A Mixed Bag at Viaduct School: My Experience with Learning to Drive
add_circle Pros
- Knowledgeable instructors with a lot of experience
- Good value for money, especially considering the quality of the instructors
- The school has a great library of driving manuals and resources
- The instructors are all very supportive and encouraging
- The school is well-equipped with modern cars and facilities
remove_circle Cons
- Huge class sizes, which made it hard to get personalized attention
- The practical sessions were often rushed and didn't allow for enough practice time
- The shipping of the driving manual was slow and took a while to arrive
- The school's focus on theory was great, but sometimes felt disconnected from the practical sessions
- The school could benefit from more flexible scheduling options
Gallery
Editor's Summary
I recently took driving lessons at Viaduct School, and my experience was a mixed bag. The instructors were knowledgeable, but the class sizes were huge, which made it hard to get personalized attention. The school's focus on theory was great, but the practical sessions were often rushed. I appreciated the value for money, but the shipping of the driving manual was slow. Overall, I'd say it's worth considering, but be prepared for some drawbacks.
Specifications
I'm still grinning from ear to ear thinking about my experience at Viaduct School. Two years ago, I decided it was time to get my driver's license, and I started researching driving schools in my area. I had two non-negotiables: affordability and a convenient location. I didn't put too much stock in online reviews – they all seemed to say the same thing, right?
Viaduct School fit the bill on both counts, so I signed up for their Optimum program. It included:
Two to 2.5 months of instruction;
Registration and full support;
Exams at the school and the DMV;
No hidden fees – everything's included, including gas and whatnot;
Your choice of automatic or manual transmission;
Personalized instruction based on your preferences.
Fast forward – not everything was as advertised. First, the free DMV exam only applies to your first attempt. If you need to retake it, you'll have to pay. Second, I didn't get a say in the instructor or the vehicle I'd be driving.
The payment plan was broken down into three installments:
$6,900 when I signed the contract;
$12,000 after a month of instruction;
$5,000 after two months.
I made the rookie mistake of taking the theory classes in a classroom setting. Big mistake.
Here's the thing about the theory classes – they were a total disaster. I went to the instructor's website to research him, but I forgot his last name. Let's just say he was Alexei Vladimirovich. He was all about himself, folks. I lasted five classes before I bailed. He'd drone on and on about his own driving experiences – how many times he'd been in accidents, how many times his car had broken down... I started to wonder if he was even qualified to teach.
But the final straw was when he told this outlandish story about a 16-year-old girl from Spain who'd gotten her driver's license in the States and then come to Russia to study with him. Yeah, right. I mean, come on – she was only 16, and she'd already gotten her license in the States? Give me a break. And then there were the times he'd try to sell me on some book or other and get me to take a medical exam through the school. And don't even get me started on how he'd just read from a rulebook, taking breaks to talk about himself. I was done after five classes.
Now, let's talk about the driving instructor – Alexander Ober Viktorovich. What a guy! He was patient, knowledgeable, and made the whole experience a breeze. The atmosphere during our lessons was relaxed, and he never yelled at me, even when I made mistakes. Plus, he'd always give me a choice of when to schedule our lessons – no cancellations or rescheduling necessary. I was in heaven.
Now, about the exams – you'll need to pass both a theory and a driving exam. The theory exam's a piece of cake – you just need to answer two multiple-choice questions, and you can make two mistakes. The driving exam's a bit more challenging, but don't worry, you'll get plenty of practice. And if you fail, you'll need to pay $2,000 for a retake.
The DMV exam was a whole different story. I bombed it the first time around, but I passed on my second attempt. The organization at the DMV was top-notch, and I appreciated how smoothly everything went.
I've got to give Viaduct School credit where credit is due – their driving instructor was top-notch. But the theory instructor? Not so much. I'd be hard-pressed to recommend the school, but I guess it depends on who your instructor is. For me, it was a mixed bag, but I'm just glad I got my license in the end.
