looking for a sponsor!

Emzyxoxo

Hello, I'm currently on my 5th EDT lesson with an instructor, however I have no sponsor or I do not own my own car to practise in, I can't ask family as they have an automatic which is no good when I'm learning manual.. Basically I'm wondering if anyone in the Tralee area would possibly let me drive there car in a quiet area just for some practise.. I will even throw u a few quid, I know I'm not supposed to but I need practise. Have my learners permit. as I know it's a risk letting someone drive your car but I need the experience outside of lessons! Please can anyone help me?

miss no stars

Emzyxoxo wrote: »

Hello, I'm currently on my 5th EDT lesson with an instructor, however I have no sponsor or I do not own my own car to practise in, I can't ask family as they have an automatic which is no good when I'm learning manual.. Basically I'm wondering if anyone in the Tralee area would possibly let me drive there car in a quiet area just for some practise.. I will even throw u a few quid, I know I'm not supposed to but I need practise. Have my learners permit. as I know it's a risk letting someone drive your car but I need the experience outside of lessons! Please can anyone help me?

And what would you propose to do about insurance? I'm not offering or anything but seriously, the insurance is the biggie.

No Pants

Sorry, not in the area, but out of curiosity; what cars are you insured to drive?

Emzyxoxo

miss no stars wrote: »

And what would you propose to do about insurance? I'm not offering or anything but seriously, the insurance is the biggie.

Well I taught maybe an instractor could sponsor me outside of their working hours and I would be insured in there car, also Im not looking to drive in public roads with my sponsor just perhaps a car park, industrial estate etc anything at all 2 practise.

miss no stars

Emzyxoxo wrote: »

Well I taught maybe an instractor could sponsor me outside of their working hours and I would be insured in there car, also Im not looking to drive in public roads with my sponsor just perhaps a car park, industrial estate etc anything at all 2 practise.

So you're looking to find an instructor who will waive their fee as well as extending their hours of work to let you practice? Good luck and fair play if you can find one willing to do that. Also, I genuinely don't know if you would be insured without actually being a student.

I'm not trying to be mean or dismissive. I've been in your position so I completely get why you're trying to find a way to practice but honestly, have you even thought it through? You either want lessons for free or you want people to let you drive uninsured in car parks and you'll "throw them a few quid" for the pleasure. And what are you going to learn in a car park anyway? You don't learn by driving around an empty car park, you learn by driving on roads.

Emzyxoxo

miss no stars wrote: »

So you're looking to find an instructor who will waive their fee as well as extending their hours of work to let you practice? Good luck and fair play if you can find one willing to do that. Also, I genuinely don't know if you would be insured without actually being a student.

I'm not trying to be mean or dismissive. I've been in your position so I completely get why you're trying to find a way to practice but honestly, have you even thought it through? You either want lessons for free or you want people to let you drive uninsured in car parks and you'll "throw them a few quid" for the pleasure. And what are you going to learn in a car park anyway? You don't learn by driving around an empty car park, you learn by driving on roads.

Actually, I've asked for nothing for free what so ever I'm not dat kind of person. Yes I realise I should not be asking on this but I need to practise, Im learning to drive on roads with the instructor but sometimes you need 2 be practising outside of lessons, just being able 2 do things like hill starts, reversing or whatever would help me, even if it is just in a car park. Please don't come onto my thread and criticise me, I already know I need insurance but atm it's a lot of money.

No Pants

Well if you're paying for the lessons, go and drive the auto. It's better than nothing. You will need to get a manual for the test.

Emzyxoxo

No Pants wrote: »

Well if you're paying for the lessons, go and drive the auto. It's better than nothing. You will need to get a manual for the test.

Yes but I do not live at home. I come home on weekends for work that's all, If I get a car myself I will need more practise before I'm able to drive home at the weekenes. Thanks for your help I suppose il just do as many lessons as I can.

miss no stars

For crying out loud, find a friend or a relative with a car and ask if they'd consider adding you to their policy for a couple of months if you paid for it.

