Driving lessons - how necessary?

N272WA

I've read through multiple other threads here but haven't found an answer.

Firstly, has a rule yet come into law in Ireland where you have to take a certain number of driving lessons to get a full licence?

I'm applying for my theory test, I would like to get a full licence as soon as possible, and I am very stuck for money right now. I honestly can't afford to take lessons. I have family/friends who will be more than willing to give me a hand with learning to drive, and I'm trying to keep the costs down.

If I get lessons, I won't be able to afford to drive anything.

So how necessary do you people think the lessons are? Anyone done and passed the test without taking an official lesson with a driving school?

On another note, if I get a letter from my job saying I need to take the driving test a.s.a.p, will that help me get around the six-month wait between provisional and full licence test?
I recall people at work doing this in the past (up to a year ago), but not sure if it's still possible?

For work reasons, I need to get a full licence a.s.a.p.

Any info appreciated.

fuzzy12

I drove for one year on provisional. Had one lesson and found it pretty useless, instructor told me I needed a few more. Did the test and passed first time.

Depends who you get on the day......

F-Stop

Lessons get you through the test. Your friends and your family will be able to teach you how to drive and guide you in that, but they may not be the best for helping you to pass the test. They may pass on their own bad habits (which aren't necessarily 'bad' but would be things that you would fail on in the test) whereas a good instructor will give you the discipline to get you through the test faster. Of course a bad instructor is the same as a well meaning family member in the long run. Talk to your mates or ask around and find an instructor near you who has built up a good rep. Get one or two lessons early (not more than 80 quid surely) and practice as they've told you, then close to the test get another one or two lessons around the test route - maybe even another the day of (total cost about 250 - cheap if you pass).

EDIT: just to clarify; I don't think anyone who has a full licence drives the way they did during the test - it's a formality really, but you need to go through it. Your dad or brother or whoever might be a very good driver, that doesn't mean they are a good test passer. They are two different commodities.

ninty9er

People like the OP are why we have some of the worst drivers in Europe, and 279 people killed on our roads. If you can't afford 10 lessons, you can't afford to drive.

Even if you do pass your theory test this month, it'll be September before you can apply for a driving test IIRC.

Save for lessons.

unkel

Moved to Learning to Drive

TestTransmission

ninty9er wrote: »

People like the OP are why we have some of the worst drivers in Europe, and 279 people killed on our roads. If you can't afford 10 lessons, you can't afford to drive.

Even if you do pass your theory test this month, it'll be September before you can apply for a driving test IIRC.

Save for lessons.

+1

How much are driving lessons nowadays?40?

10 x 40 = 400,if you cant afford to invest in some lessons,you cant afford to put a car on the road and maintain it

CharlieCroker

ninty9er wrote: »

People like the OP are why we have some of the worst drivers in Europe, and 279 people killed on our roads. If you can't afford 10 lessons, you can't afford to drive.

Even if you do pass your theory test this month, it'll be September before you can apply for a driving test IIRC.

Save for lessons.

I agree with this, get the lessons to make sure your properly trained.
You say if you pay for lessons, you won't be able to afford a car? Then how are you going to get the money to keep it on the road and safe? Tyres, servicing and proper maintainence, etc??

I was driving for 4 years (having been taught by my dad), failed my test twice. On the 3rd occasion, I decided to get a couple of lessons. Ended up getting 3 or 4 lessons which got rid of all my bad habits.
It's worth getting them!!

seanybiker

id love to know how many lessons all there excellent drivers have and how many times did they do some refresher lessons after passing their test.

L1011

ninty9er wrote: »

If you can't afford 10 lessons, you can't afford to drive.

Agree on the affording bit, but not nessacerily the number - I passed first time after 5, in fact the only people in my family who needed more were my mother (50 I'd hazard a guess at) and my sister (5 tests...).

eringobragh

seanybiker wrote: »

id love to know how many lessons all there excellent drivers have and how many times did they do some refresher lessons after passing their test.

If you learn how to drive correctly from the start I really don't see any need for 'refresher lessons'

ninty9er

MYOB wrote: »

Agree on the affording bit, but not nessacerily the number - I passed first time after 5, in fact the only people in my family who needed more were my mother (50 I'd hazard a guess at) and my sister (5 tests...).

For a learner, 10 is really a bare minimum to get the obs skills and control, but not just the test passing stuff.

eringobragh

ninty9er wrote: »

For a learner, 10 is really a bare minimum to get the obs skills and control, but not just the test passing stuff.

I agree most places will give u a deaql if you block buy the lessons. I think I did 4 or 5 pretests as well to be sure to be sure.:p

seanybiker

eringobragh wrote: »

If you learn how to drive correctly from the start I really don't see any need for 'refresher lessons'

There are a lot more cars on the roads nowadays than there was only a few years back so driving is a bit different with more chance of having an accident.
So i presume its safe to say you passed your test and just think thats you done. Your excellent and know everything there is to know about driving. Not getting onto you or anything just making an opinion

eringobragh

seanybiker wrote: »

There are a lot more cars on the roads nowadays than there was only a few years back so driving is a bit different with more chance of having an accident.
So i presume its safe to say you passed your test and just think thats you done. Your excellent and know everything there is to know about driving. Not getting onto you or anything just making an opinion

Everyday is a school day on the road my friend! You learn something new. I agree however the standard of driving is sh*te on the roads. I done my test in 2006 so I'm sure there not that much more cars on the road :rolleyes:

I take it you've yet to pass your test or something?? It may backup the chip, sorry back off spuds on your shoulder :rolleyes:

L1011

ninty9er wrote: »

For a learner, 10 is really a bare minimum to get the obs skills and control, but not just the test passing stuff.

