Driving Instructor Recommendation?

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kryptonjohn

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Topic # 230766 12-Mar-2018 14:16

Hi all,

Our 17yo now driving reasonably well on learner's licence, but needs polishing up to get him to standard for sitting the test.

Are there any recommendations for an instructor near Remuera, Auckland?

We have had a few lessons from AA and they've been ok but they've now pissed me off as one of his vouchers expired and they refuse to honour it.

Any other tips regarding getting him through the process? I've heard that if a parent rides along for the driving test that they're less inclined to fail for small errors.

Thanks in advance,

JohnO

scuwp

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Reply # 1973291 12-Mar-2018 15:10

So you allowed the voucher (which I assume is part of the Ignition programme which is free anyway) to expire and it's their fault? Interesting viewpoint. Most are contractors and don't get paid unless they validate a current voucher. Anyhow not starting down that track....

Recently been through this.

Yes recommend 1-2 lessons with a pro before the test. Sorry don't live in Auckland so can't recommend anyone. The most important thing is simply hours behind the wheel. 170 hrs+ I think is now recommended before even thinking about attempting the test. the drive.govt.nz is well worth working through.

They can't fail you for small errors, but enough of them will add up to a fail. Valuable to understand how the test works and what is a critical and task fail. http://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/Driver-Licences/docs/restricted-test-guide.pdf There are also videos on this page: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/driver-licences/getting-a-licence/take-your-test/practical-tests/

I decided not to accompany my son thinking that this would place him under even more pressure. The tests are all scored electronically and are very structured, and you get an emailed report which outlines the faults. Some of the stories from parents I heard were ridiculous, like being failed because they asked for clarification on which way the tester wanted them to turn to go...that's just bollocks.

Practice, practice, and more practice....day time, night time, raining, sunny, busy, quiet, expose them to everything and every scenario you can.

If they are competent enough they will be fine.

VTNZ were going to introduce in-vehicle cameras to record the tests but not sure what happened with that, probably cost to much.

I did consider setting up a drive-cam or hiding a Dictaphone recorder in the car - but elected to have confidence my son was at the appropriate level of skill to do ok.

Once they are solo the real parental worry starts!

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kryptonjohn

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Reply # 1973309 12-Mar-2018 15:43

scuwp:

So you allowed the voucher (which I assume is part of the Ignition programme which is free anyway) to expire and it's their fault? Interesting viewpoint. Most are contractors and don't get paid unless they validate a current voucher. Anyhow not starting down that track....

No, it's a paid-for voucher. Like I'm going to bitch about an expired freebie?

And not only that, he didn't get to use it because a booked lesson prior to expiry was cancelled by the instructor and then ran out of time before the holidays. AA don't *have* to honour the voucher butnow I will try to find someone else so I can avoid them. When my 30+ year AA subscription comes up for renewal I'll investigate alternatives to that too.

Yes recommend 1-2 lessons with a pro before the test. Sorry don't live in Auckland so can't recommend anyone. The most important thing is simply hours behind the wheel. 170 hrs+ I think is now recommended before even thinking about attempting the test. the drive.govt.nz is well worth working through.

170 hours! Amazing to think you can get a private pilot licence in 50 and CPL for 170 with certain shortcuts!

They can't fail you for small errors, but enough of them will add up to a fail. Valuable to understand how the test works and what is a critical and task fail.

Yep I know how the test works.

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/Driver-Licences/docs/restricted-test-guide.pdf There are also videos on this page: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/driver-licences/getting-a-licence/take-your-test/practical-tests/

I decided not to accompany my son thinking that this would place him under even more pressure. The tests are all scored electronically and are very structured, and you get an emailed report which outlines the faults. Some of the stories from parents I heard were ridiculous, like being failed because they asked for clarification on which way the tester wanted them to turn to go...that's just bollocks.

Practice, practice, and more practice....day time, night time, raining, sunny, busy, quiet, expose them to everything and every scenario you can.

If they are competent enough they will be fine.

Once they are solo the real parental worry starts!

scuwp

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Reply # 1973320 12-Mar-2018 15:53

I won't quote the quotes and confuse things.

Fair enough on the voucher situation. Bad form they won't honour it when it was their instructors fault it wasn't used in time.

I hear ya, but I guess the risk with a PPL is a lot less than a DL as far as potential outcomes are concerned. Statistically speaking driving to the airport is infinitely more dangerous than flying. Also to get to the PPL stage you have a lot more testing to get through, demonstrating a pretty good level of intellect and character. By contrast the DL theory is hardly difficult.

Seems I have managed to contribute little other than to point out the minimum hours the NZTA recommends before attempting the test.

