A FIRST driving experience is one to remember – and for many Wimmera people, that would have involved Rhonda Armour from Aunteez Driving School.
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While the driving instructor has owned the business for 10 years, this week she celebrated 20 years as an instructor.
Nowadays staying in the same industry for 20 years is a massive achievement – one that requires a deep love and passion for the work.
Passion, however, was not the word Mrs Armour used to describe the longevity of her career.
“I think the word passion is overused – being in a car is my happy place,” she said.
While driving can have serious consequences, she said she enjoyed helping people achieve – be that be getting their licence or gaining independence.
Not only has Mrs Armour helped L-platers learn the rules of the road, but she has also helped people with limited mobility gain their licence.
“I have a paraplegic that recently had his first drive. He is so excited to start driving and just has to be trained and become familiar with the equipment,” she said.
Mrs Armour has also taught people from multicultural backgrounds where driving was not part of their everyday life.
“I have had a gorgeous lady who started recently who didn’t have a concept of anything to do with a car – and now she is driving and looking forward to her independence,” she said.
However, driving is not always straightforward and there have been times where she has been nervous in the car.
“I’m not going to lie – there are some challenging situations and it is not all straightforward. Some people take more time than others to learn. It isn’t for everyone,” she said.
But Mrs Armour has also had plenty of fun moments in the car – from excited teenagers going out on the road without their parents, to getting a flat batteries.
“I try to find the funny side of things – like a lady did her first open road drive at higher speeds and it was pouring down with rain. She didn’t follow the road and took a track instead and we were gliding on a recently cleared old saw mill. We couldn’t get traction so we had to be towed out by a policeman,” she said.
“She was humiliated, but I have to find the funny side.”
Outside the car, Mrs Armour is on the road safe committee in the Wimmera and has been the Australia Drivers Trainer Association of Victoria for two years.
“It is exceedingly challenging and you don’t get paid, but I find it fascinating because we are looking at things at a state level,” she said.
Mrs Armour said there was never a dull moment during her 20 years as an instructor because she was constantly learning.
“I was told by a fellow instructor – and to this day I still remember his words – that the day you stop learning is the day you should give up the career because things are constantly evolving,” she said.
“There has been a lot of changes and a lot of people are still doing generational training. The road laws are constantly changing and even the licence tests have had a major overhaul.
“But, this is what I get excited about – that I am still always learning.”