Driving course for a foreigner, new to UK...
Discussion
A friend from Finland has recently moved to the UK and has just passed her driving licence in Finland before coming across...
Understandably being a new driver she would like some type of experience driving 'on the wrong side of the car and road' before fully committing to being let loose on London's Roads.
She suggested a track day, but her idea of a track day is you pay an amount of money, get a small car (like a mini) and drive round for X laps at her own pace getting used to it... I dont believe that actually exists and if going too slow on a track day they will pull you in and you generally have to have your own car otherwise its like the supercar experience days.
Being a bloke I suggested banger racing to get her used to not being scared of driving a car with a steering wheel on the right... she thought it was a great idea and then asked if there would be other cars on the track and if she could do it alone instead....
I then thought about Pass-Plus or the Advanced driving course but that is for UK drivers moving on from a standard test and onto futher driving and not a foreigner.
So to all you non UK people living in London, does anyone know of a conversion course that a new driver can take that is just something they can take and not a pass or fail course, but more a easing them into driving on the wrong side they were taught on??
Also how long does the Finnish driving licence last for in the UK, some people seem to think its valid for at least 3 years before needing a UK licence...
Oh and before you ask just cause she is finnish and they have an excellent reputation for making great drivers and having a tough test does it in anyway make her a good driver... she is quite nervous behind the wheel, hence why I have not asked any friends and would prefer a professional helping her.
Cheers for any help.
Understandably being a new driver she would like some type of experience driving 'on the wrong side of the car and road' before fully committing to being let loose on London's Roads.
She suggested a track day, but her idea of a track day is you pay an amount of money, get a small car (like a mini) and drive round for X laps at her own pace getting used to it... I dont believe that actually exists and if going too slow on a track day they will pull you in and you generally have to have your own car otherwise its like the supercar experience days.
Being a bloke I suggested banger racing to get her used to not being scared of driving a car with a steering wheel on the right... she thought it was a great idea and then asked if there would be other cars on the track and if she could do it alone instead....
I then thought about Pass-Plus or the Advanced driving course but that is for UK drivers moving on from a standard test and onto futher driving and not a foreigner.
So to all you non UK people living in London, does anyone know of a conversion course that a new driver can take that is just something they can take and not a pass or fail course, but more a easing them into driving on the wrong side they were taught on??
Also how long does the Finnish driving licence last for in the UK, some people seem to think its valid for at least 3 years before needing a UK licence...
Oh and before you ask just cause she is finnish and they have an excellent reputation for making great drivers and having a tough test does it in anyway make her a good driver... she is quite nervous behind the wheel, hence why I have not asked any friends and would prefer a professional helping her.
Cheers for any help.
Where abouts are you based?
This any use? http://www.thelocalweb.net/index/DSL/tlw_214776.ht...
This any use? http://www.thelocalweb.net/index/DSL/tlw_214776.ht...
Edited by Scott330ci on Tuesday 17th August 09:24
illmonkey said:
How is driving around a one way track going to give a sense of 'driving on the wrong side'?
Can't you go to IAM or a driving instructor and see if they can offer a few hours? Or you go with her, assuming insured. Find some quite roads and let her loose.
It's really not a big deal
On a track she gets used to the gearstick in the left hand instead of the right and thus being on the other side of the car... Can't you go to IAM or a driving instructor and see if they can offer a few hours? Or you go with her, assuming insured. Find some quite roads and let her loose.
It's really not a big deal
Yes it didnt bother me when I drive abroad and then come back to the UK but she 'thinks' it will be difficult to adapt... And I did get a telling off from the OH when I said that if she thinks using a gear stick with a different hand is difficult are you sure she should even be let loose on UK roads.
Are people allowed to drive on industrial estates to learn to drive? Would want something with dual control as it would mean 2 people can gain control if she panics.
Dupont666 said:
illmonkey said:
How is driving around a one way track going to give a sense of 'driving on the wrong side'?
Can't you go to IAM or a driving instructor and see if they can offer a few hours? Or you go with her, assuming insured. Find some quite roads and let her loose.
It's really not a big deal
On a track she gets used to the gearstick in the left hand instead of the right and thus being on the other side of the car... Can't you go to IAM or a driving instructor and see if they can offer a few hours? Or you go with her, assuming insured. Find some quite roads and let her loose.
It's really not a big deal
Yes it didnt bother me when I drive abroad and then come back to the UK but she 'thinks' it will be difficult to adapt... And I did get a telling off from the OH when I said that if she thinks using a gear stick with a different hand is difficult are you sure she should even be let loose on UK roads.
Are people allowed to drive on industrial estates to learn to drive? Would want something with dual control as it would mean 2 people can gain control if she panics.
I'm not to sure it's legal, as its private land most of the time, but it doesn't stop alot of people. Visit a estate any weekend and it'll probably have a 'learner' on it.
If she can legally drive in her country (and ours!) then you shouldn't need dual controls, she'll already have mastered braking
sherman said:
Tell her to get a few driving lessons off of an instructor. They will take her to a local industrial estate or somewhere else quiet and teach her how to drive on the wrong side.
One of my employees is from Venezuela and we hooked him up with a driving instructor who did exactly this for his first lesson. We paid for 5 lessons which have got him up & running OK until he is ready to take his full licence. 5potTurbo said:
Notwithstanding all of the above advice, I suspect this Finnish lady is a far better driver than pretty much anyone else here. The Finnish driving test is notoriously difficult!
