Driving Lessons

[Jondot]

What is less suitable than those?

An automatic.

Or basically anything with a remotely large engine, as we get slaughtered for insurance over here. I'm currently on my mum's insurance, and we're paying £2000 a year for a 90hp 1.6 diesel. Without me on it she pays £200.

And again, there's learning in your parent's car, and there's practicing in your parents car. I only started driving my mum's car once, essentially, I could properly drive (ie I'd learned everything and it was just for practice). But the practice I got driving practically everywhere for a month made me confident enough to pass my test.

 

[Boffin]

those all that I mentioned were Autos.

Anyway. Apparently, my dad doesn't have to pay anymore with me driving the car - which is why I laugh in the face of a friend of mine who has to pay $1500 - half of that being payed by him

 

[Sureboss]

An automatic.

Or basically anything with a remotely large engine, as we get slaughtered for insurance over here. I'm currently on my mum's insurance, and we're paying £2000 a year for a 90hp 1.6 diesel. Without me on it she pays £200.

And again, there's learning in your parent's car, and there's practicing in your parents car. I only started driving my mum's car once, essentially, I could properly drive (ie I'd learned everything and it was just for practice). But the practice I got driving practically everywhere for a month made me confident enough to pass my test.

That sounds excessive, even for an 18 year old. (You are 18, aren't you?)

 

[homeforsummer]

Really? I've seen a Bentley Continental GTC with 'L's on. My friend learnt to drive in his Grandma's CLS, and his parents ML. My other friend learnt to drive in a Toyota Prado (I think that's the land cruiser for the UK people) which is bigger than an escalade.

What is less suitable than those?

Clearly we do things differently over here. I've seen the odd L-plate on a Range Rover and I was following a 5-series yesterday with an L, but generally people start off on pretty small cars. It's common sense really, someone who doesn't actually know how to drive is probably not the best person to be driving a sports car or a massive 4x4.

Oh, and Prados aren't bigger than Escalades. I drove my girlfriend's parents' one for a week and a half in Dubai and Escalades still look massive next to them. Escalades are bigger than even the V8 Landcruisers.

Though anyway there's no real skill in learning to drive in an auto. It essentially turns any car into a big go-kart. I could teach my girlfriend to drive in her parents' Prado pretty easily but she'd find it a lot more difficult learning in my Fiesta even though it's significantly smaller just because it's a manual. Clutch/gearbox use and spacial awareness are probably two of the most difficult things to get used to when learning to drive.

And we all know that insurance costs are pretty ridiculous in the UK. I'd think it would be virtually impossible to get a new driver insured on a Bentley even as a named driver on a parent's policy.

 

[Boffin]

Thats what i was getting at - they are unsuitable cars to be driven on Ls - plus, you have to be in the right part of Sydney for that to happen.

And I'm not sure, but I think our land cruisers are you land cruiser Amazons, and our Prados arr you land Cruisers and our Klugers are you Prados - but i could be wrong. Anyway, being Australian, the Prado is a little jacked up to tackle the out doors, so I'd say it has a change of being as big. Lets not stray from the main point. A car like that SHOULDN'T be put on the hands of someone learning to drive. My Volvo on the other hand....

 

[Jondot]

That sounds excessive, even for an 18 year old. (You are 18, aren't you?)

17, and that's fully comp on a year old car Apparently it goes down when I hit 18, but it made absolutely no difference when we informed them I'd passed. Odd, but true.

 

[Beerz]

As others have said, it's all about practice. With time (changing from someone to another) it'll become natural and you won't even think about what you're doing.
One important thing is not to get caught in some bad habits that will be hard to shake later on, namely your hands positioning on the wheel, driving with one hand on the stick, having your foot resting on the clutch at all times and so on.

I've started driving when I was 12 (so, 21 years ago) in my father's FIAT 127 which I miss dearly, and when I went to my 1st driving lesson, at the legal age of 18, I was already pretty comfortable with all aspects of driving, aiding to the fact that the driving school car was a Corsa Mk1 1.5D, easiest thing to drive EVAR.

Plus, even in my case, it was easy to get frustrated by driving lessons, because you aren't driving a car to where you want to, or to get anywhere.
In your case, it's learning how to maneouver a car in every aspect, and learning how to reverse park, etc., which adds to the frustration you're naturally feeling.
Just stay focused on doing everything well, and then when you have your permit in your hands, then you will actually drive. Right now you're learning, that's all you're doing. It's not supposed to be fun anyway.
Don't stress about it much, "just do it".

 

[sandfisch]

It's about practice but also about a good driving instructor.
I had never driven a car before my first driving lesson, but everything and I mean absolutely everything went smooth on the first lesson, imo because I had an awesome driving instructor who made me feel comfortable and confident behind a wheel. After 20 minutes of driving through town I found myself pacing across country roads at 130kph, where only 100 were allowed. I didn't even realize it because everything just felt in place. When I realized I was going way too fast, I asked him, why he would let me. "Don't worry buddy, it's your first lesson, as long as you feel comfortable and as long as I am comfortable it's ok for today.", he said. So I guess it really helped me become a decent and comfortable driver on the road. It only took the minimum required lessons of 18 at that time to get my license and the test was also no problem.
So besides practice, I consider a good istructor is also very important when you're new to driving.

 

[Jondot]

After 20 minutes of driving through town I found myself pacing across country roads at 130kph, where only 100 were allowed. I didn't even realize it because everything just felt in place. When I realized I was going way too fast, I asked him, why he would let me. "Don't worry buddy, it's your first lesson, as long as you feel comfortable and as long as I am comfortable it's ok for today.", he said..

...he let you go at 80MPH down a country lane without even mentioning anything (thus letting you break the speed limit by a considerable amount), and then responded with "it's fine, I'm comfortable with it"?

I think I'd have have got out and walked home.

 

[Nicknamealguem]

Really cool and wicked stories. 👍

Today, after more and less 4 months since I started my driving lessons, after some 40 lessons of 50 minutes each, I had my driving exam.
I have to say, I was nervous before it, but (maybe because I was not the first having the exam), I was not nervous at all during the exam, and I was pretty focused on what I had to do, the signs surrounding me, et cetera. Beside one situation of a yellow sign of the traffic light, I passed the exam, with some praise from the instructor.
I am really glad I am over with it, and sorry to bring this thread up again, but it seemed appropriate.

Now, I only lack for a car of my own.

 

[Bram Turismo]

Congratulations! 👍

I obtained my DL in August, but I haven't really driven much since. I did some two and a half hour trips to university on some weekends, but other than that I haven't really driven much.

Be careful and stay safe 👍

 

[socomplayer2]

Since I'm from America I learned on an automatic -_-. At first i hated it but it ended up helping me in the long run. My dad always let me drive on back roads since I was around 13. By the time my real lessons came around I was pretty much fine. After I got my license I drove around my dads Automatic car for 6 months basically getting used to the driving experience before I stepped up to the next level. Being a car nut the transition was actually the most awesome thing I ever did. I love every second of driving now. Take it step by step my man, it can be overwhelming, and i assume it is learning on a stick but once you get better you will love it like the rest of just. Good luck and just have fun !