Super customer reviews for Hastings Driving Lessons & Hallmark School of Motoring.
Harry
As the 5 stars shows, Don is truly exceptional! I only had the pleasure of working with Don for a few hours due to needing refresher lessons as I hadn’t driven for a while and was nervous at the thought of starting driving again. However, within 15 minutes of my lesson Don had really settled my nerves and made me feel confident and comfortable behind the wheel. He has an exceptional way of explaining the daunting things and making them seem so simplistic.
I would recommend Don, to anyone and everyone! Really lovely guy. Shame I didn’t have him as an instructor first time round. Thanks again!
Saeda.
I absolutely loved the experience of learning to drive with Don! He was very understanding and knew exactly how to adapt and teach me in various areas I struggled on. It was a pleasure to be taught by him, and he is very dedicated to his job. Don has an enthusiastic character which just motivated me to drive during my lessons and I would most definitely recommend him for anyone wanting to learn! Thanks Don! 🙂
Georgia
I was learning to drive with Don for a while, I would learn things and progress within my ability to drive but not believing in myself would often hold me back, Don always believed in me and encouraged me to believe in myself. My experience of learning to drive has been an all round positive one. Don is reliable, helpful and patient all the things you need when learning to drive and I would highly recommend him to anyone that’s looking to learn to drive. Thank you Don for everything!
Jazz
The thought of driving terrified me and put me off learning for 5+ years. However, even in my very first lesson with Don, I knew that I was safe, and driving was no longer terrifying. He is incredibly patient and understanding and will make any learner, no matter how nervous, feel relaxed. Don is experienced and knowledgeable and has a calm and positive approach to teaching. He constantly encouraged and reassured me and I cannot thank him enough for his help. Although I felt that I was being taught by a friend, Don was also very professional. Thanks to Don, I am now a confident driver (and more confident person in general) and I would 100% recommend him.
Erin
The kindest patient and genuine instructor ever. An excellent way of explaining things so its easily understood, lessons are fun, and enjoyable. I have great confidence in him and his teaching skills and couldn’t recommend him more highly. Thank you Don
Nick.
Brilliant driving school. Excellent instructor. Thanks a million, Don. Top bloke. Cannot recommend highly enough.
Matt.
The service I received from Don was by far the best I’ve had. I stopped driving over a year ago and managed to start back up with don and he made me feel more confident helping me in all areas to make me a better driver, he was polite, understanding and most of all a real great instructor. I would recommend him to every one willing to take their driving lessons as he’s the teacher I think makes a difference. Many thanks. Matt.
Josh.
Brilliant teacher. Very patient and understanding when you’re learning which makes it so much more comfortable. Every lesson is thoroughly beneficial.
Freddie.
Don is a wonderful instructor. Calm, patient, methodical in his teaching and very funny with it. Don never rescheduled or let me down in the way some of my previous instructors did and I thoroughly enjoyed my lessons with him. And now I’m a driver! I would highly recommend him to anyone. TN.
Laura.
I have been delighted with the advice, guidance and knowledge Don has shared with me throughout my time learning how to drive with him.
He is endlessly patient and very funny which made my lessons very enjoyable as well as effective.
Don did so much to improve my confidence and ability with driving and I cannot recommend him highly enough.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed learning to drive with Don and he made what had been in the past a daunting and anxious experience, one that I enjoyed each week and I now feel like a confident and capable driver, all thanks to Don and his fantastic skills.
Luke.
Best driving instructor I had yet, friendly and knows what he is doing and what you need, helped me pass with flying colors will be recommending to everyone I know.
Rebecca.
For fifteen years I had put off and dreaded the idea of learning to drive. Changing jobs meant that learning to drive became a necessity. Quickly Don put my nerves to rest, and with phenomenal encouragement, I actually started to believe it was possible. Unbelievably I actually started to enjoy my lessons. Don teaches you to drive without you realising your skills are developing, possibly as the lessons were combined with outstanding conversation, laughter and good humoured teasing.
I’m still in shock at passing, and at a loss for what to do on a Saturday morning. Thank you Don- I will be eternally grateful for your skills, patience and endless reassurance.
Dilek.
Don isn’t only the best driving instructor, but also the best person to have spontaneous chats with on drives. I recommend him 100%
Alicia.
I had previously been learning to drive on and off for years with different instructors, I have taken tests in the past but it was my nerves, low confidence and anxiety that had always got the better of me and caused me to make mistakes on the tests!
It had knocked all my confidence and I would stop my lessons all together for years, believing that I would never be able to drive.
I was recommended Don by my sister and I have not looked back! Don is an excellent instructor and by far the best, and I would recommend him to everyone who wants to learn to drive confidently and competently – he has given me confidence and he makes everything that’s daunting seem so much better, and uses simple strategies to understand.
