My Experience of Learning to Drive...

Advantages: Gets you from A to B. The independence! The freedom!
Disadvantages: People always want a lift! Can be a stressful task, learning to drive...

...It's been a few weeks since I passed my driving test. It's been over a year since I first started learning. I didn't pass on my first attempt. I didn't pass on my second attempt. So as you can see it became quite a strenuous and stressful task, simply learning how to pass my driving test... both financially and mentally. Physically as well I suppose, as driving can be quite draining if you're concentrating hard for a long time. But it's made me a better driver, and from a difficult and somewhat demoralising experience I've learnt how to deal with the pressure that people unintentionally put on you (When are you taking your driving test? How many times is that now?). I've talked to a host of people about building confidence and not giving up. So I've learnt much more about driving in general, overcoming challenges and how to do that...

e_coleuk 25.07.2005 · Read review
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Review of Members advice on learning to drive

Learn to Drive - study aid book by Robert davies

Advantages: colourful all in 1 book that you can carry on the go
Disadvantages: can be a bit repetative in parts

...even helps you decide how to choose an instructor, when best to have lessons, how long to leave between lessons and also what kind of car (manual or automatic) you might be best suited to. Overall a fantastic book, and one which might easily be overlooked when browsing bookshelfs in shops as others such as BSM and AA publications often appeal more to readers who are familar with the companies and advertising. However robert davies has done, in my mind, an equally good job in producing a fun approach to learning how to drive safely. Not only do i recommend this book, awarding 5 stars, I would also like to thank the author for making me a safe and confident driver....

mints4merlin 20.06.2006 · Read review
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Review of Learn to Drive - Robert Davies

Learn to drive with the DSA.....

Advantages: Very clearly written, easy to understand, covers lots of topics
Disadvantages: None if used in conjuction with actually driving.

...About me buying this book..... I bought the DSA's Official Guide to Driving as I'm currently learning to drive. However, the book does state that it's suitable for experienced motorists and instructors too. I got bought it from WHSmith and paid £12.99 for it. As I'm a very excitable person I tend to throw myself into everything I do and try to find out as much as I can about it. So, when I began learning to drive I went out and bought every book, dvd and cd I could find on the subject. In fact all the stuff I bought cost more than the lessons I've had so far! I'd previously heard from several friends not to buy official DSA books because they weren't very informative, and that the DSA filled their books with adverts trying to sell you other books. I must say that's not my experience with this book at all. If you're after a book...

lindsayjayne 18.05.2006 · Read review
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Review of The Official DSA Guide to Driving - The Essential Skills

AA - the best way to pass your test!

Advantages: I passed! Learn in brand new Ford Focus, well trained Instructor, free AA membership for 12 months
Disadvantages: cost - you pay for the good service you receive

...for the test). So - was it money well spent??? The answer is a resounding YES. For my first lesson - the instructor arrived in a brand new Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec (sports model) or Ghia (very comfortable and easy to drive) with dual controls ( which means they can brake if you forget to!). The AA instructors receive new replacement cars every 6 months - so you are guaranteed to learn in a car that's new and more importantly safe! He went through my level of ability before even turning the engine on the assess where to begon. As I had had a few lessons with a family member - he pitched the lesson perfectly to my level of ability. The instructor provided me with a progress chart which was broken down into sections such as "reverse around a corner" and "hill sarts." This was great as it meant that I could track my progress as the weeks...

surfchik27 02.06.2005 · Read review
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Review of AA Driving School

Haynes 'All in one' driving guide.

Advantages: Easy to understand, clear diagrams and pictures
Disadvantages: Only really suitable for learner/new drivers

...I'm currently learning to drive and have bought every book/cd/dvd that my local WHSmith's stocks on the subject. However, when I called in the other day I found that they had a new book in stock - which was this book by Haynes. ~Mmmm, Haynes......sounds familiar~ Haynes is the company that produces car manuals for each type of car on the market. John Haynes OBE wrote and published his first book in 1957, while he was still at school, about the Austin 7 Special. The first real Haynes manual wasn't published until 1965, for the Austin Healey 'Frogeye' Sprite. Haynes have sold 150 milllion manuals worldwide - with over 1 million sold in the UK last year. Surprisingly, Haynes also publishes a huge range of other books based on motoring, transport and DIY - including cycling, caravanning, maritime subjects, home decorating and even...

