Do you think having an intensive driving course gives you the road experience you need?

Question

I know there are places where you can learn in a week, but it doesn't give you general experience of all the situations you can come across surely? Did you learn this way?

Answer 1

Check out German road test procedure- none of us Americans are prepared unless we've got pro drivers for parents/friends.

Answer 2

I had 6 driving lessons overall, i passed both my theory and practical tests first time with no problems.
i personally feel that the more hours driving you can get in, in varied situations is whats going to help. Although i wasn't ignorant i didn't have the best idea of the stupid things other drivers do on the road from my 6 hours.
I'm now training to become a driving instructor and Ive completed parts 1 and 2.

From previous comments, i dont think you start learning once you have passed your test, once you have got near to test standard you should find that the driving instructor says less and less, only telling you which way to go.
This is allowing you to select the correct lane, to follow the lane, when and where to overtake, when to indicate, the point of turn, how to react to other road users etc.

In the uk they are thinking about bringing in the polish driving laws, this means all student will have to take a minimum of 100 hours paid tution, there are advantages to this (obviously the instructor getting paid!)
but the student gets alot more time on the road to find out the sort of things that people do on the road. Also the instructor will have alot more time to drive them on different roads and at rush hour and night time driving, good old sunday drivers, morning, snow, rain etc

I believe they want to make motorway use and night time driving compolsory in lessons and the test too... its just another stepping stone for a learner to cross.

This law will be a nightmare for anyone wanting to learn to drive as its not cheap at the moment!!

But i feel an intense driving course is the worst thing you can do, although your learning how to drive a vehicle your not getting much on the road practice and experience.
Experience is the key point to this question, the more experience you get with someone that knows the ropes and can tell you the correct procedues the better....

Answer 3

Yes and No: but if you thought training was expensive, you should try ignorance!

A 5 day course will not teach you everything, of course - but it will teach you a lot of what you might never learn otherwise, especially about what your car can do, and cannot do, in an emergency.

And you need to learn this very early. It is a fact that many people have accidents simply because they do not brake hard enough to avoid the other car, tree, pedestrian, etc..

Many people 'lose control' of their car because they have never had practice at controlling the car in extreme situations. This practice needs to be done many times to be of any use to you, and it needs to be done in the middle of a nice, big, flat, deserted airfield - not once, in the middle of the M1 on a rainy Friday night.

Proper training by an expert is worth much more than years of experience - how many people do you know who always make the same mistake, every time?

But an expert can teach you how to do it right and not become a statistic.

Answer 4

An intense training course will give you experience of some situations but not all. I don't think you actually learn properly until you have passed your test and are out driving on your own, the more often you drive the more experience you get. Also you learn on your own as well because when getting lessons, the instructor makes decisions for you but on your own, you have to decide yourself what to do in certain situations and I think you learn a lot from that too. Good luck!

Answer 5

If you book the lessons during the busiest hours of the day then yes it will give you proper road experience! Everywhere will be busy with traffic even when youre doing your manouvres so it will be very realistic.
I did my lessons during 2-4pm on a Friday, the busiest time of the week before rush hour! Then I booked my test for the Saturday morning when it was really quiet and passed no probs! The lessons gave me loads of confidence and experience of what other drivers were like when the roads are at its busiest and all the drivers were tempremental because they were in a rush to get home or pick up their children. The test was easy in the way that other than being quiet, it gave you lots more time to think about what you were doing without other drivers caring about how long you were taking about things. No pressure!
I've had a few other friends who have taken my advice and they all passed with ease.

Good luck! Driving is great!

Answer 6

It's very helpful and it gives you the tools to continue learning
properly, but nothing substitutes for the real thing -driving
experience which is constantly learned over time.

I've been driving for well over 20 years and I still come across
something new on the road from time to time.

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Answer 7

The best thing you can do is get your name on someone elses insurance who is willing to take you out and teach you the basics. By doing this you will gain the experience that you need.
Once you are comfortable with your driving, an 'Intensse Driving Course' would be a good option to take as all thier teachings are still fresh in your head.
I would recomend either a local firm or one that provides accomidation.

THESE CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE THOUGH - BE WARNED!

Answer 8

My husband had sixteen lessons in two weeks,never been behind a wheel before in his life,
he had just had his 50th birthday past first time bought himself a new car ten days later he did not have a clue. Glad to say he 's fine now nine years on. Road experience take time your learning all the time i passed my test in1979.

Answer 9

No course gives you driving experience. Only being out on the road and driving will give you that.

Answer 10

No intensive driving course doesn,t give you the experience you need ,but it surely helps you , you only get experience with time on the road .good look .

Answer 11

You Bet...any course that you can take will help.It gives a "safe" confidence that just a one week course does not.
I took a 25 hr. course for passenger vehicle operation that the State Highway Patrol offered.When I became a Firefighter/EMT I was required to take a 40 hr.Emergency Vehicle Operations course and what a difference !I would advise a state sponsored course,they are tought by emergency vehicle operators and can give you that extra "edge".Contact your state through the net by using key word yourstate.gov