Emzyxoxo

miss no stars wrote: »

For crying out loud, find a friend or a relative with a car and ask if they'd consider adding you to their policy for a couple of months if you paid for it.

Thanks for the advice but if I could I wouldn't have asked on this as a last resort!

miss no stars

Emzyxoxo wrote: »

Thanks for the advice but if I could I wouldn't have asked on this as a last resort!

Look, I know it's frustrating not having a car to practice in. I get that. I've been there, done that. Spent 3 years having taken lessons but without any car to practice in. But speaking from experience, practicing reversing in a car park and turning about won't make a huge difference to your driving. If you want to get any benefit from practice then you need to be driving on proper roads. I guess you're away at college during the week? You could put up an ad on various notice boards around college (and online if your college has an online noticeboard) seeking a driving buddy who has full license for 2 years and their own car. You pay for 3 months named driver insurance on their car and in return for 2 hours practice a week you buy them a takeaway once a week or put €15 worth of fuel in the car or something.

Tbh the other aspect I'd see to it is that if someone's willing to take the risk of allowing an uninsured learner to drive their car (even in car parks/industrial estates) what other risks would they take? Is that the kind of person you want to be getting your practice with?

ProudDUB

Emzyxoxo wrote: »

Actually, I've asked for nothing for free what so ever I'm not dat kind of person. Yes I realise I should not be asking on this but I need to practise, Im learning to drive on roads with the instructor but sometimes you need 2 be practising outside of lessons, just being able 2 do things like hill starts, reversing or whatever would help me, even if it is just in a car park. Please don't come onto my thread and criticise me, I already know I need insurance but atm it's a lot of money.

You still need to have insurance, even if you are only driving in a car park or in an industrial estate. You don't get a special exemption just because they are not national roads. An industrial estate (outside of normal 9-5 working hours) is a great place to practice things like three point turns and reversing around a corner, but you still have to be insured to be driving in it.

In my personal experience, lessons without a car to practice in, in your own time, are wasted fairly quickly.

My first few lessons were a waste as I pretty much just forgot what I learned as I couldn't put it into practice. It's like learning Spanish for a week, and then never uttering a word of it, and then going back to learn more 6 months later. You haven't a hope.


OP, I applaud your courage to come out looking for someone to give you a hand. I don't have a wide social circle at all, but thankfully, I knew two people who could help me out (one of whom was my brother) in the evening times.

And no, I didn't have insurance, and i drove in a near-empty car park for the majority of the time. The trick of driving without insurance is that the person who owns the car has to actually know you and be able to put some trust into you. I'd imagine the majority of people learning to drive didn't have insurance in their friend or family members car when they were in car parks or on beaches or such (of course none of these people are on boards, as everyone on boards is 100% by the book!).


I'd like to say that if you were near me, I'd give you a hand, but to be honest, I wouldn't fancy letting a random stranger into my driver seat. It's asking for unnecessary trouble.

Hopefully you'll get sorted with something, but I don't think you'll find it on here.

Perhaps saying it to a Taxi driver might be worth while. Tell him you'll throw him X amount of money (keeping in mind that'll cost him Y on petrol/diesel per hour, so it has to be worth his while to spend the time with you). €15-20 per hour would seem fair-ish to me, depending on what the car is (I drive a Rav4 and for €10 per hour it'd not be worth my while, for example).

Or say it to a delivery driver for a local takeaway. He might take you out on quiet nights and let you spin around an empty car park near where he's based (and take over whenever a delivery comes in/he's needed).


It's an awkward situation but you just have to hope you have a friendly face! Best of luck with it, anyway!

ProudDUB

I freely admit to being one of those hordes of Dubliners who first sat behind the wheel of a car on Dollymount Strand. My dad took me down there to "get a feel for the car". If I took to it, it was up to me to go out and get a part time job to pay for him adding me onto the insurance policy. But times are different now & people are more careful about this sort of thing. I think it is a very bad idea to be advising a learner driver to be doing any driving at all, unless they have insurance.

