When you book your first driving lesson with Pro-Motion Driving School we will arranged a pick up location with you. This is usually at your home address, or it could be a different location such as college or work if required. You will need to bring your provisional driving licence with you for your first driving lesson as we need to ensure you are legal to drive.

 

How your first driving lesson starts depends on the area that you are picked up from and the duration of the lesson.  If I am to pick you up in a busy area I will meet and greet you and will check your provisional driving licence. I will then ask you to sit in the passenger seat and we will drive to a quieter area for your first driving lesson.The area we will use is often a quiet residential area. I will often drive you to this starting location until you are proficient enough to start lessons from your busy pick up location. On the way to our starting area, we will go over the lesson plan, so that you know what the lesson will entail.

 

Once we have arrived at a quiet residential street for your first driving lesson, it will be your turn to get in the driving seat.  It is at this stage we will go over the 'cockpit drill' so that you can get used to all the controls.

 

What Is the Cockpit Drill?

 

The cockpit drill involves me explaining and demonstrating car safety procedures and what the various pedals and levers do and how to operate them. If appropriate, we may also use a book containing diagrams for such things as the clutch to help you understand the operation easier.  

 

The cockpit drill should take around 30 to 40 minutes to complete. I may also ask you a few basic questions during the cockpit drill, but this is nothing for you to worry about.  It will purely be to gauge your understanding. as this will help when it comes to actually driving the car.

 

During this you will  be expected to operate the controls whilst the car is turned off and to listen to the instructor. Make sure you ask the me to repeat anything you do not understand (I won't mind) as this will help when it comes to actually driving the car.

 

On your first driving lesson, the cockpit drill will include:

 

• Cockpit drill

• Car mirror adjustments - How to handle and adjust the car mirrors

• Blind spot - Areas that you cannot see in your mirrors

• Steering the car - Correct steering techniques

• How to change gears - Explanation on where the gears are and technique for changing them

• When to use the handbrake

 

If your first lesson is only for an hour then this will be the end of your lesson.  I will then ask you to return to the passenger seat and I will drive us back to your pick up location or to another predetermined location. (ie, if I picked you up at work then I can drive you to your home address if it is within a 5mile radius.

 

When we have reached your desired drop off point we will discuss how the lesson went and what to expect on the next lesson. We can also discuss future driving lesson bookings that will work around your schedule.

 

If your first lesson is for 2 hours then we will proceed to the second lesson.

 

 

The Second Lesson

 

The second lesson will also take place in a quiet residential location - usually the same place that your first lesson was.  Again, I will drive us to this location.  We will recap what was covered on the first lesson before we are ready to start with moving off and stopping.

 

When we are ready to commence with the moving off and stopping section I will explain to you the procedure of moving the car off and stopping. Again this may be done in conjunction with diagrams.

 

During this time I will explain how to move the car off using the various equipment in the car and how to do this safely by use of mirrors and your blind spot.  This will be followed by how to park the car up on the left alongside the pavement using the cars equipment and again, how to do this safely.

 

After I have explained this, you will then be given the chance to drive the car for the first time. Don't worry though, I will explain everything again - real-time as you are driving the car.  

 

During the moving off and stopping procedure, I will explain to you:

 

• Moving off - Getting gears ready, and the basics of:-

 

• Clutch control - Which includes how to find the clutch bite point

• When to signal when moving off and when driving

• When to change gear - At what speeds and revs a gear should be changed, although this may only be covered on a very basic level

• Stopping the car - including techniques for covering the brake and the clutch

• Curb side parking - Perhaps including reference points to aid in avoiding hitting the curb.  This is often a nervous time for learner drivers, but you will only be travelling a short distance before you stop.  It is usually in a straight or reasonably straight line. Also, don't forget I have dual controls so if anything goes wrong, Ican take full control.

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Most importantly, do not worry if you cannot do this first time.  If you stall the car then this is not a problem as we will discuss how not to stall a car also.  Also, do not worry if you get too close to the pavement.  The alloys are protected so that you cannot cause any damage to the alloys or tyres.

 

At the end of the lesson I will drive us to your preferred drop off location.  I will discuss with you how the lesson went and what to expect on the next lesson. We can also discuss future driving lesson bookings that will work around your schedule.