I have passed my test with Don and this was the first test I had taken in 2 years of not believing I could do it!
After using 3 other instructors before Don, I can tell you that he does not miss anything out! And will help you overcome your driving fears, anxietys and increase your confidence!
I had realised I had habits that other instructors did not pick up on and had lack of a few skills, and Don changed all of that!
Don is very patient and understanding, and does not ever get angry or make you feel stupid (which I have unfortunately experienced with a different instructor). If you do make a mistake, he will turn it around and make it funny and tell you how to do it the right way and what went wrong! He never makes you feel bad. And with that, each mistake I had made, I learnt from and did not do again!
Thanks Don for helping me pass my driving test, I never thought I could do it!!!!
Chip.
If you want a fun, calm, relaxed, ZEN route to your licence then Don is the guy! He really simplified things and let me see that I could drive. I loved every lesson and Don is an awesome guy to spend the morning with, if you want an instructor I wouldn’t look any further! I passed first time : ).
Gemma Adams.
Aw, where do I even start, I have so many good things to say about Don. Firstly if your wanting to learn to drive, don is your man. He’s an amazing driving instructor with all the knowledge and passion you could hope for. Not only is he just an amazing instructor but also an amazing person. He’s kind, funny, patient and really light hearted But with a twist of stern in a good way to make sure you become the best driver you can be. Honestly not only did it feel he was “just” an instructor it felt like he become my friend also. Someone who I’ll treasure forever. Don got me through my test on Wednesday the 23/10/2017 and he had so much faith in me when I didn’t have much of it for myself. My life feels like it’s changed just in 2 days and I feel like a new person I have finally got my freedom! Honestly Don thank you so, so much from the bottom of my heart I really can’t thank you enough for giving me a skill for life and for helping me become a confident driver and Thank you for always bringing that bit of weekly sunshine with your cracking sense of humour and for always going the extra mile! 🙂 As cheesy as it may sound I’m gunna miss our weekly driving lessons but you have giving my own set of wings to go and fly on my own now but you take care of yourself don and I hope to see you around. BEEP BEEP!!! 🙂
Nessa.
I was absolutely delighted to meet Don on my first lesson. Immediately I felt as though my driving days weren’t too far away. Don is calm, polite and has the ability to explain in clear and concise terms which is invaluable to any learner who is nervous and attempting to concentrate on so many aspects of driving. Don’t bother trying to cover any errors. Don knows his driving so well if he was in a coma on the back seat, he’d catch you out! A real gent who got me through my test despite crippling nerves. Would recommend Don to any learner. His humour, calm and considerate nature as well as excellent tuition skills have given me a new lease of life ( as well as a beautiful new car).
Book those lessons.
I miss you Don!
Alex Saxby.
I feel that Don has been a brilliant driving instructor. He was always very patient and if I didn’t understand anything during the lesson he Would tell me and show me how In a way that I understood. I have really enjoyed learning to drive with him.
Charlie Vidler.
Don was a very good instructor always helping me reach my best when it came to driving. Very kind and happy chap who would say something good about your driving after each lesson. Would definitely recommend him to anyone learning to drive.
Kerry.
I had passed my test 16 months prior to contacting Don, and hadn’t driven since. I therefore wanted a few re-fresher sessions just to remind myself of everything and to improve my confidence. Don was more than happy to help me, and had more confidence in me than I did in myself. After 2 hours of driving, everything I had previously learnt came rushing back to me and it was as if I’d never stopped driving. He is very chilled and makes you feel at ease when driving, but is also a good laugh to have in the car. I would definitely recommend Don if you need some driving lessons (or just a confidence boost!)
Sophie Wheeler.
I’ve had a few driving instructors in the past but seemed to be particularly nervous of driving. I wanted to give up on driving as I thought I would never get there. My dad took to the internet and found Don, who had a great reputation, and for good reason, Don has a way of putting you at ease and giving you confidence, after every lesson I’d leave with a big smile on my face! Driving lessons had become enjoyable instead of something I used to dread. Kind, funny, knowledgeable, patient, understanding, motivating, he’s the best! I really will miss my lessons. Don sat with me on my first practical test! And I passed!! Thank you so much Don!! Couldn’t have done it without you!!! X.
Kris Dye
Amazing instructor! Very pleasant getting taught by don couldn’t of asked for anyone better!
Grace Gurr.
Absolutely fabulous! Couldn’t have asked for a better instructor. Patient, always willing to help and always honest. Helpful with both the theory and practical! Grace Gurr. x
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Karolina Bukowska.
