Driving lessons in automatic car

[Guest]

Originally Posted by wendy7654

I think we will see how the next 10 lessons go, we are unable to take her out as cars are auto’s and DH works away a lot, we managed it with DS now 23 and he passed within 3 months of his 17th birthday.
Thanks all for the advice.

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I would try not to remind her that her brother passed within three months, it could be adding to her stress. Let her take all the time she needs, driving is hard to learn for some people, it took me eight lessons before I could drive in a straight line.

[Smilesonfaces]

Is there a particular urgency that she needs to be able to drive ? Has her instructor said she is struggling or is it just her own expectations ?
Personally I think 10 lessons is nothing and would encourage her to persevere. She is only 17 maybe she is just not ready to drive and is perhaps feeling pressure to pass quickly because her brother did. Her brother may have only had 10 lessons with an instructor but if he was also going out practicing with family that could well have amounted to many more hours of driving experience and your daughter has just had 10.

Only having an automatic license will always restrict her choice of cars and I would only go down that path if she really cannot get the hang of it. I wouldn’t come to that decision at just 17 with only 10 lessons.

[danisleigh]

Originally Posted by wendy7654

I think we will see how the next 10 lessons go, we are unable to take her out as cars are auto’s and DH works away a lot, we managed it with DS now 23 and he passed within 3 months of his 17th birthday.
Thanks all for the advice.

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All teenagers are different and not only that things change all the time. I think it’s a lot rarer to hear of teens passing that quickly nowadays with the theory test to do and the amount they have to learn. My son passed exactly 6 months after his 17th and that’s pretty quick, a lot of his friends were coming up for 18 when they passed. They do say the average is over 40 hours of lessons plus practice at home.
Also I would recommend longer lessons. My son had 90 minute lessons mainly and found it much better as an hour seemed to fly by when you are trying to get to grips with something.

[Smilesonfaces]

Originally Posted by danisleigh

All teenagers are different and not only that things change all the time. I think it’s a lot rarer to hear of teens passing that quickly nowadays with the theory test to do and the amount they have to learn. My son passed exactly 6 months after his 17th and that’s pretty quick, a lot of his friends were coming up for 18 when they passed. They do say the average is over 40 hours of lessons plus practice at home.
Also I would recommend longer lessons. My son had 90 minute lessons mainly and found it much better as an hour seemed to fly by when you are trying to get to grips with something.

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Agree with this. My son had a few lessons at 17 and gave up because he just couldn’t pass his theory test. He is now 21 and started lessons again about 3 months ago. He has found 2 hour lessons to be much better for him. He has his test next week so fingers crossed !

[klr15]

I agree with the others, 10 lessons isn’t that many and a lot of people struggle at first to keep control of the steering wheel whilst changing the gear as it can take a bit of practice to not look at the gear box whilst you’re doing it.

I struggled for a long time with my driving, in fact I struggled for months until I changed driving instructor. I don’t think it was solely the other instructors fault, but he was fairly new to the job and didn’t know how how to help me get more confident. Like he would berate me for my mistakes.

I would encourage her to just stick at it because then at least she has the choice when she passes. Auto isn’t always quicker either, my friend has been having auto lessons since November last year and is just now taking her test. Depends on the individual.

We all pass in our own time, doesn’t matter how long it takes.

[SiandAm]

My DS18 took the automatic option too. He has a lovely little 1L fiesta

[wendy7654]

Thanks all, we never mention her brother passing so quick she just knows he did but very different circumstances now, she’s not desperate to drive she would just like to be able to drive. We have told her it’ll take as long as it needs and she knows of friends teens who have been doing lessons for over a year. She’s a little bit of a panicker anyway, will stick with the manual for now and if at any point she wants to stop them and take them up at a later stage then that’s fine.
Thanks again it’s interesting to hear other views.

[Bladelia]

I passed in 1986, and having driven both manual and automatic vehicles I find (and it may be all in my mind) that Im more in control in a manual vehicle I get less complacent, and less distracted.

[Stardust5]

DS has just passed his driving test (manual), it took him 1 year and 2 months of driving lessons and he passed on his 2nd attempt. He has struggled but persevered and that has now paid off, maybe let her continue for a bit longer and then review it, 10 lessons isn’t that much.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Stardust5

DS has just passed his driving test (manual), it took him 1 year and 2 months of driving lessons and he passed on his 2nd attempt. He has struggled but persevered and that has now paid off, maybe let her continue for a bit longer and then review it, 10 lessons isn’t that much.

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It took me three years. Five instructors, goodness knows how many lessons, three tests.