Past Pupils – Leigh-Ann Cahill
It’s that time of the month again, when we catch up with one of our past pupils. This week we have spoken to Leigh-Ann Cahill, who passed her driving test in September 2018, after completing driving lessons with Weelz instructor, David Smithson. Here’s what Leigh-Ann had to say, just a few months after that big day:
“I took my very first driving lesson back in 2011, after deciding to start lessons with a local driving instructor. If I said I found it easy, then I would be lying! After about 10 hours, this instructor still had me doing the basics and going up and down the prom. The struggle with gears was a very real on for me, until eventually, my instructor said “Maybe you would be better suited to learning in an automatic!” – Well, that was it, confidence dashed!
Over the next few years I restarted my lessons a few times. I tried a couple of different of instructors, but I just never found one I could gel with, or that could gel with me, and I just could not learn from them, for whatever reason. After taking a break from the roads, for over 2 years, I decided to give Dale Brooks a ring, at Weelz Driving School. Dale was really helpful and teamed me up with David Smithson. I was expecting more of the same, but, right from the first lesson David put me at ease, and all my nerves were gone! He has a great way of explaining things in layman’s terms, which made it all, so much easier to understand. As my confidence grew, he started to put me into more “realistic” driving situations. These were things that I could come across when I was on my own, rather than just aimlessly driving around. We looked at things like bad weather, low sun, night driving and Bispham Roundabout!
I found David really easy to get along with. He never got mad with me when I was stressing, getting upset, forgetting everything (He nicknamed me Dory!), or talking his head off. As a result of having such a patient, calm, and easy to understand instructor….I passed my test in September 2018 in…..*shock horror*…..a manual car!!
I have been driving my own car for a couple of months now and so far, so good. There have been a few times I still get myself in a bit of a pickle, usually stalling, but I just do what David taught me. Stop, stay calm, assess the situation and then move away when it is safe to do so.
I plan to do my Pass Pluss and some motorway lessons with Weelz very soon. Driving has absolutely changed my life and I am 100% certain I could not have done it without the help of David and Weelz Driving School”
Leigh-Ann’s instructor was David Smithson, who is based in Layton. Here is what David had to say:
“Leigh-Ann was an absolute pleasure to teach. I knew how keen she was to drive, and what a big difference it would make to her life. I always enjoy a challenge, so when she told me a previous instructor had told her to learn in an automatic, I was determined to get her through her test in a manual car. It was a great day when Leigh-Ann passed her test. The job satisfaction you get from a result like that is incredible, and its great to know that all the hard work and effort has paid off.
I would really like to wish Dory, I mean Leigh-Ann, many happy years of safe driving. I know she’ll be doing great! All the best.”
