16yr old, where to practice ?

[shipley]

My son is 16 and is desperate to drive. He's been go karting several times and surprised me with how good he is and how quickly he took to it.

I'm of the belief that it makes sense for him to be confident in car control before he ever gets on the road and am therefore trying to find ways where he can get some practice. (I'm of the belief that the driving test should be split this way, you cannot go on the road unless you can demonstrate competence behind the wheel)

You often see runways on the TV car shows and anything like that, old industrial estates etc etc which would be perfect.

We're in West Sussex, has anyone had similar thoughts and come up with a solution ?

[davepoth]

http://www.advantagedrivingschool.co.uk/dunsfold.h...

Probably the closest. And yes, it's Dunsfold Aerodrome, where they do Top Gear.

[750turbo]

shipley said:

My son is 16 and is desperate to drive. He's been go karting several times and surprised me with how good he is and how quickly he took to it.

I'm of the belief that it makes sense for him to be confident in car control before he ever gets on the road and am therefore trying to find ways where he can get some practice. (I'm of the belief that the driving test should be split this way, you cannot go on the road unless you can demonstrate competence behind the wheel)

You often see runways on the TV car shows and anything like that, old industrial estates etc etc which would be perfect.

We're in West Sussex, has anyone had similar thoughts and come up with a solution ?

I recently passed a large cordoned off car park, advertising driver practise for 12 and over, looked like it was proper stickered up driving school cars being used. Brilliant idea in my opinion.

Sadly for you, this was in Glasgow, but perhaps you have something similar nearby?

[Codswallop]

I'm teaching my younger sister to drive at the moment. I think clutch control is the hardest part, so a large empty car park is perfect for practicing that. We go to a large pet store/ sofa store car park after 8pm and there isn't another car about, so it's perfect for practicing parking and the like.

Also, country roads that end in a dead end for no obvious reason (of which there are a surprising amount around Kent) are good as they let you get a feel for the size of the car/ steering/ gear changing, and there is never anyone about for you to inconvenience.

[Ozzie Osmond]

http://uk.mbdrivingacademy.com/young-learner-drive...

6 hours with instruction at Mercedes World, Brooklands, Surrey for £370

[Lordbenny]

This place isnt too far from you. I gave my son a couple of drives at MBW, he passed his test a month ago!

http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/unitedking...

[carreauchompeur]

Codswallop said:

I'm teaching my younger sister to drive at the moment. I think clutch control is the hardest part

It's especially hard when your instructor (my mum, many years ago) is misinformed. I was under the impression the clutch was an on/off thing for a good few weeks until I realised that she'd told me wrong!

[NotNormal]

Before I could legally drive on the road I was taken to the large empty business car parks in Crawley industrial estate by my father to learn how to drive.

Might be a bit harder to find them these days due to the restrictions to stop our travelling friends from setting up camp but I'm sure you'll find somewhere suitable.

Good idea though

[Codswallop]

carreauchompeur said:

Codswallop said:

I'm teaching my younger sister to drive at the moment. I think clutch control is the hardest part

It's especially hard when your instructor (my mum, many years ago) is misinformed. I was under the impression the clutch was an on/off thing for a good few weeks until I realised that she'd told me wrong!

I hope you're not implying anything about my driving ability

As a member of a car forum, my driving ability is automatically better than average

I'm well aware that bad habits do creep into most people's driving, but clutch control is the bit most people seemed to struggle whilst they were learners (at least amongst my friends).

Judging by how long it took my sister to be able to reliably start the car/ manoeuvre at low speed, compared to how easily she picked up the ability to steer and place the car on the road, I'd say a few hours practice in a car park was great for her. She was then able to get straight down to driving rather than wasting money being thought by an instructor how to control the clutch.

For what it's worth, my dad thought me the basics in a similar manner, and the upshot was I only had 10 lessons before passing first time (which left me with a nice saving compared to people who paid for 40+ lessons, which I then had to spend on my first car).

[shipley]

I grew up in Ireland where we could practice on the beach, and where supermarkets actually closed !! .......... And their car parks were not full of bollards and other pointless 'furniture' so it made learning much easier.

Thanks for the tips so far guys

[98elise]

I've been thinking about this for my son (14). I'd hoped to find someting like a track day for kids, where you turn up with your car, and be able to teach them in a safe place.

I'd probably buy an old low power hatchback just for teaching him.

[Brite spark]

98elise said:

I've been thinking about this for my son (14). I'd hoped to find someting like a track day for kids, where you turn up with your car, and be able to teach them in a safe place.

I'd probably buy an old low power hatchback just for teaching him.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[CooperS]

Sorry to bring this up but regardless of how empty a country road or car park is if your budding driver is only 16 they aren't legal to drive on public access roads...

[barker22]

CooperS said:

Sorry to bring this up but regardless of how empty a country road or car park is if your budding driver is only 16 they aren't legal to drive on public access roads...

This tbh, Is saving £100 on lessons really worth the amount of bother you could get yourself and your offspring in. Both 6 points, both fined. Insurance for next 5yrs etc. Not worth it unless it is totally private land.

[Haggleburyfinius]

One thing to consider (old man thinking here ).

Make sure that when you have taught your son to drive you don't leave your keys around at home...my dad taught me to drive in a field at home at 16 and I took to "moving" my family's cars around the drive...crashed my mum's Merc into the side of the house.

A friend of mine did similar with his older brother's Z3...crashed in into a tree on their drive doing something similar.

Just a word of caution

[LewG]

I was really lucky in that where we rent storage it's on a farm/airfield with plenty of flat pastures and grass runways. The farmer's really laid back and as long as you pay up, nothing is off limits. I bought my Landy when I was 12, so I quickly learnt to drive myself round there playing on 32 acres. Absolutely fantastic fun, it's amazing how well you can get an old Landy drifting in mud

[Kinky]

Brite spark said:

98elise said:

I've been thinking about this for my son (14). I'd hoped to find someting like a track day for kids, where you turn up with your car, and be able to teach them in a safe place.

I'd probably buy an old low power hatchback just for teaching him.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Only about a year now before K Junior starts

[cailean]

What part of West Sussex? Does Goodwood do anything like this? Any large car parks in Manor Royal industrial estate in Crawley? I guess Gatwick's runway is out of the question?

[paulrussell]

Whatever you do don't use an empty carpark. I'm sure the runway at gatwick would be a good idea, but I don't think they'll let you and your son to go on it.

Just noticed you live in Horsham. I don't live too far away and I can't think of anywhere.

Edited by paulrussell on Sunday 8th April 14:48

[carmadgaz]

This is the of living in the sticks. Aged 12 my Grandad threw me the keys to his (6month old) Freelander and told me to drive down the track, spent the next 5years driving him around the fields.

Aged 16 dad arrived at home with a scrap K10 Micra for me to razz around the front yard in, learnt alot from that little car (not just J-turns )