New Learner - My Online Diary

[Gareth]

Any advice?

You need to be familiar with the material and to practice answering the questions. Some of the 'correct' answers to the multiple choice questions may surprise you, hence the need for practice. I doubt there's a shortcut to gaining the necessary knowledge, (even if you do forget it all afterwards).

[fungus]

As Gareth said, you need to be familiar with the material. Just reading the Highway Code on its own will not furnish you with sufficient knowledge to pass the theory test. Along with the Highway Code, I advise pupils to read the DSAs Driving the Essential Skills and also the Department for Transports Know your Traffic Signs. These three publications have all the necessary information you will need to pass the theory element of the test.

[The Thinker]

However, my main problem is the theory test. I want to pass it first time and not make silly mistakes. I have the instructors version of the theory test questions and answers, I also have the hazard perception CD, both of which are a few years old but seem up to date. The problem is I feel too lazy to go through all those questions considering the book is pretty thick.


Any advice?

There are websites that have all the questions on them, or CD's. Its much more fun to work through them with the computer keeping track of the wrong answers. So you know where to focus your efforts. I used them for the motor bike test. Turned out I knew about 75% from common sense and just needed to brush up on a few things.

[crr003]

The good news is DSA are stopping providing all the questions and answers, so people will have to know what's in the books.
Novel idea.

[gfoot]

I got really tired of going through the actual questions as published by the DSA - I can't believe it's the recommended way to learn. A large number of the questions are duplicates, in slightly different guises, so it's grossly inefficient.

You can read the Highway Code and Know Your Traffic Signs cover to cover in a couple of hours, though, and almost all of the information is in one of those two books. Most people don't even bother with Know Your Traffic Signs, though I think it's good to skim, even if you don't read it word for word.

[The Thinker]

I dont mind people knowing all the questions before hand as they are fact based. If someone does work through them and knows all the answers to them in a test environment then they deserve to pass well.

The computer question banks I had helped with effieciency. Once it had made an initial assessment of the questions I could do and couldn't it help concentrate on the ones that needed work rather than the ones I was strong on. Personally if I am paying to do a test I want to be as certain as I can be of passing. Like in most aspects of life the rewards are in the training and preparation rather than in an exam.

[waremark]

I suggest it is worth investing in an up to date DVD - if you are going to take the test while the questions and answers are still being published. My three children all passed first time (one wrong answer between the three of them) just from practising mock tests.

[driving2day]

I have been reading the questions and answers and yes I find the repeated questions really boring and then look to see I have so much of the book left. Had they been left out the book would be thinner. But then it is probably good because it reminds you every time you read the question in a different way.

So I read the Highway Code and so far seems okay. Need to read the rest to see if it covers everything the question book asks because there are loads of things I haven't read about yet (or it seems like it).

Which online tests do you recommend?

Another is the hazard perception. I was looking at the CD and it seems to make things clearer but there are no practise questions. Any advice on when to click? I know it is when you see a hazard, when it develops etc., but can the tests be a bit hit and miss?

[driving2day]

I did my theory test and passed. I got one question wrong. I thought it was one of the questions out of the 50 which I didn't recognise going over so much, but I remembered what I selected and when I got back I checked the question and answer and I had answered correctly. I thought okay it's another question maybe I had got wrong but it wasn't that either. So I'm not sure what I did get wrong. The other questions were easy.

The hazard perception, when practising it on the CD, I kept missing marks because I would see the hazard just before the green mark (where you score 5). However in the test I waited a little and got 63 out of 74. 7 out of the 14 clips I got 5 marks.

Now back to driving lessons.

I have to say I was struggling with the theory, memorising only from the Highway Code. I purchased a CD from the shop on Saturday night, went over it a bit then and yesterday and it really helped. I felt I understood way more. Now I'm not sure what to do with the CD.

[ROG]

Now I'm not sure what to do with the CD.

Keep it for future reference

[driving2day]

Good idea. I feel I have memorised the whole thing and it will now stick.

I was looking through the book yesterday and realised I got a very easy question wrong - because I recalled doing the question as revision weeks ago and getting the wrong answer, but it wasn't that question, it was one similar to it. About traffic lights. Now I need to find a new instructor (moved to a different city) and I have no idea who could teach me.

