Driving course????????????for wifey

[GWAYGWAY]

With my upcoming ban from my motorhome owing to age, I need to get her to drive the damn thing, she has a licence but just doesn't feel confident enough to drive it.
However in a talk infront of a friend she blurted out the she would if she could get some instruction actually driving it. She wil not trust me so some reason as she thinks I might criticise her!!!!!!!!!. Does anybody know any system or organisation, that can do it, we do NOT belong to any of the CCClub or theMHC club and do not intend to.
She has had a long wheelbase tranny and has driven a double decker, but that was a long time ago. I got in our van and drove it and it soon came back to me, like driving a small truck was, in an earlier life. She can do it but just needs pushing, I found a trip to Gibraltar and back twice was a bit of a solo driving trial, when she could have shared it with me.

 

[vindiboy]

Why has age become a reason for you not being able to drive your van, is it a van weight issue? licence ? [ just curious here ] most driving schools will offer the service you need also HGV driving schools can give your Lady the basics she needs .
good luck.

 

[Minisorella]

With my upcoming ban from my motorhome owing to age, I need to get her to drive the damn thing, she has a licence but just doesn't feel confident enough to drive it.
However in a talk infront of a friend she blurted out the she would if she could get some instruction actually driving it. She wil not trust me so some reason as she thinks I might criticise her!!!!!!!!!. Does anybody know any system or organisation, that can do it, we do NOT belong to any of the CCClub or theMHC club and do not intend to.
She has had a long wheelbase tranny and has driven a double decker, but that was a long time ago. I got in our van and drove it and it soon came back to me, like driving a small truck was, in an earlier life. She can do it but just needs pushing, I found a trip to Gibraltar and back twice was a bit of a solo driving trial, when she could have shared it with me.

Sorry to be pedantic Graham but your wife doesn't need pushing, she needs encouraging :hammer:
She also needs to know she has your full confidence and support and patience. Sounds like it's not a good idea for you to be in the van until she finds her confidence. Sounds like you're confident she can drive the bus... it's not a male domain or rocket science, it's just a case of getting a feel for it. The longer someone sits in the passenger seat, the less confidence they have and it becomes a big challenge and worry. Do you have any friends with motorhomes... someone who will sit with your wife but be distant enough not to feel they can be impatient or critical. A huge empty car park is a good place to start.

As for professional motorhome driving lessons, I googled for Kent and found these...
Home | Avery School of Motoring
caravan Motorhome towing training
LGV & PCV Driver Training in Medway & Kent & the South East.

 

[CavityandLacey]

I was going to suggest contacting a local HGV/LGV driver training place but Vindiboy beat me to it. I phoned one in Falkirk last year to ask if they would give me some reversing lessons - No comments please . They were happy to do it and said it would cost me about £60. I ended up downsizing instead to a panel van conversion. As a side issue, many (car) driving instructors offer this service so its not such a daft idea.

 

[TeamRienza]

I would expect that a registered driving instructor should be capable of giving a few lessons, assuming you are happy to use your van (which is most appropriate), your insurance should be ok since it would be driven on her policy although a call to your insurance company might be prudent.

Failing that there are lots of driving instruction companies who can instruct in the other licence categories and will supply a vehicle. You know the sort of company who teach people how to drive with a trailer, or psv or hgv.

I would add that having been a professional driving instructor in the 1970s I did find that the biggest issue for woman learners was lack of self confidence. I also found that older people had a much slower absorption of skill and ability to learn, whereas young people could suck it up like sponges. The fact that there is no end test and no pressure to learn set pieces or get rid of the dodgy habits that we all acquire is a bonus.

Might be worth checking if there is a female instructor in the locality. That should further reduce the stress levels.

Davy

 

[Martingrant]

Sorry to be pedantic Graham but your wife doesn't need pushing, she needs encouraging :hammer:
She also needs to know she has your full confidence and support and patience. Sounds like it's not a good idea for you to be in the van until she finds her confidence. Sounds like you're confident she can drive the bus... it's not a male domain or rocket science, it's just a case of getting a feel for it. The longer someone sits in the passenger seat, the less confidence they have and it becomes a big challenge and worry. Do you have any friends with motorhomes... someone who will sit with your wife but be distant enough not to feel they can be impatient or critical. A huge empty car park is a good place to start.

As for professional motorhome driving lessons, I googled for Kent and found these...
Home | Avery School of Motoring
caravan Motorhome towing training
LGV & PCV Driver Training in Medway & Kent & the South East.

Well said
Agree totally

Assurance is better than criticism.

 

[trevskoda]

Tell her there is a new summer dress sitting in gibraltar and all she has to do is drive there to collect,then you pay for it,that is if you can remember the combo on the many padlocks you have on the wallet.:lol-049::lol-049::lol-049:

 

[Deleted member 74361]

With my upcoming ban from my motorhome owing to age, I need to get her to drive the damn thing, she has a licence but just doesn't feel confident enough to drive it.
However in a talk infront of a friend she blurted out the she would if she could get some instruction actually driving it. She wil not trust me so some reason as she thinks I might criticise her!!!!!!!!!. Does anybody know any system or organisation, that can do it, we do NOT belong to any of the CCClub or theMHC club and do not intend to.
She has had a long wheelbase tranny and has driven a double decker, but that was a long time ago. I got in our van and drove it and it soon came back to me, like driving a small truck was, in an earlier life. She can do it but just needs pushing, I found a trip to Gibraltar and back twice was a bit of a solo driving trial, when she could have shared it with me.

