License fast; suggestions?

I might need to get a driving license ASAP.  Does anyone have any recommendations (SE London area) for intensive courses that can get you through in a month or so?  I've found a couple of options with a casual Google search, but was wondering if anyone has gone this route and has feedback on any specific companies that were (or weren't) good? 

Hi Aquila,

No direct experience I'm afraid but the first thing I remembered are the intensive driving courses that take a week

http://www.oneweekintensivedriving.com/

Perhaps taking a week of work might be the way to go? if that's totally out of the question, then perhaps speaking to a good local driving instructor to see if you can book up a stack of evening lessons over the month and get your test booked in for once you feel comfortable taking it ?

Cheers, DtM! West London & Slough UK!

There are option to do anywhere from 12 hours (two 6 hour days) to 48 hours (six 6 hour days) with some companies in my area. I'm sure that there are a LOT of companies in the London area.

Easiest thing is to check out their websites, most companies will have testimonials. The driving instructor I was using had lots of great ones! I'm looking for an intensive myself. I think I could probably do one of the 2 day ones though. I've been doing lessons since January.

Thanks all.  I've really been putting it off, and in the end, it's my own fault for procrastinating so much but my goodness... driving lessons are expensive and with all the visa fees, I just didn't have the spare cash to pay for them in the past. 

(Side note/rant; this hazard perception test is horrendous... it seems to punish experienced drivers.  In practice tests, I'm identifying all the hazards correctly, but have been clicking too early before the click is able to be registered as counting.  Grrr.)

Thanks all.  I've really been putting it off, and in the end, it's my own fault for procrastinating so much but my goodness... driving lessons are expensive and with all the visa fees, I just didn't have the spare cash to pay for them in the past. 

(Side note/rant; this hazard perception test is horrendous... it seems to punish experienced drivers.  In practice tests, I'm identifying all the hazards correctly, but have been clicking too early before the click is able to be registered as counting.  Grrr.)

The hazard perception test isn't easy. Try to do practice tests online to master 'the art of the click'. 

I took lessons in SW London (Morden). No where near home, but I wanted to take lessons near the exam centre so I was familiar with the roads. I'll DM you my instructor's details if I can find them. I didn't take intensive lessons, but I know he was giving another student intensive lessons around the same time I was taking (regular).

(Side note/rant; this hazard perception test is horrendous... it seems to punish experienced drivers.  In practice tests, I'm identifying all the hazards correctly, but have been clicking too early before the click is able to be registered as counting.  Grrr.)

All I can say is the DVD with all the questions and hazard perception for practice did it all for me. I read through the code book, but if you are comfortable with the questions on the DVD that covers everything. Also when clicking......I found that I just clicked twice since there was no penalty for doing so (only for LOTS of clicking), if I was early with the first click the second one (half second or so later) was usually in the right spot.

All I can say is the DVD with all the questions and hazard perception for practice did it all for me. I read through the code book, but if you are comfortable with the questions on the DVD that covers everything. Also when clicking......I found that I just clicked twice since there was no penalty for doing so (only for LOTS of clicking), if I was early with the first click the second one (half second or so later) was usually in the right spot.

I second this advice, although I might have ventured a third click most times.   

It really is a ridiculous test in the way it's scored.

I actually see the point they are trying to make. Somewhere, someone has looked at the state of driving in the UK and they have determined that what is lacking is not so much the knowledge of the minutia of driving regulation, but a defensive mindset.

The perception portion is showing just that, that we are hurtling along in a very dangerous piece of metal, and that we should be looking ahead constantly for developing challenges. Too, in the written portion, it is consistently reinforced that aggression should be avoided.

However, and this is another thing I am working on, this business of driving, of having this little personal capsule we careen around in....it appeals to our selfish individualism to such a degree that I don't know that any "lessons" learned through training and testing aren't naturally discarded when we are injected into the flow of day-to-day driving.

So while these things make absolute sense from the perspective of current test development, I can't help but think that in reality there isn't a heck of a lot of thought process going on in the average driver.....even if, and it is a big if, they are not driving aggresively.

All I can say is the DVD with all the questions and hazard perception for practice did it all for me. I read through the code book, but if you are comfortable with the questions on the DVD that covers everything. Also when clicking......I found that I just clicked twice since there was no penalty for doing so (only for LOTS of clicking), if I was early with the first click the second one (half second or so later) was usually in the right spot.

I second this advice, although I might have ventured a third click most times.   

It really is a ridiculous test in the way it's scored.

I thought I was catching the two hazard video in my test and overclicked. No points for me on that clip.

Talk about feeling defeated.

I actually see the point they are trying to make. Somewhere, someone has looked at the state of driving in the UK and they have determined that what is lacking is not so much the knowledge of the minutia of driving regulation, but a defensive mindset.

The perception portion is showing just that, that we are hurtling along in a very dangerous piece of metal, and that we should be looking ahead constantly for developing challenges. Too, in the written portion, it is consistently reinforced that aggression should be avoided.

All this comes back to my way of thinking (yeah.....that's scary). You really can't judge someones ability to see/detect possible hazards with a computer (yet). The tester needs to be the "God" of getting your license. THEY need to see how you detect REAL LIFE cars/trucks/pedestrians and your response to these situations. You can pass a written test to see if you know the rules......but when it comes to driving......a whole different world. I could see at some point you take the driving test and they put two cameras in the car to verify how you drove if you don't agree with the final verdict.

How many people have driven with people and you are totally comfortable with the way they drive? How many have driven with people and you are constantly wondering if you are going to die because they are really crap drivers?(I can think of someone in particular). 

All this comes back to my way of thinking (yeah.....that's scary). You really can't judge someones ability to see/detect possible hazards with a computer (yet). The tester needs to be the "God" of getting your license. THEY need to see how you detect REAL LIFE cars/trucks/pedestrians and your response to these situations. You can pass a written test to see if you know the rules......but when it comes to driving......a whole different world. I could see at some point you take the driving test and they put two cameras in the car to verify how you drove if you don't agree with the final verdict.

How many people have driven with people and you are totally comfortable with the way they drive? How many have driven with people and you are constantly wondering if you are going to die because they are really crap drivers?(I can think of someone in particular).

I used to ride in a vanpool in the US.  Scary stuff!  There was one guy who always wanted to make eye contact when talking with you.  We had a rule that if you sat shotgun while he was driving, your job was to make him keep his eyes on the road and not talk!

I'd be a lot happier if they taught people how to drive on the motorway!  It's actually illegal for a learner driver to go on the motorway, even with an instructor.  Once they've got their license, it's perfectly fine for them to head straight for the motorway and take their rightful place in the middle lane.

I'd be a lot happier if they taught people how to drive on the motorway!  It's actually illegal for a learner driver to go on the motorway, even with an instructor.  Once they've got their license, it's perfectly fine for them to head straight for the motorway and take their rightful place in the middle lane.

They do have 'Pass Plus' courses which teach you how to drive on the motorway after you have passed your test... However they are only optional, so you don't have to take them if you don't want to (though it's recommended and I think can help lower premiums when you are taking out car insurance).

I didn't do a Pass Plus course when I got my licence, but I did get my parents to show me best practice for motorway driving before I did it alone.