I too also use the handbrake and never ride the clutch (our car is 6 years old). I also think its not pleasant for the person behind to put up with being blinded with the bright brake lights when it’s dark.

…all the routes are available now online anyway

The old routes are. Current ones are exempt because of the inclusion of independent driving in the test
Having said that there aren’t too many ways of linking hills, junctions and parking spots up 🙂

You need an experienced ADI or examiner to explain some “minors” you don’t have to use pull-push steering for example as long as you’re in control of the steering

we seem to be drifting OT a bit (I know, have I ever visited STW before!) but the question is whether you can self-teach to pass a test w/o other lessons. All the stuff about what we do and why we think we’re right and the instructors are wrong just reinforces that a few lessons is sensible because what is expected by instructors and examiners is not the same as ‘normal’ driving.

As I mentioned we got a cancellation out of area which meant she did the test in her own car; I was the only Dad out of 4 in the test centre (the others were all proper DI’s) – talking to them as well was interesting. Pass rates across the country are about 50%, which is pretty poor. The DI’s all agreed that this is due to people taking tests that are clearly not ready, but they’ve got it booked and for the cost why cancel it? They don’t like this – they want to be able to advertise and claim good pass rates for their businesses, but also there’s a chance that the ‘incompetent’ can get lucky on the day and then be released to the road when they really shouldn’t be. They were in favour of an approved DI having to effectively countersign the form to say that the driver is ready, which could I agree become a bit of a cabal holding people to more and more lessons when not needed. But as one said – he has seventy-twelve people on his waiting list and isn’t in danger of running out of business so why would they delay someone who’s actually ready?

I didn’t go anywhere near either of my kids learning to drive. I don’t think for a minute that I can teach them to pass a test that I passed 30 years ago and has changing wildly in that time while in the meantime I’ve picked up a festival of bad habits. I can’t see the point of teaching them “how to drive” in a way that is 180degs to the things that they’re being taught to do by people who’s actual job is to teach people how to drive.

After they pass their test we did some driving and we talked about driving skills and so on, but I absolutely did not interfere with how they stop at traffic lights or whatever. They can learn that stuff for themselves.

In a modern car – dipped clutch and brake means stop start activates

Not in mine. Brake and neutral activates it, depressing the clutch restarts the engine. I tend to use neutral and brake at lights now, handbrake if I know the lights and it’s a long cycle to wait.

I wouldn’t do the full teaching thing but it’s probably a good idea to let them practice a bit, hill starts, three point turns and whatever.

Was very grateful for this when my instructor broke his car a few days before the test and I had to take it in my parents’ Volvo estate instead!

I agree, and the instructor encouraged it, in fact later on suggested fortnightly lessons with us providing passenger seat supervision in between to allow her to practise. But, and the key bit, is just sit and don’t interfere, as I said all the ‘why do you do that, why don’t you do this’ suggestions were rightly rejected!!

Just returned from a 2 hour session in a dual control hire car with the boy. I’ll help him with general car control and then it’ll be lessons with an instructor.
It seems that you can’t get intensive courses with a test at the end like you could a few years ago, which is what he would have preferred to do.

Just to add, one of the things for self teachers that lessons don’t tend to give is getting miles on narrowish quiet country roads. It takes away all the manoeuvre pressures and hill starts and lets the learner get used to the width of the car and how to steer, accelarate, change gear and brake without having to know specific rules for much. Also, occasionally asking what colour is the car behind you worked wonders on my use of mirrors.

During lockdown in Melbourne younger antigee got a test slot as immune compromised and public transport not a great get about option for her…no instructors allowed to work so passed test based on my 120hrs of supervision…I’d 150% vote for compulsory professional tuition…neighbours daughter drives just like her mum…and

two incidents with drivers under “instruction” in last few months:

riding at 30km/hr plus in a permanent 40kmh limit, on road cycle lanes, usual parked cars….I move out to pass a parked car…fairly early and into centre of lane…car approaching from behind fails to slow and moves out to overtake despite an oncoming car and parked car on opposite side as well …I abandon and brake hard to avoid hitting rear wing of parked vehicle as the car from behind predictably pulls in early and slows to avoid the oncoming vehicle…caught up at next lights (as you do)

L plater…so bang on window of “supervisor” ….”it was the fault of the oncoming car”
Me: “what did you tell the driver to do?”…Supervisor “your head check was late” …
Me “that wasn’t a head check I have radar and mirror – that was a look of disbelief…What did you tell the driver to do?”….
lights changed / window up

Riding in front of Mrs Antigee I signal move to right to take lane and prepare to turn right as we approach a road calming chicane prior to a junction (20km/hr advisory signs), too narrow for safe passes Mrs Antigee follows me…vehicle that had been a safe distance behind fails to scrub any speed and blasts horn…rather than move into the right turn lane I slow and force driver to stop car- L plate – and ask driver (as I’m on that side) “What’s the problem”….”You were in the middle of the f….ng road you ..nt” Supervisor “get out of the f….ng way”

these aren’t just “bad habits” being passed on they are dangerous attitudes

Recently did this with my son with no lessons with mixed results. Failed first test as he was pulled up too close behind a car on a hill and I wasn’t aware of the rule where you should be able to see the road between the 2 cars in that instance – I’d never heard of it! Passed second time out but his sister had recently passed and was able to give plenty of tips. He was a good natural driver though and listens to and absorbs instruction and advice. He did miss out on a instructors route knowledge though and was lucky with quiet roads on the day