Driving experience for a 17 year old.

[croyde]

My youngest turns 17 in a week and he seems to be the only one of my brood that has shown an interest in driving.

I'd like to get him a real world driving experience in a manual car, not just a lesson.

I have Googled and have been inundated with track days and intensive courses but I'm just looking at something that teaches him how to drive a manual car and has him driving around a street course so he can get an idea.

Has anyone done or found something like this?

Or do I just book him a long lesson?

Cheers for any help, ta.

[crikey]

My 2 did this before they turned 17, mght be what you're after.

https://www.youngdriver.eu/

[croyde]

Thanks, looks like the kind of thing I was thinking and only 4 miles away.

Brilliant.

[300bhp/ton]

croyde said:

My youngest turns 17 in a week and he seems to be the only one of my brood that has shown an interest in driving.

I'd like to get him a real world driving experience in a manual car, not just a lesson.

I have Googled and have been inundated with track days and intensive courses but I'm just looking at something that teaches him how to drive a manual car and has him driving around a street course so he can get an idea.

Has anyone done or found something like this?

Or do I just book him a long lesson?

Cheers for any help, ta.

What sort of thing do you want them experience?

I did a roadskills course at Silverstone when I was 17 which included skid pad, cadence braking, lane switching and other things. Was quite fun, although you'd get more from it if you already have some experience under your belt.


Personally I'd say something like some of the rally courses (MK2 escort style) are great. Will teach loads about car control and reading the road/surface ahead. I suspect the Caterham drift courses would be equally educational too in terms of car control.

[croyde]

Sounds good but I think he just needs to learn to get moving and changing gear.

If he picks that up quickly then I'd consider the above.

Cheers.

[300bhp/ton]

croyde said:

Sounds good but I think he just needs to learn to get moving and changing gear.

If he picks that up quickly then I'd consider the above.

Cheers.

If they haven't driven at all, then just regular lessons or L plates and a responsible adult IMO. Most driving "experiences" will require as a minimum that the person can actually drive and maybe even hold a full licence.

[deckster]

croyde said:

I'd like to get him a real world driving experience in a manual car, not just a lesson.

I'm a bit confused over what you think a driving lesson is? As "real-world driving experience" is pretty much what you get from, well, just having a lesson.

[snotrag]

Ditto. All you need to do is insure them on your (or another suitable) car, go out at the weekend to a quiet industrial estate, and sit him in it, teach him!?

And book some proper lessons with a good local instructor to go alongside.


Thats kind of the point of him being 17, all those young driver type things are for people who are not allowd on the road!

[croyde]

As the first chap to reply has linked to.

A simulated street circuit off road just to get him used to moving and manoeuvring a car without the worry of other traffic. Sounds perfect.

A lesson around here would involve just sitting in a traffic jam

Will give him the chance to see if he enjoys it then maybe the expense of insuring him plus lessons.

It's a birthday gift, I'm not shelling out on getting through to the test. He can get a job if he wants to do that

Edited by croyde on Friday 6th January 11:57

[cobra kid]

croyde said:

Thanks, looks like the kind of thing I was thinking and only 4 miles away.

Brilliant.

Don't know where you are we did it with our 16 yr old daughter in November at the Donny Rovers stadium car park. Instructor in a manual Corsa/Fiesta stopping and starting and generally pottering around. Gave a nice safe intro to car control.

[croyde]

Sounds perfect. The one I found is at Kempton Park a few miles away.

No such thing as an empty car park round here.

I did let him and his older brother have a go in my old 3 series e36 along a farm track to a holiday rental cottage about 3 years ago

[devnull]

20+ years ago, all my dad did was take me to a deserted industrial estate on a sunday evening, simply to get me used to the pedals and gears. Worked well enough for me - saves spending the hourly rate for me to keep screwing up the clutch.

[Collectingbrass]

DIY shed car park at 7 am on the day should do, its what my dad did with me and what I did with my two. Bonus points if your hangover is worse than his.

[andyxxx]

I would consider anything other than a proper driving instructor a waste of time and money for a 17 year old. What you are suggesting may have been a good option in his early teens.

The instructor will be well aware of less busy roads and should be able to teach him properly.

[PistonBroker]

My daughter turns 17 later this year.

We took her to a place the other side of Bridgwater last year and she had a go in our MINI CVT just to get an initial feel. It's part of an old airfield I guess and you chuck a fiver in an honesty bucket at the gate.

I've since established there's a bigger area the other side of Taunton, so I'm going to head up there with her in our Civic at some point so she can get to grips with a manual.

Personally though, if my kid was only a week off 17, I'd just be putting the money you'd spend on a Young Driver day into normal lessons. May as well get cracking if he's interested.

[Dixy]

An hour is a birthday party thing like go carting or the dodgems.
Try this
https://under17driver.co.uk/
or for 13 year olds this
https://under17-carclub.co.uk/

[300bhp/ton]

PistonBroker said:

My daughter turns 17 later this year.

We took her to a place the other side of Bridgwater last year and she had a go in our MINI CVT just to get an initial feel. It's part of an old airfield I guess and you chuck a fiver in an honesty bucket at the gate.

I've since established there's a bigger area the other side of Taunton, so I'm going to head up there with her in our Civic at some point so she can get to grips with a manual.

What sort of places are you referring too? Normally if it has public access you'd need to abide by the road laws, i.e. be insured, hold a licence etc. If it is private access I'd assume most places would as a minimum want you to sign a waiver of some kind.

[croyde]

The daft bugger had his provisional licence application denied because he took his own (crap) pic and didn't tell me that he still doesn't have one despite doing it ages ago.

So any real real world stuff is now off the cards until he gets his arse in gear and reapplies.

I'm not holding my breath.

I'll get him a little Lego car instead

[andyxxx]

I know we all have different parenting ideas.

I have probably mollycoddled my ‘kids’ (17 &21) but I helped them with their applications to try and avoid this scenario.
I am not saying my approach is best, but at 16 they have plenty to learn and in my opinion still need guidance.

Perhaps sit down with him and do the amended application/photo together?

[Uncle boshy]

Dixy said:

An hour is a birthday party thing like go carting or the dodgems.
Try this
https://under17driver.co.uk/
or for 13 year olds this
https://under17-carclub.co.uk/

Or for older kids a week long session called pathfinder from the same people.. Did it with both mine, really worthwhile

https://under17driver.co.uk/