from bike to car... how fast?

[izzi81]

I knew I should have got round to learning how to drive a car sooner....
Yes, I may be 28 but I can't drive. And this morning I got a letter in the mail saying 3 positions have opened up in the job I'm fairly sure I want as a career. Which is *very* exciting, apart from the fact I know they're going to require people who can drive. I was planning on learning this summer but haven't got around to it yet, and didn't expect any vacancy news this quickly.

So.. been riding for 5 years, how long is it going to take me, roughly, to get the hang of a car? Do they do quick courses as they do with bikes? Are these really expensive?
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[Mr C]

no problems

your road sense will be better developed than most car drivers already

you just have to develop the necessary control skills


easy peasy
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[Bendy]

Doddle. You know pretty much everything already, you just have to get used to doing it bigger and slower. In my past experience of taking bikers out in the car, the main 'issues' are road position (you don't sit in the middle of a car), reversing and the concept of straightening up the steering when doing low speed stuff. Nothing that takes any time to get your head round though.

You can get intensive driving courses, no idea of the prices I'm afraid.

[atom]

I'm 29, just learning to drive a car at the moment, I've had around 30 hours driving, and I'm applying for my test fairly shortly. Riding the bike really has developed my road sense. Remember thinking it was really weird how my view was obscured by the front pillars either side of the windscreen. The manouveres in the car are a bit of a pain, least i only have to sort out the U turn and emergency breaking on the bike. Left/Right hand reverse, Three point turn, Parrallell parking arghhh
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[Robby]

I had about 20 lessons over 6 months and passed first time, after riding for about 18 months - 2 years.
Probably could have done it in less, but I was in no rush to pass and my parents were paying.

[mr.z]

Just tell them you hold a full uk licence just don't say what for!

I does actually pee me off a little when you get things like this, unless its specificly a car related job then as long as you get to your destination - be it the office or on site e.t.c. smart enough then why exactly is it their buisness how you got there?

Its not so difficult, your going to have to deal with the fact you have considerbly less clearance, your going to have to give the engine more stick to go anywhere and the obvious controll differences..

My mums actually a driveing instructor, i get free lessons whenever i feel like it, been driveing a few years now, but never bothered with the test just never had a good enough reason and especially now, if i get a car then the bike will be an expenditure thats not needed, which is not happening! They'll have to prise it from my cold dead... um knees...

Anyways, car test is way easyer than the bike 100% fact, and they are easyer to controll, you'd have to try very hard to fall off one! as mr c said, if you have been rideing for a while you have a huge advantage of your road experience.
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[tgabber]

Yes, should be simple.

Only thing that catches me out when I switch back to a car occasionally is the handbrake...

Oh, and it's not a good idea to try filtering in a car unless you're fitted with blue flashing lights...
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[izzi81]

[LorryDriver71]

God I hate cars!
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[atom]

Yup another theory test to do.
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[ProXimaCore]

You will have to do the theory test again I'm pretty sure.

I done my car test first but I found the bike test easier. Probably down to having decent road sense by then though. You've been on the roads about twice the length of me so I really doubt you'll have any problems at all. You'll have hardly anything to learn on your lessons so you can concentrate on the parts that are different from riding a bike. Won't take long at all!
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[Bendy]

[atom]

I'm doing them both about the same time
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[McJamweasel]

I'm in a similar position Izzi/, although I have been kinda almost learning to drive for a while. Although I've not had any proper lessons I have picked it up quite easily. I just have a problem with the centre mirror - I never use it.
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[rsooty]

You can do whats known as a 'crash course' which is a week long and includes your test. You can get them for around £300 but you need to of done your theory test first.

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[Kickstart]

Hi

I have been riding a bike about 4~5 years by the time I learnt to drive (officially, tazzed a few cars around car parks in the past).

I found it quite easy. Major problems are remembering how slow the vehicle you are driving is. That gap you are looking at on the roundabout is not big enough to pull the car into (squealing of brakes as instructor stands on his brake and clutch ).

I think I took around 20 lessons to get a car licence (eg, first lesson on the 1st June, test on the 29th October). However I refused to put in for my test for a while when my instructor said I was ready, and when I passed (and still thought my driving was pretty dodgy) it was a touch worrying (if I can get through, who else is on the roads).

It might be worth asking round a few bike riding friends to see if they can suggest an instructor who also rides a bike, or better still has experience of teaching riders, as you needs will be somewhat different to someone with no real experience on the roads.

By the way, any details on the job?

All the best

Keith
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[Ninja]

spent 2 years on a bike before taking my car test - found it a comparative doddle passing after just 15 half-hour lessons - as Mr C said your road sense will be comparatively overdeveloped, just the vehicle control to get used to - something you'll do within a couple of hours
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James
4 wheels transport the Body ... 2 wheels transport the SOUL

[Frost]

car control isnt too hard. manuvoring is a bid odd though!
I find driving a car harder, just cause i feel cut off from the world. its like i'm half asleep the whole time im driving. out int he open on a bike i find it much easier to sense how fast i'm going, following distances and road position.

You might get in a car and fine it very natural, or you might find it a right sod, depends on you.

Having ridden a bike will help no end with the theory side of things. the rest is mainly practise.

[G]

I was in a similar kind of position (24 now )... did my test so I could get to trackdays etc.

I took ages of occasional lessons, but was delaying it for a bit for various reasons.

The worst bit after the initial shock was the manouvers. Specifically staying appropriately close to the curve.

Have never had to do a reverse around a corner in 'real life', but am finally sorting out the parking stuff after having my licence for 4 months.

You can get intensive courses and yes, they are expensive.

[Flip]

Well I too am 28 I don't drive a car, but I'll learn this year for work and stuff. Tried years ago but had no interset in cars at all. Didn't like them and didn't need one.

But I think they are f*cking useful to have though. Time to try again soon

[izzi81]

sounds like an intensive course wouldn't be worth the money.. I presume they're aimed at people with no road experience as well so I'd be paying heaps of money for them to teach me some parts that I already know..

I hadn't thought about the speed issue - the roundabout comment is a good one, I'll have to remember that! (I can picture me thinking the car had as good acceleration as the zx6r and making a bit of a mess! )

The place I'm thinking of learning also does bike instructing so I'm hoping that means they'll know my situation fairly well.

[G]

When I was initially learning to drive a car in a trading estate going at just 40 felt really fast... while I've done probably twice that on the same estate on one wheel without any worries.

I tend to be over cautious in the car because I know it doesn't accelerate anything like my bike, so miss out any chances to pull out which I could have safely used.

[Kickstart]