your driving lessons & test stories and costs etc

[whiterose]

Just interested in hearing anyones stories about their driving lessons & tests! Did anything interesting happen? Did you pass/fail first time?

How much did it cost you? be interesting to see what the price difference is from a few years ago to the current day!


I was lucky! allready knew the ropes of the road as i did my motorbike test before driving so not much to learn for theory as its almost identical to the bike theory test. The hazard perception part is identical so nothing new to learn there either.

My landlord is a driving instructor so when i swapped my bike for a car, He said he would give me a couple of lessons to point me in the right direction for free, or if i needed loads of lessons he would charge me something. As i allready knew the concept of using gears and the rules of the road, I only needed 5 lessons (an hour each) off him before i went in for my test.

The only thing he charged was the use of his car for the driving test so cost me £40 in total. The only other cost for me was the theory and practical test fees at about £85 in total.

My few lessons was fine, I just had to get used to having 3 mirrors and get out the biker habits of doing lifesaver everytime i pulled off etc as that was what i used to. Took instructor a while to figure out why i kept doing those things till he remembered i was a biker.

I also passed first time with 2 minors. The only fault i can remember was stalling the car when i went to pull off from doing my emergency stop. Was the first and only time i ever stalled the car too.

 

[Andy Monty]

My few lessons was fine, I just had to get used to having 3 mirrors and get out the biker habits of doing lifesaver everytime i pulled off etc as that was what i used to. Took instructor a while to figure out why i kept doing those things till he remembered i was a biker.

I was encouraged to look over my shoulder before i pulled off to check my "blindspot" as far as i can see i'd rather check it than not......

i passed 1st time with 6 minors....

one for not checking down my inside (left blind spot check) after emergency stop, one for the reverse round corner (i went wide and pulled it back)


can't remember the others but still have my pass sheet,,,

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

£37 per lesson (2 hour lessons)

Passed 1st time with max number of minors allowed (another and I'd have failed), with only 6 double lessons.

Got 100% on the multiple choice on theiory , but that was more luck than judgement as I changed a few answers before the end

Not sure how I passed my practicle first time either

Not sure what tests cost, was a little while back in beginning/mid 2006 now lol. Soz.

Jon.

 

[The Beard]

Eee, when I were a lad.....Passed my test in 1974. After learning with my dad,
1969 Vauxhall Viva. OK, so I failed the first time but then went to an Insructor
and passed after a few lessons; in a Datsun120Y Sunny. Lessons cost about £2 per hour, but then I only earned about £20 per week. Became an Instructor in 1987 when lessons were about £12 per hour. Now they are in the
region of £22-25 per hour. The main thing I remember about taking pupils on test is that you never could predict those that would pass and those who would fail.

 

[Focus Owner]

i passed 1st to,e

did stall it a few times in a row
woman passing me said the car only does what you tell it to
and since i was convinced i failed half way though i drove like i was on a lesson

i also never passed a mok lesson
35 hours i think it took me to pass

 

[manthatkidisscrewed]

I passed both theory and practical 1st time...

Same as Daz_Rich though, I never passed a mock test once. Although this was down to my instructor being a complete cock and trying to get more lessons out of me. He tried to stop me taking my test by refusing to let me use his car...so I just got a 2nd mirror and took the test in my car lol.

Was a bit harder cos i'd never practised manoevers in it and I scrubbed the curb on a reverse around the corner and was convinced i'd failed...amazingly he let me off and passed me with 5 minors. Said I corrected the reverse around the corner so it was fine and not failable...was a bit of a legend tbf...spent the entire test telling me about his motorbikes! :slayer::slayer:

 

[StevenRB45]

Passed both theory and written First Time too old for a hazard perception, with the AA (40 quid a lesson and 36 hours including pass plus and the extra 1 hour refresher lessons I had for a month when I turned up for test 1 month early) in a Ford Focus with 9 minors. It was in torrential rain and I mean torrential I did a reverse into a bay blind the back wiper was on but all the other windows were opaque, I lucked into it and finished at an angle but importantly between the lines. Most of my faults were related to the conditions, got one for not switching my lights on, another for switching the wipers off while travelling under an enclosed bridge also got disorientated in the conditions (visibility was down to about 20 feet) and changed down 150 yards early for a rounderbout. TBF until the floods this year I had not driven in worse conditions so after that I had little to fear. Also got a minor for flashing someone into my lane...

