Learning To Drive.

[PaulMacC]

Alright, how long do you think it would take roughly for an average person to learn to drive. If I submit for my provisional license this week would it be possible for me to be driving by Christmas?
How much hours of driving lessons does an average person usually need?
I've never really be inside a car, is it hard to drive, easy to pick up and is it really as easy as everyone says. I'm nervous about actually driving yet everyone does it with ease.

[Alexx..]

Yeah it could be possible, depends on how quickly you pick it up, cause you could be waiting upto 6 weeks for a test. It's not hard to drive, I thought i'd be really nervous and I thought it would be really hard, but i'm picking it up quite easy and i've only done a few lessons and i've drove on dual carriageways and all over. Don't be nervous, just relax and you should do alright :D

[buttons]

Alright, how long do you think it would take roughly for an average person to learn to drive. If I submit for my provisional license this week would it be possible for me to be driving by Christmas?
How much hours of driving lessons does an average person usually need?
I've never really be inside a car, is it hard to drive, easy to pick up and is it really as easy as everyone says. I'm nervous about actually driving yet everyone does it with ease.
depends
do you have your own car? any previous experience? how often are you going to have lessons?
took my brother 3 months but he had his own car to practise, took my other brother 6 months. i've had 20 lessons and can do everything except park atm but i was really slow at learning, you'll probably pick it up pretty quick. most people i know passed quickly just not me:@

[PaulMacC]

depends
do you have your own car? any previous experience? how often are you going to have lessons?
took my brother 3 months but he had his own car to practise, took my other brother 6 months. i've had 20 lessons and can do everything except park atm but i was really slow at learning, you'll probably pick it up pretty quick. most people i know passed quickly just not me:@
no, no, hopefully as much as possible as i have the money for it.
Dont you use a company car? I have a private tutor lined up that 2 of my friends go with.

[Swearwolf]

like i said on facebook, it gets easier each lesson its like ridin a bike lol. and yeah private instructors are much better than major companies imo

[danzooo]

Driving is really really easy when you get into it, and like swearwolf said it is very similar to learning how to ride a bike, and once you've learned it all comes pretty naturally. It's taken me about 6 months (providing I pass my test this month) which is quite alot but I couldn't help but feel my instructor was prolonging it a bit, but if you're really good and pick it up quickly it may be possible to pass by Christmas.

[Moh]

Learning to drive is fairly easy, just you need to master everything for your test. I think the average is around 40 hours, so if you have an hour lesson every week it'll take around 9 months. Once you get your provisional and you're 17 you can start when ever you like :)

[Apple]

Driving is really easy to pick up for most people. Steering the car is the least of your worries (until it comes to backing in your test) so what you need to concentrate on is the gears. Simple really.

- Accelerate till the car sounds to be revving fairly high or the RPM needle is a fair bit away from the red zone
- Lift off the accelerator and press the clutch in all the way
- Pull the gear lever straight back from 1st into 2nd (in most cars)
- Slowly lift your foot off the clutch while slowly pushing in the accelerator

The bit you are likely to get stuck at is releasing the clutch and accelerating, that is when you are likely to stall the car a few times until you get use to it. Also when you are breaking to a complete stop you must engage the clutch or it will stall. Try to get some practice in your parents car, empty car parks at night time are great places to get the basics, you can also use them to practise reversing into spaces which will help loads for your test and save you the cost of so many lessons.

[danzooo]

^ to be honest no need to rev that high unless your going up a steep hill, or you're giving it the beans :P

[Moh]

Driving is really easy to pick up for most people. Steering the car is the least of your worries (until it comes to backing in your test) so what you need to concentrate on is the gears. Simple really.

- Accelerate till the car sounds to be revving really high or the RPM needle is approaching the red
- Lift off the accelerator and press the clutch in all the way
- Pull the gear lever straight back from 1st into 2nd
- Slowly lift your foot off the clutch while slowly accelerating at the same time

The bit you are likely to get stuck at is releasing the clutch and accelerating, that is when you are likely to stall the car a few times until you get use to it. Also when you are breaking to a complete stop you must engage the clutch or it will stall then. Try to get some practice in your parents car. Empty car parks at night time are great places to get the basics, you can also use them to practise reversing into spaces which will help loads for your test and save you the cost of so many lessons.
Yeah, practising in other peoples cars on private land is a good idea too :)

I sometimes do this with my friends car, but the car I learn in is a lot more powerful so I sometimes stall his because I need to use more acceleration haha. Was also up hill a little too :P

[Apple]

