# Driving Lessons in UK



## chiefteaofficer (May 27, 2014)

Hey all,

Getting ready to get my provisional finally as I had to wait for 6 months of residency to be able to get it. I've found a good local school I'd like to use for lessons but I just wanted to ask other Americans here how many lessons it took them to pass their test? I have had a US licence for ~13 years and have had 6 months of driving experience in the UK in 2011-12 (all in London) so feel pretty confident with some of the difficult/stressful areas. I suppose it's the not knowing what's on the test that makes me feel nervous, and having to take a driving test again as an adult - makes me feel like I'm 15 again. 

If you could reply with how long you had a US licence for, if you had any UK driving experience (outside lessons), and how many lessons it took for you to pass, that would be most helpful for planning purposes. I am hoping for financial reasons (as well as time) that I won't need more than 4 one-hour lessons. Is that unreasonable?

Thanks everyone!


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## ashkevron (May 1, 2012)

Errr.. zero? Unless driving around with my overenthusiastic husband considers as taking lessons. By the end of the first "lesson" I actually decided to go and buy a ball gag so I don't have to listen about all the things I have to keep in mind, like I never sat in a car before. In that sense, if you don't feel confident, I guess driving instructor is not a bad solution 

Anyway, I'm not an American so my non-UK driving licence is not an American licence but I don't think it makes much difference. I held it for 7 years (and was driving a lot during that time) before I came to the UK. I was driving in the UK quite happily for nearly a year before I had to apply for the provisional licence. I didn't drive that much in the UK during my first year, maybe a couple of thousand miles, probably less. The thing I struggled with the most were roundabouts as everything goes the way I am not used to, so hubby dear took me to Milton Keynes and after an hour on that Magic Roundabout they have there, everything seemed like a piece of cake.

Theory test is easy, driving test is easy. The complicated thing is the so called Hazard perception test as it's soooooo unnatural. At least I didn't like it - I actually had to practice online for that. You have to be very careful not to click too early as I think it doesn't register it well then.

But overall, if you feel confident on the road, the driving part I'd say you can pass with no lessons or maybe 5 lessons at most?


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## chiefteaofficer (May 27, 2014)

ashkevron said:


> Errr.. zero? Unless driving around with my overenthusiastic husband considers as taking lessons. By the end of the first "lesson" I actually decided to go and buy a ball gag so I don't have to listen about all the things I have to keep in mind, like I never sat in a car before. In that sense, if you don't feel confident, I guess driving instructor is not a bad solution
> 
> Anyway, I'm not an American so my non-UK driving licence is not an American licence but I don't think it makes much difference. I held it for 7 years (and was driving a lot during that time) before I came to the UK. I was driving in the UK quite happily for nearly a year before I had to apply for the provisional licence. I didn't drive that much in the UK during my first year, maybe a couple of thousand miles, probably less. The thing I struggled with the most were roundabouts as everything goes the way I am not used to, so hubby dear took me to Milton Keynes and after an hour on that Magic Roundabout they have there, everything seemed like a piece of cake.
> 
> ...


All I have heard from British people is that I have to have lessons because the driving test is very specific about what they require to pass (sort of similar to American test although they make it sound like it's incredibly difficult and specific - I don't remember it being that bad and I was 16 at the time and completely scared and inexperienced!). 

I haven't driven at all since I have been resident here (since August last year) and we don't have a car so I don't *need* a licence. I just want to get my UK one so that it is over and done with in case I ever do need it and so that I never need the L plates/restrictions etc. We also may have a car at some point and it would be nice to not have to go get my licence at that point. My husband has never had a licence but wants to get his soon as well. 

I feel fine with roundabouts, although I've mostly driven in London (Zones 1-2) and that's really different to roundabouts everywhere else I feel like. The rare times I did drive outside of that I was a bit more scared because the roundabouts are a lot more free-flowing rather than being so blocked up by traffic and stop lights. I prefer the clogged up traffic as it's less scary and you can always just wait for the light/move with traffic rather than having to gun it into a sea of cars looping around madly in circles. It sounds like I'll be fine with just a few lessons to learn what is on the test and get a bit of practise driving around the left side of the roads again (and more confusingly - the right side of the car).


