Motoring Discussion > Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Fenlander Replies: 14
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New Mon 11 Aug 14 14:36 
 Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? - Fenlander
Youngest daughter started to learn to drive this month. Self and instructor both agree practice in Mrs F's car will help a great deal.

With eldest daughter 2yrs ago I accepted in the early weeks/months there was just a chance of a low speed bump due to her inexperience and the fact I couldn't bring the car to a halt due to a lack of dual controls.

Sadly on a rare occasion Mrs F was supervising just such a bump happened. Not F junior's fault as such unless you count the fact that she just didn't have the experience to counter a dreadful bit of driving next to her on a roundabout which resulted in her being cut up and contact between the cars.

Had I been supervising with dual controls I would have stopped the contact.

So mindful of the high ongoing costs to us from that accident I'm wondering about fitting dual controls to Mrs F's Polo until youngest F has a good amount of lessons behind her.

Any thoughts?
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New Mon 11 Aug 14 14:56 
 Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? - ToMoCo
Rent a dual control car for a few hours each week?
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New Mon 11 Aug 14 15:16 
 Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? - Fenlander
I never knew such a thing existed but a quick Google shows you can hire a dual control car for £9/hr plus mileage which equates to around £15/hr but the fuel is included.

Interesting idea but that would cost us as much each week as a set of (used) dual controls which could be sold at the end of the exercise for what they cost..... also the logistics of collecting a car from town just for an hour's use would do my head in.
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New Mon 11 Aug 14 15:20 
 Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? - Zero
Lot of effort to fit, costs money, lot of effort to remove, and unless you are experienced in using them (like learning NOT to press the brake every time you feel threatened) a waste of time and could even be counter productive.
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New Mon 11 Aug 14 15:26 
 Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? - Bromptonaut
Agree with Zero, too much faff. Might affect car's resale value too as it's difficult to remove DC's without leaving tell tale holes.

I think the risk of a bump is just something you have to live with and hope lighteninig doesn't strike twice.
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New Mon 11 Aug 14 15:45 
 Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? - Fenlander
Not being argumentative but just negating the elements that aren't an issue for me.

Fitting is easy, removal is easy, cost at used prices will be fully recovered when sold after use. If there are any marks after removal won't be significant or impact on the sale of a sub £1000 car (which is where it will be by the time it leaves the family).

Learning "not" to go for them in stressful but non-critical situations is a fair point and if we get them will be something I'll have to quickly come to terms with.

Pedals do come off quickly so can be removed for normal use.

The previous bump so far has cost us some £700 and it will still impact for at least two more years premiums.... not insignificant.

Still very tempted.
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New Mon 11 Aug 14 15:55 
 Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? - CGNorwich
Your insurer will bump up the premi when you tell them you have modified the car.
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New Mon 11 Aug 14 16:10 
 Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? - CGNorwich
Or more likely refuse to give you cover at all.
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New Mon 11 Aug 14 16:30 
 Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? - Fenlander
That's a fair point, due to phone them later to ask so I'll find out.
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New Mon 11 Aug 14 17:09 
 Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? - Fenlander
Well as daughter would say... what total fun sponges.

Apparently no private person is mad enough to fit dual controls just to teach their own child so assumption is made you are doing some sneaky lessons on the quiet... so LV have a blanket ban on dual controls.

That's my project for next week out the window then... I'll have to look for a new strimmer, camera or something for amusement.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Mon 11 Aug 14 at 17:09
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New Mon 11 Aug 14 17:38 
 Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? - Runfer D'Hills
My wife had a car at one time which had previously been used as a driving school car and had dual controls fitted.

She declared the modification to her insurers and was told it made no difference but thanked her for mentioning it. AA insurance at the time I think or might have been Swinton.

She made me take the pedals off for some reason. Not sure why, I didn't use them much...

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New Mon 11 Aug 14 17:51 
 Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? - Fenlander
>>>I didn't use them much...

Mrs F's away at the moment as all this was being planned. She's not the most rational person when roused so daughters and I were laughing so much about the possibility of a crafty pedal takeover now and again when she was driving.
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New Tue 12 Aug 14 12:54 
 Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? - Cliff Pope
Pay a driving instructor for the early lessons, and then use your own car once she has learned to steer and use the brakes.
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New Tue 12 Aug 14 14:01 
 Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? - RichardW
You should have bought a C3 Picasso F - comes with built in dual brakes :-)

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13446522

Or, in the case of Mrs F perhaps that is duel brakes!
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New Tue 12 Aug 14 14:10 
 Dual controls in our car for learner daughter? - Fenlander
I'd not seen that C3 thing Richard. Reminds me of one of the hardest to trace electrical issues I was ever faced with on a friend's car. Intermittent loss of power to engine elecs... but never showed on workshop test. Turned out to be the main feed to the underbonnet area was under the passenger carpet and when someone had their feet pressing on this place the car would cut out as the connector pulled apart slightly. As soon as they moved their feet it was fine again.

And indeed duel anything suits Mrs F.

>>> use instructor in early stages... That is the plan Cliff but sadly the instructor she's just started with has a month of limited availability so I'd hoped to take up the slack.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Tue 12 Aug 14 at 14:11
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