How many driving lessons did you need before you passed your test?

@GemmaR (8517)
March 29, 2009 9:46am CST
Okay, so I am starting taking my driving lessons this week, and I need an idea of what would be a realistic expectation. I have a couple of questions, please answer as many of them as you can! 1)How old were you when you started learning? 2)Why did you want to learn? 3)Did you have any past experience before lessons, and if so, what? 4)How many hours worth of lessons did you have to take? 5)How long were your lessons spread out over? 6)Did you pass 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc time? 7)When did you take your theory test? 8)How long did it take you to drive on the actual road? 9)When did you get your first car? 10)How much was it? 11)How much did it cost to insure it? Sorry there are so many questions, but there is so much I want to know! The ones at the top are the most important ones though, and the ones I most want to know the answers to, so thank you in advance!
1 person likes this
10 responses
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
30 Mar 09
soem of the questions are a little intrusive Gemma. However I will tell you that I passed my driving test first timebut did not start to drive until I was in my 30's. my husband used to drive me or hire a driver to drive me if he was not available. I learnt to drive aa pick up and had a pick up for many years until I switched over to saloon types of cars. I shopuld imagine that the costs vary in each country. Blessings
@GemmaR (8517)
30 Mar 09
They're not that intrusive, I did say only answer the ones you want to! Thanks for responding.
• United States
29 Mar 09
well i didnt learn the normal way. my grandpa use to have me help him move cars around so i learned that way. i think it took me about 2 times i was 9 years old. but i grew up on 3 wheelers and stuff. i didnt take drivers ed i just went and got my dl since i could pass the test. it was before the law came out. here are the answers though 1- i was 9 years old 2- had to help out 3- 3 wheelers and dirt bikes 4- no lessons about 15 mins trying 5- 1 day 6 - passed 1st time 7- i was 14 8- about 15 mins 9- 12 years old 10- 500.00 11- never insured didnt have to then now my daughter is 14 and she is saving for a car. but i think she decided to do a motorcycle cheaper, insurance is cheaper too. when she was looking at cars though she was going to get a bug that needed work and her and her dad do the work. they are cheap on insurance and can usally find them in a salvage yard still in good shape. she drives dirt bikes , lawn mowers, and etc all the time so it should take a few lessons for her. she has been riding a few years now.
@GemmaR (8517)
29 Mar 09
Thanks for taking the time to reply, your comments are very helpful! It's a shame I didn't have the same experience as you so early in life, I might have been able to do it a lot faster! Thanks again for the reply!
@lexus54 (3572)
• Singapore
30 Mar 09
I have been driving for more than 30 years now and I got my license when I was 20 years old. I cannot remember all the details you're interested to know, so I will relate what I can still recall. Driving is a skill for life that most of us guys will like to have, because that allows us to own cars and drive for work or leisure. I started driving lessons around 18 years old, took about 35 one-hour lessons in all, and passed on my 3rd try. I took my theory test at 18 before I started going on to the roads. Actually I opted for a practical test and got through on my first try within half an hour of my test. When I passed at age 20, my dad had already purchased a car for my brother and I to drive. I can't remember the cost of the car though, but it was a small 1,000 cc silver colored sedan. So I had the privileged of driving at a young age after passing, and have owned and driven cars more than 30 years now. So you can say I am a very experienced driver.
@ionsquare (530)
• Singapore
30 Mar 09
Hi, 1) I started learning driving this month when I am 24. 2) Its convenient to know how to drive and I don't have to rely on parents or public transport to go from place to place. 3) I learned for a hr or two at home about the gears, clutch, brake and accelerator but not driving around. 4) I am at 6th lessons now and I am still learning .
• India
30 Mar 09
1. I learn't two wheeler at the age of 17 itself because the age for getting license in India is 18 years. And for four wheeler at the age of 22 years. 2. The classes where about 16 and there was no theory class only practicals(driving on road) 3. Each day i drove about 4 to 5 Km. 4. I dont own a car now.
• India
29 Mar 09
Hi gemmaR, Drive rules and regulations and license issuing is depends upon their country rules. when i was 16 i learned driving and never went to any for any training classes. i have my own vehicle of dads. Dad guided me to learn proper way and later i got the learning license from nearest RTO's office after six months my driving was tested and provided me a driving license. So you better to follow your govt rules and regulations in driving.
@GemmaR (8517)
29 Mar 09
Yes I understand that. I am from the UK, so we have to take lessons, and then take a theory and a practical test. The average amount of lessons is apparently 40, but I am on here just to find out how true that actually is!
@snowy22315 (168429)
• United States
29 Mar 09
That is was so long ago that I really dont remember. I didn't take drivers ed in school so I was taught by my mom who didnt have that much time to spare. I usually just took drivers license primarily by my mother and alittle bit from my dad. I broke my wrist before I could get my license though, so I didnt actually get it until I was 21.
@goldeneagle (6745)
• United States
29 Mar 09
I grew up in a rural area in Georgia. My uncle owned a farm, and I actually learned how to drive while helping him around his farm. My dad would also let me drive on the dirt roads near our home. I knew how to drive pretty well before I got old enough to get my license. I passed both my learner's permit test and my actually driver's license tests on the first try. My sister actually gave me my first car, because she was moving to Alaska, and she could not take her car with her. I don't know how much the insurance on it was, because my dad paid it.
@CJscott (4187)
• Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
29 Mar 09
I was about 14 when I first started learning, if you don't count atv's and such or asking questions before that. I wanted to be able to drive away. Just on atv's and dune buggies. I don't recall exactly how many hours worth of lessons, and these were from friends and family, not formal, I would estimate about 12 hours though. Over several years. I passed my driving, practicum the 3rd time, the theory the first time. When I was 14 I took the theory test, and again at 16. The first time I was driving. I got my first road worthy car at 19, prior to that, my dad thought it would be a good idea to get junk ones, so I learned the value of having to fix them. It cost 1800CAD. I forget the insurance, but at the time insurance for young male drivers was quite high. And some quick advice, take the lessons, pay attention to what is being said, remain as relaxed as possible. And look around alot.
@miumew (19)
• United States
30 Mar 09
I started learning when I was 16, I had no interest but my parents made me. I think I had about 30-35 hours of driving practice total (they made us record each driving trip in drivers ed & to receive a discount in insurance), but a few of these hours were learning how to drive a manual transmission which is what I drive all the time now. I think this was over a period of 3-4 months. I waited a few months before taking the written test and then the driving test, which I passed the first time. The driving test was ridiculously easy here, I assume it will be harder where you live though. The driving test took only 3 minutes of driving around on slow roads, one try parallel parking (which I messed up), and one try of backing around a corner. If they had asked me to drive on faster roads, I'm not sure I would have passed...so I don't think there's a way to estimate how long it will take to be able to pass the test unless you hear from someone else in your area what the driving test is like.