As moaned about, in detail, in other threads, I have to do a driver assessment to prove to the DVLA that I am not an idiot (that they think I am) and I have a provisional driving license. I want to do some driving practice and to be properly insured, but all driving instructors are really busy at the moment. I even looked at doing some stuff at Castle Combe Race Track! Nothing doing in the near future! Anyone got any good ideas for doing some driving practice - legally (as I have plenty of illegal ideas!)?
Get up to date on your highway code and practice online (free) CBT video hazard tests. Practice manoeuvres like reverse parking into a space, reversing round corners, 3 point turns, etc. Spend an hour driving around a supermarket car park and going in and out of spaces/avoiding things. Drive around Gloucester the next time a home rugby game is on.
Sundays a couple of hours after the shops close at your closest massive retail park, or giant supermarket. Acres of empty tarmac, road layouts, areas for reversing etc... Its how we taught the kids to drive and countless friends to ride motorbikes. Increasingly they now have security/parking enforcers who may ask what's going on, but we've found that if they're spoken to as people, as opposed to told they're wannabe hobby bobbies, or nazis, will usually allow an hour, or so, if they can see that any donuts were accidental and you're not going to do many more..
I may have a solution. Although Lydney is about 3 miles away as the seagull flies (and they do) most stuff, like Google, fail to realise that the River Severn is in the way. But I can get to Lydney station via Gloucester. The advantage of Lydney is that it has the Forest of Dean with good quiet roads (I used to take my dog there for walks and also my Ducatis for madness)) My thinking is that after just looking at houses in Hayle out of interest, I may as well take advantage of where I live now! Gloucester and the Forest of Dean! And forget Hayle! I will investigate if Lydney has any bike shops!
It is so close that some of the older residents used to go to school in Lydney. That was when the railway bridge existed. About 50 years ago it was destroyed by barges breaking free from their tugs and crashing into it. A decision was made to not bother rebuild it. The Severn tunnel had been completed and the case for a bridge crossing the Severn was not strong. Here ends your free history lesson!
Shopping centre/supermarket/retail park car parks or industrial estates. I've used the above when learning to drive and/or when testing race bikes after repairs ahead of the next outing.
I have no car. I did think of asking to borrow a mate's but it puts them in a difficult position. If I smash up an instructor's car then it is not my problem!
You should be in a dual control car, in case of any issues - and because they will be properly insured and you are not (or should not) likely to be being taught mistakes. If you will need to pass another test, that is the only way forwards. Driving regs change every year, what anyone knew and passed with a few years ago - is different to what is required to pass now. You should be able to find an instructor that will take you on (they are always busy), if not get in touch with your local testing station, they should be able to get you in touch with one. Dont go with the cheapest - they keep you parked up and talking instead of driving. I did it for long enough (instructing, not keeping pupils parked up lol), so I know how they work
I think you are missing the whole point here. You had your licence revoked through ill health. You have been granted a provisional in order to take part in a dvla controlled driver assessment, probably in a vehicle that they will organise/insure. This is the sole purpose of your provisional grant currently. It has not been issued for you to learn to drive again, so any business or private instruction could potentially be uninsurable. Anyone helping you with this, friend or paid trainer, still has a liability against their own licence for you to be 100% legal. Unless you can get a covering letter from dvla clarifying the parameters of the provisional and definitely allowing you on the road for instruction as well as the forthcoming assessment, then you are ultimately placing both yourself and the accompanying driver in a very risky situation.
Yeah agreed on that my Daughter is now on her 4th instructor the other 3 were women who mostly parked up for half the lesson discussing family issues with her.
And smashing up cars is what I do! Only one bike smash in 42 years and that one wasn't my fault - I wasn't even speeding for Chrissakes!!!
When the driving and assessment centre called me, yesterday, I asked specifically about this. They were happy and thought it good to have some goes with a driving instructor and that is what I am trying to arrange. The guy even quoted from the bottom of his letter that the license is specifically for on-road instruction from any driving instructor. Didn't say anything about borrowing a mate's car to burn-up in Tesco's car park. Looks like I'll be getting the train to Lydney and doing stuff in the Forest of Dean. There are some good 4x4 trails in the Forest but I doubt that I can persuade a driving instructor to let me do some!
Never seen one but have heard them. I know some mad locals are convinced that strange things happen in the forest. Might be something in the water for madness around there, is not uncommon.
There were a few rock concerts held there in the past. I know of one of the sites. Can't remember if it was legal or illegal. Knowing the Forest, I doubt if anyone cared.
I've got an instructor to meet me in Gloucester now. It is more convenient but a bit unhappy not going to the Forest! Forget about Hayle! I will now look at house prices in Lydney! No!!!!!!!!!!! That is mad!!! I don't wanna move! As soon as I get my motorcycle license returned, I can go an play in the Forest. Feck the hassle of moving!
I gave in to curiosity. If I was a cat, then I'd be dead, now. Lydney looked dear and is further from the Forest than Coleford. Nothing more appealing than what I have and possibly a lot more expensive, together with the hassle. So definitely staying put. My head needs sorting out. I was looking at routes on the A38 to Hayle, in Cornwall earlier. And then I wake up! WTF lam I looking at long routes to Cornwall when you have the Forest of Dean on my doorstep, with South Wales and the Brecon Beacons not very far. GET A GRIP! People come HERE for their holidays and I want the expense and hassle of moving when I don't need to! And I was seriously considering Kawasakis!!! When they were assessing me for brain damage, nobody thought to ask me if I wanted to move or a Jap bike. These eggsperts do not know what they are doing.
