Learning to drive in Tenerife

[irishmusico]

Since I have started driving lessons,I have been asked loads of questions from friends here in Tenerife,so I thought it might be useful to post.

A few months ago,I decided to go for my driving licence,here in Tenerife.I did drive (badly)in Ireland,on a provisional licence in Ireland 20 years ago,as did everyone at the time.I had about half a dozen lessons from friends and professionals,but basically bought a car got a provisional licence and insurance,and learned as I went along(I think the law in Ireland has changed since then,but that was the way it was back then)I have not been behind the wheel in about 16 years.I am also the most badly motivated person I know,so this is an "Idiots Guide",If you get my meaning.
I am still getting driving lessons at this moment.

I saw a post on this forum a few months ago,about taking the driving theory test in English,so the wife and I decided to go for it.We emailed a lady called Marion,who worked for the now,sadly closed Parqe Royal branch of Autoescuelas San Miguel.We paid 300 euro each,for a 10 hour course in driving theory,which you need to pass,before getting behind the wheel of a car here in Tenerife.There were cheaper options,but this is the way we went.

When we did our theory course,we were given a study book,with all the relevant information,which was explained to us,in detail over the two week course,with certain points been pointed out as sure questions in the test,which in my case turned out to be correct.

I must point out that while the study book was well presented professionally,and had all the relevant information properly explained,sometimes the English was not quite 100%.I pointed this out at the time and I was told that in the in the English version of the official theory exam,which I would eventually sit,the translation was not quite up to par on a lot of questions,and this was reflected in the course.This also turned out to be true,and in hindsight,in my opinion,is a good idea.

During and after the course I could go into the school and do mock exams on their computers as often as I wanted.Each test was 30 questions,as is the official one,and you are allowed 3 incorrect answers.......................

If anyone is interested I will post a bit more on this later. :)

[kingbaker]

Hospital food's good in Hospiten Sur -- hope you have insurance Saw your
OH last week......thought she looked a bit pale HA!!HA!!

[slodgedad]

Since I have started driving lessons,I have been asked loads of questions from friends here in Tenerife,so I thought it might be useful to post.

A few months ago,I decided to go for my driving licence,here in Tenerife.I did drive (badly)in Ireland,on a provisional licence in Ireland 20 years ago,as did everyone at the time.I had about half a dozen lessons from friends and professionals,but basically bought a car got a provisional licence and insurance,and learned as I went along(I think the law in Ireland has changed since then,but that was the way it was back then)I have not been behind the wheel in about 16 years.I am also the most badly motivated person I know,so this is an "Idiots Guide",If you get my meaning.
I am still getting driving lessons at this moment.

I saw a post on this forum a few months ago,about taking the driving theory test in English,so the wife and I decided to go for it.We emailed a lady called Marion,who worked for the now,sadly closed Parqe Royal branch of Autoescuelas San Miguel.We paid 300 euro each,for a 10 hour course in driving theory,which you need to pass,before getting behind the wheel of a car here in Tenerife.There were cheaper options,but this is the way we went.

When we did our theory course,we were given a study book,with all the relevant information,which was explained to us,in detail over the two week course,with certain points been pointed out as sure questions in the test,which in my case turned out to be correct.

I must point out that while the study book was well presented professionally,and had all the relevant information properly explained,sometimes the English was not quite 100%.I pointed this out at the time and I was told that in the in the English version of the official theory exam,which I would eventually sit,the translation was not quite up to par on a lot of questions,and this was reflected in the course.This also turned out to be true,and in hindsight,in my opinion,is a good idea.

During and after the course I could go into the school and do mock exams on their computers as often as I wanted.Each test was 30 questions,as is the official one,and you are allowed 3 incorrect answers.......................

If anyone is interested I will post a bit more on this later. :)

Musico, I think this is a great subject.

I've stickied it and left the title alone as it is info rather than a question..

Give us more...

