A Mixed Bag at Viaduct School: My Experience with Learning to Drive

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.