September, 2014
I learnt to drive with Dave West, and I've been recommending him until blue in the face since starting with him. I'm not your average nervous person - I have a wonderful cocktail of generalised anxiety disorder including strong social ("performance") anxiety and have panic attacks. I believed for years that driving would be impossible for me. It me took until age 25 to even try booking driving lessons! Even picking up the phone when Dave first called terrified me but, as I remember saying to my partner after we finalised details, "he sounds lovely actually, maybe it'll be okay!" And it really, really was. More than just "okay", even. Dave was immediately friendly and chatty to put me at ease. From the start his teaching was tailored to suit my rather extreme needs. Dave was completely accepting of my anxiety and together we decided how best to modify learning strategies and exposure to new material (like roundabouts, manoeuvres and meeting oncoming traffic) to reduce the risk of a panic attack until my confidence improved. He never once became frustrated or disappointed when my confidence took a knock or if I was close to a panic attack from a minor set-back, which makes him a very rare gem in this world! He was only ever supportive and encouraging - helping me quash the anxiety spirals before they'd start - which I am eternally grateful for. We got on great; we spent a good portion of lessons laughing and chatting, yet we were always on task. Dave could immediately spot and help correct errors and would encourage good, safe driving skills. He thinks of his students as future drivers, not just people wanting to pass exams. He also knew his theory and practical driving exams inside out and could answer any questions about them to help calm nerves, so there wouldn't be any surprises on the day and his students can demonstrate their driving to the best of their ability. He genuinely believed I'd be able to drive if I stuck with it and eventually I believed him too, enough to pass the test first time which I'm still over-the-moon about. I had absolutely no confidence when I started, but the confidence I've gained through learning to drive has seeped into other areas of my life, too. So cheers Dave! Come visit the uni with your family for an astronomy evening sometime for some space fun and a catch-up! :) " --Thanks for reading, Charlotte Clarke. Seaford.