[samnickgodber]

For all of you guys i used this site as i couldn´t get down to the driving school very often,,,, i think its a good site, again the translation is not brilliant but you manage quite well, give the free exam a go see how you all get on :wink:

http://www.englishdrivingschool.com/

[lozzie1821]

I am currently doing my theory AGAIN!! i past it 1st time round 2 years ago and after failing my driving test a few times and having children i jus didnt have the ummpf in me anymore to go up santa cruz during lesssons ( it probably didnt help that i was driving my mums car anyway - which was great UNTIL i got pulled over :( )

Im doing it in english also and am at the school across from the carolina supermarket in los chris... I have noticed ALOT of students coming in with the all clear for driving which is very positive....


The driving test here is VERY different from learning in the uk...
Its all about clutch control here... no use of handbrake unless u are taking it off 2 drive or putting it on when you stop to get out the car - i failed 1 test as a stopped on a hill and used the handbrake so not 2 roll back and was failed there and then!! GUTTED!
also, you only learn here reverse parking... not like the uk were there are 3 (if i remember correctly... reverse.. parallel and another ????)
they also dont teach here 3 point turn OR reverse round a corner....

you would think this would make the test alot easier - it does BUT the examiners are VERY VERY strict here.... there is no room for mistakes EVEN if you realise what you did wrong and acknowledge what you should have done doesnt help..

[sunseeker]

For all of you guys i used this site as i couldn´t get down to the driving school very often,,,, i think its a good site, again the translation is not brilliant but you manage quite well, give the free exam a go see how you all get on :wink:

http://www.englishdrivingschool.com/can you just use this site then apply for the test?

Added after 4 minutes:


we were given a study bookcan you post the isbn of the book so that i can see if its available online?

[samnickgodber]

can you just use this site then apply for the test?

Added after 4 minutes:

can you post the isbn of the book so that i can see if its available online?

I don´t think you can,i´m pretty sure you have to be registered through a school, but if you speak Spanish or have a friend that speaks Spanish you could always get them to give the exam center a call to find out, the other option would be to study using this site, register with a school and go straight in for the exam,,,, Also i think you can buy a book from the site too, if not the driving schools have them x

[cressrt]

You can only learn through a registered driving school, not allowed to drive your own, partners car etc. The current test are on set routes around Santa Cruz, which you will have to learn as it is up to the examiner, which one he chooses. Our son passed his test here and the examiner decided to use his own route, he got him to drive him home! He did pass though. He has since moved back to the UK but was glad he took the test here as it is IHO easier than the UK. However it is expected to change soon.

[canarybird]

I got my Spanish driving licence last year as my Canadian licence is not valid in Spain despite having driven with it all my life.

I paid and used that online English site, which includes the books (one of which is a collection of sample test questions), also did the sample test questions in Spanish on the online government traffic site every day (free and very good) , but also signed up at a local driving school as just doing the study online is not enough.

The driving school involved daily classroom lessons and an hour or more on their computer doing sample tests. I also got the drivers´ manual from the school and printed tests to take home as homework every day. After about 6 weeks of that I started the daily road practice in the driving school car, (a standard gearshift and a diesel engine) with the instructor directing me on the route to Taco in Sta. Cruz where I drove around that area of the city every day for another couple of weeks.

The school scheduled my written and road tests and did the paperwork. The day of the road exam my instructor from the driving school sat beside me, with the examiner in the back seat directing what I had to do. I passed all without problem doing it all in Spanish, but then I was already an experienced driver. But I know English people who were also experienced drivers who failed the written test even though it was in English.

So to sum it up I don´t think you can just study online and then go and take the tests.
But good luck!

Canarybird

[irishmusico]

I forgot to mention,you must be resident here for 6 months before you can sit the theory test.I was talking to my instructor today,and she says she has enough English to teach the practical,but as the test will only be done in Spanish,I am only asking her to explain something in English,when I really don't get it.

A few basics :


Acelerador....Accelerator
Freno..........Brake
Clutch.........Embrague

[canarybird]

The theory test in the exam center in La Laguna last year when I sat for it was done in either Spanish or English.