[driving2day]

So, about 8 months later I had my next driving lesson but this time with a different instructor. I no longer live near the instructor so it is very difficult for her to come to me although I've been back to my home area regularly but there have been month gaps too because of being busy.

I had a much younger instructor who offered me the first 3 lessons for £7.99 but before I can have the 3rd lesson, I have to pay a full price of £19.50 for a lesson before that, so I'd have two lessons as part of the offer, the 3rd I'd pay for full price, and the 4th would have already been paid for as part of the ofer.

I didn't go to her because I got drawn by the price, but because I don't know any instructors in the area so asked around many times until someone told me they know someone who went with this instructor so because I wanted tog et back to driving so I can pass sooner, I decided to go with her.

The first lesson she came late, had a reason for it, I said OK and we started the lesson. She told me she would carry on from where I left off, but the first lesson was driving around getting used to the car. Her car is quite new, so I didn't have to really do clutch control with the gas, I had to simply use the clutch, then bring the gas in once I released the clutch totally. This seemed great but by the 3rd lesson I lost focus on that and kept thinking back to the old car, lol.

Anyway so the lesson was driving around and that's it really. And I didn't get an additional 10 minutes at the end because she came 10 minutes late. I didn't know until I came out of the car and saw the time.

The second lesson I did a manouver. 3 point turn. She said I did well so next lesson we'd do all 3, but we didn't. Anyway, once again she came late to the lesson and I didn't get my time at the end. It took a lot of time to book this lesson as she kept changing it but eventually got it.

The third lesson we focused on one thing, parallel parking, and didn't do all 3 as she said, then I felt like the last half hour was wasted. I felt like I was driving on normal roads to pass time, and at the end of the lesson she said let's parallel park here then we'll call it a day. I was so close to home, and still had minutes left. I had at the beginning of the lesson told her that since she's come late by ten minutes, will ten minutes be added at the end? She then went to say of course, and she's not like other instructors who only do 50 minutes and if she comes late she adds it at the end and so on. Well that wasn't true since the last lessons she didn't add any time. Let's say she came at 7 past the hour, and we finished the lesson at 7 past the hour, so I thought fair enough, but the last half an hour as I mentioned didn't seem right, plus I was in this street where it's very tight and you end up waiting because there's too many cars.

The fourth lesson I decided was my last. She came ten minutes late, we didn't finish an hour later so if I calculate, I am owed half an hour. I did paraller parking, and we didn't do reverse round the bend. I felt I couldn't stay with her, and so left the lesson without telling her I won't be coming back.

I feel I should have finished with my normal instructor because she was good and I learnt something new every lesson, but I didn't have enough money to pay in advance the total amount, and still don't. I'm considering calling the AA but once again I don't have recommendations so I won't know whether they're good or not until I take a lesson with them and I really don't have the money to waste.

I'm thinking of going back to my old instructor, but I don't know how practical that would be. The roads are much quiter where I am now, and sometimes I go back home every two weeks, sometimes I have a month gap and it's costly going back, but I don't know. Should I go back to her and each time I go take loads of lessons like before, but more in one day rather than spread at the week? It's because I normally go for 2 or 3 days, not a whole week.

Another thing about my driving is, when I got back into the car all these months later, I felt normal driving. The instructor said it was like I had been driving in thar car for a long time. So I know I won't forget how to drive.

I'm so confused as to what to do! Any advice here?

[ROG]

If you can get back into a car and within 15 mins are where you were at when you last got into a car then it seems to me that when the instructor says you are test ready then go for it

[fungus]

So, about 8 months later I had my next driving lesson but this time with a different instructor. I no longer live near the instructor so it is very difficult for her to come to me although I've been back to my home area regularly but there have been month gaps too because of being busy.

I had a much younger instructor who offered me the first 3 lessons for £7.99 but before I can have the 3rd lesson, I have to pay a full price of £19.50 for a lesson before that, so I'd have two lessons as part of the offer, the 3rd I'd pay for full price, and the 4th would have already been paid for as part of the ofer.

I didn't go to her because I got drawn by the price, but because I don't know any instructors in the area so asked around many times until someone told me they know someone who went with this instructor so because I wanted tog et back to driving so I can pass sooner, I decided to go with her.

