Driving instructors these days - are they crap?
Discussion
Never really paid much attention to driving instructors and their pupils before..
But today there were 2 what i think, pretty bad examples of tuition.
The 1st was at a roundabout there was 1 car in front of me, we were going straight over. The learner was wanting to turn left so we had right of way. The instructor obviously not paying attention because the learner goes and pulls round the corner causing the car in front of me to brake. The driver then stalls the car 200 yards or so up the road, this time im directly behind it. He eventually starts the car and then pulls away without indicating. I was always told to indicate when pulling away. No?
2nd incident 10 minutes later. I'm sitting a set of traffic lights - the learner is in front of me 2 back from the line. The instructor (a woman) is obviously a bit of a secret stand up because she's gesticulating and banging the dash the pair of them are pissing themselves laughing all the time not noticing the lights have already changed to green It must have been 7 or 8 seconds before they look up and get going. They then proceed to drive at i estimate 55/57 ish down a 50 limit section of dual carriageway.
Piss poor i think.
One was an independent instructor the other one rhymes with dead.
But today there were 2 what i think, pretty bad examples of tuition.
The 1st was at a roundabout there was 1 car in front of me, we were going straight over. The learner was wanting to turn left so we had right of way. The instructor obviously not paying attention because the learner goes and pulls round the corner causing the car in front of me to brake. The driver then stalls the car 200 yards or so up the road, this time im directly behind it. He eventually starts the car and then pulls away without indicating. I was always told to indicate when pulling away. No?
2nd incident 10 minutes later. I'm sitting a set of traffic lights - the learner is in front of me 2 back from the line. The instructor (a woman) is obviously a bit of a secret stand up because she's gesticulating and banging the dash the pair of them are pissing themselves laughing all the time not noticing the lights have already changed to green It must have been 7 or 8 seconds before they look up and get going. They then proceed to drive at i estimate 55/57 ish down a 50 limit section of dual carriageway.
Piss poor i think.
One was an independent instructor the other one rhymes with dead.
The route to drop my kids off at school is unfortunately blighted with learners. It seems that its on the test route for the local centre and as result its usually stacked full of learners doing really daft and dangerous things.
Is it a reflection of the instructors? Probably not because I would have a twisted view as I see so many on a daily basis. What I would hate though is to live on this particular road! On bad days you will get 4 or even 5 learners doing 3-point turns or reversing around a corner.... its carnage....
Is it a reflection of the instructors? Probably not because I would have a twisted view as I see so many on a daily basis. What I would hate though is to live on this particular road! On bad days you will get 4 or even 5 learners doing 3-point turns or reversing around a corner.... its carnage....
A lot appear not to care. My local estate is used for the L-plate lot to learn and some of what I see can be seriously shocking. As well as the vast number of instructors using hand held mobiles I have had to get out of the way when on the pavement when cars leave the road as school chucking out time and when on zebra and pelican crossings. Red lights do appear to be optional.
My instructor wasn't bad, my pass plus one was a pain in the arse and spent the whole two hour session moaning about other students.
I think its luck of the draw, some are good and some are bad.
But in fairness they normally do tell the student what to do, whether the student chooses to/can follow these instructions is a differant matter.
I think its luck of the draw, some are good and some are bad.
But in fairness they normally do tell the student what to do, whether the student chooses to/can follow these instructions is a differant matter.
When I was learning to drive I ended up, through various odd reasons (my first instructor's car had serious problems with it, then the second instructor's did, then the third instructor's was fine) experiencing a lot of driving instructors, and obviously at the time most of my mates were getting driving lessons too. Instructors seem to fall into three camps:
-Petrolheads (my first instructor was a biker, the second was a rally driver, the third tracked a Westfield), who will teach you the clear difference between driving to pass your test and driving in the real world. They know their cars and are passionate about producing rounded drivers. Spot them by their more interesting learner's cars, usually slightly more powerful and bigger than the others.
-Jobsworths. Usually found working for huge organised driving schools. They'll teach you the bare minimum and nothing more, and see driving as a government-dictated menial chore, that for some reason they appreciate for its dullness. Usually found sweating profusely in a nylon shirt and tie buttoned right up to the collar even in the height of summer in a car without aircon. And won't open the windows.
-Preachy types. Usually female, usually with a Micra or a MINI with something about their car's green credentials or safety rating in their advertising and really twee, childish graphics. Learn with them if you want to spend the rest of your life annoying other road users and feeling guilty whenever you go over 2000rpm in your motorised cereal packet you've been conditioned into thinking is the best thing for driving today, not to mention our children, our children's children, and our children's children's children. Oh, and our children's children's children's children.
-Petrolheads (my first instructor was a biker, the second was a rally driver, the third tracked a Westfield), who will teach you the clear difference between driving to pass your test and driving in the real world. They know their cars and are passionate about producing rounded drivers. Spot them by their more interesting learner's cars, usually slightly more powerful and bigger than the others.
-Jobsworths. Usually found working for huge organised driving schools. They'll teach you the bare minimum and nothing more, and see driving as a government-dictated menial chore, that for some reason they appreciate for its dullness. Usually found sweating profusely in a nylon shirt and tie buttoned right up to the collar even in the height of summer in a car without aircon. And won't open the windows.