I am very pleased with my driving instructor choice. Don is fantastic in his profession with valuable experience and attitude which is very helpful during the lessons.
He is definitely passionate about driving and he made me love driving too.
Moreover, he is very focused to teach driving safe in many conditions as well as encouraging to make a judgment of situations and make your own decisions what gave me priceless skills for driving independently after passing my test.
I found Don very supportive and full of positive energy what makes a brilliant environment to learn. He is impressively patient 🙂 Never getting angry and always happy to help when I was in trouble. He has massive knowledge about driving, cars, law and rules and always answered to my strange questions with clear explanation.
By his experience over the years, he helped me to break my mental barrier to drive what makes him a worthy to choose. I would highly recommend Don for everyone, especially for those who want to be great drivers and want to learn from the best.
Anthony Pryde.
Patient and knowledgeable instructor.
Enjoyed my lessons and past my driving first time Many thanks.
Georgia Stait.
Can’t recommend enough! Brilliant instructor.
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Poppy Thornton.
Loved every lesson from my very first to my last! Don was an excellent instructor who assured me and encouraged me in every lesson, keeping my nerves at bay when I encountered difficult or out of my comfort zone situations. It was all thanks to Don that I passed within 5 months of learning. Now I can drive on motorways and tackle big roundabouts more confidently. Huge thank you 🙂
Meg Ashwood.
I can not recommend Don enough as he is not only a brilliant teacher who also makes the lessons fun but he also makes no lesson the same. I passed first time and that’s all thanks to don, even though he says that it’s all down to me, but I couldn’t have done it without him.
10/10 from the beginning to the end!
Fatma Tas.
Loved my lessons with don and learnt so much from him that I passed 1st time.
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Kyle Saunders
I was learning with Don for over a year and he was a great teacher the whole way through, whenever I was struggling with a particular manoeuvre we’d go over it and over it until it seemed like child’s play. Don was always reliable with lesson times, unlike other driving instructors you never had to worry about your lesson being moved or cancelled. If you’re thinking about learning and want consistently motivating, efficient and effective lessons with great company I recommend you go with Don.
Jess Fuller.
Couldn’t of asked for a better driving instructor than Don Harris, he is an excellent teacher where I felt improvements every driving lesson and made the lessons enjoyable as well. Importantly he is very consistent with timing, no cancellations and overall a very reliable driving instructor, would highly recommend to anyone looking for a driving instructor!
Alex Lindsay
Everything was spot on, unbelievably good service, would recommend to anyone.
Megan Chainey.
Don has been an amazing instructor and I have passed first time! He is really calm if you make a mistake and has a great sense of humour.
Alice Turner.
The Buddah of the road.
Don Harris is one of the most positive, supportive, helpful teachers I have ever had.
He has an ability to completely accept you for who you are, no matter what level you are at, and helps you to learn how to teach yourself. Someone can sit there and tell me all the logistics of something, but the only way I learn is through experience, and this is the teaching model that has been most helpful to me. It really means something to have someone to believe in you, no matter how awful you might be at driving when you start! I moved house and then had two other teachers for a while. I learnt things from all of them, but Don was my main teacher and although there were many ups and downs, I can hold up my certificate and say I passed first time, Thank you.
Beverley Willard.
Will definitely recommend Don, got my daughter through her driving test. Excellent service and always prompt. Got my other daughter through her driving test as well, very pleased and happy ?
Jason Cartwright.
Don is a brilliant instructor, I have had a great time learning, highly recommended.
Molly Elliott.
Best driving instructor in town !! Helped me with everything from my confidence to theory now passing my driving test was great
Couldn’t have a better driving instructor.
Rowan Woodward.
Excellent tuition, took my test in my own car and passed 1st time, thanks Don.
Dylan Jones.
Don was the greatest driving instructor, he is funny, kind, supportive and very helpful. He helped me to pass in very little time and he helped me to track the progress I was making keeping me motivated and encouraged to go on. I’d recommend him to anyone who wants to learn with a patient and caring instructor. Thank you so much Don.
Phoebe Jones.
Connie Thornton.
Brilliant driving instructor, very patient doesn’t shout if you make mistakes. Very supportive and encouraging. Flexible times for lessons that suit you and also free access to theory test pro online which is very helpful! Great value for money. All in all made learning to drive fun and stress free.
James Waterton.
Don was very easy to get along with, he made the lessons very enjoyable taking me on various different routes so each lesson wasn’t the same. When he was teaching he used very clear instructions and showed me safer ways to drive.
His feedback was very empowering and gave me a lot of confidence, thanks to this I am a very confident driver now. I would thoroughly recommend Don.
Callum Sweeney.