As the examinees entered the test room, the controller asked each one in which language he was going to write the exam. There were two piles of exam papers and those who were writing in English were given the sheets from one pile and told to sit together on one side of the room, while those writing in Spanish got a sheet from the other pile and were seated on the other side of the room.

Is there another exam center in the south where this is not the procedure?

Canarybird

[kingbaker]

Hi Irishmusico
It might be interesting to put a post on here about correct roundabout proceedure as I've even
seen police makin' a mess of it. Some dangerous nutters on the roads there, so take care. All slaggin'
aside I'm sure you'll do well. Lookin' forward to hearing about your progress .Paul

[cressrt]

I believe you only use the outside lane, just dive around until your turn off, indicator optional. If you use the inside lane and "cut in" and have an accident you will be in the wrong! Not sure if this in unique to Tenerife/Canaries but it does catch tourists out.

[irishmusico]

can you post the isbn of the book so that i can see if its available online?

It doesn't have one.I believe the school had them made up specifically for the course.


The theory test in the exam center in La Laguna last year when I sat for it was done in either Spanish or English.

As the examinees entered the test room, the controller asked each one in which language he was going to write the exam. There were two piles of exam papers and those who were writing in English were given the sheets from one pile and told to sit together on one side of the room, while those writing in Spanish got a sheet from the other pile and were seated on the other side of the room.

Is there another exam center in the south where this is not the procedure?

Canarybird

I don't know if there is one in the south.I had my theory test in La Laguna also.


Hi Irishmusico
It might be interesting to put a post on here about correct roundabout procedure as I've even
seen police makin' a mess of it. Some dangerous nutters on the roads there, so take care. All slaggin'
aside I'm sure you'll do well. Lookin' forward to hearing about your progress .Paul

Hi Paul
Each time I have used the roundabout at Los Cristianos,I have been coming from Hotel Columbus,or El Camison and turned left for Chayofa.Each time I have been told to,and have driven in the outside lane.

[fonica]

Is there an English speaking driving instructor in the south who can give a refresher course to a lady who has just arrived on the island? She has a UK DL but needs a bit of help with "Spanish style driving".(Don't we all)

[kingbaker]

It doesn't have one.I believe the school had them made up specifically for the course.



I don't know if there is one in the south.I had my theory test in La Laguna also.



Hi Paul
Each time I have used the roundabout at Los Cristianos,I have been coming from Hotel Columbus,or El Camison and turned left for Chayofa.
Each time I have been told to,and have driven in the outside lane.

I think that you have opened a can of worms here.........It'l be more and more interesting as it goes along -- you should be selling tickets
Can I have 15% please

[Vortex Wake]

Yes, interesting subject.................

If you move over to let a bus out at the Los Cristianos bus station - you immediately find yourself facing the inner lane on the roundabout :( . The principle of driving around on the outer lane of the roundabout seems quite good actually - but I still tended to put a wheel into the inner lane as a defensive driving measure to stop people undertaking (brits ?? :D) and cutting me up on the exit.

Handbrake or clutch - either will do for me, however, if waiting for more that a few 10's of seconds, then the handbrake would normally go on for me.

Indicator's - yes :D


Anyway, see for yourself how bad my driving was, and how many solid white lines I crossed ........................... http://www.youtube.com/iLuvTenerife

[canarybird]

Again the roundabout question. If the roundabout has more than one lane and your exit is far around and the traffic permits, you could get into the inner lane and try your luck at getting back out into the exterior lane before you reach your exit. As getting back into the right lane is often so difficult to do without being rear-ended by the ones in the right lane, who have the right of way, it´s just easier to stay in the right lane and go around until you arrive at the exit. Eliminating all the hassle of going in and getting out of an interior lane a few seconds later.

Main thing to remember is to treat the roundabout like any highway with several lanes going in your direction. When you want to make a right turn, you get into the right lane, not the left lane. The left or inner lane is for those who want to spend some time on the roundabout or go faster than those in the right lane.

