Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the cost of driving lessons?2. Can I get lessons in an automatic car?
3. I have an automatic licence can I drive a manual car?
4. Who can accompany me whilst I am learning to drive?
5. Do you have a female instructor?
6. What are the manoeuvres?
7. Can I buy a gift voucher
8. When should I check my mirrors
9. Can you help me prepare for an extended driving test
1. What is the cost of driving lessons?
Lessons are charged for by the hour, so how much each lesson will cost depends on the length of the lesson. Discounts are available when you pay for a block of lesson and further discounts are available for some students. The current price of driving lessons can be found on the information page.
2. Can I get lessons in an automatic car?
No. Sorry but I only have the one manual car. Use Yellow pages or do an internet search for lessons in an automatic. Bear in mind that if you pass your test in an automatic car you cannot drive a manual car without take the test again.
3. I have an automatic licence can I drive a manual car?
If you have a licence to drive an automatic car you must take another test in a manual car before you can drive it alone. You can use your automatic licence as a provisional manual licence and drive a manual car displaying L plates but you must have a suitably qualified driver by your side.
4. Who can accompany me whilst I am learning to drive?
If you have your own car, or you have access to a car that is insured for you to drive, you can get extra practice in between your lessons. However, you must have an experienced driver by your side. That person must be 21 or over and must have held a full driving licence for at least 3 years.
5. Do you have a female instructor?
No. Sorry I work alone. I fully understand that some people prefer the idea of having a female instructor. There are some about, but I cannot specifically recommend anyone. You will need to search the internet or look in Yellow Pages. Unfortunately most instructors are men so it can be difficult to find a female instructor who can take you on. If you look at the Hall of Fame you will see that 50% of my clients are female, many college students and none have complained so far.
6. What are the manoeuvres?
There are five possible manoeuvres, you will normally be asked to perform two of them on test although you could be asked to do more. They are: 1. The turn in the road (often referred to as the 3 point turn). 2. The left reverse (reversing around a corner on your left). 3. The right the reverse (reversing around a corner on your right, this manoeuvre is useful for people driving vans). 4. The parallel park. 5. The bay park.
7. Can I buy a gift voucher
Yes you can buy one or more vouchers. The price structure remains the same. To get your voucher either phone or email and tell me how many lessons you want to buy. I will produce a voucher and deliver it to you. Payment can be made on receipt of the voucher.
8. When should I check my mirrors
Your mirrors should be checked before you make any change to your speed or direction and before you put on a signal, should one be needed.
Driving is likely to be one of the most dangerous tasks you ever undertake. Safety is therefore essential. When it comes to the test the examiners will want to see that everything you do is safe, this in turn gives you the best chance of remaining safe when driving alone after passing the test. Keep this in mind all the time.
How do you know that your actions will be safe? Answer, by taking in as more information about your surroundings as possible, this means looking in your mirrors as well as looking forward and to each side.
So if you are driving down a straight empty road at a steady speed you could say there is no need to check your mirrors (but read on).
If you need to turn, for example pulling out to overtake a stationary vehicle, you need to make sure that it will be safe and so you must check your center and right mirrors (center mirror because it is your primary mirror and tells you what is immediately behind you, right mirror because you are turning out to the right - there could be a motorcyclist overtaking you).
If you are intending to turn off the road you are on, say to the left, you must check your center and left mirror to ensure that your manoeuvre will be safe. A turn to the right would require a check of the center and right mirrors.
You will often have to change speed, for example when traffic lights change to red. Before you slow down or stop you must check your mirrors to ensure that your actions will be safe (some people drive too close, you need to compensate for their irresponsible behaviour by slowing down carefully) you will only know someone is too close if you look in your mirrors.
Before you increase your speed you should check that no-one is trying to overtake, if they are let them by before you go much faster.
Every good driver will always know what is behind them so that they are always prepared should the circumstances ahead suddenly change, therefore even when driving along a straight road you should check your center mirror on a regular basis.
9. Can you help me prepare for an extended driving test
If you have committed a driving offence a court may order you to take an extended test before you will be allowed to drive again on a full licence.
The extended driving test requires you to drive for up to one and half hours whilst not committing more than 15 driving faults. In other words you must drive to the same standard as you did for the standard test but for twice the length of time. The test route will also include driving on rural roads.
I can help you prepare for the test but do not underestimate the standard you need to reach; you may need to spend several hours preparing. The cost of lessons is the same as the standard lesson price, but when it comes to the test the lesson time will be three hours rather than the usual two. Contact me for more details.