Learning to drive - any tips?

[teddymeow]

Hey all,

As I have reached the ripe age of 29, and upon doing some serious thinking about my future and potential career paths, I have decided that to move forward I will need to learn to drive.

I have never even so much as picked up a form for a provisional license let alone sit in a drivers seat of a car after being in a not-too-serious accident a few years back. I have also realised that the best way to get over my fear of being in a car is to be able to drive one myself.

Can anybody provide me with any advice or tips for how the best way to learn to drive?

Can anybody recommend the best people to learn with: be it a large organisation like the AA or smaller independents - what are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

Is it worth considering an intensive course rather than learning over months?

Many thanks to everybody who can help me out.

[J0e Musashi]

Tips? Don't.

Driving sucks. Especially in London. Don't do an intensive course though, they suck too. I'd go with BSM or AA etc, one of the bigger places. You may pay more, but they teach you better IMO.

[NW2013]

Practice clutch control immediately before even having any lessons. Get a generous friend/parent to show you.

[Number45]

I'd say don't ever learn to drive with a parent/friend. Few people have the patience (And the ability to actually teach you to drive BY THE RULES) for it to be a good thing. When I was younger I had a couple of goes with my Dad... it wasn't pretty.

I'd say ask around locally and shop around because it's not cheap. The company I used were called Libra (Can't imagine they're still in business, but you never know!), they were a two man operation and they'd taught my Mum not long before me so I knew they were decent/reliable.

Also, stay away from my car you young hoodlum!

[teddymeow]

When I was younger I had a couple of goes with my Dad... it wasn't pretty.

I remember my Dad took my Mum out for a few lessons in-between her official lessons and every time they returned my Dad was always in the ****test mood and complained that my Mum wouldn't listen to instructions...blimey!

Also, stay away from my car you young hoodlum!

You mean, you don't want to teach me in your funky new Megane? Boooooo ...

Getting a bit ahead of myself I went past some dealerships on the bust today and new Yaris are ?99 a month which seems pretty good (obviously that's before all the other associated costs).

[abigsmurf]

Go with a bigger franchise. Structured learning, Well maintained cars that are easy to drive and someone to complain to if your instructor is out of order.

My advice as a recently passed learner:

Do your lessons in 2 hours blocks, 1 hour blocks are barely a warm up and are an utter pain when it comes to practicing manouvers (it's hard to find suitable spots). Aim for lessons in the morning (not too early or else you'll hit the school run), you won't want to do lessons tired and you'll want a sit down to rest after lessons.

Do your theory test either before you start lessons or early on (it'll help you driving) . I did mine by cramming. It's mostly common sense, stopping distances are the tricky things to remember.

You can practice driving around an empty car park before your first lesson or you can drive for the first time ever in the instructors car. An instructor will talk you through the biting point better and the dual controls mean the chances of slamming into something are slim.

I dreaded my lessons and was pouring with sweat after each one but you must keep going. Try to ensure your lessons are the same time each week so it's harder to wriggle out of them.

Don't be tempted to 'take a break' from lessons and just drive with someone else. It'll allow bad habbits to sink in (wrong gears, not checking the mirrors etc.). By all means practice driving between lessons but don't be tempted to think they're replacements.

40 hours of lessons is a reasonable estimate for learning to drive.

Most people don't pass the test the first time (2.1 is the average). It's pot luck if something goes wrong and there are some incredibly harsh instant fails (hitting the curb in manouvers is a common one). Don't be too disheartened if you fail and try not to get too worked up about it before hand (although I was more nervous second time around than the first)

[vanpeebles]

I disagree about the big places. I had an excellent local instructor, his car was fine, he kept a record of stuff done and knew what had to be done. For most of them it's their own business and livelyhood so they have to be good at it. I've no idea how that would translate to just working for someone else.

As said though don't take lessons off friends or family.

[Number45]

I'd agree with that as well. From what I can tell there's a crapload of driving schools so the smaller schools in particular are going to rely in a large part on word of mouth.

[briareos_kerensky]

Just don't forget the rules after you get your license. Especially turning lights on roundabouts.

As a practical advice, get into a car and practice shifting gears without looking at the stick...might sound stupid but you'll want your eyes on the road at all times right from the beginning.

[Number45]

Just don't forget the rules after you get your license. Especially turning lights on roundabouts.

That's easy. You always indicate right unless you're taking the first left, and you indicate left when you're 'changing lanes' on a roundabout rather than to let people at the next entrance know that you're turning off. Right? RIGHT?

[Brad]

Don't look at the section of road 2 feet in front of your car. Look well ahead.

[D J Kix]

That's easy. You always indicate right unless you're taking the first left, and you indicate left when you're 'changing lanes' on a roundabout rather than to let people at the next entrance know that you're turning off. Right? RIGHT?

And sometimes just leave your right indicator on even when you're leaving the roundabout

[briareos_kerensky]

That's easy. You always indicate right unless you're taking the first left, and you indicate left when you're 'changing lanes' on a roundabout rather than to let people at the next entrance know that you're turning off. Right? RIGHT?

Mhmmm...wait.
You drive on the wrong side of the road (left), we do on the right...so, right of way to those coming from left, if I go right I put my signal on. If going left no signal but put right signal if exiting the roundabout.
Rules might be different but just don't forget to signal if you're exiting the roundabout, ok?

[abigsmurf]

That's easy. You always indicate right unless you're taking the first left, and you indicate left when you're 'changing lanes' on a roundabout rather than to let people at the next entrance know that you're turning off. Right? RIGHT?

and if you're on a bike, go all the way around the roundabout on the outside at 10mph without even giving a hand signal!

If a learning is overly cautious getting off a roundabout and taking a bit of time, just give them a little beep, that'll be incredibly helpful!

[Number45]

Mhmmm...wait.
You drive on the wrong side of the road (left), we do on the right...so, right of way to those coming from left, if I go right I put my signal on. If going left no signal but put right signal if exiting the roundabout.
Rules might be different but just don't forget to signal if you're exiting the roundabout, ok?

Haha, relax I'm being facetious. What I suggested is exactly the way you should behave on a UK roundabout if you want to put every other driver on the roundabout on edge!