What you must never do is exit the roundabout from an inner lane, any more than you would make a right turn from a left lane on a multilane highway, crossing over the traffic in the far right lane.

There´s a video of what you shouldn´t do in a link down in the comments, posted by Mancini. It shows exactly the wrong way to handle the exit, and a police office also posted the remark that he saw two infractions in the video.

Here is what the driving schools say, based on the DGT Spanish traffic laws.

GLORIETAS DE VARIOS CARRILES: (translation to English is below.)

http://www.todoautoescuela.net/2010/05/13/como-circular-por-una-glorieta-o-rotonda/

Por mucho que esto sorprenda a mucha gente, SIEMPRE debemos circular por el carril de la derecha, ya que es el carril que más conviene a nuestro destino, ya que nuestro destino va a ser siempre salir por la derecha.

Para el que no se crea lo anterior, a caso cuando piensas girar a la derecha en una vía de varios carriles para tu sentido, ¿te pones en el carril izquierdo? sería ridículo, ¿verdad?

Y entonces… ¿para qué están los otros carriles? pues simplemente para ADELANTAR o incluso, si nos encontramos con algún obstáculo(como un vehículo estacionado), para rebasarlo.

Lo que NUNCA podemos hacer es meternos a los carriles centrales y salir de la glorieta desde estos ya que la prioridad de paso la tienen los vehículos que circulen en ese momento por los carriles de más a la derecha y no sabremos si ellos desean seguir dando vueltas a la glorieta ya que no podemos ver si llevan puesto el intermitente de la derecha.

ROUNDABOUTS WITH SEVERAL LANES:

Although this may come as a surprise to many people we must ALWAYS drive in the right lane, because it is the lane which is most convenient to our destination, since our destination will always be to exit on the right.

For those who don´t believe this, imagine when you want to make a right turn on a highway with several lanes all going in your direction. Do you move over to the left lane? That would be ridiculous - right?

So then......for what are the other lanes? Well simply to PASS or, as well, if we find ourselves with some obstacle (such as a stopped car), to be able to pass it.

What we must NEVER do is put ourselves in the inner lanes and exit the roundabout from there, since the vehicles which are moving at this moment in the far right lanes have the right of way and we won´t know of they wish to continue driving around the roundabout because we would be unable to see their right blinker.

ROUNDABOUTS:

- taken from the driving manual of ETRA SA in English, based on the DGT Spanish traffic code, chapter on Priorities, Right of way and Tunnels:

When you exit a roundabout you will be turning right.

When there is more than one lane on a roundabout you will normally travel around the roundabout in the righthand lane, nevertheless you can use the rest of the lanes when the traffic circumstances permit this (for example to carry out an overtake or if the lane is signed for your direction of travel.)

My note: these rules were not made in Canary Islands, so they aren´t a local driving custom. They´re based on Spanish traffic laws as are the manuals, written and published on the Spanish mainland.

[Vortex Wake]

Fast forward my video to 2 minutes 10 and you see the roundabout I mean (was in the correct lane this time ; )


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOgEpBvph7Y

[lozzie1821]

Hi Irishmusico
It might be interesting to put a post on here about correct roundabout proceedure as I've even
seen police makin' a mess of it. Some dangerous nutters on the roads there, so take care. All slaggin'
aside I'm sure you'll do well. Lookin' forward to hearing about your progress .Paul

I was at the driving school i go to today and we got talking about roundabouts.... the guy who does the lessons (owner and instructor) actually said that the spanish here in tenerife who have had a license for 15 -20years plus are the worst for roundabouts as they just dont know how to use them and roundabouts have not been taught well due to years aago there were no roundabouts and for that when NON spanish people come here and drive or holiday makers rent a car its a nightmare as the older generation especially are using the roundabouts correctly..

the round about is los chris (by bus stop) is the worst i have ever seen... 3 occasions ive been in a car and said a certain car with cause a crash or be in 1 and those particular 3 times there was collisions or crashes and they always seem to be at the turn off for the motorway!!!

