A Malaysian’s viral post about an allegedly short-tempered driving instructor has sparked debate over teaching methods and learner experiences.
MALAYSIANS have long voiced concerns about the quality of driving lessons, particularly the alleged rude and impatient behaviour of some instructors, which they say has negatively affected students’ learning experiences.
A viral post on Threads has reignited the discussion after a man claimed that his short-tempered driving instructor made his lessons so unpleasant that he tried to leave the driving school.
“Even a small mistake would make him huff like a dragon. He didn’t really teach me anything. Whenever I made a mistake, he would just get angry and say, ‘How can you not know?'” he alleged in the post.
He claimed he reached breaking point during one lesson when the instructor allegedly shouted at him and punched the dashboard, prompting him to walk away.
“I pulled the handbrake, got out of the car and left him there alone, still being his angry self in the middle of the road while other cars were honking. I stayed silent throughout,” he added.
Following the incident, he said he tried to transfer to another driving school and requested a refund, but his request was allegedly rejected.
He later claimed the driving school management apologised and offered him three complimentary driving lessons.
As the post gained traction, other users shared similar experiences, saying some instructors’ behaviour had undermined their confidence and made learning to drive unnecessarily stressful.
Some also said such experiences could leave learners traumatised despite paying substantial fees for professional instruction.
“Why are so many driving instructors like this? We pay a lot for their service, but they act as though they can scold and lecture students whenever they want, sometimes for no reason at all,” one user commented.
Another user acknowledged that teaching people to drive could be stressful but argued there was a clear distinction between being firm and being abusive.
“I understand why they get frustrated because driving is literally about your own safety and the safety of others. But let’s be honest, there’s a difference between being firm while teaching and being angry, aggressive and insulting. Maybe this is one of the reasons many people stop driving after passing their JPJ test, leaving their licences unused for years,” the user wrote.
As the discussion continues online, many netizens are calling for greater professionalism among driving instructors, arguing that effective teaching should build confidence rather than instil fear.
