My Driving Journey: The Breaking Point with My Instructor
The lessons that finally pushed me to reach my breaking point with an instructor who talked too much and helped too little.
Lesson 6: Back to Basics
This lesson, my instructor spent a whole 30 minutes just talking. Honestly, he was going over stuff I already knew, like turning too late or not straightening the wheel fast enough. When your basic skills aren't there, hearing it a thousand times won't help; you just need more practice.
I'd also taken a two-week break this time, and it felt like starting all over again. You really can't stop practicing when you're learning to drive.
Two Big Mistakes This Lesson:
❶ Turning into a car park: I didn't control the turn well and got distracted, completely missing the pedestrian crossing. I almost hit someone!
❷ Driving into a garage: I was worried about not having enough power, so I kept my foot on the accelerator. Almost crashed into the wall!
These two mistakes really upset me.
Lesson 7: The Endless Talking
My instructor's constant chattering was really getting to me. All I wanted to do was focus on driving, not listen to him talk. I already knew my mistakes; I just needed more practice.
Lesson 8: Tuning Him Out and a Shady Move
This time, during the lesson, I was so fed up with his talking that I basically let it go in one ear and out the other. He seemed to notice I wasn't as responsive as usual. When the lesson ended, he actually told me I'd improved. I thought to myself, "Of course. Only when I tuned you out could I actually concentrate on driving."
Then, he actually ended the lesson early. And he had the nerve to say, "Didn't I extend it last time?" What? Did he even ask me if I wanted that extra time last time? And this time, he cut it short without a word to me. What does he take me for? I felt a strong sense of disgust and knew I couldn't keep learning with him. If he extended the time before, he should have either deducted it from the next lesson or told me upfront. I really dislike that kind of vague, unclear accounting of my time.
At this point, I was strongly considering changing instructors.
Lesson 9: Highway Hopes Dashed
The instructor said he'd take me on the highway so I could get a better feel for staying centered in the lane. But honestly, I still didn't feel it.
Not only does he talk too much, but he offers no real help when I'm feeling nervous. I'm only just realizing now that this instructor has no proper teaching system at all. For someone like me, who learns slowly and doesn't have a good "feel" for driving, it's just a waste of time.
So far, I've had 9 lessons with this instructor, costing me $1080. Adding the $230 I spent on other trial lessons, that's a total of $1310 gone. My driving fear hasn't lessened, and my skills haven't improved much either. I feel like I've been played.
If you are wondering what I did next, I share the decision in Don't Make My Mistake: When to Fire Your Driving Instructor and how I filled the gaps with the best driving resources I found.
Related Articles
More Posts
Finding a Rental House in Australia: Our Simple, Real Experience
How our family searched for a safe, simple rental in Australia, with practical steps that actually helped.
Picking the Right Driving Instructor and How to Avoid My Mistakes!
How I tried multiple instructors in Melbourne, what went wrong, and what I now look for before booking lessons.
Discovering Melbourne Suburbs: South Morang
South Morang at a glance: diversity, rents, safety, schools, and day‑to‑day convenience.