Driving lessons and practical test

Hi everyone, I'm in the process of getting my UK driving licence - have just passed theory test (hooray!) and now have the practical ahead of me. I'm trying to figure out what I should expect in terms of how difficult the transition will be, and how many hours of instruction I should plan on getting. I've been a driver for 25+ years in the US but have not yet driven in the UK (though I've cycled extensively). I'll be looking to get my automatic licence to make things as easy as possible, and I'll need to go through a driving instructor so I can use their car (all my friends with cars drive manual). Lessons are really expensive, though! Has anyone gone through this process as an experienced driver - how many lessons did you take before you were ready for the test? Should I really not expect to pass the first time? Any advice appreciated!

Hi everyone, I'm in the process of getting my UK driving licence - have just passed theory test (hooray!) and now have the practical ahead of me. I'm trying to figure out what I should expect in terms of how difficult the transition will be, and how many hours of instruction I should plan on getting. I've been a driver for 25+ years in the US but have not yet driven in the UK (though I've cycled extensively). I'll be looking to get my automatic licence to make things as easy as possible, and I'll need to go through a driving instructor so I can use their car (all my friends with cars drive manual). Lessons are really expensive, though! Has anyone gone through this process as an experienced driver - how many lessons did you take before you were ready for the test? Should I really not expect to pass the first time? Any advice appreciated!

I passed the first time. I ended up spending more than 4 times longer (aka 4 times more lessons - I think I had 8 or 10) than I had expected. I also went the automatic route, and also had 50 years as a driver.  The test is incredibly picky, so all the practice in the car I was going to take the test in was really very, very helpful. A lot of what you were used to in the USA applies in the UK, but there are some... peculiarities...  in the UK that you are just going to have to force yourself to learn - at least until you pass the test.  The online versions of the driving test might be helpful.

You will have it easier than I did.  Good luck!   

 Thanks, this is super helpful to hear! I actually do use mirrors a lot (even use one as a cyclist) so maybe that will be a benefit! But roundabouts ... not looking forward to that haha

My daughter went through this last year, passed her test and got her full licence on July 4 so celebrated a double Independence Day. She also had over 20 years driving experience but did buy an automatic car here so she could drive on her US licence for a few months until it expired. My son did something similar a few years earlier and as suggested I think it is really important to get some lessons because although you know how to drive and are very experienced you need to know to pass the test and an instructor will take you on the typical routes that the examiner will take.

My son took his test in the instructor’s car but my daughter took her test in her own car, an EV, which was a first for the examiner as it turned out. They both passed first time fortunately.

First time pass here as well!   I did take lessons even after driving in the US for many years.  The test was hard, and I've heard it's gotten harder.

I had an introductory lesson / assessment, and ... WOW. I broke down crying, it was so stressful. The instructor told me he sees it all the time with immigrant students - we know how to drive, but we don't know the rules of the test, which is a completely different thing. I still don't understand some of the specific things I was doing "wrong" - there are so many granular rules about exactly how to position your car and where to look (and how to telegraph your movement to show where you're looking and that you've seen things) that I actually felt unsafe driving, because I was so focused on following the rules that I wasn't actually able to take in my environment and just...drive safely! He estimated I'd need 20 hours of instruction to pass the test. I found the whole thing so overwhelming that I am seriously reconsidering whether or not I actually need a licence. (Not to mention, that much instruction is an expense I was not prepared for this year!) Oof.

I had an introductory lesson / assessment, and ... WOW. I broke down crying, it was so stressful. The instructor told me he sees it all the time with immigrant students - we know how to drive, but we don't know the rules of the test, which is a completely different thing. I still don't understand some of the specific things I was doing "wrong" - there are so many granular rules about exactly how to position your car and where to look (and how to telegraph your movement to show where you're looking and that you've seen things) that I actually felt unsafe driving, because I was so focused on following the rules that I wasn't actually able to take in my environment and just...drive safely! He estimated I'd need 20 hours of instruction to pass the test. I found the whole thing so overwhelming that I am seriously reconsidering whether or not I actually need a licence. (Not to mention, that much instruction is an expense I was not prepared for this year!) Oof.

Our daughter just gave us a lift to the  train station and my wife and I were just saying how much more relaxed she is driving now. She passed her test last year after lots of stressful months

i'm going through this myself, having moved to the UK last year.

i did an assessment first to see how much training i'd really need (i've already been driving in the UK since i moved here on my US license).  i'm in my 40s so i've been driving for 25ish years too.  i did OK on the assessment but it was clear i needed more classes to learn how to pass the test.  i chose to take an intensive course to get it all over with in a few sessions rather than spreading this out over weeks and months.

i was a bit nervous too in the beginning but after a couple hours with the instructor i felt a lot more comfortable. 

I had a very similar experience, the instructor said I needed 40 hours or something like that.  Keep in mind that he has no reason to say otherwise and he'll make lots of money during those hours.  Of course I have no idea how you are driving, but let's not forget that the driving instructor may have other interests at heart.    I think in my case I took another 5 hours or so, concentrating on the tricky stuff on the test and then passed the first time.     Don't let them wind you up too much. 

I had an introductory lesson / assessment, and ... WOW. I broke down crying, it was so stressful. The instructor told me he sees it all the time with immigrant students - we know how to drive, but we don't know the rules of the test, which is a completely different thing. I still don't understand some of the specific things I was doing "wrong" - there are so many granular rules about exactly how to position your car and where to look (and how to telegraph your movement to show where you're looking and that you've seen things) that I actually felt unsafe driving, because I was so focused on following the rules that I wasn't actually able to take in my environment and just...drive safely! He estimated I'd need 20 hours of instruction to pass the test. I found the whole thing so overwhelming that I am seriously reconsidering whether or not I actually need a licence. (Not to mention, that much instruction is an expense I was not prepared for this year!) Oof.

I had a similar experience and also considered not getting a licence.  I also felt unsafe driving because I was so focused on following the rules.  I felt like the instructors only gave negative feedback and I started to question whether I was good driver, even though I never had an accident in 30+ years of driving.

Hang in there.  I ended up passing with ZERO faults and the examiner complimented my driving.  I've now had my UK licence for 3 years and I love the freedom it's given me.

The major challenges I had were busy roundabouts, how to navigate a road when one lane is blocked with parked cars and there is oncoming traffic and in general the narrowness of UK roads vs. the US.

Some instructors offer a packages where if you buy several lessons the price per lesson is cheaper. 

I wish you the best!

You have to unlearn some things from US driving and learn to drive to test standard. Your instructor should take you around your test centre and show you any unusual roundabouts and junctions.

 I found it helped to “drive” around the area on Street View to get a good look at the signage and familiarise myself with the area. There is a self-guided portion of the test and in some places it can be hard to read the signs, watch the traffic and get all of your observations in to test standard before you get to the roundabout.

Good luck!