Learning to drive

[Peasie]

I'm 41 years old and have now decided I want to learn to drive. I've only had one experience of being in a driver's seat before. When I was about 16 or 17 in my older brother's van we were at a large industrial area so he gave me a shot - it is private land so no law against me driving there. Unfortunately a large lorry started to come towards me and rather than stop the van I kept going but asked him to take the wheel instead. Did I say asked him - I meant I started screaming at him like a big girly. That'll wind up some folk.

My other brother was in the van and both of them started laughing at me. That put me off ever learning to drive. I didn't know fully the effects of Social Anxiety back then.

So I've decided to learn to drive. What I want to know is this.....how long roughly does it take an average person to learn to drive? How many lessons do you need - bearing in mind that I won't be getting any private lessons (ie driving with friends etc)? How long does each lesson last? Do they pick me up at my house and drop me back off there?

I suppose this is some sort of achievement for me as I've never even gave it any thought before.

[Winnie57]

I also started learning to drive when I turned 40 but unfortunately never made it. I had five different instructors and even tried in an automatic but I think I was just too nervous.
I have heard that you need a lesson for every year of your age or something like that! I wasted hundreds of pounds on lessons.
Not trying to put you off of course. Everyone's different.
A normal lesson lasts an hour and they do pick you up and drop you off at your home.
All the best!

[crimson~raven]

Good luck with learning to drive I think its cool you are taking that step (and Winnie well done for trying who cares if you didnt make it you tried and that takes more guts I think).

Lessons can be one or two hours long and each person learns at their own rate, a friend of mine who is good at everything took 18 months and 3 tests to pass so who can say?

[Wheelie Bin Bird]

have you considerd a intensive course?, their good tho i don't drive myself but i think they promise you pass at the end of it or your money back or something like that, this is good if you can actually drive, my tom had one and cost about £350 ten years back, or maybe have a few lessons just to get the feel again then go for the course.
most places do about an hours lesson i think? but they do come and pick you up from your home, and drop you back if you want as far as i know. i know my sister said that her instructor would pick you up from anywhere as some people feel nervey about getting into a learner car in front of all their neighbours.
can't remember how long she took lessons for but it took her three attempts to pass, and she drives for a living.

[moon_of_alabama]

I'd recommend 2 hour lessons over 1 hour lessons because you waste less time faffing about at the start/end, and you get to drive further away from home!

Nick

It took me over a year to learn how to drive. I started taking lessons on my 17th birthday but didn't pass until after my 18th. That was 8 years ago.

[Medea]

I'm going to start learning again soon (after Christmas). Third time lucky! I started with 2hr lessons with the BSM, but 2hrs is too much if you're nervous, my legs used to feel like lead after beginning to atrophy. I often wonder if I'm too nervous to drive, but time will tell! Don't forget you've got to do the theory too!

ren

[SoulSeeker]

Hey Peasie

Is there no way you can ask someone to take you out for a few private lessons, before you pay for an instructor?

You could learn the basics ( gears, turning circles etc ) maybe with your brother or someone. It may save you some cash, and you should be far more relaxed in the car with someone you know.

Kev

[incommunicado]

Apparently it takes more lessons the older you get.
If i needed to pass now i'd go on one of them weekend/week whatever, holidays specifically designed to get you through it.

Good luck.

[Innervision]

I didn't learn to drive until my late 30's.
When I started I had an instructor I hated, so I really struggled with him. He was not that user-friendly if you were the nervous type. My second instructor was superb, and I passed first time with him.

He told me the average amount of lessons his pupils were having before going for the test was around 30. I took a good few more than that though because of my nervous anxiety and inner belief that I could never master driving anyway. I'm sure the amount of lessons depends on the individual though. Some are not that nervous and take it all in quite quickly and easily. I just decided to stick with it until I either passed or ran out of funds.

