First Driving Lesson

Miami Snow

Hi

I have recently passed the Theory test and will be buying some driving lessons soon. I am a complete beginner and was wondering should I get a friend to show me the basics before I go to a lesson?

Friends have told me stories of their first lesson in which the driving instructor spent the whole lesson explaining the driving components (gears, handbrake, pedals, lights ect.).
I have passed the test and obviously familiar with this and don't want to waste a lesson on the theory of driving as they are pretty expensive.

DConway

When I was learning a few years ago, I got in the car having never drove before, as soon as I sat in the car we started driving.

Not sure if thats how its done now though.

Ask before you book them. Tell them you know a bit about the theory and would rather practice driving than talking about it.

Your friends instructors could have been trying to save on petrol!

magochre

I was the opposite! I was happy to faff about with theory and talk for an indefinite period rather than drive. But no, my first lesson was in at the deep end taking the car out into an estate and even on to a main road for a short while. I was in a dual control car so the instructor had the security of knowing he was in control if necessary, which of course it was . I'm very glad now because that's the only way to learn.

You are paying for the lessons so it's reasonable to let the instructor know you want to get practical experience if you feel they are going to focus only on the theory side in your first hour.

Best of luck

Mint Sauce

The Instructer will usally ask you first your level of experience and take it from there.

My first lesson in the UK about 12 or 13 years ago I had never driven before hand, the first 30 to 45 minutes was exactly as you were told, car controls, and then getting a feel for the pedals, the steering, etc, before setting doing afew circuts of the estate never getting above second year.

Roll on to last year, started to learn again, first lesson after doing my theory a few months earlier, intructer asked what I had done before, I had driven since my time in london, but very little with no instruction and always on closed or private and back roads. Instructer had me out on the road within 10 minutes, after going through his lesson plan and a circut of the carpark.

dan1895

Started recently myself. First lesson had about ten mins of theory then off driving around the estate. Second lesson was to the phoenix park before heading out to more open roads.

For the record I had absolutely zero driving experience and my instructor was happy with that as it meant I had no bad habits.

whydoibother?

I have had a range of driving instructors (doesn't sound great, but I am happy to report that I have passed the test):D Anyway, they differed hugely.

Guy 1 - started me driving on the hard shoulder of the main Dublin-Cork road (pre-motorway) within two minutes of the first lesson beginning. He reasoned that this was safe as he had a dual-controlled car (or whatever it's called). He had many interesting views. He told me that the left wing-mirror can't be that important on the basis that it wasn't always compulsory to have one ... apparently.

Woman 1 - absolutely lovely, but it bothered me slightly that in weeks of lessons she hardly ever criticised me. I was still pretty much a beginner and knew I couldn't be that good.

Guy 2 - I was pretty comfortable at it at this point, so letting me drive for the whole lesson was automatic. He was good, very thorough. Permanently grading me throughout the lesson using a mock test marking-scheme.

I think things have improved. Before, there were very few conditions as to who could charge for lessons and call themselves an instructor. Now there is some sort of advanced test they can do to become an Approved Driving Instructor I think - see driving test website. I'm not sure if its compulsory but it's become the norm anyway so you can check your person is approved there.

Good luck!

cosmic

When I started taking my lessons I had never even sat in the driver's seat of a car. No exaggeration! My first lesson was with an ADI in a dual control car and it was great. I felt independent doing stuff myself but I had the safety net of him being able to stop the car at any time. It was great! I'd definitely recommed this. I see you're based in Crumlin, so am I. PM me if you want the name of the ADI (Instructor) I used.