Please share your opinion on this. What's easier? Car or scooter?

[Arsinoe]

If you are having difficulties with handling a car, any scooter/motorcycle requires far more attention on the road as well as developing situational awareness. I have had two motorcycles, the last a Kawasaki Concours. I loved it and have ridden in all conditions excepting winter and snow.

A good idea is to avoid small tires. They do not roll over obstructions easily and while they may seem easy to turn, they do not have a large gyroscopic effect and so you do not countersteer like you do on motorcycles.

I learned how to ride my bicycle very young and since then I've been able to properly control, maneuver it and ride smoothly even among traffic. I know the bicycle is not the same as a bike but if my balance and physical control on my bicycle was so good (with bicycles being even less safe than bikes) I think it wouldn't be very difficult for me to learn the same on a bike.

 

[Arsinoe]

A car has a roof, windows, air conditioning, heat, and can carry passengers and cargo. You can sleep in a car. You can travel comfortably for over a thousand miles in a car.

Yes but you need to be able to properly control and coordinate yourself in it because cars do demand lots of that stuff

 

[Arsinoe]

Can you change the instructor? You have a very good reason to if he acts like that

I wish but in my close knit area driving schools only have 1 instructor each. I either have to completely change the driving school or tell my current instructor that I will switch to bike lessons which generally take less time and (hopefully) will be easier for me. In any case I don't want to continue the car lessons. I'm no good at it and this instructor makes things only worse.

 

[Arsinoe]

It doesn't sound like the communication is working with your current teacher. I'm a little scared it will be a very hard experience for you to have him teach you... - some teachers are just a bad fit.

But when it can't be changed then I hope you can make him understand that the way he teach you now isn't working and need to change - just ignore him if he say there is something wrong with the way you learn.

Trust me I keep trying to communicate it to him..politely..and he doesn't seem to get it. He is awful at communication (ironic if he's a teacher) and he just doesn't seem to understand the concept of 'different people/different learning paces/skills'. He gets on my nerves because at this point I don't even see any meaning in continuying going for the lessons. I've lost any kind of motive for them and I get sick in my stomach before each and every lesson. I spend more time thinking about this cr@p than I do anything else during the day. I fear that if I keep the lessons with him I will inevitably end up fighting with him because I will be so frustrated I won't even be able to control my nerves!

 

[kriss72]

Trust me I keep trying to communicate it to him..politely..and he doesn't seem to get it. He is awful at communication (ironic if he's a teacher) and he just doesn't seem to understand the concept of 'different people/different learning paces/skills'. He gets on my nerves because at this point I don't even see any meaning in continuying going for the lessons. I've lost any kind of motive for them and I get sick in my stomach before each and every lesson. I spend more time thinking about this cr@p than I do anything else during the day. I fear that if I keep the lessons with him I will inevitably end up fighting with him because I will be so frustrated I won't even be able to control my nerves!

I have bad experience with the driving teacher my spouse used when moving here - that teacher cared about the passing rate for his students, so if a student was not performing good enough, he became angry at them and thought it was the students fault that he couldn't teach them.

I found a new instructor for my spouse - the new instructor was a retired F-16 fighter pilot, he was so calm when teaching, telling me, no student could do anything that stressed him, compared to what he had experienced in the air force I ended up taking refresher lessons with him too.

If you change to the scooter license, would it be with the same instructor? - or is there any way you could hire another instructor without loosing some significant amount of money? I'm thinking, like from a different company, even it might be more far away from your home? - You should definitely not feel sick in your stomach before a lesson (well, not because of the instructor, it's ok to be scared of the whole car thingy, that is normal and will pass with experience).

 

[kriss72]

I wish but in my close knit area driving schools only have 1 instructor each. I either have to completely change the driving school or tell my current instructor that I will switch to bike lessons which generally take less time and (hopefully) will be easier for me. In any case I don't want to continue the car lessons. I'm no good at it and this instructor makes things only worse.

Oh you kind of already answered my question, sorry, didn't read it before I answered- I think it might be the teacher, not the car that is the problem, could it be that the challenges with the car (and there are a lot of things that needs to be coordinated while driving a car) are just getting worse because your teacher is not helping you, or maybe even working against you? (I'm trying to say, don't give up on the car stuff, just because you met a bad teacher - and again, I can't comment on the scooter license as I don't have experience with it - but what if the scooter teacher is just as bad, apparently that school is not hiring for the teaching skills of their instructors)

 

[Arsinoe]

I have bad experience with the driving teacher my spouse used when moving here - that teacher cared about the passing rate for his students, so if a student was not performing good enough, he became angry at them and thought it was the students fault that he couldn't teach them.