There is an industrial estate near me that is popular with learner drivers and driving schools. An ADI told me the Guards patrol it regularly to make sure the learners there all have their paperwork in order and their L plates displayed. Do we want the OP to get busted for driving without insurance? And what if he hits someone? Who is going to pay for the damage if he doesn't have insurance? Does he want to be on the hook personally for that?

Emzyxoxo

[Deleted User] wrote: »

In my personal experience, lessons without a car to practice in, in your own time, are wasted fairly quickly.

My first few lessons were a waste as I pretty much just forgot what I learned as I couldn't put it into practice. It's like learning Spanish for a week, and then never uttering a word of it, and then going back to learn more 6 months later. You haven't a hope.


OP, I applaud your courage to come out looking for someone to give you a hand. I don't have a wide social circle at all, but thankfully, I knew two people who could help me out (one of whom was my brother) in the evening times.

And no, I didn't have insurance, and i drove in a near-empty car park for the majority of the time. The trick of driving without insurance is that the person who owns the car has to actually know you and be able to put some trust into you. I'd imagine the majority of people learning to drive didn't have insurance in their friend or family members car when they were in car parks or on beaches or such (of course none of these people are on boards, as everyone on boards is 100% by the book!).


I'd like to say that if you were near me, I'd give you a hand, but to be honest, I wouldn't fancy letting a random stranger into my driver seat. It's asking for unnecessary trouble.

Hopefully you'll get sorted with something, but I don't think you'll find it on here.

Perhaps saying it to a Taxi driver might be worth while. Tell him you'll throw him X amount of money (keeping in mind that'll cost him Y on petrol/diesel per hour, so it has to be worth his while to spend the time with you). €15-20 per hour would seem fair-ish to me, depending on what the car is (I drive a Rav4 and for €10 per hour it'd not be worth my while, for example).

Or say it to a delivery driver for a local takeaway. He might take you out on quiet nights and let you spin around an empty car park near where he's based (and take over whenever a delivery comes in/he's needed).


It's an awkward situation but you just have to hope you have a friendly face! Best of luck with it, anyway!

I must have got it wrong but I understood that if it was in a field/beach or empty car park etc you would not need insurance, as I can't imagine all learners have crazy amount of money 2 spend on it! But thanks for all your help, I may aswell get my own car!

Emzyxoxo

ProudDUB wrote: »

I freely admit to being one of those hordes of Dubliners who first sat behind the wheel of a car on Dollymount Strand. My dad took me down there to "get a feel for the car". If I took to it, it was up to me to go out and get a part time job to pay for him adding me onto the insurance policy. But times are different now & people are more careful about this sort of thing. I think it is a very bad idea to be advising a learner driver to be doing any driving at all, unless they have insurance.

There is an industrial estate near me that is popular with learner drivers and driving schools. An ADI told me the Guards patrol it regularly to make sure the learners there all have their paperwork in order and their L plates displayed. Do we want the OP to get busted for driving without insurance? And what if he hits someone? Who is going to pay for the damage if he doesn't have insurance? Does he want to be on the hook personally for that?

I understand!! I get what people are saying, I just said I'd ask!! Taught perhaps an instructor or someone with public liability insurance could help me! Can people please stop giving out about what I asked? It was at least worth a shot!!

LilyShame

Hi OP
Bet your sorry you asked now lol! But good for you trying to find a way around it. I am guessing you dont live near home and family and there are plenty like you. The wisest thing would be to get your own car somehow and then if you are still stuck for a sponsor, advertise for one, pay them 15 an hour cash in hand, bobs your uncle. There are plenty of people out there that will do a nixer, once its above board for them, ie in your car with insurance.

I can tell you I advertised for a sponsor during the summer and got a decent number of responses, most genuine, retired people/people out of work.

Driving schools (the smaller ones) might also do you a deal whereby you buy lessons in bulk and it works out at 30 an hour, some cheaper.

The problem crops up on this board time and time again, particularly for those of us who are observing the law and not driving around on Ls without a full licence-ee.