I'd driven 8,000 miles before my first lesson and the 5 (well 3, 5 hours) lessons I did were all pretests...

Suppose its all down to whether you have access to private land to get the car control down on.

seanybiker

eringobragh wrote: »

Everyday is a school day on the road my friend! You learn something new. I agree however the standard of driving is sh*te on the roads. I done my test in 2006 so I'm sure there not that much more cars on the road :rolleyes:

I take it you've yet to pass your test or something?? It may backup the chip, sorry back off spuds on your shoulder :rolleyes:

I have me full license years.ha ha. No chips here. If everyday is learning then why do you think lessons are needed?

eringobragh

seanybiker wrote: »

I have me full license years.ha ha. No chips here. If everyday is learning then why do you think lessons are needed?

I probably should have phrased that a bit better...Heres my point, everyday or most days you go out on the road (LP and Full drivers!) you encounter something different, be it a child and a ball in front off you, pedestrians not looking while crossing, someone not yielding, cut off...the list is endless:(, obviously your going to learn from said scenarios and in future possibly read a situation before it happens, over the course of your driving life lots of these scenarios will be replicated many many times..

As for lessons is if you've been properly trained you should be able to react appropriately in the scenario given. Thats my 2 cents

seanybiker

thats fair enough but i dont think lessons can get you ready properly for driving around. Yeah it will build your confidance or whatever but no matter how many lessons ya get it wont make you any different when someone pulls out in front of ya etc. Happens all the time on the bike, dont even bother shouting at people anymore.
Best way to learn is just do it. Thats my opinion anyways.
Now i just have to debate whether to watch slumdog millionaire or not.

N272WA

Thanks for the advice so far.

Anyone know if it's still possible to skip some of that 6-month wait before applying for the driving test/full licence, with a letter from my job saying I need the full licence a.s.a.p. ?

Permabear

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eringobragh

seanybiker wrote: »

thats fair enough but i dont think lessons can get you ready properly for driving around. Yeah it will build your confidance or whatever but no matter how many lessons ya get it wont make you any different when someone pulls out in front of ya etc. Happens all the time on the bike, dont even bother shouting at people anymore.
Best way to learn is just do it. Thats my opinion anyways.
Now i just have to debate whether to watch slumdog millionaire or not.

I see your point..but confidence is half the battle in a way as it'll take the panic out of alot of these scenarios. I can't remember how many lessons I took initially but it was around 8 and I reckon I was good to go after lesson 4 I'd passed my test after 4 or 5 months of driving but some people take to driving better than others. Its getting the overall fundamentals right and everything will gel together

My mate done the whole I don't need lessons. He learnt all the bad habits from another mate (which was a provisonal :rolleyes: ). He done 2 pretests a few months after and failed his test a few times (he passed eventually 2 years later:p) and believe me it was deserved going around in 3rd gear everywhere, no observation :rolleyes:

Oh and watch Slumdog

N272WA

donegalfella wrote: »

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Thanks for the straight answer mate!

NukaCola

seanybiker wrote: »

thats fair enough but i dont think lessons can get you ready properly for driving around.

Of course they do, thats the whole point of a lesson

nkay1985

I learned to drive from my dad. Got insured on his car. Had to wait about 7 months from when I applied to get a test. In the run-up to the test, I did two 1-hour lessons. Passed with only two minor marks. This was June 2008.

So it is still possible to learn that way and pass your test. You can learn the controls of a car from a family member or whatever. You can learn how to negotiate the difficulties of everyday driving by driving everyday. But you'll still need at least a couple of lessons in the run-up to the test to be able to pass it.

N272WA

nkay1985 wrote: »

I learned to drive from my dad. Got insured on his car. Had to wait about 7 months from when I applied to get a test. In the run-up to the test, I did two 1-hour lessons. Passed with only two minor marks. This was June 2008.

So it is still possible to learn that way and pass your test. You can learn the controls of a car from a family member or whatever. You can learn how to negotiate the difficulties of everyday driving by driving everyday. But you'll still need at least a couple of lessons in the run-up to the test to be able to pass it.

Thanks for the straight forward response.
That sums up exactly what I wanted to know.

I wasn't seeking financial debates but the majority on forums don't seem to be able to contain themselves.

DubTony

All through this thread I see the same stupid attitude. Driving lessons should be taken with the idea to become a good driver. NOT so someone can pass a friggin' test.

Permabear

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TwoShedsJackson

It's obviously possible to pass your driving test without official lessons, but it's probably less desireable learning from a friend/relative or just driving around yourself (quite apart from the whole unaccompanied thing for learners now).

If you learn from a friend or relative who isn't a professional instructor, you have way more chance of picking up bad habits from them, particularly, I think, on the observation front.

So contrast the cost of getting some proper lessons versus the possible future benefits of potentially avoiding a crash due to having had proper lessons, and make up your mind.

Also as others have said, if you can't afford 300 or 400 Euro for a few decent lessons, you can't really afford to buy, maintain, and run a car in Ireland, unless it's a complete deathtrap.

Permabear

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DubTony

DubTony wrote: »

All through this thread I see the same stupid attitude. Driving lessons should be taken with the idea to become a good driver. NOT so someone can pass a friggin' test.

I think your attitude is much worse.. Unnecessary hostility.

This is a forum where 99% of posters and lurkers have a driving test coming up.

andrewh5

DubTony wrote: »

All through this thread I see the same stupid attitude. Driving lessons should be taken with the idea to become a good driver. NOT so someone can pass a friggin' test.

Absolutely! Well said!