I found a new instructor for my spouse - the new instructor was a retired F-16 fighter pilot, he was so calm when teaching, telling me, no student could do anything that stressed him, compared to what he had experienced in the air force I ended up taking refresher lessons with him too.

If you change to the scooter license, would it be with the same instructor? - or is there any way you could hire another instructor without loosing some significant amount of money? I'm thinking, like from a different company, even it might be more far away from your home? - You should definitely not feel sick in your stomach before a lesson (well, not because of the instructor, it's ok to be scared of the whole car thingy, that is normal and will pass with experience).

Yeah I get the feeling this is what this one cares about too. Like he has this 'plan' in his head that all of his students must learn stuff from the first lessons so it will be easier for him to send them for exams even before the end of the mandatory 25 lessons. Plus that's probably how he hides his own incompetence. He does have a lot of knowledge but he clearly can't pass it through properly and the way he rushes everything and behaves is the opposite of what is needed to actually teach someone. I will not be able to change the driving schools easily because I've already paid most of the money in this one and I'll have to make up for the rest of the lessons time because I doubt my money can be returned? If I could get my money back I'd definitely seek another instructor. The bike lessons cost is much cheaper than the car one.
I'm glad you found a good teacher, he does indeed sound awesome to have

 

[kriss72]

Yeah I get the feeling this is what this one cares about too. Like he has this 'plan' in his head that all of his students must learn stuff from the first lessons so it will be easier for him to send them for exams even before the end of the mandatory 25 lessons. Plus that's probably how he hides his own incompetence. He does have a lot of knowledge but he clearly can't pass it through properly and the way he rushes everything and behaves is the opposite of what is needed to actually teach someone. I will not be able to change the driving schools easily because I've already paid most of the money in this one and I'll have to make up for the rest of the lessons time because I doubt my money can be returned? If I could get my money back I'd definitely seek another instructor. The bike lessons cost is much cheaper than the car one.
I'm glad you found a good teacher, he does indeed sound awesome to have

That is also a business model, keep the fast learners, and treat the others so bad that they leave the pre-paid course, so new students can come in and get a double pay (not saying that is what he does, but some people might). Would it be possible to ask the school what their refund policy is? Maybe not directly, but have a friend/college/family memeber call them, pretending to be a new student, and ask the question?

 

[Arsinoe]

That is also a business model, keep the fast learners, and treat the others so bad that they leave the pre-paid course, so new students can come in and get a double pay (not saying that is what he does, but some people might). Would it be possible to ask the school what their refund policy is? Maybe not directly, but have a friend/college/family memeber call them, pretending to be a new student, and ask the question?

Yea that would be a good idea :l Everything is so freaking complicated when you live in a close knit community. Everyone knows everyone and the school I go in now used to be owned by a very kind teacher whom my family knew and that's actually how I ended up here plus the familiarity of being able to negotiate time and payment in case I had difficulty with it. Yet another reason to despise close communities. Not wanting to create a misunderstanding or 'ruin' your relations with those around you or those familiar with your family can really make things painfully complicated. If it weren't for that I'd just tell him off already.

 

[maycontainthunder]

@Arsinoe , if you need any advice on riding a bike just ask. I've ridden quite a few. Most are ancient British bikes... they were fun to start with because the gear change and brake are on opposite sides to what I was used to! Hand gear change is fun too. Yet to ride a bike with lever throttle so one more thing to learn for me.

 

[Mary Terry]

I wish but in my close knit area driving schools only have 1 instructor each. I either have to completely change the driving school or tell my current instructor that I will switch to bike lessons which generally take less time and (hopefully) will be easier for me. In any case I don't want to continue the car lessons. I'm no good at it and this instructor makes things only worse.

Do you have a family member or friend who can patiently teach you to drive? Why must it be a driving school instructor?

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

I wish but in my close knit area driving schools only have 1 instructor each. I either have to completely change the driving school or tell my current instructor that I will switch to bike lessons which generally take less time and (hopefully) will be easier for me. In any case I don't want to continue the car lessons. I'm no good at it and this instructor makes things only worse.

Do you have anything like the Motorcycle Safety Foundation near you. I received my original instruction from them over an intense weekend and after passing the "final exam" my Department of Motor Vehicles did not even require me to take their exam for my motorcycle endorsement.

 

[Arsinoe]

@Arsinoe , if you need any advice on riding a bike just ask. I've ridden quite a few. Most are ancient British bikes... they were fun to start with because the gear change and brake are on opposite sides to what I was used to! Hand gear change is fun too. Yet to ride a bike with lever throttle so one more thing to learn for me.

Thank you so much I'll definitely keep you in mind

 

[Arsinoe]

Do you have a family member or friend who can patiently teach you to drive? Why must it be a driving school instructor?

