Driving lessons - where and when?


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I was lucky enough to drive my dad's car from early teenage at my uncle's farm. When it came to my 17th birthday, I already had a provisional licence for my motor scooter, so started driving as a learner to town every morning with my dad to catch the bus to school. A few weeks of that and, with no lessons, nipped off school one lunch, dad picked me up, took the test and passed!.Examiner took me out for 3/4 of an hour, plenty of time to stuff up, but luck was with me. Dad was a great help - convinced me to drive 'smooth' and pause in neutral on the gear change. Car was a 100E Anglia Super. I can even remember the rego MNN357E.

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Bridges School of Motoring...my next door neighbour, in Watnall. I was 18, 1975. Had 6 lessons, then off to Chalfont Drive for the test, and passed first time despite going through a red light. The ex

A few more lessons needed

I had driving lessons with a Driving Instructor who smoked like a chimney. Before I sat at the steering wheel I always gave the car mat beneath the driver's seat a real good shake - if I'd have thoug

Didn't drive until I was 31 when my driving mates stopped going to Forest games. Passed first time in a Toyota Starlet . Instructor Dick Wightman (Annesley) I think , good instructor. After 6 lessons I drove to Skeggy in our car and it boosted my confidence. Took my test in Sutton.

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I've posted about learning to drive in a double decker and taking my test in a crash box AEC mk5. Took my test around city centre (Nottingham, for the perfectionists). Got down to trent Bridge depot for my reversing and the instructor stood on the platform to act as my guide, while the examiner stayed at the front. My guide was happily waving me on when all of a sudden there was a loud crunch.

I had apparently backed over a 'no parking' sandwich board that is placed out on test days. My instructor/guide was so engrossed watching me, he didn't notice the sign. I thought, "that's it, I've blown it". But the examiner gave me a pass, saying, "it wasn't my fault, that's what the guide is for". I was taught that you should never reverse without the aid of a conductor.

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Test 1 car at Robinswood Road

Test 2 double decker semi automatic NCT

Test 3 mini bus manual NCT

Test 4 manual coach 53 seat NCT

Test 5 HGV with the Army

Passed them all, had a few bumps since though.

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Test 1...As previous post

Test 2...HGV 3 (refresher) Garrats Green, Birmingham. circa 1973/4

Test 3...HGV 1 (out of Moor Green) Nuthall, Notts. circa 1980

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My "old" red British license said "All Groups". When I applied for my Australian license the guy in the office looked at it and said "You don't need to do a physical driving test but I will have to ask you some road rule questions". I said OK as I had read up on the rules. He then said "What side of the road do we drive on in Australia" I said "Left" and he said that's correct and issued me with a license.

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I had driving lessons with a local (Arnold) driving instructor in a Vauxhall Viva in 1969, I think I had 20 lessons as he said “one lesson for each year of your life”.  A chap at work took me out for a practice occasionally during lunchtime.  Kind of him but I always thought there was an ulterior motive!  I had my test around Arnold/Mapperley area and remember having to do a hill-start on one of those steep roads between Westdale Lane and Porchester.


When we had a place in Florida we discovered that the car insurance was about twice as much without a Florida Driving Licence so my husband decided to take a Florida test.  He booked the test and downloaded 64 pages of their Highway Code and we went off to St Lucia on business for a few days.  He spent hours reading the Highway Code while away, returned and went off to the test centre which was in a big room with rows of computers.  I was able to sit nearby and watch all these people dealing with questions posed, for each question there were 3 possible answers.  He looked panicked to begin with as he answered the first 2 questions wrong!  3 wrong answers and he would fail.   All was ok after that and off he went to drive around a parking lot, not on the road.  He passed. What we hadn’t realised was that his new $80 Florida Licence only lasted as long as his ESTA, for 90 days.  So every time we went over there he had to go across Miami and pay for a new licence.  We gave that up and continued to pay the more expensive insurance.  

 

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Lizzie, I had driving lessons in a Viva in Arnold in 1968.

Driving instructor lived on the corner or thereabouts of Rolleston and Gedling rd.

Might have been called Keith or Ken?

 

I had most of my lessons in his old Mk 1 Viva, then on the day of my test he turned up in a new(er) mk2 Viva, as the other one had failed to start.

Passed first time despite it being in a strange car.

I'd already got a MotorBike licence

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That would be the same instructor Stuart, think he lived in a bungalow on corner of Rolleston Drive and Eaton Avenue.  I think he smoked a ciggie throughout the lesson! 

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When living in Suth Africa my neighbour Quizzie taught me to drive. It was in a Toyota small truck, and it was column change,  you had to do reserve parking in your test but befor you could get your L licence you first had to pass a theory test. That was a good while before the UK theory tests. 

 

My dad taught qute a fewvpeople to drive. he had learnt to drive in the Marines but he never passed a driving test.

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Seth Effrica theory test:

 

Q1. A lion jumps on the bonnet of you car do you -

 

A. drives forward very fast

B, Reverse even faster

C. Give it your youngest child

D. Reach for your clean underwear.

 

Q2.  .....

 

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