Driving lessons issue - is this 'standard practice'?

little miss sunshine1

Ok guys, I am a complete novice driver, and I've recently received my learner permit. I do not have access to a car at present.

I have done two lessons with a driving instructor, none of which have been logged by the instructor. When I enquired about this, I was told that the E.D.T. lessons could not be started until I got 'practise' steering. ( I spent the majority of the two lessons I've done with this instructor practising steering.) Is it compulsory to get in 'practice' in between lessons??

Correct me if I'm wrong, but is n't the whole point of getting driving lessons to get in the practice, and besides, I don't even feel confident enough to practise just yet, outside of doing my lessons in the training vehicle, even if I did have access to a car.

Should I change instructor?

boege

Sounds odd, my two sons passed their tests in January - both took the compulsory 12 lessons. One needed more than the 12 but younger lad did the minimum 12 and all were logged.

cantdecide

boege wrote: »

Sounds odd, my two sons passed their tests in January - both took the compulsory 12 lessons. One needed more than the 12 but younger lad did the minimum 12 and all were logged.

Did your lads have access to a car between lessons?

I have never understood it to be the case that a new driver would ever get to a point of proficiency based on lessons alone. The only thing that really does it is hours in the drivers seat, IME.

SCOOP 64

So Op when does he tell you you can start your EDT lessons,
in about another 12 lessons ?

I don't have access to a car outside of lessons either. My instructor logged my first 12 lessons as my EDT (even though we didn't strictly follow the recommended curriculum for each lesson), and then after the 12 left it up to me if I wanted to continue to do more lessons or not. As I don't have access to a car myself I've been continuing to do lessons about once a week since.

Pretzill

This seems strange. I'm also a newbie but I haven't done any lessons yet instead I'm driving the family car with my full licenced driver beside me and getting a handle on steering etc. I started about two weeks ago and have driven about 30 miles (maybe more) I'm still scared witless but it is great training just taking the car to the shops or from it.

I will start the ETd in about two weeks in the same car with the instructor so no duel control and would expect them to show me more, follow a series of lessons - now I say I'm a newbie but I did take lessons before and was taken straight out into the traffic and made drive. But I have no knowledge of how these new lessons work but if I'm paying for at least 12 I want each one logged - sure you can't sit your test without them?

Maybe look to getting some driving (obvs insured etc) other than just lessons - 12 hours wouldn't be enough imo.

dobman88

He's taking you for a ride.

J_R

little miss sunshine1 wrote: »

Ok guys, I am a complete novice driver, and I've recently received my learner permit. I do not have access to a car at present.

I have done two lessons with a driving instructor, none of which have been logged by the instructor. When I enquired about this, I was told that the E.D.T. lessons could not be started until I got 'practise' steering. ( I spent the majority of the two lessons I've done with this instructor practising steering.) Is it compulsory to get in 'practice' in between lessons??

Correct me if I'm wrong, but is n't the whole point of getting driving lessons to get in the practice, and besides, I don't even feel confident enough to practise just yet, outside of doing my lessons in the training vehicle, even if I did have access to a car.

Should I change instructor?

Hi,

Your instructor is either totally incompetent, a rip-off merchant or a combination of both.

See :- Car Driver Training (EDT)

Change instructor but first insist he uploads the two lessons to myEDT

Lily_Aldrin7

This doesn’t sound right to me, if you’re going for EDT lessons, you should get each one logged and it’s up to you if you want more lessons once you’ve done the EDT ones. In my opinion 12 lessons are far from enough especially if you don’t have a car to practice in between... When I did my EDT i went with AXA and paid online for 12 EDT lessons and that’s what I got. In the end the instructor told me I was far from ready for the exam but I had each one logged!

little miss sunshine1

Thanks. My instructor told me that I need more practise with steering.

I am a complete novice driver, and have no experience whatsoever in driving.

