What should I look for in a driving school?

[Metalhead]

And what should I avoid in a driving school?

I heard some of them were much better than others. I don’t want to end up dealing with one of the less efficient ones out there. I want this expense to be worth it.

 

[Markness]

I only went to one. The teacher was nice as well as funny (It turned out he knew my father when both were kids.) and the other students were surprisingly cool. Hopefully your experience will be like how mine went, even though I was in the beginning throes of clinical depression.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

What you want isa bit of classroom that discusses the practicalities of driving and strategies for maintaining proper attention and what to consider for driving in different road conditions. Then, you want as much time behind the wheel in as many situations as possible. Night driving, rain, snow if possible.

 

[Judge]

https://www.expertise.com/wa/seattle/driving-schools

 

[Misery]

Then, you want as much time behind the wheel in as many situations as possible. Night driving, rain, snow if possible.

Yeah, I'll second this.

The teachers talking about road & driving stuff in a classroom setting is nice and all, for learning or brushing up on rules and whatever, but nothing at all is going to be more important than actual experience behind the wheel. That's the part that really matters.

Then you just have to hope the teacher isnt an idiot.

 

[GypsyMoth]

I took this in high school. it turned out to be one of my most useful courses.

While I'm not sure how to look for a driving school, some of the things that have really helped me (and I still use!) are parallel parking, three-point turns, the proper way to park on a hill, and how to ignore passengers in the backseat who are criticizing your driving! (I, ah, had a bit of a heavy foot when braking when I was learning how to drive. Just make sure your passengers wear seat belts & they'll be fine.)

Whatever driving school you choose, make sure you also find multiple people with whom you can go out driving. Practice! Practice! Practice! Plus, everyone's going to have their own idiosyncrasies and advice about how to drive safely. Once you get your license, that advice sort of changes into criticism. But, so long as you're on a permit it's given freely and often with much enthusiasm. Listen to all of it, thank them, and decide what to keep and what not to keep long after you've put in a couple of years of driving yourself. You never know when some long-forgotten tidbit will help you out of a difficult situation.

Good luck!

 

[Aspychata]

Hey this is great news. I was so excited about driving when l was in elementary school, l used to parallel park my bike. Then we went to Disneyland, and my favorite ride was the racer cars that moved forward by l guess a cable that was hidden. The driving teacher critiqued me and told me l couldn't drive. Yeah, whatever.

So ask how many hours is spent on the road. And will you go on the freeway? Park on a hill? Park between two cars?

If someone aggressively tailgates you, ask how to handle this. There are very aggressive drivers out there and you need to stay cool, and proceed carefully.

And finally, if you don't pass, will this school give more help free or at a very discounted cost? Or refund your money?

 

[AutistAcolyte]

I didn't do driving school, but the sheriff's department where i grew up offered a pretty good course that covered lots of "emergency situations" like hard breaking or hydroplaning.

 

[Judge]

What you want isa bit of classroom that discusses the practicalities of driving and strategies for maintaining proper attention and what to consider for driving in different road conditions. Then, you want as much time behind the wheel in as many situations as possible. Night driving, rain, snow if possible.

Yeah. I remember Seattle, having lived a few years north in Edmonds. All those San Francisco-style urban steep hills...but with mild winter snows. Good reason to have an understanding of what you may have to deal with in operating a motor vehicle. Especially with a good rain that disperses so much oil on the road, causing some unsuspecting drivers to experience hydroplaning, where all four wheels have a layer of water and oil between the tires and the road.

A situation where so many drivers are caught offguard when their vehicle just slides over the pavement, without any ability to counter it. Something I once experienced in my Honda, causing considerable damage to the front axle, as my car slid into the curb on a day of the first rain of the fall season in Northern California.

Understanding the road conditions can be as critical as knowing how to effectively operate a motor vehicle.

 

[Storm Hess]

Lack of dents in their car.

If their car is dented...call someone else.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

@Metalhead , you will be fine. And, remember to be situationally aware. Driving is both a chore and can be fun. My last set of lessons was last year when I took performance driving lessons with my MR2 at Gingerman Raceway. It took me a while to drive my line well and really enjoyed getting to the point of precise control and handling.