OT - Intensive learn to drive courses - recommendations please?

[dom]

I'm looking for recommendations - quality of tuition above price.

I passed - ahem, a few years ago - so, my experience of driving schools is hopelessly out of date, and I've no knowledge of intensive courses.

Now most people will only have personal experience of only one school

- particularly for intensive courses - but who knows, huge reader base here - we might have someone that's worked for several of them and can make comparisons.

Ideally based in Cornwall, but not essential. Residential or not, both ok.

[Al Reynolds]

Not quite Cornwall but ... maybe try:

lady who owns/runs it is called Jacqui McKelvey and is an excellent instructor (my wife and I both passed with her) and she doesn't rip people off. She definitely does intensive courses and I believe she does residential as well.

Feel free to mention my name if you do get in touch with her, Al Reynolds

[Owain]

Many instructors will offer Pass Plus which is a 6+ hrs programme intended for new drivers but might be a starting point for discussing what sort of refresher course you want.

could also consider joining your local Institute of Advanced Motorists. IAM Observers (not instructors) are volunteers. "Most people can achieve "Test standard" after 6-8 observed runs (typically a fortnight apart), so you could be "Test ready" in 12-16 weeks."

[Andrew Gabriel]

test with no tuition, having taken mine several decades ago. Doubt there's any way to actually do that though. I did find a sample theory test a couple of years ago, and I passed that with a good margin, although I had to think about some of the answers more than I'd expected to before seeing it.

As it says near the beginning of the Roadcraft book, most drivers think they're above average standard, and of course almost half of them are wrong by definition.

[dom]

Sorry - I didn't make myself very clear - I'm looking for a course for my GF who hasn't yet passed her test.

[Peter Parry]

Some years ago I was involved in a study of military driver training for taking non-drivers to MOT Test standard. The study looked at various options including accelerated training "test in a week" where pupils were learning by driving 6 hours a day for 5 - 7 days. Most students were 17-19 years old.

Broadly what was found was that more than 2-3 hours driving a day was counter productive as students found it very tiring. "Test in a week" had a much higher failure rate than 2 hours driving a day mixed with other training over 4 weeks. "Test in a week" drivers also had significantly higher accident rates in the 6 months after their course and return to their units.

[Andy Champ]

Dom from Cornwall hmmm - you didn't tell me about any girlfriend?

Seriously assuming you *aren't* the Dom from the next desk - remember to ask them how long they've been teaching and what their pass rate is. I sail with a guy whoo is an instructor. He tells me that whenever there is a recession lots of people take up instructing, paying for the training (~4k) with their redundancy money.

Of course, most of them aren't any good... and you'll save a lot more by having less lessons than cheaper ones. Not to mention having a safer GF!

Andy

[David]

Can't help you directly, but I learnt to drive a car in a week after years of motorbikes - I'd advise you not to ask for "crash courses" as you have to ring them back later when they've finished laughing at you.

david