Driving Lessons

[eek]

Ok, I know there are a couple of threads on this already, and i checked them out. But, I would like to create a fresh one.

Any good recommendations for a driving school?

I took lessons years ago, but im not a natural, and want to get a refresher course. Plus i never did get round to taking my test.

I would prefer dual controls, if poss. I would prefer the teacher to know English, although I can 'get by' on my Thai (but will need to learn more vocab for that). Would be great if they could pick me up too (live within the town area). Of course, these are just preferences, not stipulations (the speaking English one being the top preference).

Any thoughts?

Thanks

(Oh, for car driving, not moto or anything.)

[gpdjohn]

Learning Thai style...

[eek]

Ouchers!!

[Dustoff]

Hiya Eek,

Are "lessons years ago" all the driving experience you have?

My Thai wife, who had never before driven a car, sought out driving schools/instructors here in CM and they were lame at best. She did take one course which involved only ten hours behind the wheel and, as I recall, the instructor offered to 'help her' get her license for about 500 baht extra.

Since we both felt that there was NO way she was ready for Chiang Mai traffic, even though she is masterful on a motorbike, I talked her into a full-on commercial drving school which she participated in and graduated, the only female student, at the top of her class. Not only is she now an excellent driver but licensed to drive buses, trucks or anything else on the road.

I gotta tell ya, it was strange to watch her in school (she never knew I was there), driving a monster truck or bus through the obstacle course and doing things like stopping on very steep ramps and restarting without rollback, backing into confined areas, etc..

I am not at all a good passenger but feel totally comfortable with her driving skills.

Now the part that will likely put you off it - the course is 8hrs/day, 5days/wk for 2 full months...

[eek]

Hey Dustoff!

Monster truck course! Wow! Dont suppose there is anything available between the lame and the extreme?

8hrs/day, 5days/wk for 2 months seems pretty intense, im not sure im up to that really. However, its not something id say no to instantly, for my goal is to drive well, not to just obtain a driving license, so better than the other course for sure. Do you think they would they allow a westerner to do this course though? Do you also remember what kind of cost it was? Anyway, well done to your wife! Must have taken a LOT of courage!

My past experience of driving was a couple of block course bookings with BSM when i was studying, but I still didnt feel confident to take my test and in te end proved too expensive to carry on (cost of lessons in the UK is shocking!). However, I was driving well, one more course would have done it. That was around 10 year ago. Since then I have been either been traveling or living in Cities, so made no sense to have a car and kept putting off paying for further lessons as it didnt seem a priority. I just wish to feel confident and have faith that im driving as safely as possible. Hope not to do too much driving in town either, really for getting around the outlying areas, also because i may be moving to near the Mae Rim area.

[Dustoff]

~

Thanks eek, and courageous she is - we motorcycled all thru the US Rockies, she flies microlights with me and is even now becoming a pilot herself, has been skydiving.. A most unusual Thai lady, my Tuy.

Not that she has much choice as I have been flinging myself into the abyss with motorcycles (my avatar is me in my biker togs), helicopters, skydiving, hang gliders, war, extensive travel to places my Embassy tells us not to go (et al.) for some fifty years and the adventure continues.

It was years ago that she checked out CM driving schools and I had the same question but perhaps things have changed over the years. Too bad I didn't know about your question a couple of weeks ago as she was just at the gov offices doing our registrations, etc and they may know. I will have her ask around as she knows a lot of people here now.

Surely however, someone else on the forums has information and will pass it on.

We have communicated before but have still never met - whyzat?

Our best...

Dustoff

[eek]

Impressive stuff. Great that you have a partner you can fully share your interests with too. Admire her and havent even met her.

As for not having met yet, well my nik suits me well, eek by name EEK by nature (as in >" "). Im a timid wee soul! Truly though, im quite solitary. But, im sure to give myself a kick up the bum and head to the next Tuskers TV party, or at least some less 'formal' Tusker event. (You hang out there from time to time, right?) Hopefully one night will pop in there when i can get together with Nienke and the girls again.

Thanks for the info, and no worries about the details, im sure to be able to find something further out. To be honest, it would be nice to find something a little more regular, driving school wise .. although I quite like taking on challenges, im really not sure if im of similar SuperWoman material your wife is made of!

[eek]

bump!

..really nothing decent available guys? half-decent?

[CMMCB]

Only thing I remember about a friend's driving lessons here many years ago is that they were arranged in whole courses rather than per hour and that a course for a man was 10 hours but for a woman was 16 hours! Terrible discrimination!

CMMCB

[Nienke]

But, im sure to give myself a kick up the bum and head to the next Tuskers TV party, or at least some less 'formal' Tusker event. (You hang out there from time to time, right?) Hopefully one night will pop in there when i can get together with Nienke and the girls again.

oooooooooohhhhhhhhhhkkkkkkaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've read that. No more excuses next time I call or sms you!

[Blinky Bill]

Only thing I remember about a friend's driving lessons here many years ago is that they were arranged in whole courses rather than per hour and that a course for a man was 10 hours but for a woman was 16 hours! Terrible discrimination!

CMMCB

Yes, CMMCB, I thoroughly agree that this is terrible discrimination.