I had no private lessons either. All my lessons were with the instructor on a one lesson per week basis. Lessons were 1 hour long and I was picked up at my house and dropped off there at the end. With the first instructor I had I arranged to be picked up from my cousin's house because I was too embarrassed to be seen getting into the instructors car outside my own house.

I know this all depends on the individual, but I'd not personally recommend the intensive courses or two-hour lessons for those who are really nervous. My instructor said the same too. After having lessons myself I realised why. Thing is, on some lessons nerves can kick in and you may have a stinker of a lesson. I've wanted to get out of the car after 15 minutes at times because I was so wound up and making far too many silly mistakes. I found the hour was well enough. If I was having a stinker, but had paid for 2 hours that I couldn't continue with I'd be mighty pissed off.

If it was a bad lesson I could call it a day after the hour and slink off to lick my wounds - coming back the next week in a fresher frame of mind. It is very hard to do that on an intensive course.
It all depends on you though, as you could be comfortable with longer lessons or even the intensive course. I just found confidence to be a fragile thing, so hammering it intensely, or in longer lessons, was not for me. As my instructor told me - some pupils make a mistake after 5 minutes and their confidence crashes. The rest of the lesson is in effect a write-off because their confidence in that lesson has now faded.

Good luck with the lessons.
I was terrified and never thought I could possibly pass - but I did, and it was one of the best things I ever did in my life.

[Margham]

I've just started learning to drive, and it's great :D

I'm learning in an automatic, which seems to be controversial. But, would you wash your clothes by hand when you have a washing machine? Besides, with my anxiety, I'm dangerous if I have to concentrate on gears at the same time as everything else. Plus, after having 10 lessons in a manual some years back, an automatic is far more fun to drive. I actually look forward to my lessons, which, as I used to be almost sick with dread before, is a definate step forward.

I think finding an instructor you are comfortable with is the most important thing. Mine now is fantastic and I have next to no SA with him, which is rather odd, but he's just such a nice, easy going guy. I'd suggest you book one lesson and see if you like the instructor before booking more.

They say it takes 45 hours in a car to get to a pass standard, but I think that may be a bit generous (hope so anyway!).

Sites like BSM have lots of FAQs on learning to drive (though keep in mind that they are trying to sell themselves to you).

My lessons are £23 an hour, last an hour, and they will generally pick you up from wherever you want (home, college, work).

Good luck!!

[Orchid]

I started driving again after a break of about 4 years, when my parents gave me their old car, so I had driving practice between February - July, then it broke down. I started lessons with a professional instructor in September and she says I can book my test in January as long as I can remember the manouevres by then, as I still sometimes need prompting. It's definitely the instructor that makes or breaks the learning to drive experience IMO. I have had four instructors and hated the build up to lessons as my previous instructors were all gits! My instructor now is lovely and patient, and even when she does have to 'tell me off', she does it in a way that doesn't make me feel about three inches tall...

Definitely have a few trial lessons with different instructors before committing to one. Mine picks me up from home and I drop myself off at work :D I would suggest just going for one hour lessons to start with, and then extending to two hours if you feel up to it. I have one 2 hour lesson a week as I have time for a decent length drive as well as maneouvre practice, so I don't get too bored, plus once the lesson is over, I don't have to think about it for another week.

[Peasie]

Thanks for the replies folks. I hope this decision is the one that changes my life. The confidence I hope it will give me. I really wish I hadn't given up after that bad experience. I spoke to my brothers today about that day back then. One of them remembers it but the other one doesn't. The one that did remember can't believe the effect it had on me. He knows about my SA and I think he now realises how small things like that can change someone like me.

I tried to apply online for a provisional licence but the page wasn't working for me - I hope that's not a sign of things to come.

There is a place near me that I cycle by almost every day. Hopefully this time next year I'll be driving by the place.

[pAuL1974]

Good luck, learning to drive is well worth it IMO.

I look forward to your posts as a motorist bitching about cyclists.