West Coast Driving School — Attraction in Carlsbad

I didn't know which driving school to choose from. I had a hard time pinning one down because there weren't very many reviews from good sources for any school in San Diego County to make a decision. No parent wants to put their son or daughter in harms way or under direction of an unprofessional and unsafe drivers ed instructor/school. I took a leap of faith and chose West Coast Driving School in Carlsbad, CA and I am so happy I did. Walter Cyz was my son's instructor and I welcomed his professionalism, his breadth of knowledge and years of experience teaching teens Behind the Wheel Training. He welcomes one on one conversations with the parents and always updates you on the students progress. This is a team effort for the instructor, parent and student. Now...I had a tough time putting my hours in as the adult in the passenger seat. It wasn't the hours that I had to put in reference to TIME. It was the hours spent having to make sure my son didn't get into an accident and hurt someone or us for that matter. A lot of times I did catch myself screaming STOP STOP STOP! or LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDER! or YOU JUST CUT THAT GUY OFF AND ALMOST KILLED US! Your instructor will always do their best not to scream like I did but my son worked his magic and, as hard as it is not to scream or yell out, Walter did yell STOP STOP STOP!! So when my son finished one if his sessions with Walter and told me Walter yelled at him I took a step back and analyzed the situation and explained to my son that he wasn't, per say, yelling at him but was screaming for you to STOP before you hurt someone or him for that matter. Your child might have an instructor raise their voice at them but it isn't meant to be condescending or cruel. This man risks his life to teach and train YOUR child to learn to drive safely and to protect bystanders from getting hurt. I'm sure Walter was scared for the safety of others and my son including himself if he didn't yell STOP. I was fine with that. I dont know how ANY instructor can keep composed under that amount of stress while teaching ANY teenager to drive without, at some point, burst out screaming STOP. Walter kept his composure, explained to me what happened and smiled and said I'll see you two in two weeks great job today. Its a TEAM effort. A great drivers ed school will always comminicate with you. They will work with you and your teen and they protect all of us by teaching our teens correct driving habits. I will always recommend Walter. My son passed his Drivers Test with only one mark..."California Stop" (rolling) in a residential neighborhood. Walter covered that with my son but as you now know...my son still needed someone to scream STOP STOP STOP! Thank you Walter! You...

I'm conflicted. I just finished my final lesson but wasn't looking forward to it and at the same time I was. Driving with Walter, I got information but I was also simply directed where to go as if I already knew how to drive while receiving a tone that screams "easily frustrated" anytime I obviously didn't know how to do something for the first time, asked a question on how to do something or asked why to do something. I'm just trying to LEARN, not get yelled at.

I see a few other reviews from the PARENTS. But I was the one being taught. I was rushed through turns and intersections anytime I tried to apply looking around that he'd just instructed me to do, as if he wanted me to just go through and skip looking around. I'm my final lesson, he tells me no sudden quick or big movements on the wheel while on the freeway but he would grab the wheel and jerk it back to the center if I drifted off a bit.

I made a few of my own mistakes, such as waiting to turn because a car was coming up behind me and I thought it wasn't clear, thinking it was on the lane next to me, when I remembered there was only one lane and the car was behind me. Okay, I made a mistake and had a brain fart. I'm also a beginner and don't have much opportunity to practice between these little lessons. I get a raised voice and a tiny lecture about why I can't do stupid things, and it's hard for me to explain that I knew better but was just confused. I stay quiet the majority of the lessons because I know saying anything would probably start an argument and I don't want to argue. Such as being pestered to take my foot off the gas when my foot is literally inches away from the pedal.

I continued onto a road where the speed limit changed and he noted, in an annoyed voice, that I was going too slow and asked what the speed limit was. The sign coming up said 50, so I said 50. So he said "Okay so what are we doing? 35. So we're going under the speed limit. Okay now go slower." That last sentence was said about immediately after criticizing me for going too slow because he saw we were approaching a red light. I had already noticed so I just kept doing what I was doing and chuckled while I let him blab away. He gave good info from time to time. But it was hard to appreciate it with...

Okay. This is a late review but better late than never. So I had Walter for three lessons back in September of 2016. Let me put simply.....absolutely amazing! I had the best three sessions I could ever pray for from someone who has been teaching professional driving for the last many years. The first lesson I was somewhat nervous but once I started becoming use to the style and ways of Walter's teachings I became more comfortable and this supported me in flourishing into the second and third lessons I had with Walter. Walter always had my back in conveying what I needed to perform here or there and each time he provided support I became better than I was before. Some of these reviews conveying how Walter is rude and all is not true (bias almost). I would convey his approach towards you is more of constructive criticism, meaning he is building you up to become better. I loved it and recently December 7th I passed my third and final drive test attempt thanks to all the support Walter provided for me to become a better and safe driver. I even enjoyed the small talk with whatever topics came to mind with Walter. Walter, if you are reading this I cannot thank you enough for what you have done in supporting me to flourish beyond what I had read before I signed up to be a student at West Coast Driving School. You are the best and you deserve all the praise I can possibly give you. Thank you so much ! For anybody else who reads this review trust me the time you spent with Walter and West Coast Driving School will be worth it. 110%...