Hi All

I just did day 1 of the "2-Phases" driving course. I couldn't find much info on it, so I thought I'd share my experience is case others are wondering what it's all about.

The 2-Phases is an obligatory 2-day course you have to do after passing your practical driving exam. You have 3 years to do it. If you don't do it within that time frame they will take your license back. 

I booked through Auto-moto ecole de la Servette. You can see when they have availability here: http://www.auto-ecole-servette.ch/p2_phases.php. These courses are in high demand, so book up early.

I paid for the first day only and it cost 345CHF. There is a big discount if you pay for both days together. However, I was told that since I only passed my test 1 month ago, I would have to wait at least 1.5years before taking the second day. Since I don't know where I'll be in 1.5years, I decided to stick with just the first day for now.

The course was run in a big carpark by the airport. I was told that I had to arrive in my own vehicle. As I don't have a car I rented one from Mobility, and this worked fine. HOWEVER, when I got there, two other participants were using cars provided by the course facilitators, so clearly this can be done.

The day is LONG - 9 hours, including two short breaks and 1 hour for lunch. All refreshments are provided (biscuits in the breaks, bbq chicken and couscous at lunch, water, ice tea etc.). There were 12 people in the group (this is the legal maximum, minimum is 6).

The course was in French and you are expected to participate. However, I think there was an interpreter available on request. There are worksheets to complete, which are also in French, but they are for you to keep and you can complete them in your mother tongue.

Our instructor was pretty brusque with a very dry sense of humour, which was a little confusing at times. There was a lot of emphasis on the fact that we would not automatically pass the day, that if you didn't listen you'd be sent home, that if you did really badly you'd have to retake your exam etc. But in the end everyone passed.

The day starts and ends in the classroom, but most of it is spent out in the carpark. If it's sunny, take sunglasses and wear sunscreen, there is a LOT of standing around and most of us got sunburned.

At the start of the day you sign in, get collected by the instructor, then walk from the carpark to the classroom with weird science goggles on that affect your vision (apparently simulating being drunk). The first classroom session is a general welcome, setting out the structure of the day, introducing yourself etc. Then you head back to the carpark.

The practical exercises are as follows:

1. "Parcours Convivial" - everyone drives around cones in a slalom formation. First of all you all just go for it and it ends in a mess. Then you stop, discuss how to make it work and try again, and see how it flows better.

2. "Distance de sécurité" - You have to drive around after the instructor, who tows a rope with a tennis ball on it behind him and speeds up/slows down/slams to a halt randomly (he's in a different lane so there's no danger of actually crashing in to him). The idea is to keep an even distance the whole time.

3. "Virages" - you are encouraged to drive fairly fast around a sharp corner, to "test the boundaries" of your car - the point at which you over or under-turn the corner... I was not good at this. I'm naturally cautious and even my fastest attempt got a scolding from the teacher, but it didn't stop me passing.

4. "Freinage d'urgence" - you drive at 50km/h and do an emergency stop when the instructor says so, then take note of the braking distance (you all have walkie talkies in the car so you can hear him and his commentary on everyone). You get a couple of goes at this.

In between each exercise there is discussion and explanation of the theory and/or a demonstration from the instructor etc. At the end of the day there is a laborious classroom session on drunk driving (in case you didn't catch it during the first aid, sensibilisation or theory sections of this never-ending process). You watch videos, have a bit of a discussion, fill in your worksheet, and then you're done. You get a certificate of participation at the end.

This was NOT the funnest way to spend a sunny Sunday, but it was do-able. Even for someone who has intermediate French and has only had their license for 1 month.

I hope this is helpful for other driving newbs. Perhaps if anyone has taken the second day they could share their experience below? Good luck!