 

[EmmaM88]

Passed Jan 2006

Wont say how many lessons I took but passed 3rd time, failed the hazard perception first time but got 100% on the questions. Passed the hazard perception second time round quite well.

My lessons were about £21 I think booked in a block with the AA.

 

[Adrian Bravo]

On the hour before my first test a young girl in a ford Ka almost crashed into me, I had to do an emergency stop. She was on the wrong side of the road taking a corner at 35.

I failed my first test on the second to last corner. Passed on my second test.

Oh yeah on my first test I had to do a parallel park against a lowered curb that had a puddle across the road and curb. Obviously it was hard to judge where the curb was. All I could see was a puddle but managed it. I think the examiner made a mistake choosing that place to do a parallel park.

My lessons where £19 a time one and a half years ago. At the moment she charges £21

I have been dating my instructor for 2 years Good Times!

 

[Aircooledbug]

Passed Theory and Practical 1st time. Did my theory in 10 minutes (thanks to my old man) Woman looked shocked got 100% in that time! lol... Practical had 15 1 hour lessons all at £20 each. Got to admit, I had a really good patient instructor. Learned in a Clio Diesel, then over to a C2 petrol then did test in petrol. I think I had 2 minors, both not looking in mirror whilst going round a round about. My two maneuver tests were 3 point turn, did in to due to the massive width of the road! And emergency stop, which suprisingly I did well as during lessons I kept stalling... But got to thank missus for pushing me to do it as I was gonna go for a bike license!

 

[samjac68]

i failed hazard perception first time because i didnt understand how to do it properly, i was really over confident on my theory and it did **** on my cornflakes a bit. only thing i was good at was the questions, 49-50 first time 50-50 second

my lessons were fairly event free, i know i did loads, 20-30. i rang around and rang up a cheap instructor who sounded like an arse on the phone so decided he was a waste of time. my instructor rang me back and was really sound and explained everything, he charged £21 per hour or £40 for 2. bit expensive but i was happy.

got on really well with him, my first test he insisted i could pass easily as i was a good driver. i was nervous before my test and he gave me a mock test which i failed miserably as i was nervous. main problem was he asked me what was going on with my emergency stop. he didnt realise he forgot to teach me how to do an emergency stop lol!

however failed for speeding. my main problem was i was riding a motorbike (which i generally traveled round at warp speed 9 on) and on l plates in my grandads car, he used to get a bit impatient if i drove slow so i generally done 5-10mph over the speed limits lol

i did upto 39 in a 30 on a short stretch and to top it off there was a police car on the corner where i was speeding. he said if he wasnt there he would have passed me with 3 minors.

after this my instructor went on holiday for 6 weeks to america. i had 2x2 hours refresh lessons and my test booked, did the 4 hours and the morning of my test an examiner was ill and i drew the short straw! id got really worked up and was ready to kill someone that morning lol!

3 weeks later and another 4 hours and i passed, even being a nervous wreck. my first examiner was the nice one and my second was the worst one? but i got on with him lol. even if i did get 12 minors lol

sam

 

[arc]

i used to have my driving lessons during work hours, think they cost £16 a lesson, then minus the £6.whatever i was on at the time.. cheap lessons!

 

[MisssportyGT]

Got my car on my birthday 30th July i drove everywhere with my parents i already knew how to drive because my friend lives on a farm so had been driving on there for years.

I stopped driving for a bit because of college i would sometimes drive if we were going out as a family, my mum and dad thought i was ready to do my test but i wanted some lessons to make sure i was totally ready so i booked 15hours with my instructor debbie, i asked if i could drive my own car on the lessons she said i would have to drive hers for half an hour just to make sure i could actually drive as obv my car has no duals.