I would only recommend Don for anyone who is looking to take driving lessons. He is calm, patient and makes you feel at ease right from the beginning. With Dons excellent teaching skills I passed first time. Thank you so much Don.
Paul Cartwright.
Absolutely brilliant instructor who makes you feel completely at ease while delivering a very high standard of tuition for a very reasonable price. Very highly recommended.
Stephanie Cohen.
After not having driven for around eight years I decided to take some refresher lessons before buying a car. I was quite nervous but Don put me at ease immediately and the first lesson went really well. He is very calm and encouraging, and tells you when you are doing something right as well as when you are doing something wrong. When you have made a mistake he explains why, and never makes you feel silly. I always felt totally supported by Don, he is a lovely chap and obviously incredibly experienced. I now have my own car and have just done my first solo drive – all went very well and I remembered Don’s words of advice during the trip. Very happy to recommend him!
Jack Hilton.
Don was very understanding that I was nervous, and he took that into consideration for what he made me do, we went at my pace and he never pushed me to try things I didn’t feel confident enough to do. Very good instructor will always recommend him to all my friends and family who will be looking for an instructor.
Stuart Holland.
Don helped me so much to pass my test. Always helpful and understanding of my needs. Extremely good knowledge so you know you can trust Don with what he is helping you with. He always made it a pleasure and don’t have a bad word to say.
Matt Jennings.
I asked Don to make sure I would pass the practical………Mission accomplished in 6 weeks.
Craig M.
Don was cheap but certainly not poor value! Easy to contact if a change of lesson needed, always on time and accomodating if you need to make changes such a pickup location. Was calm, supportive and made you feel at ease when driving. Booked me in for my test after only 20 hours so ‘does not take you for a ride’ with your money. Must be added that he is a very nice chap and easy to get along with! Craig.
Luke Jones.
Don was the best driving inductor I’ve ever had. His positive attitude towards teaching, made learning to drive a positive experience. I would highly recommend him to anyone.
Ollie Stait.
Dons a very good driving instructor, helped me pass my driving test with ease and confidence. Very calm and reassuring whilst on my lessons.
Robert Burrell.
I was very happy with Don and I passed first time on driving and theory and would recommend hdl to anyone thanks Don for all your help rob.
Matt Nolan.
Really good, reliable, friendly. First driving test passed thanks don.
Jacob Royle.
Brilliant tuition. The patience and experience of Don really helped me gain my confidence. I don’t believe I would have passed first time without him.
Lison Royle.
My son learnt to drive with Don Harris. He was patient, flexible and had an excellent rapport. He passed his test first time and would recommend this instructor to anyone thinking of learning to drive.
Neisha Thompson.
Don is fantastic couldn’t ask for a better instructor very patient understanding, can’t rate him enough.
Ian Grant.
Having originally passed my test when I was 18 and then not got behind the wheel in the 25 years since, I contacted Don for some refresher lessons. I was really quite nervous about it: I didn’t much enjoy driving when I did it before, and often got into a vicious circle of mistakes causing stress causing more mistakes. This time around, with Don’s help, the whole thing has been a very different and much more positive experience.
He’s structured and paced the lessons extremely well, starting back at the basics and then gradually building up the challenges as I’ve become more confident. His instructions have been very clear and informative. There’s been lots of variation: different routes, in-town and out-of-town driving, day-time and night-time, and so on. I’ve never been allowed to rest on my laurels, but equally I’ve never been floundering out of my depth either.
Crucially from my point of view, the lessons have been a lot of fun. Whatever tension and nervousness I’ve felt has quickly been dispelled by plenty of encouragement, good humour and a feeling of shared adventure. There’s been lots of welcome praise and any criticism has been constructive and positive. Even when a lesson has been testing, I’ve come out of the car with a real spring in my step.
I’ve now just about reached the point where I’ve flown the nest, but I still feel as if I can pick up the phone and arrange another lesson if I need to. The whole experience has been tremendous: so much more enjoyable than I’d imagined. Thanks, Don!
Holly Blake.
I have had 3 I instructors in the past, and Don is the best by a mile! Very supportive and knowledgeable, and stands up for you when examiners are unfair! Thank you so much 🙂
Marcy Williams.
Don is no doubt the best driving instructor in Hastings, his patience, humour and method of teaching makes learning to drive a real fun experience. I am truly happy the day I made the decision to start learning with him and I believe strongly that this will be the case for you as well. Thank you so much Don, keep up your good, selfless work. It sure pays off :).
Judith Irving.
Excellent teacher, patient, thorough and knowledgeable.
Sharna Whitlock.
Don is a fantastic instructor who helped me pass my driving theory and my practical test he was a funny guy and was calm.