The first lesson she came late, had a reason for it, I said OK and we started the lesson. She told me she would carry on from where I left off, but the first lesson was driving around getting used to the car. Her car is quite new, so I didn't have to really do clutch control with the gas, I had to simply use the clutch, then bring the gas in once I released the clutch totally. This seemed great but by the 3rd lesson I lost focus on that and kept thinking back to the old car, lol.

Anyway so the lesson was driving around and that's it really. And I didn't get an additional 10 minutes at the end because she came 10 minutes late. I didn't know until I came out of the car and saw the time.

The second lesson I did a manouver. 3 point turn. She said I did well so next lesson we'd do all 3, but we didn't. Anyway, once again she came late to the lesson and I didn't get my time at the end. It took a lot of time to book this lesson as she kept changing it but eventually got it.

The third lesson we focused on one thing, parallel parking, and didn't do all 3 as she said, then I felt like the last half hour was wasted. I felt like I was driving on normal roads to pass time, and at the end of the lesson she said let's parallel park here then we'll call it a day. I was so close to home, and still had minutes left. I had at the beginning of the lesson told her that since she's come late by ten minutes, will ten minutes be added at the end? She then went to say of course, and she's not like other instructors who only do 50 minutes and if she comes late she adds it at the end and so on. Well that wasn't true since the last lessons she didn't add any time. Let's say she came at 7 past the hour, and we finished the lesson at 7 past the hour, so I thought fair enough, but the last half an hour as I mentioned didn't seem right, plus I was in this street where it's very tight and you end up waiting because there's too many cars.

The fourth lesson I decided was my last. She came ten minutes late, we didn't finish an hour later so if I calculate, I am owed half an hour. I did paraller parking, and we didn't do reverse round the bend. I felt I couldn't stay with her, and so left the lesson without telling her I won't be coming back.

I feel I should have finished with my normal instructor because she was good and I learnt something new every lesson, but I didn't have enough money to pay in advance the total amount, and still don't. I'm considering calling the AA but once again I don't have recommendations so I won't know whether they're good or not until I take a lesson with them and I really don't have the money to waste.

I'm thinking of going back to my old instructor, but I don't know how practical that would be. The roads are much quiter where I am now, and sometimes I go back home every two weeks, sometimes I have a month gap and it's costly going back, but I don't know. Should I go back to her and each time I go take loads of lessons like before, but more in one day rather than spread at the week? It's because I normally go for 2 or 3 days, not a whole week.

Another thing about my driving is, when I got back into the car all these months later, I felt normal driving. The instructor said it was like I had been driving in thar car for a long time. So I know I won't forget how to drive.

I'm so confused as to what to do! Any advice here?

Firstly, you did the right thing ditching this instructor. It is inexcusable and bad manners to keep turning up ten minutes late. Although we all try not to be late, it is probable that at some time it will happen due to unforeseen circumstances, but this is not on. She should certainly add that time on at the end of the lesson. Cheep is not always a good idea, although there are some good instructors out there who are not expensive. Ask around and get recommendations.

You mentioned that when moving off in 1st, you did not need to use any gas. This leads me to believe that the car is a diesel. This is not good practice, and you should get into the habit of using even just a little gas. A problem that a lot of learners have, and experienced drivers for that matter, is that, if they are used to diesels, they get lazy with the gas pedal. This leads to problems such as stalling when they drive a petrol engined car.

[driving2day]

I believe she told me hers is gas but because it is new you don't really need to do anything with the gas but as soon as you start moving and the clutch is up, you bring in the gas, but not too much because it will make that sound. I understood this is because the car is new and not because it is diesel? It did feel like a diesel car though (I tried one once and got out the car a couple of minutes later as I felt it was too easy to move it - something I wasn't ready for, so panicked and left it lol). But by the 4th lesson it seemed like I started to need a bit of gas at times when I didn't need to during the first two lessons, which is why I was driving unsmoothly at times as I wasn't prepared for that.

I am new to this area so I don't really know anyone who could recommend me. Very few people have taken driving lessons and the ones who have their instructors have gone. The one recommendation I did find, I now no longer plan to take lessons with.

I am really considering going back to my old instructor but it doesn't seem practical and will be very costly. The thing is, even she used to come late at times but I was learning something every lesson and yes, at times I felt maybe I wasn't getting the best out of my lesson, but when she was late she would tel me she will add the time at the end of the lesson or next lesson, which she did.