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Go with experienced driving instructor (get recommendations), who will assess your readiness for the practical test and tell you when you are likely to pass. This varies hugely among drivers so there is no easy answer. Yes, even if you can drive well and competently, you MUST drive in a manner specified by driving standards authority, which isn't the same as what you have been taught when you passed the test in your country, or what comes naturally to you. This particularly relates to signalling and checking mirrors (very hot in the test).


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## chiefteaofficer (May 27, 2014)

Joppa said:


> Go with experienced driving instructor (get recommendations), who will assess your readiness for the practical test and tell you when you are likely to pass. This varies hugely among drivers so there is no easy answer. Yes, even if you can drive well and competently, you MUST drive in a manner specified by driving standards authority, which isn't the same as what you have been taught when you passed the test in your country, or what comes naturally to you. This particularly relates to signalling and checking mirrors (very hot in the test).


Right - mirror check, signal, head check, manoeuvre. Or so I _think_. 

Anyway, I'll get some lessons, just don't want to spend a huge amount of money as the whole thing seems silly anyway. I don't know why some people have to re-test/get their licences again whilst others are free to swap theirs for UK ones (again as you said - doesn't matter how competent or safe of a driver you are). Also doesn't make any sense I can legally drive around right now but suddenly I lose my ability to drive one day. Weird and silly but thems the rules, I guess.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Licences from countries that can be exchanged for UK licence without tests have been studied and confirmed that their standard of driver training and testing is seen to be comparable to UK's. It is difficult for a big country like US with each state testing and issuing its own licence, though some EU countries allow exchange for some states but not others.


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## lovestravel (Apr 9, 2012)

I had 30+ years of driving experience in the usa and I took 10 hours of lessons. It was very helpful and I passed with only three faults on the practical test. Two faults for going too slow and one for hitting a pot hole filled with water. My instructor allowed me to practice with my own car and took me to the town I had scheduled my test so I could practice on the actual roads and situations I would possibly face on my test. I also watched a few videos about the actual test on YouTube which I think also helped. I think the lessons were well worth the money.


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## chiefteaofficer (May 27, 2014)

How many faults are you allowed on the test? Not that I plan to get lots, but I don't know how the faults thing works. To be honest I don't know how the points even worked in the state where I tested (don't think many people did, that I knew). I passed quite easily the first time I tested when I was a teenager, though.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

1 serious or dangerous fault and you fail, but you can have up to 15 minors and still pass. 
Minor and major faults on your driving test - FirstCar


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## lovestravel (Apr 9, 2012)

The biggest things I had to learn were the different method of steering (threading rather than hand over hand) and checking the mirrors much more often. There are much more cycles and motorbikes on the road and the road are more narrow so it is much more essential to check every mirror before doing anything. The other thing that was completely foreign to me was to put on the hand brake while stopped at crossing or junction to avoid getting pushed in the event of someone running into the back of you. Having so much driving experience it was hard to break years of driving habits from the usa. I had to constantly tell myself in my head while practicing and taking the test. Once I got the hang of it, I still thread the needle and check all my mirrors.


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## chiefteaofficer (May 27, 2014)

lovestravel said:


> The biggest things I had to learn were the different method of steering (threading rather than hand over hand) and checking the mirrors much more often. There are much more cycles and motorbikes on the road and the road are more narrow so it is much more essential to check every mirror before doing anything. The other thing that was completely foreign to me was to put on the hand brake while stopped at crossing or junction to avoid getting pushed in the event of someone running into the back of you. Having so much driving experience it was hard to break years of driving habits from the usa. I had to constantly tell myself in my head while practicing and taking the test. Once I got the hang of it, I still thread the needle and check all my mirrors.


Yes, although things like method of steering aren't going to be things you are going to have to use when you continue to drive unless you want to, really. I learned a lot of things in driver's education that I also had to use for my test that I pretty much stopped using once I had my licence because it either wasn't natural to me or didn't seem necessary (such as hand position on the wheel - never felt natural to do the 10 and 2 thing and then later they came out with data saying it wasn't safe anyway). I do always check my mirrors constantly when driving, as I have always lived in a city and there are usually cyclists and pedestrians everywhere. Driving in London as well you'd be totally screwed if you weren't always looking in your mirrors, even when sitting at a stop light. I don't think that part will be hard for me. 

Hopefully 4-5 lessons will suffice, but I will take the instructor's advice if he doesn't think I am ready to pass because obviously I don't want to take it and fail. Thanks for sharing your experiences!


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