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'Dumping' a driving instructor
thefairydandy
Posts: 3,235 Forum Member
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Hi,
I could do with some tips/advice as I'm thinking about switching driving instructors. Thanks for any advice in advance!
Q1) Should I do it?
I'm onto my sixth lesson, and although I am progressing well, I don't feel like I'm getting enough for my £20/hour. My instructor gives some ambiguous instructions (sometimes mumbled), which lead to me making mistakes which I feel I wouldn't make if he were clearer. Also, there are a couple of things he hasn't instructed me on at all but is telling me off for getting wrong (I made it clear at the start that I was a complete noob). I brought this up with him at the end of last week, and his response was far from satisfactory ('I don't want to be giving you instructions all the time... You'll just depend on the instructions and not KNOW what to do' - all fair if he'd actually given the instructions in the first place!)
There's a couple of other things, like he was taking calls in a lesson, and I just feel like I'm not getting the value out of him that I should. Some of these things are for me to ask and state a preference, but surely every new driver should be told how to brake rather than work it out for themselves!
2) How should I do it?
If he doesn't improve this week, should I give it another week or ditch him straight away? And how should I do it! Being a coward in this regard, I'm tempted to just text - after all, I feel under no obligation to him, and don't feel he'd be upset by it, but would this be out of line? ALso, he's with an agency, who I have no problems with (RED), so would it be possible to rearrange it through them?
Like I say, I'm new to this so any help would be much appreciated
I could do with some tips/advice as I'm thinking about switching driving instructors. Thanks for any advice in advance!
Q1) Should I do it?
I'm onto my sixth lesson, and although I am progressing well, I don't feel like I'm getting enough for my £20/hour. My instructor gives some ambiguous instructions (sometimes mumbled), which lead to me making mistakes which I feel I wouldn't make if he were clearer. Also, there are a couple of things he hasn't instructed me on at all but is telling me off for getting wrong (I made it clear at the start that I was a complete noob). I brought this up with him at the end of last week, and his response was far from satisfactory ('I don't want to be giving you instructions all the time... You'll just depend on the instructions and not KNOW what to do' - all fair if he'd actually given the instructions in the first place!)
There's a couple of other things, like he was taking calls in a lesson, and I just feel like I'm not getting the value out of him that I should. Some of these things are for me to ask and state a preference, but surely every new driver should be told how to brake rather than work it out for themselves!
2) How should I do it?
If he doesn't improve this week, should I give it another week or ditch him straight away? And how should I do it! Being a coward in this regard, I'm tempted to just text - after all, I feel under no obligation to him, and don't feel he'd be upset by it, but would this be out of line? ALso, he's with an agency, who I have no problems with (RED), so would it be possible to rearrange it through them?
Like I say, I'm new to this so any help would be much appreciated
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Comments
If you're not happy with the service they provide (which you pay for) advise them and find another one.
To be fair, he hasn't yet had a full opportunity to respond as I only told him at the end of the last lesson that he wasn't being clear enough (after a couple of errors where his confusing instructions overrode my instincts!)
I'm partly gobsmacked by some of the things he seems to just expect me to know though! Another example - in my last lesson we pulled straight out into slow moving uphill traffic and my clutch control was shoddy. But then I'd only done traffic clutch control on the flat before, and he told me what I did wrong at the end of the lesson - but why not during! I had plenty of hill to learn then, but he barely said anything.
Much thanks for the advice so far
Thinking back I should have reported the pervert.
Thankfully my last instructor was a diamond, believe me they won't change if you stick with them, ditch him and ditch him ASAP.
Call the company direct and just say you would like a new instructor and that explain to them why you want a new one, you'll actually be doing a lot of good as Red should then to kick this guy's arse into gear (pun intended) for future learners.
don't see why not, you don't have a contract with them or have any obligations to keep with that instructor. Can you ask any of your friends or family to recommend someone?
Unluckily not really, as I'm in a new city, and my friends live miles away from where I'm learning to drive.
It's a shame because I made great progress in my first few lessons, and I didn't mind the fact that I had to ask for different instructions (everyone's different after all
What's perverted about smoking a cigar? Or is that some kind of euphemism?
The advice in this page
http://www.helpingldrivers.com/law/supervisor.htm
says that anyone supervising a learner driver is subject to the same laws as if they were driving. Including the law on mobile phones. So if that applies to any Tom Dick or Harry sat in the passenger seat I wonder if it also applies to a professional instructor?
At the end of the lesson, I just said that I was pretty busy the following week and I'd be in contact with her...I few days later I just texted her something along the lines of; "Hi, just to let you know I've decided not to continue with the lessons for the time being, I've quite a bit on at the moment. Thanks for you time and patience."
He is running a business providing a service, same as any other business. Would you feel obliged to continue giving e.g. the same plumber or car mechanic your business if you were not satisfied with their services? Or feel you had to explain why if you were dropping them?
Driving Instructors are well used to customers coming and going. The most usual reason is that people can't afford to continue with the lessons at that time.
I had 3 different instructors before I found one I was happy with. The first two turned out to be useless
ETA: 20/perhour seems extremely cheep to me, all mine have been about 28/29
In the end I'd really had enough, and after he made me cry one lesson (not the best look for an 18 year old boy well into uni
I'd recommend anyone who has doubts about their instructor to change sooner rather than later. I stuck with mine for about a year longer than I needed to and got nowhere. When I changed, I got my confidence back and passed after five months.
The guy was a sleaze believe me. The nickname he gave me was just inappropriate for a man of 50+ when I was a 17 year old kid. He also used to get me to drive to country pubs and try and get me to have a drink!!! Just wrong in every way.
Howe does parking up and smoking a cigar make him a pervert