It took her multiple attempts cause she is a nervous driver... Im only finding this out, as all my info is direct from my OH and if she says she is very nervous and needs lessons in the UK otherwise she wont drive and its a waste of her doing the Finnish course then I pretty much believe her, as she passed first time in Finland and boy does she let me know about it.
Caradrome place is about 45-60 mins from her, will see if she will do that.
It's an EU licence so there is no 3 year limit according to this:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensi...
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensi...
Dupont666 said:
A friend from Finland has recently moved to the UK and has just passed her driving licence in Finland before coming across...
Understandably being a new driver she would like some type of experience driving 'on the wrong side of the car and road' before fully committing to being let loose on London's Roads.
She suggested a track day, but her idea of a track day is you pay an amount of money, get a small car (like a mini) and drive round for X laps at her own pace getting used to it... I dont believe that actually exists and if going too slow on a track day they will pull you in and you generally have to have your own car otherwise its like the supercar experience days.
Being a bloke I suggested banger racing to get her used to not being scared of driving a car with a steering wheel on the right... she thought it was a great idea and then asked if there would be other cars on the track and if she could do it alone instead....
I then thought about Pass-Plus or the Advanced driving course but that is for UK drivers moving on from a standard test and onto futher driving and not a foreigner.
So to all you non UK people living in London, does anyone know of a conversion course that a new driver can take that is just something they can take and not a pass or fail course, but more a easing them into driving on the wrong side they were taught on??
Also how long does the Finnish driving licence last for in the UK, some people seem to think its valid for at least 3 years before needing a UK licence...
Oh and before you ask just cause she is finnish and they have an excellent reputation for making great drivers and having a tough test does it in anyway make her a good driver... she is quite nervous behind the wheel, hence why I have not asked any friends and would prefer a professional helping her.
Cheers for any help.
Just book say 5 to 10 hours block with a reputable driving company, say BSM, and makes sure they know the reason. Most instructors will top you up to standard, also remember to get her a copy of the highway code and Instructor will familiarise her with the UK culture of driving, such as letting people out, hogging the middle lane, flashing lights hooting horn and coffee bean if overtaken, tailgating, pulling over for emergency vehicles, use of signals and eco driving :-DUnderstandably being a new driver she would like some type of experience driving 'on the wrong side of the car and road' before fully committing to being let loose on London's Roads.
She suggested a track day, but her idea of a track day is you pay an amount of money, get a small car (like a mini) and drive round for X laps at her own pace getting used to it... I dont believe that actually exists and if going too slow on a track day they will pull you in and you generally have to have your own car otherwise its like the supercar experience days.
Being a bloke I suggested banger racing to get her used to not being scared of driving a car with a steering wheel on the right... she thought it was a great idea and then asked if there would be other cars on the track and if she could do it alone instead....
I then thought about Pass-Plus or the Advanced driving course but that is for UK drivers moving on from a standard test and onto futher driving and not a foreigner.
So to all you non UK people living in London, does anyone know of a conversion course that a new driver can take that is just something they can take and not a pass or fail course, but more a easing them into driving on the wrong side they were taught on??
Also how long does the Finnish driving licence last for in the UK, some people seem to think its valid for at least 3 years before needing a UK licence...
Oh and before you ask just cause she is finnish and they have an excellent reputation for making great drivers and having a tough test does it in anyway make her a good driver... she is quite nervous behind the wheel, hence why I have not asked any friends and would prefer a professional helping her.
Cheers for any help.
Poledriver said:
sherman said:
Tell her to get a few driving lessons off of an instructor. They will take her to a local industrial estate or somewhere else quiet and teach her how to drive on the wrong side.
The Left side is the Right side.
The Right side is the Wromg side!
HTH
Serves her right for learning to drive in a backwards country...even though they did produce some of the best drivers in the world.
When I moved to the UK I had been driving for 16 years. I booked lessons with AA driving school as I knew the UK driving test would be significantly more difficult to pass than the US one. On the first day I told the instructor my situation and he tailored the lessons to suit me, so there was no emphasis placed on clutch control or the basics of operating a car and instead we focussed on UK specific aspects of driving that I was unfamiliar with such as accepted road etiquette, dealing with various roundabouts and of course what would be needed to pass the test.
It was a bit amusing that I would finish my lesson then jump in my own car and head out on my own giving the instructor a wave when passing him later in the day.
It was a bit amusing that I would finish my lesson then jump in my own car and head out on my own giving the instructor a wave when passing him later in the day.
Forget everything written above! There is no need for lessons or practise, just purchase the "Foreign driving glove" as pitched on Dragons den!!
Dragons Den said:
1: Foreign driving glove
And so we come to the clear winner: a glove. That's what the inventor entered the Den with: a single, solitary glove, to be worn by drivers in foreign countries so they can remember what side of the road they should be on. If you're driving on the right, then you wear it on your right hand. Simple and brilliant, don't you think? If by brilliant you mean 'the very worst idea of all time' of course.
And so we come to the clear winner: a glove. That's what the inventor entered the Den with: a single, solitary glove, to be worn by drivers in foreign countries so they can remember what side of the road they should be on. If you're driving on the right, then you wear it on your right hand. Simple and brilliant, don't you think? If by brilliant you mean 'the very worst idea of all time' of course.
The Hitman said:
Poledriver said:
sherman said:
Tell her to get a few driving lessons off of an instructor. They will take her to a local industrial estate or somewhere else quiet and teach her how to drive on the wrong side.
The Left side is the Right side.
The Right side is the Wromg side!
HTH
Serves her right for learning to drive in a backwards country...even though they did produce some of the best drivers in the world.
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