[kingbaker]

I was at the driving school i go to today and we got talking about roundabouts.... the guy who does the lessons (owner and instructor) actually said that the spanish here in tenerife who have had a license for 15 -20years plus are the worst for roundabouts as they just dont know how to use them and roundabouts have not been taught well due to years aago there were no roundabouts and for that when NON spanish people come here and drive or holiday makers rent a car its a nightmare as the older generation especially are using the roundabouts correctly..

the round about is los chris (by bus stop) is the worst i have ever seen... 3 occasions ive been in a car and said a certain car with cause a crash or be in 1 and those particular 3 times there was collisions or crashes and they always seem to be at the turn off for the motorway!!!

I don't envy you doing lessons and a test in Tenerife as I've even seen driving school instructors driving like nutters
keep us posted on how you are gettin' on.

[Graceylacey]

Hi,

Can anyone name one of these driving school companies that people are using?? My daughter is wanting to take her test and we have come to a dead end with Marion, as it appears she is no longer here.

If anyone knows of an english speaking company we would be very very grateful

[irishmusico]

After the third attempt I passed my driving test.The most difficult part of it was that it was in Spanish.My instructor taught me all the instructions in Spanish,go right,left,stop,park,etc.It was a bit difficult understanding everything but when I told the examiner about my limited Spanish he explained everything he wanted me to do slowly and I passed,finally. :)

[slodgedad]

After the third attempt I passed my driving test.The most difficult part of it was that it was in Spanish.My instructor taught me all the instructions in Spanish,go right,left,stop,park,etc.It was a bit difficult understanding everything but when I told the examiner about my limited Spanish he explained everything he wanted me to do slowly and I passed,finally. :)

Congratulations, Crushman. Well done, especially in a language you're not confident in.

I'm about to organize some lessons for Charlotte. Any pitfalls or things she should be wary of? (She is a Spanish speaker)

[irishmusico]

Congratulations, Crushman. Well done, especially in a language you're not confident in.

I'm about to organize some lessons for Charlotte. Any pitfalls or things she should be wary of? (She is a Spanish speaker)
Hi Slodgedad.Thanks very much for that.The only thing negative is that in order for you to pass you have to do the test in La Laguna.In order for you to have the best chance of passing,after you have done the first few lessons here in the south to get you driving,they take you up to La Laguna for your later lessons to familarise you with the area where you will do your test.I believe they do afternoon lessons up there but because of my job in the other band in the afternoon I was getting picked up at 7.00 am to go up north.I would share the car with three other people who were at the same level and we would have our lessons back to back.Which means we wer getting back to Las Americas at around 11.00am or 12.00.Somtimes it might be 1.00pm but they will accomodate you and bring you back earlier in another car,if you need to.

The upside to this is you get to see other peoples mistakes being corrected and it does help your driving because you can see the pitfalls and how to avoid them.

[bonitatime]

There is no test centre in the south

There is an English speaking teacher in the Auto escuela sur in Adeje. My daughter is doing lessons right now and one of the lads who went with her to Santa Cruz yesterday only spoke English and she says the teachers speaks reasonable English. PM me for the phone number

[russell]

hi every one im a driving instructor in the uk sunseekers post was posted in 2011 so i dont know if this information is still of any use to any one but the isbn for the spanish highway code is 978-84-96105-03-4 but and theres always a but i dont think you can buy from anwhere other than a driving instructors shop .i got my copy from an adi shop in malaga when i went to fuengirola for a three day driving course with an english driving instructor who lives in fuengirola.he told me there is no such thing as a provisional licence in spain as all your training must be done with a driving instructor.thats why you can only get training materials from your driving instructor.not like the uk you can buy from any reputable book shop.The roundabout rule stay in the outside lane untill you reach your turn off unless road markings direct you otherwise.I went to fuengirola to have lessons because im thinking of coming to spain to work as a driving instructor,so i hope this information helped please reply and let me know thankyou.