Driving Schools - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Nehkara · 02-13-2006, 09:33 PM

Hello everyone!

I was just wondering if I could get some ideas as to a good driving school to go to in Calgary. I need to take a drivers training course before I get my license and the wise community at CP is always good for some advice!

Thanks in advance!

CMPunk · 02-13-2006, 11:23 PM

AMA all the way baby...then you know for sure what they're gonna test you on

cSpooge · 02-13-2006, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CMPunk

AMA all the way baby...then you know for sure what they're gonna test you on

the only problem i have with AMA is its bloody expensive to do it through them.

Nehkara · 02-14-2006, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cSpooge

the only problem i have with AMA is its bloody expensive to do it through them.

My thoughts exactly... Any other good options?

Bill Bumface · 02-14-2006, 09:40 AM

I went to the one in Bowness, the cheapest at the time. My last lesson happened to be exactly the same route the tester took me on.

Ironhorse · 02-14-2006, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cSpooge

the only problem i have with AMA is its bloody expensive to do it through them.

If you're a member, it's a lot cheaper.

IMHO, when it comes to driving schools, you get what you pay for.

Regulator75 · 02-14-2006, 11:25 AM

If the driving schools cars are older than you, walk away.

Robbob · 02-14-2006, 12:15 PM

From what I have heard stay away from Chinook Driving school. All the people me or my wife know have failed the first time taking the test. It could be that they all are bad drivers, but its just an odd statistic so far.

ken0042 · 02-14-2006, 12:33 PM

The other question is how old are you? The reason I ask, is I've heard of some schools cateriong to older people who are getting their license for the 1st time.

Also ask what they are teaching; especially emergency manuevers. You likely won't have to perform any on your driver's test, but it's a good feeling to know you walked away from a potential multi car pile up because you knew what you were doing.

4X4 · 02-14-2006, 12:54 PM

I went to the one in Canyon Meadows. Don't know if they're still there, was 11 ago. A Driving School? A1? Can't remember. I passed on the first try. Then again, I was driving since I was 9.

My main reason for taking hte course was to reduce insurance rates. As far as insurance companies were concerned at the time, it didn't matter what school you went to. As long as you produced a certificate that you had passed driver's ed, you got a 30% discount. Yeah right. More like 10%.

AMA was about twice as much as the course I took. I think that you need to decide whether oyu need to learn how to drive, or whether you are just looking to save on insurance. If you can't operate a vehicle, go to AMA. A friend of mine was an instructor there. He had to do all kinds of stuff to get qualified as an instructor. AMA takes their reputation pretty seriously. They won't pass you if you suck. Expensive, though.

Trojan97 · 02-14-2006, 01:10 PM

I took mine with Rainbow Driving out of the NE. They have classes in both the NE and NW and were a very affordable, friendly company. Very highly recommended on my part (and that means something

)

4X4 · 02-14-2006, 01:14 PM

I'm gonna let Fotze make the rainbow/trojan joke.

Incinerator · 02-14-2006, 08:21 PM

kinda OT but after you're done getting your licence be sure to check this out, it'll be the most awesome driving boot-camp you've ever been to and you can tell your friends all about it afterwards

The Winter Program makes for a good reading week vacation too

http://www.bmw.ca//com/en/index_high...in.asp?lang=en

LGA · 02-14-2006, 11:39 PM

From personal experience AMA IS better than Chinook, but yea it's a lot more expensive. The AMA in class things are actually interactive, they get you invovled, ask you questions, you get really light homework and what not to do. Basically they actually prepare you.

From what my friends tell me Chinook basically just gets a guy in there, he grabs some slides and rants for several hours.

The in car is dependent on the instructor really, I know the guy that instructed me was pretty cool, didn't try to make you nervour or anything.

If you've got some cash than go with AMA since it's probably one of the better programs, otherwise one of the local driving schools should do it (Chinook is okay I guess, all my friends did it from there and they're all still alive...)

LGA · 02-14-2006, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Incinerator

kinda OT but after you're done getting your licence be sure to check this out, it'll be the most awesome driving boot-camp you've ever been to and you can tell your friends all about it afterwards

The Winter Program makes for a good reading week vacation too

http://www.bmw.ca//com/en/index_high...in.asp?lang=en

The BMW site and the Driver Course subject just reminds me of what my friend told me about BMW's in South Africa. Apparently they actually give you a crash course on what to do if you get car jacked...thought it was pretty funny.

Incinerator · 02-15-2006, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LGA

If you've got some cash than go with AMA since it's probably one of the better programs, otherwise one of the local driving schools should do it (Chinook is okay I guess, all my friends did it from there and they're all still alive...)

Probably not the 50 people they've cut off since they got their licence 2 months ago though.

Chinook is only good for that demerit points course which gives you 3 points back if you've got a few speeding tickets. Whenever I see Chinook cars on the road I stay the hell away in the other lane, far far away.