Getting a new driver through their test
Discussion
MiniBill1 is soon to be 17 and has developed an interest in driving since he finished a GCSE exam a few hours before the school bus was due to leave and discovered that walking takes quite a while longer! It's only 7 miles. 
So, what do I need to know? Any hints and tips or good resources? I gather tests are like hen's teeth!
And at some point I need to think about novice insurance friendly cars, black boxes etc.
So, what do I need to know? Any hints and tips or good resources? I gather tests are like hen's teeth!
And at some point I need to think about novice insurance friendly cars, black boxes etc.
Likely you'll have friends with kids of a similar age & your best starter would be to find a good local driving instructor as a professional will know what is currently required.
If you have a car that they could be insured on then consider that so they can get plenty of practice you or mum. Or consider bangernomics with a small cheap car to do the same. If you do this then DON'T start trying to teach other than what their instructor is teaching them as it simply causes confusion.
Years ago now, but did this with both my sons (bangernomics route) & both passed at their first attempts within a few months of their first lesson.
If you have a car that they could be insured on then consider that so they can get plenty of practice you or mum. Or consider bangernomics with a small cheap car to do the same. If you do this then DON'T start trying to teach other than what their instructor is teaching them as it simply causes confusion.
Years ago now, but did this with both my sons (bangernomics route) & both passed at their first attempts within a few months of their first lesson.
Edited by paintman on Thursday 5th September 12:37
Lots of patience. When my wife and our eldest were starting to learn all I taught them was basic clutch control and some very minor driving around an industrial estate. After that it was over to a driving instructor. Just before my sons test we did a couple of sunday drives without any manouveres just for more general driving practice, reading trafiic, approaching junctions etc.
I'm teaching a friend's daughter (and taught mine). Luckily have land. Started with throttle control. Driver take this sensitivity for granted. Moved on to single gear driving. Had her in and out of all of our cars in quick succession, manual, auto, low and tall. Progressed to clutch control and adapting to different biting points. All on private land with nothing to hit. Once basic car control sorted I could move her to other things and she then had the head space to cope with the new stuff.
Bought a shed, got her insured and got her on the roads learning all the other stuff, like adhering to speed limits, making progress when turning on to an A road to get up to speed, observational awareness etc. Driving instructor friend, not local, said the biggest single problem she finds with non-professionally taught young drivers is looking in mirrors. So I relelentlessly nag on that and ensure she makes it obvious enough but also explaining why it's so important.
I keep calm with her at all times and praise her for all the good stuff. It built her confidence quickly. She's a very good driver now and whenever possible my wife and I get her to drive us places. No formal lessons yet but will book her test for asap and try to have her take at least a couple of professional ones. I'm doing the very best I can and trying to make her a very safe and observational driver but a professional instructor is just that and will hopefully pick up on and finesse anything i've missed.
Bought a shed, got her insured and got her on the roads learning all the other stuff, like adhering to speed limits, making progress when turning on to an A road to get up to speed, observational awareness etc. Driving instructor friend, not local, said the biggest single problem she finds with non-professionally taught young drivers is looking in mirrors. So I relelentlessly nag on that and ensure she makes it obvious enough but also explaining why it's so important.
I keep calm with her at all times and praise her for all the good stuff. It built her confidence quickly. She's a very good driver now and whenever possible my wife and I get her to drive us places. No formal lessons yet but will book her test for asap and try to have her take at least a couple of professional ones. I'm doing the very best I can and trying to make her a very safe and observational driver but a professional instructor is just that and will hopefully pick up on and finesse anything i've missed.
paintman said:
Likely you'll have friends with kids of a similar age & your best starter would be to find a good local driving instructor as a professional will know what is currently required.
If you have a car that they could be insured on then consider that so they can get plenty of practice you or mum. Or consider bangernomics with a small cheap car to do the same. If you do this then DON'T start trying to teach other than what their instructor is teaching them as it simply causes confusion.
Years ago now, but did this with both my sons (bangernomics route) & both passed at their first attempts within a few months of their first lesson.
This is good advice, I didn’t really teach anything as such, left that to the instructor and for proactive just let them drive places and repeated parking excercises after B&Q closing time.If you have a car that they could be insured on then consider that so they can get plenty of practice you or mum. Or consider bangernomics with a small cheap car to do the same. If you do this then DON'T start trying to teach other than what their instructor is teaching them as it simply causes confusion.
Years ago now, but did this with both my sons (bangernomics route) & both passed at their first attempts within a few months of their first lesson.
Edited by paintman on Thursday 5th September 12:37
Thanks all, kept meaning to come back to this. Some useful tips. 
Dixy said:
Depending on where you live, this
https://under17driver.co.uk/
Interesting! Won't work this time, but I have another 2...https://under17driver.co.uk/
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