Automatic driving lessons in Wheatley

Where an automatic helps most in Wheatley

The shopping park

The Wheatley Centre shopping park on Wheatley Hall Road is home to big names such as Next and TK Maxx. Marks and Spencer also chose it for a much bigger store when it planned to leave the city centre. Traffic in and out of a busy retail park is slow and unpredictable. In an automatic you simply move and stop with one foot.

School runs

Kingfisher Primary Academy is on Coventry Grove, just off Thorne Road. At drop-off and pick-up times you will meet parked cars and children crossing, plus drivers pulling out. Not having to manage gears means more attention for looking ahead.

Bus routes

Several buses run along Thorne Road and Beckett Road into the Frenchgate Interchange. Following a bus that stops every few hundred yards is much less tiring when you are not finding the biting point every time.

Learning to control the creep

Put an automatic gearbox into drive and the car will creep forward gently when you take your foot off the brake. In slow traffic on Thorne Road, you learn to use that creep instead of the accelerator, controlling the car with light brake pressure alone.

The same skill makes manoeuvres much easier. Bay parking and parallel parking rely on moving slowly, as does pulling up on the right then reversing, and in an automatic the creep does most of the work while you focus on observation and steering.

Using the selector and the brakes

Your instructor will show you how the gear selector works, including park, reverse, neutral and drive, and when to use each. You will learn to hold the car on the footbrake for a short stop, and to apply the parking brake for longer waits at red lights or in a queue that is not moving.

You use your right foot for both pedals. That feels strange at first, especially if you have watched people drive a manual, but it soon becomes natural and it stops you pressing both pedals at once.

What an automatic licence means

Passing your test in an automatic car gives you an automatic-only licence. You can drive any automatic car, and that includes electric models and many hybrids, but you would need to pass another test to drive a manual. Many learners find they reach test standard in fewer hours in an automatic, though that always depends on the person.

Diana teaches in automatic cars only and is good at fitting lessons around busy family timetables. Alecsandru used to be a college teacher. He also teaches automatic and explains things clearly. You can ask for a female instructor or a male instructor when you book.

If most of your driving will be short local trips, such as popping to the shops on Wheatley Hall Road or dropping children at school, an automatic-only licence is rarely a limitation. If you think you may need to drive a manual van or a family member's older car, a manual licence may be the safer choice.

Next steps

Read more on our main automatic driving lessons page or our guide to choosing a manual or automatic licence. If you live closer to town, you might compare automatic driving lessons in Doncaster town centre. For everything else about learning locally, head to driving lessons in Wheatley, and if you are brand new to driving see beginner driving lessons in Wheatley.

Automatic driving lessons in Wheatley: your questions

Is an automatic car easier to learn in around Wheatley?

For many people, yes. Wheatley has plenty of slow, stop-start driving, from the Wheatley Centre to school traffic near Coventry Grove. An automatic removes stalling from the picture, which lets you focus on judging traffic.

Can I take my driving test in your automatic car?

Yes. You can take your practical test in one of our dual controlled automatic cars at the Doncaster test centre on Shaw Wood Way, which is only a short drive from Wheatley.

Can I drive a manual car after passing in an automatic?

Not on your own. An automatic pass gives you an automatic-only licence. If you later want to drive manual cars, you would need to pass another practical test in a manual.

Can automatic lessons fit around my working hours?

We try to. Diana in particular is used to fitting lessons around family commitments. Call us on 07402 034084 or send a WhatsApp and we will find a slot that works for you.