Us male drivers don't feel at all safe on the road knowing that there are women drivers out there having completed only 16 hours of training. Surely 30 hours should be the minimum.

[Blinky Bill]

Only thing I remember about a friend's driving lessons here many years ago is that they were arranged in whole courses rather than per hour and that a course for a man was 10 hours but for a woman was 16 hours! Terrible discrimination!

CMMCB

Yes, CMMCB, I thoroughly agree that this is terrible discrimination.

Us male drivers don't feel at all safe on the road knowing that there are women drivers out there having completed only 16 hours of training. Surely 30 hours should be the minimum.

Or perhaps 40.

[john b good]

Only thing I remember about a friend's driving lessons here many years ago is that they were arranged in whole courses rather than per hour and that a course for a man was 10 hours but for a woman was 16 hours! Terrible discrimination!

CMMCB

Yes, CMMCB, I thoroughly agree that this is terrible discrimination.

Us male drivers don't feel at all safe on the road knowing that there are women drivers out there having completed only 16 hours of training. Surely 30 hours should be the minimum.

Or perhaps 40.

I would venture to say that there is not a single decent driving school in Chiangmai (probably in all of Thailand for that matter)

My wife was taught, got her licence and within a very short space of time the car looked like the ones after competing in a demolition derby.

More recently my GF did the 10 hour course. The instructors themselves didn't know shyt about driving.

On the day of the first session the instructor (with GF in passeenger seat) drove around with his right arm hanging out the window.

So for a week she spent two hours a day driving around what might best be described as a "moto cross" circuit opposite Big C (the original one)

At the driver licencing place on the Hang Dong Road the testing officer never even got in the car.

So much for driver training and testing standards in the realm

Edited November 23, 2008 by john b good

[eek]

Bumping this cuz im getting fed up..

Bf offered to help me drive, but he is on Thai-time, meaning that I have had around a couple of hours of help on this in the last 2 months. I dont really want to be waiting a year to actually be given enough support and help to be out driving alone (which at this rate may not even happen anyway!). So, frustration is building up, and I dont want to unleash it, especially not on him as learning to drive shouldnt be cause for conflict

I think better if I can find somewhere to go rather than getting wound up (which isnt good for a learning experience anyway).

So, im still hunting for decent (or half-decent) places and recommendations.

I saw a place near BigC...anyone know if good/acceptable/bad/terrible? (particularly the condition of the cars, are they safe enough if there is an accident?)

I wouldnt even mind if I find a so-so place to build up my driving time, experience and confidence, then my bf can give me some driving time/lessons also. I get the feeling he is putting it off because he doesnt really want me driving, so if i go elsewhere he will probably be more accepting of my driving and more accommodating in helping.

I have also been looking around on the net for places outside of CM. One place tht looked interesting is http://thaisafedriver.com, but the course is a bit expensive (although nothing in comparison to the UK!-BUT, i dont have same money as I used to have when i lived there), and as it is in Bangkok, I would need to pay for accommodation too, so is quite a lot for me to invest in. Would prefer to look for alternatives locally first. But, if it comes to it, i will look outside of CM, just so i can finally be road-worthy, so if there are any suggestions of decent places even outside of CM, then please let me know.

Thanks.

[Nienke]

Aout 5 years ago I followed a course at a driving school just before the municipality sports stadium in town.

The lessons kind-off sucked (heavenly). First 3 lessons was driving only rounds with emergency stops and parking. The alst 2 lessons was on the road. I was not able to look in the mirrors as my instructor needed them. Normal traffic rules my instructor wasn't very knowlegable on, and also indicator and gear was mainly handled by him. Highly irritating.

Thank goodness I got my drivers license already in Holland. And the lessosn were sufficient to provide me with enough confidence to step behind the wheel alone.

Not sure if the school is still there. And for directions I can better draw you a map for which we have to get together. No excuses this time.

[john b good]

Hiya Eek,

Are "lessons years ago" all the driving experience you have?

My Thai wife, who had never before driven a car, sought out driving schools/instructors here in CM and they were lame at best. She did take one course which involved only ten hours behind the wheel and, as I recall, the instructor offered to 'help her' get her license for about 500 baht extra.

Since we both felt that there was NO way she was ready for Chiang Mai traffic, even though she is masterful on a motorbike, I talked her into a full-on commercial drving school which she participated in and graduated, the only female student, at the top of her class. Not only is she now an excellent driver but licensed to drive buses, trucks or anything else on the road.

I gotta tell ya, it was strange to watch her in school (she never knew I was there), driving a monster truck or bus through the obstacle course and doing things like stopping on very steep ramps and restarting without rollback, backing into confined areas, etc..

I am not at all a good passenger but feel totally comfortable with her driving skills.

Now the part that will likely put you off it - the course is 8hrs/day, 5days/wk for 2 full months...

I take it that the "professional driving school" was not in Chiangmai.

p.s. I didn't realise that I had already added a comment on this particular thread. It's got something to do with getting old I imagine.

Edited January 25, 2009 by john b good

[idrankwhat]

You put gas in my car and I'll teach you to drive for free (I'm just a nice guy). I was a limo driver in New York City/ New Jersey working my way through med school thus Thai drivers do not frighten me in the least, I think they are quite good actually compared to what I'm used to. PM me if you are interested.