-Preachy types. Usually female, usually with a Micra or a MINI with something about their car's green credentials or safety rating in their advertising and really twee, childish graphics. Learn with them if you want to spend the rest of your life annoying other road users and feeling guilty whenever you go over 2000rpm in your motorised cereal packet you've been conditioned into thinking is the best thing for driving today, not to mention our children, our children's children, and our children's children's children. Oh, and our children's children's children's children.
My first driving lesson was booked for my 17th birthday and the instructor failed to turn up. A week later I am waiting and up turns a Mini (of the 1980's variety) with a very fat hair woman at the wheel. One lesson later I decided to find someone else.
I hope to god that instructors have got better in the last 25 years.
I hope to god that instructors have got better in the last 25 years.
My instructor told me (2 years ago now) that in an ABS car if you don't dip the clutch immediately when doing an emergency stop, the engine will 'interfere' and the ABS will not work.
If I had done driving with solely my instructor I would have been totally screwed!
ETA:
The main focus of driving lessons now are the manoeuvres, instead of important things like lane discipline and good observation.
If I had done driving with solely my instructor I would have been totally screwed!
ETA:
The main focus of driving lessons now are the manoeuvres, instead of important things like lane discipline and good observation.
Edited by james_gt3rs on Monday 10th May 20:23
t, this stupid old guy who always stank of fish. james_gt3rs said:
The main focus of driving lessons now are the manoeuvres, instead of important things like lane discipline and good observation.
So, same New Labour approach as everything else - teach to pass a test and generate good statistics the government can point to to say 'everything's getting better', rather than just getting on with the business of teaching anyone anything useful.Edited by james_gt3rs on Monday 10th May 20:23
Girl in work has been learning to drive over the past 5/6 months. Constantly complaining that her instructor spends more time trying to "gossip" than teaching her to drive.
When I was learning 10/11 years ago, my instructor was quite good I thought. Only issue was he became unreliable towards the end when he knew he was only going to get another 2-3 lessons out of me.
When I was learning 10/11 years ago, my instructor was quite good I thought. Only issue was he became unreliable towards the end when he knew he was only going to get another 2-3 lessons out of me.
MondeoMan1981 said:
Girl in work has been learning to drive over the past 5/6 months. Constantly complaining that her instructor spends more time trying to "gossip" than teaching her to drive.
She should find another instructor there are plenty out there.MondeoMan1981 said:
I was learning 10/11 years ago, my instructor was quite good I thought. Only issue was he became unreliable towards the end when he knew he was only going to get another 2-3 lessons out of me.
That is a shame he took that attitude 
Oggs said:
james_gt3rs said:
The main focus of driving lessons now are the manoeuvres, instead of important things like lane discipline and good observation.
Thats complete rubbish 
Seriously, my lessons consisted of me driving about 5 to 10 miles to somewhere to practice reversing, and then driving home again, so I didn't do any country roads, not much dual carriageways.
It's the same format for the driving test - drive to A. Do manoeuvre X. Drive to B. Do manoeuvre Y. Drive to C. Drive back to test centre.
Twincam16 said:
When I was learning to drive I ended up, through various odd reasons (my first instructor's car had serious problems with it, then the second instructor's did, then the third instructor's was fine) experiencing a lot of driving instructors, and obviously at the time most of my mates were getting driving lessons too. Instructors seem to fall into three camps:
-Petrolheads (my first instructor was a biker, the second was a rally driver, the third tracked a Westfield), who will teach you the clear difference between driving to pass your test and driving in the real world. They know their cars and are passionate about producing rounded drivers. Spot them by their more interesting learner's cars, usually slightly more powerful and bigger than the others.
Don't know about the other categories, but this one was true for me. I got lessons from a guy teaching in a Cooper S(this was 1994, so A series mini); he was a class act and the car was a hoot to drive!-Petrolheads (my first instructor was a biker, the second was a rally driver, the third tracked a Westfield), who will teach you the clear difference between driving to pass your test and driving in the real world. They know their cars and are passionate about producing rounded drivers. Spot them by their more interesting learner's cars, usually slightly more powerful and bigger than the others.
I'd better be careful, as my wife's a driving instructor...
She seems to take the whole thing fairly seriously about how she teaches people, and all her pupils seem happy, and she has a good pass rate so I'd say no their not all crap. but I expect there are some crap instructors and some crap pupils too...
one thing I will say though is the treatment you get driving a logo'd up car with driving school over it is bizzar... I some times borrow it and the amount of people who tailgate you, pull out in front of you, just have to overtake you is un real...
also sometimes when you see an instructor car it could be some nutter like me driving it rather than the instructor or a pupil I do try to remember its got her name all over it but sometimes i forget...
She seems to take the whole thing fairly seriously about how she teaches people, and all her pupils seem happy, and she has a good pass rate so I'd say no their not all crap. but I expect there are some crap instructors and some crap pupils too...
one thing I will say though is the treatment you get driving a logo'd up car with driving school over it is bizzar... I some times borrow it and the amount of people who tailgate you, pull out in front of you, just have to overtake you is un real...
also sometimes when you see an instructor car it could be some nutter like me driving it rather than the instructor or a pupil
I do try to remember its got her name all over it but sometimes i forget...Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff