Son Just Passed Driving Test but Cannot Reverse
Discussion
My son, 17, passed his driving test three weeks ago. However, he can't reverse; he's hopeless. The reason? The Corsa D I bought him does not have a reverse camera or park assist. The car he took his lessons and test in does. It all came to light when he parked outside the house and was a bout a metre away from the kerb.
His car also doesn't have hill start so it took him a while to adapt to a handbrake.
I now have to go out with him to teach him what are basic driving skills.
His car also doesn't have hill start so it took him a while to adapt to a handbrake.
I now have to go out with him to teach him what are basic driving skills.
Does seem daft that the learner car would have the kinds of features that a young drivers car quite possibly doesn't have!
I know I passed my test 26 years ago but I was in the most basic, poverty spec Pug 106 but when I got my first car it was a poverty spec Renault Clio and in turn I wasn't expecting anything more. Would seem logical that a learner car would be be as basic as you can get so you're not reliant on those features.
Maybe I'm just old though haha
I know I passed my test 26 years ago but I was in the most basic, poverty spec Pug 106 but when I got my first car it was a poverty spec Renault Clio and in turn I wasn't expecting anything more. Would seem logical that a learner car would be be as basic as you can get so you're not reliant on those features.
Maybe I'm just old though haha
Alex_225 said:
Does seem daft that the learner car would have the kinds of features that a young drivers car quite possibly doesn't have!
I know I passed my test 26 years ago but I was in the most basic, poverty spec Pug 106 but when I got my first car it was a poverty spec Renault Clio and in turn I wasn't expecting anything more. Would seem logical that a learner car would be be as basic as you can get so you're not reliant on those features.
Maybe I'm just old though haha
I passed in '98 in a Mk3 Fiesta diesel that was as poverty spec as it gets, not even electric windows. My first car was a Mk4 Escort 1.3 'Popular', again, no luxuries, not sure it even had power steering!I know I passed my test 26 years ago but I was in the most basic, poverty spec Pug 106 but when I got my first car it was a poverty spec Renault Clio and in turn I wasn't expecting anything more. Would seem logical that a learner car would be be as basic as you can get so you're not reliant on those features.
Maybe I'm just old though haha
vikingaero said:
Practice. Practice. Practice.
The first time I went out in the car with Vikingette1, I could see that she had the motions to pass a driving test, but very little roadcraft.
Agreed. Yesterday he went to grab something from the supermarket and tried to reverse park. He scraped the rear bumper on a wall. In one way he's learning the hard way because he was straight on the phone asking me how to wash the car (didn't say he'd scraped it). The first time I went out in the car with Vikingette1, I could see that she had the motions to pass a driving test, but very little roadcraft.
I'm going to have to go out with him in the very little time I have after work.
I think we were all a bit like that when we first passed our tests. Driving instructors teach you to pass the test rather than all aspects of driving and if their car makes it easier then I can see why they have them fitted.
Parallel parking was my nemesis back in the day. (I don't think it was part of the test then). Instructors often offer extra lessons once you've passed your test to cover things which you might not have done as part of the test.
Parallel parking was my nemesis back in the day. (I don't think it was part of the test then). Instructors often offer extra lessons once you've passed your test to cover things which you might not have done as part of the test.
Edited by chrisman on Thursday 18th June 10:13
Did he not do any additional driving other than his lessons?
When I was learning I clocked hours and hours of driving in my parents car under their supervision and that's where I spent the time learning the manoeuvres as its not cost effective to spend an hours lesson reverse parking
When I was learning I clocked hours and hours of driving in my parents car under their supervision and that's where I spent the time learning the manoeuvres as its not cost effective to spend an hours lesson reverse parking
Liamjrhodes said:
Did he not do any additional driving other than his lessons?
When I was learning I clocked hours and hours of driving in my parents car under their supervision and that's where I spent the time learning the manoeuvres as its not cost effective to spend an hours lesson reverse parking
It was a subject of discussion. The cars in the house are autos. The other issue was he wanted to do his own thing (the instructor is a mate of mine). He passed his theory and I started to look for a car while he was on the waiting list for his practical. All of a sudden, a slot came up which meant the car came after he passed. When I was learning I clocked hours and hours of driving in my parents car under their supervision and that's where I spent the time learning the manoeuvres as its not cost effective to spend an hours lesson reverse parking
I had kind of assumed you "had" to reverse the old fashioned way without a camera etc for your test, but I suppose there's no way to guarantee being able to disable that stuff.
Still, this is how it always works in some form or another. Pass your test, and then learn how to drive afterwards.
Still, this is how it always works in some form or another. Pass your test, and then learn how to drive afterwards.
Glassman said:
It was a subject of discussion. The cars in the house are autos. The other issue was he wanted to do his own thing (the instructor is a mate of mine). He passed his theory and I started to look for a car while he was on the waiting list for his practical. All of a sudden, a slot came up which meant the car came after he passed.
Fair enough, my instructor insisted on me getting out as much as possible outside the lessons. As others have said the instructors are there to teach how to pass a very specific test you actually 'learn to drive' away from that structureI just asked Vikingette1 what her issue with reversing is. I had to translate it from her GenZ speak, but essentially the two problems causing her issues are:
(1) The track of the car is slightly wider at the rear than the front, so when you parallel park the rear wheel might be 6 cm from the kerb, but for the car to be straight the front will be 8cm from the kerb.
(2) The bodywork of the car tapers - narrow at the front, phatass at the rear, so again you need to align both sides to be central.
(1) The track of the car is slightly wider at the rear than the front, so when you parallel park the rear wheel might be 6 cm from the kerb, but for the car to be straight the front will be 8cm from the kerb.
(2) The bodywork of the car tapers - narrow at the front, phatass at the rear, so again you need to align both sides to be central.
BORNXenon said:
I passed in '98 in a Mk3 Fiesta diesel that was as poverty spec as it gets, not even electric windows. My first car was a Mk4 Escort 1.3 'Popular', again, no luxuries, not sure it even had power steering!
Haha yep, same here. The 106 was manual everything, well all except the choke. The Clio I had was the same, no power steering, wind down windows, no abs and only 4 gears. But it did have a wind back sunroof! Admittedly power steering and electric windows doesn't really impact someone's learning to drive but I do think reverse cameras and hill assist does. Knowing how to reverse and how to do a hill start seem quite basic.
As much as I am fascinated with the advancement and evolution of technology, I do think a lot of drivers are relying on it too much. Oh, I hit the wall because the sensors didn't bleep.
That literally was the conversation we had. He asked me why his sensors didn't bleep! It ended as a lesson about him being lucky it was a wall and not some geezer's car.
That literally was the conversation we had. He asked me why his sensors didn't bleep! It ended as a lesson about him being lucky it was a wall and not some geezer's car.
My lad passed 2 weeks ago. For half term, before his test, I took him on a 750 mile road trip round Scotland avoiding motorways. I figured he could drive on all types of roads, in unknown areas, parking in all sorts of places and dealing with various common situations.
My reasoning was that he would hopefully be comfortable with the actual driving part and he can concentrate more on what’s happening around him. Seems to have helped as he only had 3 minors.
My reasoning was that he would hopefully be comfortable with the actual driving part and he can concentrate more on what’s happening around him. Seems to have helped as he only had 3 minors.
Glassman said:
It was a subject of discussion. The cars in the house are autos. The other issue was he wanted to do his own thing (the instructor is a mate of mine). He passed his theory and I started to look for a car while he was on the waiting list for his practical. All of a sudden, a slot came up which meant the car came after he passed.
If the instructor is a mate could you not ask him how the hell he passed his test, maybe ask him to provide additional lessons in a lesser car without the bells and whistles, probably 1-2 lessons to get him sorted?Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff