Yes, I need 'em. Managed to get by on two wheels all this time, including motorbikes ( although not in this country) , and now with a kid growing up, feel I need to learn to drive.
I probably won't even buy a car as I live in London, but want to learn for holidays, and the future, if we ever move.
What should I look out for? Is it better to go for a big name school, or a little guy? Spread it out, or intensive? Any tips, tricks or hints welcome.
pick 3 and book a first lesson with each then go with the one you feel most comfortable with teaching you.
I went to the AA and they taught me to drive. My mate chose somebody else and he learnt to pass the exam.
You need to talk to the instructor(s) and find out whether they have experience in teaching a more mature student. It is a different skill to teaching 19 year olds (from the instructor who taught Mrs TT).
Go for an instructor with a good reputation and ask them what grade of instructor they are - the go from 4 to 6, 6 being the highest. As for how intensive to go with your lesson schedule speak to whoever is going to teach you. The most I would ever do would be 2hrs/day monday to friday which worked just as well as longer sessions.
I learned to drive two years ago at the age of thirty something by doing a week long intensive course... it was perfect for me. I went with a medium sized outfit that operated out of Swindon.
My days were 9-5 (with breaks for snacks and lunch) and I loved it. The morning of the seventh day was spent prepping for the test, then the test and that was it, I had my license.
I would personally not do intensive, gives you a chance to think about the lessons in-between and you can book the test when comfortable. Depend on the urgency for the license though. Person al opinion only here no professional standing.
And I think I would be tempted to at least get a cheap runaround to drive in once passed - if you pass then wait months before getting in a car again I reckon you could have forgotten much of what you learnt.
Intensive is tempting,but I'm in no hurry. Maybe I'll try some semi intensive thing. Yes, I worry about forgeting to drive if I don't have a car afterwards - but London is rubbish for cars. Street car seems like a good idea though. I might just rent one now and again to drive around, even if I'm not going anywhere.
Thanks for the advice..
As a biker, you'll make a much better driver than most. You are 90% of the way there already. You just need to get used to the differences with 4 wheels and pass the tests. It'll be a breeze!
This. I did it the other way round, passed my bike test years after passing my car test. The second was considerably easier.
I did the bike test 4 years ago, but some 25 years after putting in about 35,000 miles on two wheels. We learned the hard way in those days (many people injured themselves (including ,me), or even died).
I did the bike test after around 970,000 miles of motoring experience, mostly on 4 wheels, but it wasn't easy getting back on a bike. It made me realise how inattentive I had become at the wheel. Unlike on a bike, when driving a car, you can get away with being a bit lax.
In my opinion, biking requires a much higher level of attention and skill than sitting in the comfort and relative safety of a stable 4 wheeled vehicle.
The competent motorcyclist is without a shadow of a doubt, the superior road user. I would say IMHO, but this is fact.
So there! 😆
i would second what is said above,
bikers tend to make better car drivers.
you need to be so much more aware on a bike.
i did my bike test first, drove around for a few years, then did the car test, only had 6 lessons in total, passed first time.
as a biker you already have the road sense, you're just taking lessons to pass the test.
and the test itself is only designed to make sure you are safe to be left driving alone.
once youve done it, you will wonder what all the fuss was about.