I am having to resit my test after a 2 year disqualification due to an unidentified medical condition that caused a serious accident. It is thought that the judge made an example of me because it is such an unusual and unknown case, my doctor, solicitor, friends and family cannot understand why the case went this way. This however is for another topic when I feel I have the confidence to go into more detail, and I don’t want to make excuses.
After 2 years off the road I received my provisional license and shortly after passed my theory test. I started driving lessons after this due to the availability of instructors.
My driving instructor often turns up at least 20 minutes late to a lesson, and then will spend at least 1 hour going through diagrams about the topic we will be doing. This involves me being questioned about acronyms used, some that I haven’t been told and then what they stand for, yelling at me that she told me this last week and that I should have read it in my driving essentials book. Refusing to then tell me and help with my answer.
I originally learned to drive in 2001, things have changed in that time, there are also perhaps some bad habits of mine that I hoped we would identify and resolve, and after taking a five year break my memory has also faded. She frequently tells me about other disqualified drivers that she teaches, and explaining how she has novice drivers who are picking things up quicker and better than me. In my opinion how another pupil is doing should be irrelevant, whilst no names are mentioned it makes me worry about what she says about me.
I had a serious accident which is why I was disqualified, every lesson she shouts about other pupils and their friends, how they have had accidents and that they or their friends are lucky to still be alive, some ending up upside down in a hedge, and that if I don’t listen to her the same will happen to me again.
I often get the wheel snatched out of my hands which worries me sometimes because I am not positioned directly in the middle of the road, when I try to correct this I am yelled at for moving too abruptly, I understand that I don’t know everything, but it would be simpler to just tell me rather than intervening. Yesterday she asked me to pull over at the side of the road, before we came to a stop she for no reason slammed the brakes on, never explaining why.
This then proceeded on to telling me in an argumentative manner that I am holding the steering wheel too tightly, there are a few reasons for this, firstly is the anxiety that she is causing by grabbing the wheel and the associated yelling. I was asked yesterday why I was doing that and I explained that one of the reasons is that my car that I drove before disqualification had heavier steering, this was a wrong answer because after 14 hours (7 lessons) I should be used to her car, the seating position is uncomfortable, but if I put it to how I find it comfortable it is wrong, because of this movement is also limited, making it difficult to check blind spots and look past the A-pillar. With regards to the steering, yesterday she said that if I drive on ice or snow the car will slide all over the road, should you not adapt to the road? She constantly points out how she is an advanced driver and she likes to teach her pupils to that standard.
In yesterday’s lesson she asked if I had booked my theory test, I explained that I had already passed that, without going into detail that I had told her before even starting lessons with her. She then asked if I had booked my driving test, I haven’t yet, and lessons at my test centre can be up to 6 months waiting time. This was wrong and she yelled that I should have booked it already, after these lessons I have no confidence to do any driving after the way she has treated me. Next week is my last lesson with her and I have pretty much decided that I will not go, even if it means that I loose the money I paid in advance.
I was also told that I should have insured my car and go out driving with my dad, he can’t do it because he has heart issues and is going between the house and hospital every other day, she said that my mum should do it then, my mum doesn’t want to just yet if she is taking my dad to and from hospital, I am in work half the time and mum doesn’t want to commit to anything right now.
If I go too slow it’s wrong, even though previously I was told that it is a limit and not a target, yesterday we went past a school, at 3pm, so it was busy with lots of students, I was going too fast then, even though I was doing 20 in a 30 area. This then goes onto gearing, I should change to second before 10mph, the engine doesn’t like it and I can feel it struggling, but if I go at 15mph I am “revving the hell out of the engine”.
A lot to read here, so apologies! I will be doing an intensive course as soon as I can, but my biggest question in all this is am I being too sensitive or is she a bad teacher?
After 2 years off the road I received my provisional license and shortly after passed my theory test. I started driving lessons after this due to the availability of instructors.
My driving instructor often turns up at least 20 minutes late to a lesson, and then will spend at least 1 hour going through diagrams about the topic we will be doing. This involves me being questioned about acronyms used, some that I haven’t been told and then what they stand for, yelling at me that she told me this last week and that I should have read it in my driving essentials book. Refusing to then tell me and help with my answer.
I originally learned to drive in 2001, things have changed in that time, there are also perhaps some bad habits of mine that I hoped we would identify and resolve, and after taking a five year break my memory has also faded. She frequently tells me about other disqualified drivers that she teaches, and explaining how she has novice drivers who are picking things up quicker and better than me. In my opinion how another pupil is doing should be irrelevant, whilst no names are mentioned it makes me worry about what she says about me.
I had a serious accident which is why I was disqualified, every lesson she shouts about other pupils and their friends, how they have had accidents and that they or their friends are lucky to still be alive, some ending up upside down in a hedge, and that if I don’t listen to her the same will happen to me again.
I often get the wheel snatched out of my hands which worries me sometimes because I am not positioned directly in the middle of the road, when I try to correct this I am yelled at for moving too abruptly, I understand that I don’t know everything, but it would be simpler to just tell me rather than intervening. Yesterday she asked me to pull over at the side of the road, before we came to a stop she for no reason slammed the brakes on, never explaining why.
This then proceeded on to telling me in an argumentative manner that I am holding the steering wheel too tightly, there are a few reasons for this, firstly is the anxiety that she is causing by grabbing the wheel and the associated yelling. I was asked yesterday why I was doing that and I explained that one of the reasons is that my car that I drove before disqualification had heavier steering, this was a wrong answer because after 14 hours (7 lessons) I should be used to her car, the seating position is uncomfortable, but if I put it to how I find it comfortable it is wrong, because of this movement is also limited, making it difficult to check blind spots and look past the A-pillar. With regards to the steering, yesterday she said that if I drive on ice or snow the car will slide all over the road, should you not adapt to the road? She constantly points out how she is an advanced driver and she likes to teach her pupils to that standard.
In yesterday’s lesson she asked if I had booked my theory test, I explained that I had already passed that, without going into detail that I had told her before even starting lessons with her. She then asked if I had booked my driving test, I haven’t yet, and lessons at my test centre can be up to 6 months waiting time. This was wrong and she yelled that I should have booked it already, after these lessons I have no confidence to do any driving after the way she has treated me. Next week is my last lesson with her and I have pretty much decided that I will not go, even if it means that I loose the money I paid in advance.
I was also told that I should have insured my car and go out driving with my dad, he can’t do it because he has heart issues and is going between the house and hospital every other day, she said that my mum should do it then, my mum doesn’t want to just yet if she is taking my dad to and from hospital, I am in work half the time and mum doesn’t want to commit to anything right now.
If I go too slow it’s wrong, even though previously I was told that it is a limit and not a target, yesterday we went past a school, at 3pm, so it was busy with lots of students, I was going too fast then, even though I was doing 20 in a 30 area. This then goes onto gearing, I should change to second before 10mph, the engine doesn’t like it and I can feel it struggling, but if I go at 15mph I am “revving the hell out of the engine”.
A lot to read here, so apologies! I will be doing an intensive course as soon as I can, but my biggest question in all this is am I being too sensitive or is she a bad teacher?