lindsayjayne 20.06.2006 · Read review
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Review of Learn to Drive - Robert Davies

Learning to Drive a Car

Advantages: Get a full licence, independence
Disadvantages: Costs a lot of money to learn to drive and run a car

...I have wanted to learn to drive for as long as I can remember so you can imagine how delighted I was when my parents bought me 10 driving lessons for my 17th Birthday last May. I had also been saving up my pay's from work to pay for driving lessons and a car. So here I was on my journey of learning to drive? ~ Looking For an Instructor ~ It is really important to ask around. Don't just pick a random instructor from the telephone book. If you know someone who is learning to drive ask him or her if their instructor is good and how much they charge etc. As my birthday is in May quite a few of my friends started learning to drive before me. One of my friends recommended her driving instructor to me, I passed the telephone number on to my parents as they said they wanted to get me driving lessons for my birthday. My mam's hairdresser...

bluejules 23.12.2006 · Read review
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Review of Independent Driving Schools

A Pleasure to Drive With...

Advantages: Regular new car, pleasant instuctor, £100 Holiday Voucher
Disadvantages: Years free membership starts as soon as you join.

...BACKGROUND BUMPH! I put off learning to drive for as long as I could manage because of nightmare experiences as a youngster. I crashed a quad bike injuring myself, and the course tyre wall and was banned and put on the “Worse Driver Ever” list at a local go-kart track. However I reached the point where I was desperate for independence and thought been free to go wherever I wanted whenever I wanted was the key. I dragged out the Yellow Pages and searched through the driving schools in my area. A few of my friends had been with independent schools and had more than a few horror stories to tell about their experience and none of them had passed first time…so I decided to give one the national driving schools a try. THE AA AS AN ORGANISATION... The main reason I chose the AA over BSM was the price. At full...

Scatz500 29.08.2001 (21.09.2001) · Read review
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Review of AA Driving School

AA Driving School

Advantages: Good Instructor, New Car
Disadvantages: None

...When I started thinking about learning to drive the sheer though of driving sent the fear of god into but I knew that I had to get through it somehow. Anyway I decided that after being recommended by a friend to try the AA driving school so I picked up the phone and nervously rang the number and booked a day for the following week. That night I received a phone call from the driving instructor to whom I had been assigned, he could tell that I was really nervous about learning to drive but he calmed me down and arranged a different appointment as the AA had double booked him. The instructor had a really calming and although I was nervous at the beginning he pointed out that he wouldn't let me have an accident as he had control of the car as well. It took a few weeks to start enjoying it but as I got better I felt more and more...

beckett110 07.05.2004 · Read review
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Review of AA Driving School

AA Driving School. The breakdown

Advantages: Friendly, Helpful, Good deals
Disadvantages: none so far

...Hi everyone, I have just booked up my first 12 driving lessons with the AA via the phone. I had been surfing the internet for some time looking at various driving schools, where thay operated, how much they cost etc etc I finally decided that I was going to learn with the AA as in my area if you pay for 12 hours tuition in advance you get £2 off each lesson which adds up over time giving me a saving of £24 further to this they offer you a free years breakdown cover and £100 holiday voucher. This works out as being £18 per hour, however this may vary depending on the area you live in. you can find out on their website. You learn in a Ford Focus 1.6litre with dual controlls (obviously!!) which means that the insructor can brake for you if you enter a hazard and are not prepared to do so yourself! Wednesday afternoon I...

JADELOUISESILVA 28.02.2003 (27.05.2003) · Read review
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Review of AA Driving School

Victoria Beckham Learns To Fly!

Advantages: Fantastic read, bite sized, gives an insight in to her life
Disadvantages: None

...This is an autobiography by Victoria Beckham which talks you through the early years of her life as well as the first years of her relationship with David Beckham and the birth of their first child, Brooklyn. It follows the success of the Spice Girls and the start of Victoria's solo career when she released an album of her own work and a single with Dane Bowers (from Another Level). The book is supposed to show you the real Victoria Beckham and I really feel that this is the case. You learn all about her insecurities and her issues with eating and trusting people in her life as well as the truth about the kidnap plots again her & Brooklyn when he was first born and all the emotions that she felt because of this. It also talks about what it was like for her when she was growing up and knew that she wanted to be a star but she really...

katyeverett 24.07.2009 · Read review
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Review of Learning to Fly - Victoria Beckham