Lesson Calculation

The single-most often question that I am asked is “How many lessons does a driver need?”

It is never an easy question to answer since so many factors influence individual aspirant drivers.

Being the tenacious Pitbull that I am on matters that need solutions, I didn’t rest until I could find a way of at least calculating a fairly accurate ballpark figure as indication of the number and cost of driving lessons needed “per person”, bearing in mind that it is based on a questionnaire to be completed.

A very special thank you to Zelda van der Walt and her friend that assisted in knocking the formula into shape.

How Does It Work?

It’s really simple.

You complete a questionnaire with 16 questions which give me a good overall insight of what makes you tick. I capture the data you’ve supplied and the amount of lessons, cost and budget are calculated.

How Does It Help You?

In some cases it would give you an indication of how much work is yet to be done. Some may get a good idea upfront of what they’re letting themselves in for, effort~ and budget-wise. Yet others may get an indication of where to concentrate more attention to limit cost and training time.

Does It Really Work?

I have been testing it on client data since December 2009 and have found it to be 80 – 95% accurate on the trial to date.

As an indication of accuracy, I could trace back original results calculation and in cases where clients supplied overly-cautious and conservative data, their end result could be traced back to the factors which they underestimated. The various factors influence the number of lessons calculated and if any of the factors change over time, the number of lessons outcome would be evidence thereof.

How nervous you are would be one of the factors in the calculation, for instance. This, however, may sometimes be due to something specific about driving that makes you nervous and so it can’t really be said that you are as nervous as you think you are as a person, per se. It then follows, that once your “driving factor” is eliminated, it no longer influences your calculation that much, and in fact, you may even be the confident person that you know yourself to be, after all.

Your initial data supplied could have been 10 on a scale of 1-10, but over time and with hindsight the more accurate number could have been 4, for instance. Please do not try to compensate on initial data – results WILL be inaccurate.

How Does It Budget For You?

The budget calculation is two-part.

Firstly, it would depend on the Fee Rate you would prefer to have the calculations based on and Secondly, it would depend upon the term over which you would want to complete the driving lessons.

There are three Rate Options: Lesson-by-Lesson, 5-Lesson Package, and 10-Lesson Package (repeating however many times as may be required). The calculation, thus, would give you all the budget detail required.

Selected Fee Rate
Selected Budget Period
Number of Lessons
Lessons Per Month
Monthly Lesson Cost
Total Lesson Cost

Example:

Client X was reasonably nervous and this was accentuated when driving with a parent. Before starting lessons with me they had spent 15 hours on their own driving with a parent. They were fairly committed to learning to drive and believed that forces outside of themselves determined their success in life. They indicated taking lessons on a weekly basis with me.

They were of the “Get To The Point” and precise persons variety. They had 10 lessons with a previous driving instructor and reported that technically, their other driving lessons were not of much help to date.

Then, over time their nerves were less affected when driving with parents, they clocked more hours driving with parents, they increased their commitment to 100%, they increased lesson frequency, and they realised that they were the person in the driver’s seat on the test, fully accountable for their choices.

They passed their driver’s test confidently on their first attempt.

Your Own Instructor’s Calculation

Can my Lesson Calculation Service also work for calculating number of lessons with another instructor?

Short Answer: No.

It really is quite an intricate and unique blend of my own specialised training alone that is featured in the calculations.

Since I have no clue as to the personality, people skills, methods, dedication, quality and experience of other instructors it is nigh impossible to add enough calculation factors to even make the basic system work. The only reliable data I would be dealing with is what you provide, and you’re an expert on the subject of You.

Service Cost

Like everything else, the value is in the eye of the beholder and “free” is more relevant to a bird.

I charge a small fee of R100 to process your request and send results as a measure against working myself to a stand-still late into the night for people called Curiosity who think my name is Cat.

Terms and Conditions

Requesting the Lesson Calculation Service does not bind you to my services in any way – you are under no obligation to use my other services.
Results are just as accurate as the data that you supply – please take care to be as honest and realistic with yourself as possible.
Having preconceived ideas and unrealistic expectations never calculate well and can’t be factored by this service.
The driving lessons referred to by this service is in view of a 100% legal driving test.
Only with more effort, focus, commitment, and time, among others, can the period of training be shortened by a client. The onus is on the client.
No processing will be entertained unless payment is confirmed by fax or email attachment proof of payment.
No Refunds. When the results are not what you expected it doesn’t detract from the service requested and delivered.
Terms and Conditions may change from time to time, but not without being listed here for transparency.