Driving lessons

So I've made it to 26 without ever needing to drive, thanks to my bike. I still don't, but thanks to the 'competitive' jobs situation out there I need a licence. I'm looking for an instructor and was wondering if anyone has recently learnt to drive. It'd be nice to have a 'cyclist friendly' instructor too- I've heard they exist.

Sorry if this has been discussed before, I UTFS etc...

Snottyotter is a driving instructor I believe.

Thanks Ronnie, I'll send them a PM.

not anymore,

ex instructor i'm afraid

hah, does that mean you're not as good at teaching to drive as you are truing wheels?

I did my test when I was 26 too for the same reasons, had tried a couple of instructors and didn't pursue it because they were such Tango.Whiskey.Alpha.Tangos.

Used this guy, Mike, part of a syndicate called Go Green who try to minimise environmental impact as much as pos (super efficient cars and whatnot). He's a really lovely bloke - his focus seems to be confidence building and the rest follows, had me pass first time when I didn't think I would, only took a handful of lessons and they were cheap at that.

07773 797 518

Tell him Nathan from Audile said hi!

I was a pretty good instructor, just got a bit bored of it

What proportion of students knew they're right from left??

80%

no, 82%

Do you have to know that? Bugger.

I'll not PM you then, snotty. hope what you'e doing now is less boring!
I will get in touch with this Mike, sounds a nice chap. Does he ride a tall bike? I saw something in the S M Reporter about a tall bike riding driving instructor.

Feel free to ask me questions if you have any.

You don't need to know your left from your right, 82% knew it, 26% didn't and they did fine, just get your instructor and examiner to point when they tell you.

Maths skills aren't important either.

'Your way' and 'my way' kept my friends' relationship stable through a 6month road trip of Europe.

Sadly it doesn't help my wife read a map.

.

haha, I was joking about the right/left thing, but the serious response makes me feel genuinely less bad when I often, with absolute conviction, tell people to turn in the wrong direction.

have given Mike a call, and credited you Nathan

Lovely, anyone who doesn't get on with him must be a complete arse!

Phew. Discovered I'm not a complete arse!
Don't worry, I'm not going to reveal every numbing detail of progress with driving lessons here (that's a treat for my friends) but the first lesson was fine. Felt completely separate from the outside. Odd.

It's all wrong innit? have you realised how utterly invisible cyclists are yet? All cyclists should drive a long wheel based van too - the blind spot is most of the world, very good for helping you take less risks!

Welcome to the world of >50mph :-p

Yes, I was thinking about those meet the trucker days where cyclists get to sit in an HGV cab to experience how little the driver can see. If it's that bad in a small car, then... I'm buying an extra light.

So far, I think 10 mph more like!

stick your foot down

Sounds, Barchan, as if you are getting on fine and sorted. But perhaps purely for humour value in an often dull world here's what I did at the grand age of 34.

I decided that weekly driving lessons at 7 am in London were a total drag and hard to fit in. Also felt on occasion it was a licence (no pun) for the company to keep me doing more and more lessons when I kinda wanted some control over it all. So I booked a weeks worth of lessons down in Hampshire and stayed with my sister. It was great, actually got some free roads and to really drive - motorways and all.

At the end of the week I took the test I booked myself ........and failed.

So back to London and knowing I needed to keep the practise in I booked another test for a months time and looked for an instructor.

And because I Like to make things a tiny bit more interesting and to add humour I booked lessons with what was formerly called "the Italian School of Motoring" on Clerkenwell Road. they're now called Holborn School of Motoring...but originally only taught Italians who worshipped at the nearbye Italian church.

http://www.holborndrivingschool.co.uk/

I passed and i have the peculiar joy of recounting "I learned with the Italian School of Motoring".

As a side note, the slow lane on the autostrada is known in Italy as the "Corridor of Shame"

I rest my case.

meant to add that actually, the guys there, a family run business, are absolutely first class and lovely people. Way better.

motorways? before passing your test? that be illegal

Sorry, it was the A3 - not a motorway but three lane etc

I'll let you off then