As I have mentioned in past posts, I have finally gotten around to taking driving lessons. I am in the midst of my third week of lessons, I take two lessons a week for an hour and a half each. So far my progress is very good. I am quickly learning and with each lesson I feel a bit of my driving prowess coming back as I get more comfortable with the vehicle.
I am flabbergasted at how expensive this process is, even for me and I don’t need nearly as many lessons as someone learning to drive for the first time. When I was 15 and took driving lessons we took them through school. You could take private lessons if you wanted but they were very expensive and most kids went through the school program. I couldn’t tell you how much the course cost, my parents would be able to vouch for that, but given the fact that all sophomores took driver’s ed and not just the wealthy ones I have to draw the conclusion that the course was nowhere near as expensive as driving lessons in the UK are. For the average new driver in the UK the full driving course costs around £1000, including all of the licensing and testing fees.
Everyone here has to take lessons through a private instructor, there are some larger driving schools that have franchises in several towns but for the most part the driving instructors are small private companies with 1 or 2 instructors. On one hand I like this, I was able to ask around and choose the instructor I wanted and I am so happy with the instructor I chose. The major downfall is the cost, its quite an investment for me to learn to drive.
When I learned to drive for the first time 10 years ago our driving teachers were mostly teachers at our school, I am not sure what kind of classes they had to take to also teach driving on top of the other subjects they taught. One of the instructors was a (certifiably) crazy middle school social studies teacher named Mr. Rathburg. This man had a moldy bagel hanging from the ceiling of his classroom and would have us flip through the social studies book at the beginning of each chapter and give a running commentary on the pictures such as “There is a nudey beach behind that mountain” and “They are growing pot on those terrace farms”. This is the man who taught most of the kids in my hometown to drive.
Also, we shared cars. Each driver’s ed class was split into groups of 3 and we would have a classroom session with the whole group and then schedule time for driving during the week with our group of 3. I was 15 and the dreamiest guy in school was in my group. He was a transfer student from South Africa with a fascinating accent and I got to spend 1/3 of each driving lesson sitting in the back seat of a little sedan with him and while I was behind the wheel every time I looked in the rear view mirror, there he was. Looking back its a miracle any of us learned to drive at all.
I guess you get what you pay for, in high school I learned to drive by taking my driving instructor through the McDonald’s drive thru. Here, my expensive driving lessons are tailor made for me. There is no sexy teenager in the backseat to distract me, and my instructor is a qualified professional and not a mentally unbalanced history teacher.
I am still having a very difficult time with some aspects of learning to drive… again. Driver’s ed was tough for me the first time around but I got through it and learned and became a really safe and proficient driver. Now every time I make a mistake I can’t help but admonish myself and think that I have been driving for 10 years and I shouldn’t be making these mistakes. On the surface I see that I should be making these mistakes, when you learn a new skill you do so by learning from your mistakes. However I can’t get past the feeling that this isn’t a new skill to me. Before this experience I took great pride in my driving and I am embarrassed and ashamed by each mistake I make.
I am incredibly nervous about taking the driving test. The written theory test is fairly extensive and requires quite a bit of studying. I will be tested on everything from what the catalytic converter is to how to handle passing a horse and rider. As part of the theory test I also have to take a hazard perception test where I will have to view a video simulation and touch the screen every time I see a hazard. After I pass the theory test I have to take the practical test which is infamously difficult. The current pass rate is 43% which is a scary statistic. Most people fail the test at least once. I am hoping my experience will make me one of the rare first-time passers. After all, I failed my first driving test when I was 16 so I have paid my dues right? Somehow I doubt the examiner will see it that way.
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R-E-L-A-X! You’ve got to go into both tests relaxed and prepared then there will be nothing to worry about. I must add that the 43% pass rate stat is made up mostly of 17 year olds who havent been driving already for 10 years, bear that in mind!
When I moved to the UK 19 years ago I lived in London for the first 7 or 8 years so I didnt bother getting a new license. I also didnt go home much so in other words I didnt drive much for those 7 or 8 years. When I moved out to Essex and had a little 2 year old I really needed to drive so I studied hard, practiced lots and took the UK test. Passed first time with three minor errors–not because Im an amazing driver but because I prepared lots!
And about three years ago I also took the Advanced Driving test (not the same as pass plus), an update on my driving skills that I think everyone should do as it would greatly reduce the UK road death toll. Don’t hate me for saying this(!) but I feel the tests should have a level of difficulty about them, and I also support retesting every five years.
Enough about road safety for now though… just prepare, prepare, prepare. There’s online mock theory tests you can take to practice! Instead of thinking of these tests as scary obstacles, think of them as getting you really well prepared for the UK roads and helping you be a really safe driver in the UK!! Turn them into a good thing in your head and they will be much easier to get through!!
As for the costs? You were lucky back home–my school district offered drivers ed for the paper test, but we had to pay for our own driving lessons. Ive noticed there are some companies here that do deals (buy 4 for the price of 3) or if you’re a memember of a motoring rescue service like the AA they offer discounts.
Good luck!! x
I wasn’t scared of the test until I started hearing horror stories of people being failed on their test when they haven’t done anything wrong. A friend of mine was failed on her test for stopping at a pedestrian crossing where there were people crossing the road in front of her and charged with the offense of holding up traffic. I hear so many stories like this and people tell me that the examiners are required to fail a certain number of people a day.
Its possible these stories are just excuses to make people feel better about failing (although in the case of my friend who stopped for pedestrian her story was backed up by my driving instructor who agreed she should have passed) but what if they are all true?
It may or may not be the case that the DVLA is out to keep me off the road if possible. Still I can’t help but worry that I might fail my driving test for no fault of my own but because the DVLA wants to limit the number of drivers on the road and would rather get 2 testing fees off me.
‘Americans and their conspiracy theories…’ I can hear my English husband mumbling. No, not really, I haven’t read this to him. If you want an article to make you feel better, try this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/mar/01/transport.world1. It looks like there may be quotas, but the quotas are in your favour!!
Perhaps your friend did a series of other things that accumulated to make the examiner feel she was just not ready yet (I think it is 16 minors that total a fail?). There is probably more to that story. And I suppose there’s the human element–judgement calls that may or may not be correct. But bear in mind that most stories are urban myths and that the biggest percentage of fails are in the 17-19 age group. If you prepare, if you stay calm and alert, and just use common sense about how you deal with the examiner you should do well. Another point to remember is that your instructor’s pride is at stake–they shouldn’t put you forward until you’re ready and when you do the test they like to brag to other instructors about good results in their pupils. Trust your instructor’s tips–all the extras beyond just normal lesson stuff.
Again, good luck!
I too took Driver’s Ed when I was in high school. As I recall my parents paid $90 for the course and it cost another like $15 for my learner’s permit.
My teacher’s were all nuts as well. I passed with a C. 9 speeding tickets and 3 accidents later (in 10 years), I like to think I’m a good driver! :p
Driving lessons are so expensive [average about £20 an hour when I last checked]. I wish we had something like Driver’s Ed, even if it is taught by wacky teachers lol. When I worked in college, I didn’t have the time for lessons. Now I can’t find a job, I have the time but not the funds. Sometimes I think I’ll never get around to having lessons and taking the test!
Good luck and, as mentioned, 10 years of experience is sure to stand you in good stead.
Ah, memories of LOHS…I didn’t have Rathburg for Driver’s Ed, but I did have him for 6th Grade Math – good times. I can hear his droning voice now, and envision him slipping into his closet to refill his McD’s cup from the coffee maker in his closet. Can’t say I learned much math that year, but he was amusing from time to time.