Good luck with it all

ProudDUB

ProudDUB wrote: »

Who is going to pay for the damage if he doesn't have insurance? Does he want to be on the hook personally for that?

Well this is what I was getting at when I said it won't really work unless you know the person very well and they can put a bit of trust into you.

For example, had I crashed my brother's car, we'd swap seats and he'd take the blame (and obviously I'd pay back whatever financial impact it had on him).

But because he knows what I'm like, he knew he could put a bit of trust in me and rely on me to not go head-first into the nearest Garda car.

But accidents do, and will, happen.

I don't condone driving without an insurance policy in place. Tax or NCT I'm not really fussed about, but an insurance policy is a must (not so much for you, but for the poor git that you end up hitting).

But a learner generally can't afford expensive insurance policies and the cost of buying, running, taxing, etc. a car straight off the bat, so I do think it's realistic to expect learners without insurance in a close friend or family member's car (so long as there's someone to take the blame in the unlikely event of an accident).


Truth be told, I can't think of a single instance in the news or such were an uninsured driver crashed while getting lessons from a friend or family member. I think people are usually very cautious (rightly so).

miss no stars

Deleted User wrote: »

I don't condone driving without an insurance policy in place.

Good

Deleted User wrote: »

But a learner generally can't afford expensive insurance policies and the cost of buying, running, taxing, etc. a car straight off the bat, so I do think it's realistic to expect learners without insurance in a close friend or family member's car (so long as there's someone to take the blame in the unlikely event of an accident).

Tough **** if they can't afford it. It cost €200 for me to be put onto a family member's insurance as a learner -it's an almost brand new car, 2l BMW. So I don't buy the cost aspect - you're obviously just not looking around hard enough for insurance if you're claiming it costs too much. If €200 is too much well then they can hardly afford the 12 lessons, either, can they?

If you can't afford it well that's unfortunate but it means you can't afford to learn to drive at the moment. That's life.

thesimpsons

Emzyxoxo wrote: »

I must have got it wrong but I understood that if it was in a field/beach or empty car park etc you would not need insurance, as I can't imagine all learners have crazy amount of money 2 spend on it! But thanks for all your help, I may aswell get my own car!

you really need insurance everwhere to cover you/car in event of something happening - remember other learners might also be in the carpark, you might hit acceleralor instead of brake, etc

ProudDUB

Deleted User wrote: »

I don't condone driving without an insurance policy in place. Tax or NCT I'm not really fussed about, but an insurance policy is a must (not so much for you, but for the poor git that you end up hitting).

But a learner generally can't afford expensive insurance policies and the cost of buying, running, taxing, etc. a car straight off the bat, so I do think it's realistic to expect learners without insurance in a close friend or family member's car (so long as there's someone to take the blame in the unlikely event of an accident).

There is so much wrong with that, I don't know where to start. It is terrible, terrible thing to advise the OP to do. Driving without insurance is wrong, it is illegal and it is inviting a whole world of trouble down on the OP's head, if they simply get pulled over during a routine check. God help him if he is in an actual accident.

This whole notion of swapping seats is utter bull$hit. How can he swap seats if if he has an airbag and a steering wheel smashed into his chest and blood pouring from his face? What about the other driver involved or witnesses? Are they all going to just sit there and not say anything when the OP and the driver swap seats and commit insurance fraud? Are you all going to lie to the Guards when they show up? What if CCTV footage is pulled and you are all busted? I am sorry, if this sounds preachy, but this 'wink and a nod, it'll be be grand shure' culture needs to end, if we are improve the quality of driving in this country !

I am not being deliberately unsympathetic to the OP. I know what it is like to be without friends or family to help you learn to drive. When I first began driving, I was living in the US. I had NO ONE around to help me learn, and it cost me a bloody fortune. But that is life. I worked 60 plus hrs a week hours a week to pay for extra lessons and I just got on with it. I didn't have the right to just do what I wanted, simply because it suited me financially to do so. Neither does the OP.