Driving lessons: how many hours?

I just starting taking lessons a few weeks ago. I drove a fair bit my first year here on my US license, but stopped when my license expired (most trips we do are on the motorway, so I can't keep up the practice on just my provisional license).

Currently, I feel 90% comfortable driving in the UK. My instructor said that I do have control of the car and my year's experience shows, however I still needed about 10-12 lessons just to learn to pass the test.

I think being so comfortable driving is really a bad thing, because my instincts tend to take over and I do things that would be considered a major fault. In my lesson yesterday, I had to pull to the side of the road to let a police officer on a call pass. Unfortunately, all the cars behind me decided to overtake as well (rush hour+leaner plates= impatient drivers), and instead of waiting for someone to come to a complete stop to let me in, I just waited for a comfortable gap. It's the sort of thing I would have done on the test, and not given it a second thought.

Wow.  That's a fault?  I would fail so fast if I took it right now...

I remember driving on the highway in Spain once and the person in the left lane happened to be going way below the speed limit, but everyone else, including me, was driving in the right lane and going the right speed.  So, we all passed the person who was driving too slow.  My husband freaked out because it was apparently a major driving fault to pass someone in the "slow" lane, and he was convinced I was going to get a ticket.  I would not have ever given it a second thought in the US!

Yes, I don't know how it is in Spain, but the Brits are very particular about their 'lane discipline'.  I am not sure if that would be classed as a 'major fault' or not - a lot of time the answer to that question is 'it depends' (i.e., how hazardous was it, under the circumstances).  Can be very frustrating.  Thing is, the other person shouldn't be going so slow in the fast lane, they should be in the slow lane, so people who want to overtake can do so in the fast lane & so on & so forth...  

IMO, better to take lessons from a professional driving instructor, than from a husband.  It was much better for our marriage that way, anyway - and the extra lessons were definitely worth it on that basis alone.  

Well, you don't ever drive on the motorways for your test, so shouldn't be an issue. However, I suppose you could run into that sort of issue on a dual carriage way.

I always thought I would just have my husband teach me how to drive, but to be honest I'm really happy I've started taking lessons. It's given me so much of my confidence back because the instructor acts like I know how to drive. The confidence I had in the US just clicked back after my first lesson.

I've been struggling with maneuvers, but just spent the evening in a parking lot with my husband practicing. I had a revelation about using the handbrake with the biting point of the clutch, and think that has really helped.

Mander - I asked Anne last night about Durham and you and she said yeah she does one lesson to see where you are at so if you ever wanted to get your feet wet let me know.
I am sure you cna find someone/where in Newcastle but I believe you can learn and take the test in Durham which might be less daunting ;-)

Ooo thanks, I'll PM you about that!

My husband is the worst backseat driver, or at least he has been when driving around with me!  Trouble is he's afraid to learn to drive himself, because he's not very coordinated and was too easily intimidated by all the stuff going on at once (clutch, brake, steer, look for other cars, watch your speed, etc....).  However he is super pedantic about rules, so it can really make you a little crazy!

I passed the practical test yesterday! I am still completely surprised. It turns out that my instructor was a lot tougher than the examiner.

If anyone else finds themselves in my shoes yesterday (nearing despair and having driving lessons damage your confidence), I'd say just study and practice the specifics hard, then go for it.

Jewlz, thanks so much for the good wishes.

I agree with the comment above that being too comfortable driving here before taking lessons and the test can be a bad thing. You develop your own way of driving here, get used to it, then have to unlearn a lot of your practices while paying for it. Also it's likely that no one can spell out the differences for you. For example just last week, after 3 mos of lessons, I found out that it's forbidden to check your blind spot before changing lanes (or any time on the move). Very hard to stop doing after 29 yrs on the road.

Sympathies to the person with the non-driving, backseat-driver, native-UK partner! I have one of those too. 

Cheers

Suzanne

For example just last week, after 3 mos of lessons, I found out that it's forbidden to check your blind spot before changing lanes (or any time on the move). Very hard to stop doing after 29 yrs on the road.

Congrats on passing! Although, my driving instructor was very, very specific about having me check my blind spot before moving over (mirror, look, signal). Maybe it's just a personal preference thing as opposed to illegal? (Or regional?)
Yeah, my DH couldn't teach me either.  Too stressful for both of us!

Thanks!

My instructor said that mirrors-look-signal applies only when you start from a static position (standing still). But I'm no expert. And believe me I will still be checking my blindspot (quickly) before changing lanes.

One of the other weird things was getting marked down for 'unnecessary signalling'. That's usually when you signal you're going to come out from the kerb but no one is around to see the signal. What if someone approaches just as you start to move? How could such a signal be a bad thing? Apparently, in Kirkcaldy at least, you also get marked down if you signal that you're going to move back into the left lane in front of a vehicle you've just overtaken. It's 'unnecessary' as everyone should assume you'll return to the left lane. (I don't intend to obey that one either.)

If we move to the States eventually, I'll probably end up teaching my Scottish husband to drive, just like my German husband 13 years ago. (Believe it or not that didn't hurt our marriage at all!) 

Suzanne

Although, my driving instructor was very, very specific about having me check my blind spot before moving over (mirror, look, signal). Maybe it's just a personal preference thing as opposed to illegal? (Or regional?)

Yeah, that sounds odd... I learned to drive from scratch in the UK (age 17) and I'm sure I was taught that checking the blind spot is important before changing lanes. I've been driving almost 10 years now, and I always check my blind spot before changing lanes or coming onto a motorway/dual-carriageway from a slip-road. I nearly crashed into someone once because I didn't quite check my blind spot properly before changing lanes!

The Highway Code on the UK government website tells you to check your blind spot while driving (http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070312):

Mirrors. All mirrors should be used effectively throughout your journey. You should

    * use your mirrors frequently so that you always know what is behind and to each side of you
    * use them in good time before you signal or change direction or speed
    * be aware that mirrors do not cover all areas and there will be blind spots. You will need to look round and check

and

Overtaking
267

Do not overtake unless you are sure it is safe and legal to do so. Overtake only on the right. You should

    * check your mirrors
    * take time to judge the speeds correctly
    * make sure that the lane you will be joining is sufficiently clear ahead and behind
    * take a quick sideways glance into the blind spot area to verify the position of a vehicle that may have disappeared from your view in the mirror
    * remember that traffic may be coming up behind you very quickly. Check all your mirrors carefully. Look out for motorcyclists. When it is safe to do so, signal in plenty of time, then move out
    * ensure you do not cut in on the vehicle you have overtaken
    * be especially careful at night and in poor visibility when it is harder to judge speed and distance

(http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069862)

Thanks for that transcript. I will send it to my instructor. I thought that that rule (and a number of other things) were fishy.

Suzanne

My husband is the worst backseat driver, or at least he has been when driving around with me!  Trouble is he's afraid to learn to drive himself...

Oh my my my!  Oh my no!  If he is not a driver himself, he's not earned his backseat driver's qualifications.  Two words:  Duct Tape.  Either that, or 'if you don't STFU, I'm leaving you here at the side of the road'... 

Learning to drive with my hubby in the car was particularly fraught because he himself is not always a confident driver - so his being nervous about my driving because he's nervous about driving made me even more nervous.    He has nowhere near the amount of hours and miles of experience in driving that I have (with my US driving experience), and (perhaps strangely for a guy?) readily concedes that I am the better driver out of the two of us.  I just don't have the experience driving here.  However, when we are in the US or another country with driving on the righthand side of the road, I do all the driving because he is fearful of it.  I just need to build up my experience & confidence here, now that I have my licence.  We just don't have occasion to use the car that much.