How long should it take to learn to drive ?

Capt'n Midnight

http://www.dvtani.gov.uk/practicaldrivingtest/carfaqs.asp

5. How many lessons must I have before I can sit my practical test?

There is no set number of driving lessons you must have before sitting your practical test. However, those who pass their driving test have had, on average, about 45 hours of professional training, combined with 22 hours of private practice. Candidates who combine professional instruction with private practice are also more successful on the test.

Professional Training means that the instructors in the UK have to pass a test , unlike the ones here who technically don't even need a driving license :rolleyes:

Not a lot really is it, the hours could be easily spread over a few evenings/weekends.

Yet down here it's ok to let people go years on the road without testing them.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the waiting time reduced ?

OfflerCrocGod

That's about 70 hours in total so if you drove 1 hour a day that's about a month and half - still 45 hours of professional instructor practice is not cheap here :eek:

Mitch Connor

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

http://www.dvtani.gov.uk/practicaldrivingtest/carfaqs.aspProfessional Training means that the instructors in the UK have to pass a test , unlike the ones here who technically don't even need a driving license :rolleyes:

Not a lot really is it, the hours could be easily spread over a few evenings/weekends.

Yet down here it's ok to let people go years on the road without testing them.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the waiting time reduced ?

New legislation has been passed that will require instructors to pass an advanced driving test periodically, according to the fella that i had giving me pre-tests recently.

Capt'n Midnight

Well nearer the test and at weekends you should be doing more than an hour a day. With breaks of course until you don't need to concentrate as much (in the sense that the basics become routine, rather than being negligant )

I can't find the link but I've heard as low as 30 hours from the BBC.

And these aren't the extremes, these are the averages from our neighbours. And our test doesn't include an emergency stop or parallel parking.


Apart from the inexcusable waiting times, do we really need a two year provisional ?

Stark

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

Apart from the inexcusable waiting times, do we really need a two year provisional ?

Waiting times are a year and over in some centres in Dublin and the failure rate around 50%. So 2 years for a person to pass a test on average.

Stark

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the waiting time reduced ?

Aside from the obvious one of hire more testers, the problem of no-shows really needs to be sorted out. I was in the waiting room waiting for my test last week and there were about 4 or 5 names called out before my one and none of them were there.

They should have an online system for checking the status of your test. You should be able to update the list of dates for which you're not available easily and be able to update your address easily (without having to wait on the phone for 2 hours). You should be able to cancel tests easily. You should have to ring in advance or confirm online in advance to say you've received your letter and you're showing up for your test like you do in SGS. If you cancel your test, and there's noone waiting for a cancellation for employment purposes, then the slot should be marked vacant so someone else can log in and snap it up. If with all this in place, and you ring in advance to say you're showing up but still decide to be ignorant and not show up, then you should be fined heavily (unless you have a good excuse of course).

I nearly missed out on my test btw. My confirmation letter got lost in the post and I only found out I had a date for my test after I rang them up to give them the dates for my holidays.

Capt'n Midnight

I don't know but I'd guess one of the main reasons for no shows is that there is no real incentive for most people to pass the test.

Maybe make the test more expensive. If you make it expensive enough to be self financing and bring in nett revenue to the government ??

I'd like to see driving schools here, proper ones where you can do a license over three or four weeks full/part time course and can get a license by continuous assesment rather than just one short nerves on edge drive.


Maybe ask people to show up a half an hour early. Also have a cancellation list of people who can be at the centre in half an hour.

So if you are late the next person takes your place, and Centre rings the next person on the cancallation list to take the slot left vacant by the person who does "your" test

wheresthebeef

i did two lessons and my instructor said i didnt need anymore lessons from him. i had been practicing privately though for about 15 hours, so had kind of taught myself a bit with the help of friends and family. i suppose it depends on the person.

Mitch Connor

i did 10 hours when starting to drive, then did 9 hours prior to my test, and passed first time.

Wishbone Ash

I think that this thread should be entitled "How long should it take to pass a driving test?".

Years of driving experience and the ability to learn from that experience is what makes a good driver. I've been driving for over 20 years and I have a full unrestricted licence in all possible categories but I don't think I'm a particularly good driver. I'm probably average. I make mistakes on a regular basis and am always aware of my limitations. Learning to drive is an ongoing experience.

I'm baffled as to how some people think they can learn to drive in several hours! :eek:

snickerpuss

I had a driving instructor who told me after 4 lessons that i was grand and didn't need anymore, best thing to do would be drive around with my dad.
He was great though.
And i did drive around with my dad in industrial estates at the weekend and that and now i drive on my own (2nd prov grumpy people) and i'm waiting for the test, won't be for months...