Did that and she said i could drive and that i was totally ready for my test now so she offered me my money back because i paid 15hours upfront but i decided to do them just so i was confident myself.

I booked my theory november i didn't even revise i dunno why i wasn't bothered about passing i didn't think i would so i just said i'd go and see if not i'll just book another one, i remember i rushed through it so quick because i knew i wasn't going to pass, to come into the little room and to be told well done i passed i was really shocked lol she passed me the certificates etc.

Then from then until december i did the hours driving with the instructor when i could fit them in, because i was really busy with my law exams in college.

Booked my test in december for the 22nd December 2006 at 11:21am

Did my test in my own car i got turn in the road and bay park, before even driving out test center he got me to my bay park and it all went well so really helped even though my leg was shaking on my clutch so badly i was really nervous lol.

I did the turn in the road and i could of done it in 3 goes but i wasn't quite sure and he thought i was going to do it in 3goes and goes 'drive on' but i was still doing it and then he said 'oh well done' i were like wtf what he mean i was crap or something?? But i think he was talking to himself because he said it early lol he just sat there whole time playing with him hat and his visor.

I wasn't really thinking about minors but on way back i went on a roundabout i shouldn't really have gone so i had get my speed up and the road was 40mph and just as i looked at my speed i was doing 45mph he looked over me and i saw him write something down i though oh great i've failed now.

Got back to the test center thinking i had failed and he said 'Congrats you've passed with 3 minors'

I got a minor with my bay park i dunno why and 1 for my turn in road for use of mirrors.

And obv i got one for 'use of speed'. So if i hadn't done that speed in the last 5mins of test i would of got 2 minors

I didn't want to drive home because i was nervous and i got my driving instructor to drive my car home, when got back to mine she gave me the biggest hug we got on really well and she said i was talking about you last night to my husband and i just knew you were going to pass

She sat outside my house for ages though i dunno why and i just wanted to go out but i didn't want to drive past her lol

I was really pissed off my mum and dad weren't home because they thought my test was at 12:21 not 11 so i rang them and said i'd failed and they were like oh no were come home now (they were and my nan and grandads) so i said nah don't worry i'll drive to you as i passed

Then i drove to get my nails done lol typically girl thing to do.

I helped ollie with his theory he had a theory cd and couldn't pass it, i said i bet i could did it and passed lol look on his face

xxxx
xxx
xx
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[CLXCraig]

I got through 3 instructors, the last was by far the best, BSM just wanted the money. second bloke was n absolute Pr!ck and the final was so easy and we got on really well.. speaking football all lesson. Passed theory first time and practical.. although i failed 3 mock tests with the instructor. got 10 minors in the test. Prices varied.. BSM would only do 2 hour lessons at 52 quid a whack, they didnt last long, second bloke was 22 an hour, i did hour and half with him. and final bloke was 25 an hour.. happy paying that as i felt so much more confident with him.. lovely car too, new Clio

 

[hmallett]

I passed my test first time. I got about 7 minors I think (it was a while ago ). No theory or hazard perception when I took my test.
On the test, I stalled the car at a junction, and was convinced that I had failed as a result. So as I had nothing to lose, I relaxed, which I reckon helped me through.
I passed 9 weeks after my 17th birthday, having 2 lessons a week (I can't remember how much they cost), and driving with my mum at every opportunity.

 

[NumanR]

Had ten lessons all at night, first time I drove in daylight was during the test. I rode my motorbike to test centre and got in the car with the examiner for test, no practice or settling in time. Passed first time.

I had been driving since I was fourteen, and was taken on lessons with ice on road and taught how to correct skids etc on my normal lessons. Instructor was one of our customers and was so relaxed he filled me with confidence, and he did a cracking job.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Have I had a post deleted from this thread

 

[Adrian Bravo]

Have I had a post deleted from this thread

lowestoft,

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

lowestoft,

Yep, place called lowestoft, suffolk in Bolivia

Just like JFL is in Jamaca. Talking of which, he's not been on in a while

 

[custard]

Have I had a post deleted from this thread

no