Foyle School of Driving

Pay Online

Jim Doyle — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:55:25 +0000

We currently have no facility for online booking, however if you’d like to pay via credit or debit card or using your paypal account,this can be done here. Please arrange bookings in advance.

1 Hour Car Lesson	£25.00
1 Hour Bike Lesson	£25.00
1 hour ADI Training	£45.00
CBT Training; 10 hours	£250.00
10 hours of car lessons	£230.00

Race Around Ireland

Jim Doyle — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 19:08:16 +0000

This year, our Director Jim Doyle is attempting the Race around Ireland on behalf of Children in Crossfire.

For more information and to donate, please visit racearoundireland.co.uk

“Well Done Joe”

Jim Doyle — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 22:58:45 +0000

Trying to find a suitable driving instructor trainer developed into a mindfield of contracts and large cheques, until i was recommended to contact Jim at Foyle School of Driving. After meeting Jim, he explained the exam process and the input required on my behalf in great detail. I was able to pay for my training on a weekly basis, with no contract or obligation. When the training got underway he provided structured, acheieveable goals with feedback and encouragement. Each training session was tailored to meet my needs and i am glad to have chosen Jim as my trainer, as he has helped me to develop essential skills and allowing me to teach pupils to drive. I would highly recommend Jim as a trainer as his knowledge, experience and application to me as an individual was invaluable to my career.

Joe Brolly

07902024915

Note from Jim: Joe has become a very good friend, a pleasure to teach. And has developed as an instructor and person his awareness and people skills are second to none, he adapts well to the needs of the pupil and is a valuable asset to Foyle school of driving.” Well Done Joe”

God bless Joe Keep up the good work!

Jim Doyle — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 21:41:49 +0000

I decided to learn to drive when I turned 49 (well slightly over it) (being truthful a lot more than slightly over it) and Joe was recommended to me by a friend.

I’ll never forget that first time behind the wheel, very mixed feelings from fear to sheer terror but Joe soon put me at my ease.
He adopts a relaxed but very professional approach to the very difficult task of teaching some one to drive, especially some one of my senior years, and soon I became more confident and looked forward to my lessons every week.

I studied hard and passed my theory test in July and immediately applied for my driving test. I am delighted to say I passed my test on Thursday 9th September and at my first attempt.

I can honestly say that learning to drive with Joe was a brilliant experience and throughout all the hard work he always found time to have a laugh and make each lesson enjoyable.

Passing my test was like winning the lotto and I can never thank Joe enough for the patience and support he showed me during my time learning with him and I would have no hesitation in recommending him.

God bless Joe Keep up the good work!

Speedy granny passes driving test!

Jim Doyle — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:55:48 +0000

Maisie Crawford rips up her L Plates after passing her driving test at the age of 69.

Published Date: 11 June 2010 Derry Journal
A Derry granny who failed her first driving test two weeks ago for speeding, has finally got rid of her L plates.
When 69 years-old Maisie Crawford passed her driving test on Tuesday morning – she fulfilled her life’s ambition.

And she’s encouraging other women in their sixties who never considered driving to get out there and learn.

“It’s my dream come true,” said Maisie. “In the 1950s I fell in love with a new Mini car which I could have bought new for £450 but I never learned to drive.

“Last May I woke up one morning and decided I was going to learn to drive. I don’t know where the idea came from.”

Maisie first took lessons in a manual car, but because of problems with her leg after a stroke she had to give it up.

“I thought I’d have to forget about driving,” she said. “But then my friend Rachel told me about Joe Brolly from the Foyle School of Driving who could teach me in an automatic car.

“I just love Joe to bits. The first time we went out driving I felt so stupid, but Joe put me at ease, even when I refused to go above 15 mph.
“He always used to tell me off for not checking my left hand mirror. Finally one day he told me there was a man running past with a bare bum in the mirror, that kept reminding me to check it.

“Joe and I had plenty of tears and plenty of laughter.”

Maisie’s first test was two weeks ago when she was failed for speeding.
She told Joe to keep the date of the second test a secret and he surprised her on Tuesday morning when he told her he was taking her to the test centre.

“God was with me on Tuesday,” said Maisie. “When the instructor told me I’d passed I gave him a big kiss.”

Maisie’s now enjoying life in her new Citroen and announced that her first trip out will be to Tesco to do her shopping
“It’s amazing ,” she said. “The world is my oyster.”

Jim Doyle who owns Foyle School of Driving says many women in Derry are in Maisie’s situation, who perhaps didn’t learn to drive.

“Maisie is an inspiration to other women,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what your age is.”

Do you want the same as me!

Jim Doyle — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 06:36:13 +0000

Thanks Joe Brolly
After 5 months with foyle school of driving learning to handle an automatic car,I have passed my test. I now have a wee car, It’s a smart for 2.
Now I don’t have to wait for the bus to take me shopping. I just get into my car and take off. So far in the last three days since passing my I have been up to junction 1,up to Cookstown ,and over to Strabane to Asda.I feel so free. I’m looking forward to the summer and taking off to wherever the fancy takes me.
BY THE WAY I AM 61 AND LOOKING FORWARD
Bernadette Innes
Brigade road
Waterside

