As a transfer student, I was scheduled for a 30-minute warm-up session with an instructor before my…read moredriving test. What should have been an opportunity to build confidence and prepare for the exam turned into an incredibly uncomfortable, stressful, and disappointing experience.
To begin, the instructor arrived seven minutes late. I was understanding and chose to overlook it. However, once we began driving, his behavior quickly became discouraging. He repeatedly criticized my driving, telling me I was going too fast, then too slow, and at one point even took control of the steering wheel. Rather than providing constructive guidance, his approach only heightened my anxiety.
When I expressed my concerns, his response was, "It's not my fault you don't know how to drive," followed by him raising his voice at me. Regardless of a student's driving experience or skill level, this is an unacceptable way for an instructor to communicate. Being alone in a vehicle with a man who raises his voice at you is particularly uncomfortable and intimidating. Driving instructors should demonstrate patience, professionalism, and the ability to teach, not belittle students who are paying for their services.
I requested to speak with a supervisor and was connected with someone named Winnie. Unfortunately, the interaction only made matters worse.
I explained that I was dissatisfied with the experience and simply wanted to reschedule. Winnie informed me that I would need to pay an additional $25 because the 30-minute session had already been used. I immediately agreed to pay the fee. I was not disputing the charge or requesting special treatment. Yet, she accused me of interrupting her simply because I responded that the additional fee was fine.
Instead of listening to my concerns or attempting to resolve the situation, I felt that Winnie became increasingly confrontational. What should have been a straightforward customer service conversation unnecessarily escalated.
At one point, I asked her to repeat the name of the driving school because I was having difficulty understanding her pronunciation. Rather than clarifying, she accused me of being racist. As someone who also comes from a multicultural background, I found this accusation particularly insulting and completely unwarranted. Asking someone to repeat information you genuinely cannot understand is not an act of discrimination. It is a reasonable request, especially when trying to obtain basic business information.
What I find most disappointing is that I was never asking for anything unreasonable. I was willing to pay the additional fee to reschedule, and had I failed my driving test, I would have gladly paid for further lessons to improve my skills.
I understand that I was a transfer student, but that does not make me any less deserving of respect, patience, or professional service than someone who has been enrolled with the school from the beginning. Every paying customer deserves to be treated with dignity, regardless of their experience level or how much money they have spent with the business.
The most concerning aspect of this experience was not the instructor's criticism of my driving. It was the complete lack of professionalism, accountability, and conflict-resolution skills demonstrated by both the instructor and the supervisor.
I left feeling insulted, disrespected, and dismissed. Instead of addressing a legitimate customer concern, the situation escalated into unnecessary hostility.
To prospective students: I strongly encourage you to consider how a driving school treats its students, especially when concerns are raised. Learning to drive and preparing for a road test can already be stressful. You should not have to tolerate being spoken down to, yelled at, or personally accused of wrongdoing simply for advocating for yourself.
Based on my experience, I cannot recommend this driving school. Professionalism, patience, and basic customer service should never be optional, especially in a business responsible for teaching people how to drive safely.
