Where should I learn to drive?
April 3, 2006 7:02 AM Subscribe
DrivingFilter: I want to learn to drive - should I take a short trip somewhere cheap and do an intensive course?
I'm 27 and am thinking about finally learning to drive. However, I'm currently living in Switzerland (Geneva) and guess that driving lessons, like everything else, would be incredibly expensive here. Also my french isn't good enough. Would MeFites recommend anywhere to go and learn to drive, say over a couple of weeks (?), that would be cheap and english-speaking? A friend recently went to the philippines for a 10 day intensive course - but factor in the plane ticket for that and I doubt I'd be saving anything..
I'm 27 and am thinking about finally learning to drive. However, I'm currently living in Switzerland (Geneva) and guess that driving lessons, like everything else, would be incredibly expensive here. Also my french isn't good enough. Would MeFites recommend anywhere to go and learn to drive, say over a couple of weeks (?), that would be cheap and english-speaking? A friend recently went to the philippines for a 10 day intensive course - but factor in the plane ticket for that and I doubt I'd be saving anything..
Heh, CunningLinguist... AFAIK the driving tests in Europe are much more difficult than in the USA. :) But not necessarialy harder than Ontario, Canada (A BBC Radio story writer proved that one the hard way). So, some driver's ed might be smart... but, from my experience, not necessary (I failed driver's ed but passed all the Ontario driving tests the first time).
posted by shepd at 7:40 AM on April 3, 2006
posted by shepd at 7:40 AM on April 3, 2006
Please do post the cost of the local course. You're going to have to find it out anyway, to make this decision.
Funnily enough, Geneva is the only city I've ever witnessed someone who was obviously in the middle of a driving lesson.
posted by Aknaton at 7:54 AM on April 3, 2006
Funnily enough, Geneva is the only city I've ever witnessed someone who was obviously in the middle of a driving lesson.
posted by Aknaton at 7:54 AM on April 3, 2006
I'm pretty sure that you would be able to find an English speaking driving instructor fairly easily in Geneva. As for cost I was talking to a colleague last year who was learning here and yes, I did think it was pretty expensive, but then I learnt in the UK 17 years ago so I'm out of touch.
posted by jontyjago at 8:02 AM on April 3, 2006
posted by jontyjago at 8:02 AM on April 3, 2006
There's the matter of learning to drive, which mostly requires supervised practice, then there's passing the test which requires learning the rules and techniques specific to a given jurisdiction. If you wish to get a Swiss license you are going to have to do the second part anyway.
If you want to start off elsewhere you will need to find somewhere that will let you have a learners permit or equivalent without being a resident and preferably have access to a car (with licensed driver) to practice outside the formal lessons. By the time you factor in all this plus travel and lodging are you really likely to save money?
This sort of "vacation to get a license" is quite common when learning to fly, where the costs of learning run to multiple thousands of dollars and learning over a shorter period of time can cut the total time and cost considerably, but I've never heard of it for driving.
posted by Quinbus Flestrin at 9:18 AM on April 3, 2006
If you want to start off elsewhere you will need to find somewhere that will let you have a learners permit or equivalent without being a resident and preferably have access to a car (with licensed driver) to practice outside the formal lessons. By the time you factor in all this plus travel and lodging are you really likely to save money?
This sort of "vacation to get a license" is quite common when learning to fly, where the costs of learning run to multiple thousands of dollars and learning over a shorter period of time can cut the total time and cost considerably, but I've never heard of it for driving.
posted by Quinbus Flestrin at 9:18 AM on April 3, 2006
From Switzerland, the only English speaking countries you can hit cheaply are the UK and Malta. You might also have luck in Spain and/or the Spanish islands. The UK would be as expensive as Switzerland, but the other options might work out.
posted by wackybrit at 9:47 AM on April 3, 2006
posted by wackybrit at 9:47 AM on April 3, 2006
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posted by CunningLinguist at 7:05 AM on April 3, 2006