Driving Lessons

Discussion in 'The Lounge - Off Topic' started by Fergal1982, Jan 23, 2009.

  1. Fergal1982

    Fergal1982 Petabyte Poster

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    I've been considering starting to learn to drive again (I had to stop when I was 17 because I ran out of money - never re-started because I went to uni). I've been looking at the Intensive Driving courses, and wondered if anyone could recommend any good companies?

    I saw activ8. Which appears to be relatively cheap for the course. I've also seen a few others which are more expensive.

    Anyone have any suggestions?
     
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  2. Kitkatninja
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    As I passed my test 9 years ago, I'm a bit out of touch with prices for learning to drive. However 1 thing that I do remember thinking (& doing) is studying & sitting the theory test before I had any lessons. I didn't think that it was financially viable for someone to teach me something that I could learn from a book which cost £5 and a CD/CBT for another £5. That way all the costs/fees I paid was for the practical side of things.

    Granted things may be a little different now with the hazzard perception test, however you can now buy packs that cover both the theory & the hazzrar perception tests.

    -Ken
     
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  3. greenbrucelee
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    It depends on how confident you are on getting through and passing your test.

    Intesive driving lessons can be very expensive but if you do them coupled with pass plus training and advanced driving then this can have great benefits on insuring a car as it will be cheaper.

    Pass plus can only be taken once you actually have passed your test as it includes driving on a motorway, and competency tests at night and it bad weather.

    I am an advanced driver and I would say always go with a company that is linked to the institute of advanced motorists as if you can tell an insurance company that then it can have good benefits.
     
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  4. craigie

    craigie Terabyte Poster

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    Crumbs, I passed my test 13 years ago!

    I went down the route of the normal lessons rather than a crash course.

    I would recommend having a couple of lessons first before you decide on a crash course, as you never know you might only need a few lessons to pass you test.

    I would speak to family/friends/colleagues to see who they went with and use that information to make your decision.
     
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  5. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    you can do pass plus and advanced driving any time you want. The last time I looked at the pass plus which was a few years ago some insurance companies gave you a 3rd off their quotes and more with advanced status.

    Put it this way if I went for insurance on a car such as a BMW M3 with my current driving status I would be charged around £600 per year as opposed to £1200 with a normal test pass.
     
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  6. JoshMac

    JoshMac New Member

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    Hey there,

    I'm kinda in the same situation, I had two lessons when I was 17 and din't carry it on. I got my motorcycle liscence at 21 and never look back - until now.

    There was a promising job i was looking at but turned out that they wanted a car user so now i'm thinking it may be time to give it another try. :oops:
     
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  7. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    LOL - braindump your driving test! :biggrin

    Seriously though - I don't see anything wrong with the intensive courses, provided you have a few outings with another driver first - at least to get a 'feel' for driving again. Otherwise it might be a bit overwhelming to do it all in one go.

    Alternatively you could just learn to drive an automatic - which should take you about five lessons (its like driving a go-kart). It took me 14 lessons to pass my manual test many moons ago but for most of the time since I've driven an automatic because the wife can't stand manuals. I've had the odd few months here and there driving manuals but, tbh, in London it just isn't worth the hassle.
     
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  8. tripwire45
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    It still makes me nervous that Phoenix is driving on the same streets I drive on. :eek::biggrin
     
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  9. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    Good point about automatics, just beaware that insurance can be higher for an auto as they are so easy to drive (steal by some kid) and they can (not all) use more fuel.
     
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  10. Fergal1982

    Fergal1982 Petabyte Poster

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    Thats actually exactly my own thought. I think I'll sign up to a couple of lessons in the next week or two. Couple of hours to see how much I get back into it. Might work out that a lot of it comes back to me with a little prompting.

    I know what you mean about the braindumping. I thought about that when I first looked at the courses. But then I figured that, im still learning the "material", im just doing it all at once, rather than over weeks and weeks.

    I'd rather learn manual. That way I can use an automatic should I want to. The other way, I can only use automatics unless I pony up for another test and more lessons. Save auto's for the maureens of this world.
     
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  11. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    OI! 'Oo are you callin' Maureen? :)

    Seriously, if I lived out of town (and on my own) I'd have a manual but in London it just isn't worth it. Good point about the insurance though GBL - mine is slightly more expensive than it would be with a manual, but the premiums went right down once I hit 30 and, with an (almost) spotless driving record and a s***ty little Micra instead of the Z3 I used to drive my insurance isn't actually that bad.
     
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  12. zxspectrum

    zxspectrum Terabyte Poster Forum Leader Gold Member

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    Do you have frieds that would be willing to let you use a car of theirs just to get used to a car in general??? It would help in your gear changing so you wouldnt stall and clutch control and also you would be able to practice them emergency stops etc.

    The saying goes you pass your test and then you learn to drive, which is sooooooo true there are many ****ers out tere on the roads these days. As for learning to drive even though i had lessons i found the best way was to get in a car and drive it round an old industrial estate where i used to work, which the boss was fine with because the sooner i passed my test the better for him. I found that visualising scenarios like coming up to lights and even just indicating etc was a good way for me to learn and helped me relax on the actual test itself.

    Hope that helps

    ZX
     
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  13. greenbrucelee
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    If I still had my Micra I think my insurance would be about £20 a month by now as I have 10 years no claims, but I bought a bmw 323 instead :D
     
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  14. Fergal1982

    Fergal1982 Petabyte Poster

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    You have a manual license, you just choose not to drive one. The maureens can only (just) pass auto tests.
     
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  15. Leehaa

    Leehaa Gigabyte Poster

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    At the age of 23 I passed after about 5 (2hour) sessions.

    Sounds quite impressive however, at the time I passed because I had to do it as circumstances had taken me back to live with my parents, which was in a reasonably remote place, and my job / friends / life was about 20 miles away from where they lived.

    Been pretty safe since, but I would advise that, if you have had no prior experience, learning and passing after such a short while can make you a bit vulnerable to every day driving. It took me a fair few months after passing until I felt totally confident and, If circumstances had been different I would definitely have taken more lessons (or had more after passing) purely for confidence!!
     
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  16. wizard

    wizard Petabyte Poster

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    Another thing to remember, if you take and pass your test in an automatic, you can only drive automatics, you will have to retake your test to drive a manual.
     
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  17. dan_1983

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    My dad is a driving instructor and i would advise against the intenstive course if you are in no particular rush to pass.

    The intenstive just teach you to pass your test and not how to drive, deal with different situations etc.
     
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