SALAD
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| posted on 29/1/09 at 09:49 PM |
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Intensive Driving Courses...?
Has anyone had any experience of intensive driving lessons / course?......that's not an oportunity to recount stressfull experiences you may
have had whilst learning to drive  ......I'm enquiring as to whether the one week intensive courses would be suitable for my G/F (who
hasn't had much driving experience at all yet).......it's about time she learnt.
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blakep82
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| posted on 29/1/09 at 09:58 PM |
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take her on a holiday to the lake district. tell her she's driving
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smart51
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| posted on 29/1/09 at 09:58 PM |
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I leaned having 2 two-hour lessons per week. Sort of semi-intensive. It was good. Less time to forget things between lessons and good long sessions
for things to sink in.
I'm told that you need 40 hours of lessons these days, rather than the 20 hours when I was 17 so 1 week might not be feasible but it is still
possible to get the lessons in over a short time.
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scootz
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| posted on 29/1/09 at 10:17 PM |
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Yep - had plenty of intensive driver training... 4 weeks residential being the longest of them! 
I would say it's probably made me an above-average driver, but more important than that, the courses have considerably improved my
hazard-perception and general driving awareness. I guess its made me 'safer'... not necessarily 'faster'.
The types of courses I did were not universally available, but there are similar courses out there run by driver-training agencies and serving / ex
Police Officers.
Definitely worthwhile, but I would suggest that she waits six months to a year after she's passed her test as these courses are stressful and
tiring enough for experienced drivers, let alone someone just setting out.
As for the run up to sitting her test... half hour sessions (if they still do them) are an absolute waste of time. At least an hour (preferably 2)
and at least 2 lessons per week. Build it all up as the test date looms.
Quite a good idea to bolster it with allowing her to fanny about with your car on an old runway, etc. Just getting used to random starting, stopping
and turning helps loads and maximizes her value for money when it comes to the actual 'paid' lessons.
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cd.thomson
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| posted on 29/1/09 at 10:27 PM |
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I believe youre actually wondering about the intensive learner driver courses? (sorry if im wrong) I considered it, and my brother is now for car
driving.
I believe theyll get you through the test a-okay, especially if you're shrewd and pick a course that is run and tested in a relaxed rural
setting. As far as driving experience goes, however, youre far less likely to have to handle different weather and road conditions if you train
entirely within a week/month for example. I expect it would be a steep learning curve after you pass to handle real world driving.
I never did it in the end, as there was no rush for me to pass, I took it slow, learned to drive for other people and passed comfortably first time
round - relatively pressure free.
When I hit 21 earlier this year I did an intensive direct access motorbike license in a week.. This was long enough to learn the ropes and fortunately
the thousands of miles I have accumulated in experience has meant ive avoid any niavety (so far, it pays not to get over confident!)
Craig
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SALAD
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| posted on 29/1/09 at 10:29 PM |
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She mentioned a week course with the driving test at the end, though I did think that it would be best to let her get some practice in first.
I'd imagine they are not cheap and it would be better to know the basics.
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scootz
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| posted on 29/1/09 at 10:32 PM |
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I agree... definitely better if she's comfortable with a car before embarking on such an arduous course. A few hour lessons first over a few
weeks just to test her initial aptitude and to make sure she's not throwing money away
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JoelP
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| posted on 29/1/09 at 10:34 PM |
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my bro failed a few tests, finally got a job offer that needed driving and passed a 5 day course shortly after. So it did work for him, but he didnt
tell me anything about it.
For my wife, i just got her insured and made her drive everywhere, backed up by regular 2 hour lessons. We got her there in the end 
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liam.mccaffrey
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| posted on 29/1/09 at 11:03 PM |
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I was 17 on may 29 and passed on June 16 after having 2 or 3 2hour lessons a week.
My GF at the time had a 40 min lesson every week for 45 weeks and she turned out to be a great driver. Had she had an intensive course she would have
passed quickly and saved a load of money.
I think they are (intensive courses) brilliant and so did my driving instructor, also admitting they were bad for business because people had fewer
lessons
good luck
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YQUSTA
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| posted on 29/1/09 at 11:06 PM |
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I did a 1 week course when I first learnt to drive.
It may have been down to the instructor or me but my opinion is it was the bigest waste of money around.
Learnt very little about real driving compared to the 2 x 2hour lessons a week.
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omega0684
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| posted on 29/1/09 at 11:42 PM |
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i guess it depends on the person, if they can assimilate the information quickly and then put it into practice effectively then i would say that an
intensive course would be ideal,
i had 14 lessons (2 a week) and past first time, but my mate took over 30 lessons and failed twice, i guess it just depends on your abilities.
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dogwood
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| posted on 30/1/09 at 08:41 AM |
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Those intensive driving courses are fine to get your driving licence.
It takes years to learn how to drive..
JMO you understand.
FREE THE ROADSTER ONE…!!
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carpmart
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| posted on 30/1/09 at 08:56 AM |
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My Daughter passed her test in 2007, eight weeks after her 17th birthday and with 16 hours of tuition and the extra hour to do the test in the
instructors car!
She is a great young driver and her observation is amazingly good and doesn't match her minimal experience!
However, there are still situations which she is learning from. Snow, ice, fog all present new challenges for inexperienced drivers.
So, my experience with a you lady learning to drive is that it was a simple process. I would book your girlfriend a lesson and see if she is a
natural or not! Then decide on intensive or a slower lesson approach!
You only live once - make the most of it!
Radical Clubsport, Kwaker motor
'94 MX5 MK1, 1.8
F10 M5 - 600bhp Daily Hack
Range Rover Sport - Wife's Car
Mercedes A class - Son's Car
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trogdor
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| posted on 30/1/09 at 11:15 AM |
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This is how I passed my test, when i was 17 i learned for a bit with my parents. Then i went to uni and could never afford to learn to drive. Then we
when I got back I signed up for a intensive course in blackpool. There are loads there for some reason.
The one i did was really good was unusual in that it was shared tuition. So over the whole day you did an hour or so then you swapped round with
someone else. And alternated over the day.
The means you not constantly driving but still learning. The course worked really well apart from one thing. I spent three days going round blackpool
but my test was in Southport! i didn't realise the company picked up all the cancellations. I failed but i booked the next available test in
blackpool got a few lessons before hand and passed that time.
All in all it was a really good way of learning but would suggest that the person can basically drive and make sure the test is in the area that you
are learning in.
[Edited on 30/1/09 by trogdor]
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SALAD
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| posted on 30/1/09 at 12:53 PM |
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Thanks guys, I'll get her to read this.
Best thing then would be to see how she gets on with me and normal lessons before spending the money on the week course.
Thanks again
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