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Is my driving instuctor taking the mick out of me?
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On my first lesson, I got picked up outside my house and drove to somewhere 15 minutes away, switched over, drove along a straight road for half an hour (I changed gears a few times, didn't get told to do anything else) before switching back over and my instructor drove me home. On my second lesson I again got picked up, drove 20 minutes away to a quiet, lonely roundabout. For half an hour I drove up the road, indicated, went round the roundabout and came back off then did the same thing over and over. Then we switched over and my instructor drove me home. On my third lesson I got picked up, drove 15 minutes away, switched over, then I drove through various towns and across several long back roads, I went up to 4th gear and then again, we switched over and he drove me home. On my fourth lesson I got drove to a small part of my village (like 5 minutes away) and practised small junctions for a full lesson. I literally went up and down these tiny streets and went round corners. I messed up a few times because of my nerves, and once again he drove me home. On my fifth lesson I didn't even drive! :eek: He picked me up, drove me about for an hour and asked me what type of junctions he was driving through and pointed at various signs and asked what they meant. Unfortunately I was really pissed off at this point and didn't even bother making an effort to guess the signs, I just wanted to go home.
My lesson got cancelled last week due to the snow and i'm actually hoping it's cancelled again tonight. I hate going out my lessons now because I think i'm being made out to be an idiot. All my friends at school go with the same instructor and tell me how amazing he is and how they've done tons of stuff, and whenever I tell them what happens on my lessons they think i'm an idiot and tell me to change instructor. I've got a block of 10 booked with my instructor so I have five more lessons but to be honest I don't want to go through with them. I wanted to drive so much but these lessons have just totally killed my enthusiasm. I've gone nowhere in five weeks and obviously must be a terrible driver if he's driving ME about fora full hour. My mum has paid for my lessons so I can't cancel them, but she's furious with them. She sees me being picked up and dropped off and is suspicious as to why i'm not driving from and back. I tell her i'm doing well in my lessons but she's not believing me.
What do I do?
My lesson got cancelled last week due to the snow and i'm actually hoping it's cancelled again tonight. I hate going out my lessons now because I think i'm being made out to be an idiot. All my friends at school go with the same instructor and tell me how amazing he is and how they've done tons of stuff, and whenever I tell them what happens on my lessons they think i'm an idiot and tell me to change instructor. I've got a block of 10 booked with my instructor so I have five more lessons but to be honest I don't want to go through with them. I wanted to drive so much but these lessons have just totally killed my enthusiasm. I've gone nowhere in five weeks and obviously must be a terrible driver if he's driving ME about fora full hour. My mum has paid for my lessons so I can't cancel them, but she's furious with them. She sees me being picked up and dropped off and is suspicious as to why i'm not driving from and back. I tell her i'm doing well in my lessons but she's not believing me.
What do I do?
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That definitely doesn't sound right. I've never heard of a lesson like that.
Why not tell him that you're disappointed at how little driving you're doing and ask why?
I didnt start driving to/from home until my 4th lesson.
These Junctions, roundabouts, back streets and straight roads you go too 15 + Min's away, have you got them type of quiet scenarios closer to your home? what type of roads exit your village are they known black spots etc ?
What you have said is not impossible or unreasonable if they could not be done safely closer to your home also Driving Instructors stick to the same places for them to teach you from beginner.
Have you tried ASKING/
Sounds to me like he wants to take it very slowly with you for some reason. Are you nervous? Or a bit of a speed fiend?
Have you talked to him about your progress?
It took me 5 years (lots of getting fed up and stopping lessons) to pass my test and I had 5 different instructors I think and their techniques were very different. The one I passed with favoured car sharing lessons. So someone else would finish their lesson at my house then I'd drive them home (not usually straight home) do some manoeuvres and then pick up the next person and then they'd drive me home the same. It was great because you get to observe lots of common mistakes and also you'd both get asked questions so you'd learn from each other and you get used to always having a passenger in the car. Also I wasn't confident but it made me realise I was a lot better than some people. For example one girl had to be on about her 10th lesson and she was still magnetically attracted to steering into the kerb. Seriously I had an imaginary break pedal the whole time. I understand that even she passed though eventually. I would discuss with your driving instructor what is going on and why he is teaching you like this and if you aren't happy ask for a refund and go elsewhere.
I dont think i'm that good, but I never made any major mistakes in my other lessons. I'm a nervous wreck and when I was doing junctions I accidentally drove out without looking.
I haven't asked him because i'm too nervous, plain and simple. I don't want it to seem like I know better than him or anything!
Maybe that's why?
With dual controls there is no need for the instructor to drive at all, he should always be in control of the car.
Something is not right here, does he drive for a big driving school?
But surely everyone makes mistakes, they don't need to be driven home because they stalled a couple of times? :eek:
I don't wanna name them.
Next time i went on the lesson I would request to drive from the house and if he said no I'd want to know why not.
It's ridiculous that at times an half hour is taken up when you're not driving yourself.
I'd check if you can get a refund on the remaining lessons and book a single lesson with another instructor
Nope, it's a quiet street well away from the main roads.
As far as I know once you've passed they always drive you home because you're no longer insured to use their car.
I was just about to post the same thing. Once you've passed you legally can't drive the instructors car because you're no longer insured on it.
May be true, but after i passed my test I did a motorway lesson the following week in the instructors car. With L plates removed obviously. That was with BSM so some instructors may still cover you after passing.
But also you're on a high from passing the test so you're not supposed to. I passed in my own car, but my instructor drove me home.
OP, you're the one paying for the tuition here. Ask if you can drive for all of your next lesson. If not then ask for reasons as to why not. If you're not convinced on their response, get out the car, call the company and request a different instructor because you don't feel like you're progressing.
I'm assuming you're 17? Welcome to the world of doing things for yourself.
This was my experience too. I was picked up on my first lesson and the next time I was in the passenger seat was on the way home from my test.