It is amazing what can be achieved on your first driving lesson given the right instructor and conditions.
Last week I gave a 29 year old foreigner from Kosovo his first driving lesson, and he achieved quite a lot during the training session.
Now it is important that you note that what you get out of your first driving lesson will depend on a few things.
Your age, previous road/driving experience, any preparations that you might have made, and most importantly your driving instructor.
Not only does your instructor need to be able to adapt their teaching to the individual's learning ability, but more important is their honesty and willingness to offer the best service and value for money.
Any UK trained ADI taking a beginner for their first driver training session will normally be thinking of giving a controls lesson (cockpit drill, learn the pedals function etc), but a good instructor who has integrity will draw on any previous experience a pupil has and not waste time repeating knowledge already possessed just because of procedure or on purpose to prolong training.
My client had no previous driving experience apart from once in a truck about 12 years ago in Kosovo. On swapping seats with him at the training area, it was evident he was familiar with the cockpit drill, as without asking he adjusted his mirrors, seat and put the seatbelt on. Using Q&A techniques, I was able to establish that he knew the function of the pedals, so all I needed to do as far as a controls lesson explain the terms to be used for instructing the use of each control and we were ready after just 10 minutes to start with moving off and stopping.
Because my client had booked a 3hr first driving lesson, I was looking forward to the challenge of imparting some of my knowledge, and before long we had moved to junctions, emerging, turn in the road, traffic lights, reverse (parallel) parking and even went on a dual carriageway.
The only reason why we were able to cover so much in this time on a first lesson was due to the fast learning of the pupil, my instructional ability and the fact that I was not going to hold the learner back.
My advice/tips to anyone who wants to get the best out of their first driving lesson are:
1. learn the cockpit drill and what the car controls do with a friend, family member.
2. Book at least a 2 hour session, there will be many new things you are going to learn, and getting to do it over and over again will give you a higher chance of remembering it, thus increasing your confidience and learning experience.
3. Choose the right driving instructor through recommendation, and not just because of lesson price or brand name (even expensive AA ADIs can take you for a ride, if you get a bad apple).
