I was hesitant to write this review on Google, fearing potential retaliation from Mr. Hui, who has…read moremy personal information. However, Yelp allows anonymous reviews, so here you go. I hope this helps someone else.
Mr. Hui, if you're reading this, please reconsider how you handle first-time students during lessons. At one point, you buried your face in your hands, sighed loudly, and became visibly frustrated when I tried to explain that I was struggling to understand your English. This wasn't a personal attack--it was my reality because, on the road, with information overload, I really can't comprehend and react to your instruction. That is really dangerous.
Mr. Hui, I can see how you can be great, because you did push me to literally drive through Palo Alto's busy area on a Saturday afternoon, 40 miles an hour (35 miles an hour speed limit though!) when I can barely tell break from gas. To me, it felt like achieving mission impossible! But I'm not looking to accomplish mission impossible or rush to get my driver's license. I want to learn in a constructive, supportive environment. I even made a point to explain to you I'm not looking to save money and can take as many lessons as needed.
When I explained that I had real trouble understanding you because you say "line" and "nine" exactly the same, I didn't expect you to change, but I just hoped for some kindness and patience if I don't immediately perform OK. Instead, your reactions--"Ai-ya! You say nervous nervous nervous as an excuse to not listen to the instructor," or "You are scary, you are scary, you are scary, and you don't do xyz" (he meant "scared," and yes, this sentence doesn't even make sense), or "You are lawyer or accountant, you think you know everything" (when answering his question about yellow line)--were discouraging, unhelpful, unkind.
Today, I felt like a real danger to anyone on the road in Menlo Park as someone who had held a steering wheel for the first time in her life for just 20 minutes. I strongly believe that learner cars should be clearly marked, but unfortunately, Mr. Hui's car was not, which only added to my anxiety.
I've decided to continue my lessons with a larger, more professional driving school that uses marked learner cars. When I politely informed Mr. Hui of my decision and requested a certificate for JUST TWO HOURS of training I had completed, he texted, "No certificate to you!!"
In conclusion, while Mr. Hui is not at all "a horrible person", his unprofessionalism as an instructor stems from his inability to understand and accommodate the need of students, particularly in terms of communication in English and managing nervous beginners.