I personally know of some parents that accompanied their kids. I guess it's down to what the kid would be most comfortable with. There are strict rules around observers in practical tests. I have heard of test being abandoned because the observer kept interrupting.

Before the start of the practical driving test, you can request to have a support person accompany you during the test. Children or infants cannot accompany you during the test.

If you choose to have a support person in the vehicle with you, the support person:

must be a person over 20 years of age
must not be accompanied by any other person or animal (except a guide dog)
must supply their name and contact details to the testing officer prior to the test beginning
must not talk, offer assistance to, or distract the driver or testing officer at any stage during the test. Should this occur, the testing officer will terminate the test and you would need to book and pay for another test
must not interrupt the testing officer as they are providing feedback at the end of the test.

You cannot have any other passengers (eg children or infants) in the car as they may distract you or the testing officer during the test.

The testing officer may refuse to accept any person as a support person if the testing officer believes on reasonable grounds that:

his or her personal safety could be, or is, threatened or endangered, or
the support person appears to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs or is noisy or violent, or
there is no suitable seating available in the rear of the vehicle presented for the test.

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kryptonjohn

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Reply # 1973380 12-Mar-2018 16:02

Well that's the thing - you hear all these anecdotal accounts about how so many people are failing, despite, you'd think, getting professional lessons. And then hearing stories about failing because they didn't look often enough in the mirror etc. Sitting the test is a bit more expensive than a lesson as well as being stressful and confidence knocking if failed, so we're keen to get a couple of lessons, focused on "beating" the test whereas the lessons so far have been focused on learning to drive - and I'm assuming they are not quite the same thing!

kryptonjohn

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Reply # 1980910 21-Mar-2018 10:35

Happy to report a good outcome, finally, re the expired driving lesson vouchers. Wife had sent a several emails to them over a period of many weeks and got nowhere and was giving up. I finally entered the discussion and emailed back, looping in the GM of Membership and Brand, explained my disappointment and that I regretfully wouldn't be renewing my 30+ year membership out of principle.

Got a nice reply back from the GM within an hour with an apology and some new vouchers.

Faith in AA restored, just needed to get the right person. There's a bit of a management issue with AA and their driver school that they lacked the discretion/judgment to resolve this a lot earlier.

jpoc

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Reply # 1981024 21-Mar-2018 14:40

scuwp:

...

Statistically speaking driving to the airport is infinitely more dangerous than flying.

...

That, I am afraid is one of those facts that we all know but which is not actually true.

kryptonjohn

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Reply # 1996397 15-Apr-2018 11:39

UPDATE: lad passed his test on first attempt!

Scraped through though with two silly critical errors: not completely stopping on a stop sign and not observing a 30kph construction zone speed limit.

Geektastic

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Reply # 1996401 15-Apr-2018 11:44

kryptonjohn:

UPDATE: lad passed his test on first attempt!

Scraped through though with two silly critical errors: not completely stopping on a stop sign and not observing a 30kph construction zone speed limit.

Wow - that is very lenient. In the UK not stopping on a stop would be a fail as would breaking a speed limit. That goes some way to explaining the poor standards of driving in NZ I suppose.

I failed a motorcycle test for not turning off a non self-cancelling indicator within 10 seconds of completing the manoeuvre!

kryptonjohn

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Reply # 1996437 15-Apr-2018 12:45

Geektastic:

kryptonjohn:

UPDATE: lad passed his test on first attempt!

Scraped through though with two silly critical errors: not completely stopping on a stop sign and not observing a 30kph construction zone speed limit.

Wow - that is very lenient. In the UK not stopping on a stop would be a fail as would breaking a speed limit. That goes some way to explaining the poor standards of driving in NZ I suppose.

I failed a motorcycle test for not turning off a non self-cancelling indicator within 10 seconds of completing the manoeuvre!

Not really that bad GT. The non-stop was one of those almost but fractionally moving ones. I warned him they weren't lenient on that point.

The speed thing was within the allowance margin of 10kph. Under that and it's a critical error. Equal to or higher than that - instant fail.

The test is fairly strict and the pass rate isn't that high. I think most drivers would fail it using their normal driving habits.

Technofreak

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Reply # 1996452 15-Apr-2018 14:11

jpoc:

scuwp:

...

Statistically speaking driving to the airport is infinitely more dangerous than flying.

...

That, I am afraid is one of those facts that we all know but which is not actually true.

Really, I beg to differ. I know where I'm more likely to get cleaned up and it's not in my aircraft.

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Fred99

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Reply # 1996836 16-Apr-2018 10:16

jpoc:

scuwp:

...

Statistically speaking driving to the airport is infinitely more dangerous than flying.

...

That, I am afraid is one of those facts that we all know but which is not actually true.

Need to catch the bus to the airport.