My OH is a bit reluctant to drive the MH, although she was a driving instructor, partly because we live in Poland and it is RHD.

However, we went to a local supermarket CP when it was closed so she had space with no traffic. She was surprised how easy was the MH to drive and the visibility(It is 'A' Class with big windscreen). Could you find an empty CP? Maybe Industrial Estate at the w/e? Just to let her handle the vehicle, and maybe reverse into a marked space but with nothing she could hit.

Another tip is to get a learner to drive only on wing mirrors. One way is to take out their normal car but blank off the internal rear-view mirror. Then try a reversing manoeuvre - again with lots of space into a lined space.

I did once have a problem explaining to a very competent nurse why it was easier to reverse into a tight space, on the basis one can position the rear wheels and then adjust the front wheels accordingly. I gave up after 10 mins.

Geoff

 

[n brown]

same here- a quiet industrial estate with lorries and pallets about. using the camera to get tight to walls and mirrors into bays . she loved it , never drove bigger than a sherpa

 

[delicagirl]

there is a driver training school for larger vehicles near Westonzoyland in somerset. There must be others.... Like other i strongly suggest not being anywhere near the van when she is having her lesson.... she needs calmness and peace when she is learning a new skill that she fears....

 

[harrow]

I knew a lady that drove army tank transporters but a few years later she struggled to drive a ford escort,

 

[witzend]

What ever training she has she still might not be confident to drive it with you beside her. My wife has HGV 1 but hates driving with me beside her

 

[delicagirl]

i used to drive a flat bed truck delivering parts all over the country - i cant recall the weight but it was significantly bigger than anything else i had ever driven up to that point. i loved it. but some folks have more confidence than others... i will drive almost anywhere - especially now that i have got my mirrors sorted

 

[yorkslass]

100% spot on Jenny. I'm fine doing most things at my own pace but try and push me to do something and i go into panic mode.
Your wife needs to enjoy driving your van, not feel like she's going into the lions den. Praise and encouragement.

 

[trevskoda]

i used to drive a flat bed truck delivering parts all over the country - i cant recall the weight but it was significantly bigger than anything else i had ever driven up to that point. i loved it. but some folks have more confidence than others... i will drive almost anywhere - especially now that i have got my mirrors sorted

Some girls can handle significantly bigger things with confidence though size is not every thing.:lol-053:

 

[yeoblade]

I knew a lady that drove army tank transporters but a few years later she struggled to drive a ford escort,

So do I , but probably not the same girl.


Sadly a lot of women I think are the same, as soon as their partners are next to them they feel all their driving confidence it sucked out of them.

 

[jeanette]

Mostly everyone that says if their partners are sitting next to them all confidence goes out the window, because I’ve been driving for just over 20 years and I’m a very confident person when driving but... when Malcolm says to me you drive that’s it because I probably know what will happen he’ll tell me what to do and how to do it!! So when we got our van I went and saw a friend of ours how is a driving instructor and asked if I needed her to sit in with me she had no hesitation in saying yes,she said the majority of people who got their partner to learn them either argue or split up!

 

[guerdeval]

With my upcoming ban from my motorhome owing to age, I need to get her to drive the damn thing, she has a licence but just doesn't feel confident enough to drive it.
However in a talk infront of a friend she blurted out the she would if she could get some instruction actually driving it. She wil not trust me so some reason as she thinks I might criticise her!!!!!!!!!. Does anybody know any system or organisation, that can do it, we do NOT belong to any of the CCClub or theMHC club and do not intend to.
She has had a long wheelbase tranny and has driven a double decker, but that was a long time ago. I got in our van and drove it and it soon came back to me, like driving a small truck was, in an earlier life. She can do it but just needs pushing, I found a trip to Gibraltar and back twice was a bit of a solo driving trial, when she could have shared it with me.

Where do you live?, I'm ex LGV instructor ,ADI instructor and fork lift trainer at a push but I'm in Worcester.

 

[snodvan]

In August last year we changed our diddy Berlingo based Romahome for a near 33ft/ 3.5 Ton Burster - Mrs and I almost fight over who will drive the new van. We both love driving it!
Normally/ previously Mrs has driven small cars eg Polo, small Merc etc so upward to the new van was a big change

I have to commend her driving. She is damned good, both safety aware but also confident. Her previous vehicles having been been small front wheel drive jobs she did initially drive in the style of that vehicle type ie fast into corners and accelerate out. Scared the ***** out of me/ her, but she soon learned and now I am happy to snooze in the passenger seat while she drives..

Snod

 

[yeoblade]

In August last year we changed our diddy Berlingo based Romahome for a near 33ft/ 3.5 Ton Burster - Mrs and I almost fight over who will drive the new van. We both love driving it!
Normally/ previously Mrs has driven small cars eg Polo, small Merc etc so upward to the new van was a big change

I have to commend her driving. She is damned good, both safety aware but also confident. Her previous vehicles having been been small front wheel drive jobs she did initially drive in the style of that vehicle type ie fast into corners and accelerate out. Scared the ***** out of me/ her, but she soon learned and now I am happy to snooze in the passenger seat while she drives..

Snod

Does she want to go to Malaga in the spring I could do with a chauffeur
(33ft that's a Loooong van)