Learning to drive without car to practice in...

Sandor Clegane

So I recently started learning to drive, I'm 7 lessons in to the 12 EDT lessons but the thing is I can't practice on my own time as I have no car or sponsor, I've been taking my lessons as often as I can get them as I no I'll need more than the 12 anyway, the last couple of weeks have been fairly busy so the instructor has only been taking me once a week and today the feedback I got was I was a bit rusty, before that the feedback has been decent in general, I mean I'm 32 and the 7 hours of driving lessons I've had are the sum total of my driving career, I've literally never drove anything before the lessons and the instructor said for a person with my level of driving experience I've been doing well, but today as I said I was rusty and it kind of knocked me, we've been talking and the instructor says that passing without practice in between really isn't the norm, it can be done but wont be easy.

My plan is to just keep taking the lessons, as I said I no I'll need more than the 12 so when the 12 is up I'll just keep taking them, looking at videos online I see people with 20-30 hours worth of lessons but that's mainly in the UK, but do you think it's a viable option? I no it'll cost but there really isn't an alternative for me...Any thoughts?

User1998

Highly unlikely you’ll ever pass your test without practicing in between lessons. Like your instructor said.

sameoldname

I didn't have a car when I was doing my test and I ended up passing first time after 15 lessons so it can definitely be done. I was 30 so similar in age to yourself. Now, I grew up in the country and had driven cars and trucks around fields and the like so I suppose that gave me a bit of an advantage in terms of knowing how to make the car move and change gear etc but it teaches you nothing of how to drive safely on the road. Also, I think that not having my own car meant that there was no real opportunities to pick up bad habits.

hoodie6029

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058303996/learning-to-drive-without-car-to-practice-in

I’ve known people in your situation and they’ve passed with lessons alone. It takes more than if you had your own car and a friend to sit in with you but doable. The 20-30 window of hours sounds reasonable.

To look at it about way, the extra cost of lessons will be cheaper than buying and insuring a car.

Don’t be too hard on yourself if you’ve a bad lesson. I had days when I was learning to drive when it felt like I got everything wrong when I’d driven perfectly the previous lesson. It happens, can be you mood, distracted by something in work etc. Just gotta dust yourself off and have a positive attitude going into the next lesson.

One bad lesson doesn’t make you a bad driver or mean you’ll fail the test.

Alun

People in countries with a system where you're only allowed to learn to drive in driving school cars with a registered instructor manage to to do it all the time.

murphthesmurf

You can definitely do it, just like you said its going to take a bit longer.

My partner is learning to drive now at 51, last time she had a lesson was well over 20yrs ago.

Driving lessons are really teaching you to pass a test, to tick the boxes by the book. You'll learn to drive when you've passed your test and start going out on the road properly.

Nerves are a learners worst enemy, relax and look ahead. Anticipate what's coming up.

You haven't got to be perfect, just don't make too many mistakes.

I did my motorcycle test around 20yrs ago, I stalled the bike during the test which should have been an instant failure. The rest of the test was smooth with very few mistakes, and he passed me. My point is that if you turn up on the day with a steady head, know what the examiner wants to see and show that you know what you have to do then you can pass.

Some of the driving I see everyday is mind blowing. If they can pass so can you.

Good luck

Spook_ie

Can be done, but consider changing from an hours lesson to doing 2 or 3 hour lessons, you should find it easier to lose the rustiness after 20 to 30 mins and then get on with learning to drive end of it.

GavPJ

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120818713#Comment_120818713

Great advice, also Leinster Driving Campus is a great facility if you are not too far away.

zg3409

The wait for the actual test is 1 year so apply as soon as you are eligible. This should be plenty of time to learn. I know people who went from nothing to test in the space of 2 weeks intensive lessons with family.

Typically I would recommend just paying the instructor and don't bother getting insured. Keep up regular lessons and practice a lot before the test. You may get lucky and then the real leaning on the job starts

With a full licence you will find insurance cheaper and you can drive the car on your own and actually go places.