Where I live you can't have a diploma if you don't have a minimum amount of lessons from an official driving instructor. I do have family members who could show me but our car is currently at the repair shop for a general servicing and we don't know when it will be ready.

 

[Shevek]

@Arsinoe , I had an awful instructor too. I managed four lessons with him before I gave up on driving. The miserable old git put me right off with his perpetual moaning. He had no comprehension that learning took time.

Bikes... you'll want something like a Honda CG125 or similar. Easy to ride and can keep up with traffic.

Some words of advice; do all your braking before you enter a tight bend. The reason is traction; you are using a lesser-used part of the tyre which may have less grip when it's forced to do two things.

Train yourself not to grab a handful of front brake. If you do this you'll lock the wheel and down you go. Remember, most bikes don't have ABS.

If you do go down the bike route find an empty carpark and practice using the clutch and brakes.

Oh, and beware of loose gravel on the road. It will try and take you out.

Good advice, but you need a lot more. For instance, wet leaves will also drop you if you do much braking or turning on them. And pea gravel from a beach is far worse than jagged quarry gravel. However, I've ridden a bicycle on ice that was taking down pedestrians and keeping the cars parked.

Any kind of driving requires good coordination and the development of automatic reflexes. The steering, shifting, and so on should require no conscious effort, so that you can put your attention on the road and traffic. Stay in an empty parking lot until it gets pretty boring even when practicing evasive action.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

I learned how to ride my bicycle very young and since then I've been able to properly control, maneuver it and ride smoothly even among traffic. I know the bicycle is not the same as a bike but if my balance and physical control on my bicycle was so good (with bicycles being even less safe than bikes) I think it wouldn't be very difficult for me to learn the same on a bike.

You will have a clutch and gear shift (left hand and foot) as well as a front and rear brake (right hand and foot), plus the throttle on the right bar end.

Good advice, but you need a lot more. For instance, wet leaves will also drop you if you do much braking or turning on them. And pea gravel from a beach is far worse than jagged quarry gravel. However, I've ridden a bicycle on ice that was taking down pedestrians and keeping the cars parked.

Any kind of driving requires good coordination and the development of automatic reflexes. The steering, shifting, and so on should require no conscious effort, so that you can put your attention on the road and traffic. Stay in an empty parking lot until it gets pretty boring even when practicing evasive action.

Don't forget tar strips. I encountered them on a very hot day out west, they were as slick as snot and a hazard in the turns when I motorcycled to Mesa Verde.

 

[vergil96]

If it weren't for that I'd just tell him off already.

Maybe everyone knows he is a jerk and nobody will be angry with you...

Or you can try to use the family connections, I mean ask the family and the people they know at the school, to help you get him behave kinder to you.

 

[maycontainthunder]

Good advice, but you need a lot more. For instance, wet leaves will also drop you if you do much braking or turning on them. And pea gravel from a beach is far worse than jagged quarry gravel. However, I've ridden a bicycle on ice that was taking down pedestrians and keeping the cars parked.

Any kind of driving requires good coordination and the development of automatic reflexes. The steering, shifting, and so on should require no conscious effort, so that you can put your attention on the road and traffic. Stay in an empty parking lot until it gets pretty boring even when practicing evasive action.

Yep, agree there.

Another issue that can happen is target fixation which can end badly.

One critical thing is road positioning when approaching a junction/intersection with a give way/yield or stop sign. In traffic position yourself so you can see those waiting especially if the vehicle in front or you is turning. It's very important to make yourself visible in this situation. If you don't the waiting vehicle can sometimes pull out because they can't see you.

I got taken out by an idiot biker who failed to properly position himself as described above. He was completely hidden by a turning van.

Also, wear a reflective vest. It makes you more visible.

 

[Arsinoe]

Today was my last car driving lesson. I officially told him that I prefer to continue the remaining time with auto scooter lessons because I don't like the car and it stresses and confuses me a lot but I do actually like the idea of owning a scooter and since it will be easier and cheaper to buy a scooter than I'd rather focus on getting a diploma there, at least for now. We will make the arrangements for the scooter lessons in 2 days. Thank you all for your replies and the help

 

[kriss72]

Today was my last car driving lesson. I officially told him that I prefer to continue the remaining time with auto scooter lessons because I don't like the car and it stresses and confuses me a lot but I do actually like the idea of owning a scooter and since it will be easier and cheaper to buy a scooter than I'd rather focus on getting a diploma there, at least for now. We will make the arrangements for the scooter lessons in 2 days. Thank you all for your replies and the help

I'm happy you found a solution, it must be a relief that you know you don't need to go back to another lesson with him Let us know how it goes with the scooter lessons