Dodgy instructor?

Hi all,

I've just started the process of getting my UK driving licence (been driving in the US for about 10 years). I had my first driving lesson with an AA instructor today and he said that bookings for the practical test are booked up till late summer, but that I could pay him a bit "extra" and he could get me a test at a sooner date. This sounded a bit dodgy to me - has this happened to anyone else? My instructor then said I would need 9 to 10 more lessons before being ready to take the test, and this seemed like an awful lot to me considering my past experience - I'm not sure I can trust this guy. Is this dodgy behaviour, or just normal driving instructor-ness?

Thanks for your help!

Not necessarily the lessons bit because the driving behaviours over here can be quite different (imo), but the paying extra to get a test date sooner does sound dodgy.  There's now way to jump the queue only to get a test if someone has given up their exam date and time. 

There's no way to jump the queue only to get a test if someone has given up their exam date and time. 

It sounds to me like the instructor may be playing on (and trying to profit from) a perceived naïveté of the process.  Anyone can keep checking back via the relevant appointment booking website to see if there's been a cancellation, and hey - if you happen upon it at the right time, you just might get a sooner date/time.  But 'pay me extra' to do what you could essentially do yourself - yes, sounds dodgy to me.

Number of lessons?  Eh - could be about right, you might need more, you might need less.

The first instructor I had a lesson with - I didn't book any more lessons with.  Not after she made a point to tell me why 'god gave us rainbows' (she was a Jehovah's Witness) in the middle of my lesson, and stopped off to book herself a hairdressing appointment also in the middle of my lesson. 

It sounds to me like the instructor may be playing on (and trying to profit from) a perceived naïveté of the process.  Anyone can keep checking back via the relevant appointment booking website to see if there's been a cancellation, and hey - if you happen upon it at the right time, you just might get a sooner date/time.  But 'pay me extra' to do what you could essentially do yourself - yes, sounds dodgy to me.

Number of lessons?  Eh - could be about right, you might need more, you might need less.

I totally agree here. The past driving experience might not exactly mean you need fewer lessons, as the lessons are really about learning how to pass the exam. There are quite a few niggly things there like the reverse around the corner, etc. manouveurs (sp?) that take some time to learn, but the exam thing sounds pretty fishy. I might consult another instructor.

Thanks all - really helpful to hear your opinions. I'm not averse to taking more lessons than I I initially thought (there are some ridiculous maneuvers!), but after thinking more about the whole "you can pay me extra" thing I just wasn't sure how much I could trust the guy. Annoying, too, as I went with the AA because I thought they'd have the most reputable instructors! I think I might give him one more chance, but also will call around and see what other instructor options I have.

Thanks again!

Yeah, the other thing he *could* be doing (the 'pay me extra' thing) is if he knows one of his own pupils is going to cancel/reschedule, or maybe knowing/talking with other driving instructors - hearing about when someone is going to cancel/reschedule.  Either way - dodgy & not ethical, IMO.

My instructor who had been doing that job awhile knew a lot of the other instructors, and a lot of the examiners & so forth.

Sounds like your guy is trying to bulk up his income a bit. There are a lot of driving instructors out there - the market is saturated with them!  My instructor gave me the impression that it gets kinda difficult to make a steady stream of income from it, because there are simply just so many driving instructors & perhaps not enough pupils to go around.  Also a bit of seasonal element to getting business - goes in swings & roundabouts, I guess.  It seems to be one of those jobs that - well, say someone gets made redundant or is having a difficult time finding their niche in the working world, so they say - hey!  I know!  I'll go self-employed & become a driving instructor, and then have a really hard time making a real go of it.  There are some good driving instructors, clearly, but there are a lot of dime-a-dozen ones too, IMO.

Hi all,

I've just started the process of getting my UK driving licence (been driving in the US for about 10 years). I had my first driving lesson with an AA instructor today ...

If this is an actual AA Driving Instructor then I would report his 'for an extra fee' to the AA because this is so wrong and the AA has a reputation to uphold.

As far as your number of lessons, you need to un-learn how to be a US driver and learn how to be a UK driver which can be more difficult that just learning how without any prior knowledge.

You can contact the AA at: 0800 587 0087

Hi all - just an update.  I called the AA to talk to someone about what the instructor did, and it turns out it is completely legit and exactly what most of you suggested - that he is offerring to watch cancellations, etc for me to get me an earlier test date. I wish he had phrased it better than "if you pay me extra", though! I don't think I'll be taking him up on his offer...

Thanks again for all your advice - much appreciated!