^ to be honest no need to rev that high unless your going up a steep hill, or you're giving it the beans :P

Yes you are quite right, edited it. I never really do look at the RPM screen because the sound of car is all you need. By the way I don't have a license or anything and I am 15. Just got a family that think learning at a young age makes you a better driver. I often drive an 89 Mini Cooper around an empty business park that stopped being built when the recession hit and on 6 occasions I have driven my dads car on track days. The last time we did it we got caught as my dad always made me drive slow (slow for a racing track anyway) so they threatened to ban my dad from the track if we were ever caught doing it again so sadly I don't drive it anymore but it's still pretty fun being in the car. In just over a years time when I turn 17 I should hopefully be driving in no time as it's just the roads I need to get used to driving on and obviously the theory test.

[Moh]

Yes you are quite right, edited it. I never really do look at the RPM screen because the sound of car is all you need. By the way I don't have a license or anything and I am 15. Just got a family that think learning at a young age makes you a better driver. I often drive an 89 Mini Cooper around an empty business park that stopped being built when the recession hit and on 6 occasions I have driven my dads car on track days. The last time we did it we got caught as my dad always made me drive slow (slow for a racing track anyway) so they threatened to ban my dad from the track if we were ever caught doing it again so sadly I don't drive it anymore but it's still pretty fun being in the car. In just over a years time when I turn 17 I should hopefully be driving in no time as it's just the roads I need to get used to driving on and obviously the theory test.
Really? I thought on a track you could get a racing licence at the age of 13 or something?

[N!ck]

Actually driving a car is pretty easy. It's your awareness of the traffic around you that takes time.

Someone young will probably take around 20 hours of lessons if they do a little driving with parents. Longer if no driving with parents.

Adults can take a lot longer, so it's good to learn when you're young.

And Apple, you won't pass a test driving like that "Accelerate till the car sounds to be revving really high or the RPM needle is approaching the red"

[immense]

paul, if i can pass first time with 3 minors, you can pass with ease babe x

[Apple]

Actually driving a car is pretty easy. It's your awareness of the traffic around you that takes time.

Someone young will probably take around 20 hours of lessons if they do a little driving with parents. Longer if no driving with parents.

Adults can take a lot longer, so it's good to learn when you're young.

And Apple, you won't pass a test driving like that "Accelerate till the car sounds to be revving really high or the RPM needle is approaching the red"

Lol yeh sorry I am used to driving around a track, the power-band in my dads car is in fairly high revs. Obviously on the road you need to be much more relaxed and not rev as high before you change gears so sorry Paul if I mislead you in anyway.

[tm]

Some places do 5 day intensive courses. It's about 30-40hrs total.

It's pretty expensive in terms of up-front cost but I guess if you consider you could otherwise be having maybe 60+ lessons (if you suck) it can actually work out a lot cheaper. Guess if you factor in the cost of YOUR time, it's probably worth it. Approx £700-750 total for the 5 day course. That's 38 lessons at £20ish.

http://www.5day.co.uk/
see also: http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=5+day+driving+course

[PaulMacC]

Some places do 5 day intensive courses. It's about 30-40hrs total.

It's pretty expensive in terms of up-front cost but I guess if you consider you could otherwise be having maybe 60+ lessons (if you suck) it might actually work out cheaper. Guess if you factor in the cost of YOUR time, it's probably worth it. Approx £700-750 total.

http://www.5day.co.uk/
see also: http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=5+day+driving+course
I'm starting back to college in September so I'd like to get some lessons done before then. Just depending on when my provisional comes. I have a private instructor lined up who also takes my friends. Apparently he is sound and does a good job of it so I'll try to get a few a week in then when school kicks in back to probably 1-2 a week.

[PaulMacC]

Alright, my cousin told me he'd tell his instructor that I'd be interested in lessons. 10 lessons for £180 and then £20 per lesson if they arent booked in 10s, might just book 10, then another 10, then a seperate 5, does anyone know if that is good or not. He is willing to do them anytime so I'd be hoping 3 a week before I go back to school. That seems logical, right?

[PaulMacC]

Is 10 lessons for £180 a rip off or good

[Alexx..]

Is 10 lessons for £180 a rip off or good

It's pretty good considering most peoples lessons are about £20 each.

[Camy]

Is 10 lessons for £180 a rip off or good
Pretty good yeah, I had to pay £185 for 10.

Mine took 5 months from when I started till I'd passed, but I was ready after like 2 and a half/3 months. If you get your theory out of the way and book the practical early enough you could possibly have it done by christmas.