscarG88

You have absolutely no clue.

A safe driver can drive anywhere without having to practice the same route over and over beforehand.

A dangerous driver struggles to cope with new conditions, and would fail a test given them as a scenario.

If you honestly believe it's perfectly acceptable for a driver to be dangerous in a new area, you need your head checking!

For the record, four years with a full licence, covered over 150,000 miles across the length and breadth of the country.

Unlike a great number of drivers coming out of the test clueless, I do not suddenly become dangerous in a new area.

I passed my test in an area I had not driven in before as it was the closest to me that had an available test date. I did not have a driving instructor.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 19

OscarG88

Original post by IWMTom

You might not think you do, but if your attitude as soon as your past your test was 'I am now an equal to everyone else on the road' I can GUARANTEE you were a far more dangerous and reckless driver than many of those who passed through a driving school despite your own delusions of grandeur.

A 'test' is to check that someone has obtained sufficient knowledge of something. When anyone passes their test, yourself included, all you proved is that you've proven you can drive to a certain standard. Becoming a good driver comes with experience. If the first time you got in the car by yourself you thought you were a good driver,then maybe you should have had a driving instructor.