Colums Story

Jim Doyle — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:52:26 +0000

At the age of 50 I retired from East Down College where I had worked for almost 24 years. I’m not a person who can sit about, although my wife might say different. I had taken a few of my teacher friends’ sons and daughters out on driving lessons, so I decided to train to become an ADI.
This was a walk on the dark side as I would be (pardon the pun ) taken for a ride by several so called trainers.
The first step was to look in my local yellow pages. What a lot of trainers. I rang the one with the biggest advert. Oh what a mistake. I was invited to an assessment morning at a cost of £50. Really enjoyed this and especially at the end I was told that I would make a good driving instructor. The next part was arranging to meet my trainer at a given time and place to hand over £1250 cash for one weeks training. The reason for the cash was to avoid VAT. Paid by any other means it would have been 17.5% extra.
The first day of training come and 6 others turned up so we were put into two cars, three in one and four in the other. I make that a total of £8750. Not bad for a weeks’ work for 2 people if you can get it.
At lunchtime on the Friday we were told that we should qualify in about 8 weeks’ time and were given the opportunity of taking extra lessons at £40 an hour. Remember this was 6 years ago. A bit expensive or what? To my sickening disgust I found out that when I sat part 1 I was not in the least prepared. A lot of home study went in and I eventually passed. Sat part two and again I failed.
At this point I was absolutely fuming, I had just thrown away £1250 and believe me I couldn’t afford to.
On to my second trainer, a very nice chap who took me on a drive on the test route and cleared up a few minor faults. I then was successful in passing part 3. Lessons with him were £35 an hour with a lesson lasting 2 hours. Wayhay I am on to my part three training, this should be a walk in the park as I had been teaching people who struggled with basic maths and English. I booked a session to get to grips with what the examiner would be looking for. I thought I had lost my grip. This was going to be a lot harder than I imagined so I went for session after session and had to buy my trainer cups of tea /coffee and buns each time he required a break. Then followed his smoke break. All this was being paid for me. I failed part 3 three times.
God loves a tryer and I was not about to give up. I sat my parts 1 & 2 again and passed first time. Now I had to try to find a decent trainer who knew what they were doing.
I went on to the DVA website and chose at random a chap fairly local to the test area in Belfast. A very nice chap who was obsessed with the briefings and rather than him having planned my lesson he would always do briefings followed by “now what do you want to do?”
During this time I did some searching the web and came up with Smartdriving.co.uk and I read about John Farlam. Now this was interesting, so I subscribed to his weekly news letter and booked a three day training session with him in Boyle Co. Roscommon. Did I get my eyes opened or what? He didn’t only train me as a driving instructor but trained me as to my way of thinking about ones self. This was what I call an approach to the whole person. I only had one more go at part 3 and unfortunately due to an extreme bout of nerves I failed again. This didn’t put me off and I remained a fan of John’s method of teaching.
Back and successfully passed part’s 1 & 2 again. I tried to book another refresher session with John but due to work commitments in England he was unable to take me but recommended Jim Doyle from Foyle Driving School in Derry.
I live 100 mile from Derry, so I set off @ 6.20am on a very snowy January morning. I had arranged to meet Jim in my favourite coffee place “Starbucks” so there was an incentive – A coffee and a croissant – met Jim and immediately thought “ this man could be John’s brother”.
Down with the coffee and on to the road. Well was I pleasantly surprised, this man knew what he was talking about and used similar methods to John. His favourite phrases were “LOOK AT ME” “SAY WHAT YOU SEE”. I tried to wing it but Jim always saw through me and it was back to his favourite phrases. Two 4 hour sessions with Jim was enough to pass me at part 3.
All together I must have spent at least £10,000 on training over the past number of years. Only a very small percentage was spent on John and Jim. For their work with me I am truly grateful.
Today I received my ADI number and have my signage on my car.
My tip for you is use these two men and success will come your way. I know I will probably never recoup the money wasted on so called trainers and the sooner Training is regulated the better.
Thank you both, you have made an old dog very happy when I look outside and see my name on the roof sign on my car.

More New instructors qualify at Foyle

Jim Doyle — Sun, 16 May 2010 10:35:04 +0000

After I passed my part one I had to find a tutor for the next stages of the qualifing exam. I took a look at Jims web site and was impressed at all the reviews. After contacting Jim I stared straight away on the part 2. After a short time applied for and passed with only 2 driving faults. We then started on the part 3. Because Jim had included some of the part 3 training as he was teaching me the part 2, I was able to pass on my first attempt.
If you are thinking of becoming an ADI then I would recommend that you contact Jim as his knowledge will save you a lot of time and money.
Thanks Jim
Paul Mc Quaid School of driving

As Part of becoming a fully Qualified ADI I completed a course in Dublin through the Irish School of Motoring. After spending a lot of time and money on training that was inadequate to pass the qualifying exams. The best thing that happened was to contact Jim Doyle who gave me 100 percent confidence towards my training and made me feel at ease at all times.
I am now a fully qualified registered driving instructor with the Road safety Authority
Thanks Jim
Rookskey school of motoring
Newtowncunningham
Tel:Ni: 07707902069
Tel:Roi: 0868673339

Useful Links

Jim Doyle — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 12:38:04 +0000

www.theory-tests.co.uk – Practice for your DSA theory test online. A simple registration gets you two free practice sessions.

www.drivertrainingtoday.co.uk – A valuable source of information, Look under the pdi forum.

www.dsa.gov.co.uk – Enter ‘Ordit’ in ‘Search the website’ for information on the ordit register or fleet for information on the fleet register.

www.driving.org – See website for information on extra qualifications with the DSA

www.dvla.gov.uk – See website for information on driver licensing

www.ask-what-if.com – Information on the government’s road safety strategy

www.highwaycode.gov.uk – highway Code on line.

www.passplus.org.uk – See website for information on the DSA’s pass plus scheme

www.he-mandualcontrols.co.uk – Information on dual control availability

www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk – Information on the government’s road safety strategy

www.msagb.co.uk – Motor schools association similar to driving instructors association

www.desktopdriving.com – For books, dvd’s etc related to the driver training industry.