Frequently Asked Questions
Why choose Waimack Driving School Ltd?
Waimack Driving School Ltd has been operating since 1999. We are experienced and proven. We have a structured system for teaching to develop your skills in steps.
What is Waimack Driving School Ltd’s philosophy for teaching?
Firstly, we enjoy driving and we want our students to know the pleasure of driving. We therefore want our lessons to be enjoyable and confidence-enhancing.
Secondl,y our focus is on learning to drive well as opposed to learning to test. If you can drive well, the test is a mere formality.
What do I get for my money?
Our normal lesson is one hour long. Each lesson is planned with what will be taught and the outcomes that we hope to achieve. Each lesson is conducted on roads appropriate to the student’s current level and what we are planning to teach. Including lesson preparation before, writing up lesson notes afterwards, and travel time, your one-hour lesson takes an hour and a half of our time. On top of this, we are available to discuss progress on the phone, which does not get charged for.
What influences the number of lessons that I will need for my Restricted Licence?
There are many variables to this. Firstly, how much interest you have in driving prior to you getting your Learner Licence and observing people driving. Also, if you play sport, you will probably have more developed hand-eye coordination. Usually, if you start driving later in life, you will need more lessons because you would have developed some apprehension or anxiety about learning to drive. The amount of practice you manage to get between lessons has a big influence on the number of lessons required. Also, whether you are learning in a manual or automatic car.
How many lessons will I need to become a competent driver?
That really depends on the individual. It also requires effort on the part of the student. The more effort that you put in, and the more motivated that you are, the sooner you will achieve the required result. The progress of the student will benefit from as much practice as possible between lessons. Different learning abilities, or greater confidence all impact on the number of lessons required. We tailor every lesson to the student and will let you know how you’re going, but in general, a complete beginner with a little practice can be taught to drive with approximately 20 lessons in an automatic car and 25 lessons in a manual car.
Can I do lessons in my own car?
Restricted Licence lessons are usually conducted in our driving school cars, because we have dual controls, which makes it easier for us to demonstrate things and to keep it safe. It is also our petrol! If a student plans to sit their Restricted Licence test in their own car, we can do the last lesson (usually a Practice Test) in your car.
Should I learn to drive in an automatic or a manual car?
From a purely driving point of view, we believe it is best to learn in a manual car. This is because driving a manual car has a greater workload and it therefore requires you to be organised as a driver. Also, you need to assess each situation that you encounter in terms of what gear will be required, so it demands a greater level of thought and involvement. Of course, there are other factors involved in what type of car you will learn in, such as
- what type of car will you have available to practise in
- what type of car do you plan to use in the future
- are you wanting driving mobility quickly, or are you prepared to put more time into developing the extra skills required of driving a manual car.