How and why did you become a driving instructor?
The main reason is I love driving, and I want people to have safety driving in mind. That’s what this course is designed for.

Do they have a test for instructors before they can get to teach?
Yes, there’s an audition. This school has been operating for two years but the course originated in Germany 30 years ago. Candidates need to drive a slalom course so the evaluators can see our basic skills. Instructors need a higher level of basic driving skills than ordinary drivers. Then there will be an interview about basic knowledge of the car and they can see our characters.

What is the most important thing for safe driving?
The principles that BMW Driving School teaches are driving position, handling the wheel, consciousness and calmness. If we sit properly, we have a better vision of the road and can take better control of the wheel when something suddenly happens. Accidents happen anytime. We also feel the car and its reaction better. The right way to hold the wheel is the universal 9 and 3 o’clock position and hook your fingers in the wheel. You’ve got to have both hands on the wheel all the time so that you know the position of the wheels, especially when you do a u-turn.

What is the difference between being able to drive and knowing how to drive?
It’s safety. Anybody can drive but if a motorcycle falls in front of your car, how one reacts is the difference. Parents always say to their kids, “Don’t run or you will fall.” But BMW’s course encourages you to run and to fall. So that you know the problems, how to avoid them and how to fix them—recognize, avoid and solve.

What is the thing that people always forget about driving?
Tires. It’s very significant because tires are the one element in contact with the road. Even if you drive a Ferrari, Lamborghini or BMW, if the tires suck, they cannot transfer the technology in the machine onto the road and the driver. Thais always ignore the condition of their tires which really are important.