They say that, because I am having difficulty in steering, that I would not be ready to start the E.D.T. lessons.

Does this sound genuine?

J_R

little miss sunshine1 wrote: »

Thanks. My instructor told me that I need more practise with steering.

I am a complete novice driver, and have no experience whatsoever in driving.

They say that, because I am having difficulty in steering, that I would not be ready to start the E.D.T. lessons.

Does this sound genuine?

No

lalababa

It depends on instructor style and how novice the pupil is. I personally always started with logging from lesson one. Bottom line , insist the lessons are logged from now on. Ask yourself if you find the instruction good and if you are progressing. If not jump ship.

dobman88

This person is clearly trying to get more money out of you by not logging lessons. I wouldn't even bother going back, just find a new instructor

doolox

Is there any mechanism for reporting the instructor for failure to log lessons?

It appears that the instructor is attempting to gold brick the trainee into paying for more than the minimum required lessons.

RSA should monitor this and sanction any instructors who do not log lessons.

MascotDec85

How should I prepare for Lesson 1?
To get the most out of this lesson and achieve the expected outcomes from this lesson, you should have familiarised yourself with:
the Rules of the Road;
the vehicle you will be taking the lessons in and its
controls; and
the information on preparing for safety checks.
You should also have practised with your ADI, Sponsor, or both:
to use the vehicle’s primary controls such as steering wheel and brakes;
to use the secondary controls such as windscreen wipers and lights;
driving in quiet and safe conditions;
some basic manoeuvres such as starting and
stopping.
You should practise for at least three hours before your first EDT lesson.

http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/ADI/Information Pack/Essential_Driver_Training_WEB.pdf

Page 8. The last line.
Nobody but the OP and the instructor can say what should be happening here as they are the only two that know what’s happening.

J_R

Hi,

EDT Lessons

When the EDT program was first launched, the driving instructor had to be satisfied that the objective of each lesson had been reached before they signed off on that lesson.

Relevant Rule

(3) A person undergoing lessons 1 to 8 of Essential Driver Training for Car Drivers is not entitled to progress to the next lesson or any subsequent lesson of the course unless he or she has demonstrated the necessary knowledge and ability for the procedures and processes of the proceeding lesson of the course to the satisfaction of the instructor.

The RSA then sent a team around the country to meet with groups of ADI's and explain the workings of the program.

After a few such meetings they realised that they had, in effect, handed a blank cheque to some incompetent and unscrupulous individuals

They therefore immediately changed the above rule to :-

(3) A person may only undergo each of lessons 2 to 8 of Essential Driver Training for Car Drivers if he or she holds a logbook issued to him or her on which an instructor has signed and stamped the pages relating to the immediately preceding lesson as set out in the Schedule.


(3A) A person may only undergo any of lessons 9 to 12 of Essential Driver Training for Car Drivers if he or she holds a logbook issued to him or her on which an instructor has signed and stamped the pages relating to lesson 8.”.

The the law clearly states, before sitting the driving test the candidate must have completed a minimum of twelve one hour lessons.

Most learners will require a few more, how many will depend on their learning ability, the competency of the instructor and whither or not they have private practice.

But how many extra should be completely at the discretion of the learner, they should not be coerced into taking extra lessons. The instructor is free to advise, but the learner should be free to choose how many and also free to change instructors. They should not be held to ransom, which is what is happening to the OP.

Dravokivich

little miss sunshine1 wrote: »

Thanks. My instructor told me that I need more practise with steering.

I am a complete novice driver, and have no experience whatsoever in driving.

They say that, because I am having difficulty in steering, that I would not be ready to start the E.D.T. lessons.

Does this sound genuine?

There's no reason he can't guide you on steering practice while also progressing through the edt.

little miss sunshine1

Thanks all, had my third lesson recently,and was given my E.D.T. logbook and paperwork by instructor. He signed off on the first official lesson, and just stated I needed more practice with steering before my next E.D.T. lesson.