want to move to cyprus any advice appreciated

[alannixon]

hi everybody
i am looking to move to cyprus probably next may with my partner and my 14 year old daughter. i wonder if anybody has any experience of driving instructors in the paphos area, i am a driving instructor in the uk, i would like to start my own business over there i will be having a fact finding trip before i jump in but would really like to know of any possible pitfalls, also has anybody any idea what driving indtructors are charging for 1 hour tuition. any help would be grateful. thank you alan

[BabsM]

Originally Posted by alannixon

hi everybody
i am looking to move to cyprus probably next may with my partner and my 14 year old daughter. i wonder if anybody has any experience of driving instructors in the paphos area, i am a driving instructor in the uk, i would like to start my own business over there i will be having a fact finding trip before i jump in but would really like to know of any possible pitfalls, also has anybody any idea what driving indtructors are charging for 1 hour tuition. any help would be grateful. thank you alan

Have you seen the standard of driving in Cyprus? Are you sure you want to do this! (just joking)

[Veronica]

Originally Posted by BabsM

Have you seen the standard of driving in Cyprus? Are you sure you want to do this! (just joking)

An armoured car would a good idea. Nice and safe in that

[monte korfi]

Originally Posted by alannixon

hi everybody
i am looking to move to cyprus probably next may with my partner and my 14 year old daughter. i wonder if anybody has any experience of driving instructors in the paphos area, i am a driving instructor in the uk, i would like to start my own business over there i will be having a fact finding trip before i jump in but would really like to know of any possible pitfalls, also has anybody any idea what driving indtructors are charging for 1 hour tuition. any help would be grateful. thank you alan

I was taxing my car at the Road Transport Depot in Limassol and talking to an English lady driving instructor who told me that you are not allowed to start up a driving school unless you speak fluent Greek (or rather the Cypriot version of Greek!)

[alannixon]

Originally Posted by monte korfi

I was taxing my car at the Road Transport Depot in Limassol and talking to an English lady driving instructor who told me that you are not allowed to start up a driving school unless you speak fluent Greek (or rather the Cypriot version of Greek!)

thank you for your response, looks like night scool for me.

[monte korfi]

They teach Greek in schools, Cypriots speak their own version!! In fact my neighbour a Greek Cypriot went to Greece on holiday and could not understand the language........ its not easy.

[monte korfi]

It did say in the papers this week that 700,000 cars will soon be on the roads out here, one for every man, woman and child on the island! Our neighbour has a son who is mentally disabled, he cannot read or write and only speaks a few words. She has taught him to "drive" and off he goes with his father in the passenger seat every day to work, no licence, no insurance and he is not the only one!

Cars dont need airbags, the children on their laps will suffice, one woman actually saw a small child lying across the dashboard of a L2OO double cab as it merrily went on its way into Limassol. Crash helmets are compulsory as long as you hang them on your handlebars or your arm and the death toll has to be seen to be believed.

We did have an "ordinary" car but quickly traded it in for a double cab L200 so they can see us coming, we can see them coming and we are bigger than they are.

I think my father had the right idea, he drove tanks during the war.....
Dorothy

[alannixon]

Originally Posted by monte korfi

It did say in the papers this week that 700,000 cars will soon be on the roads out here, one for every man, woman and child on the island! Our neighbour has a son who is mentally disabled, he cannot read or write and only speaks a few words. She has taught him to "drive" and off he goes with his father in the passenger seat every day to work, no licence, no insurance and he is not the only one!

Cars dont need airbags, the children on their laps will suffice, one woman actually saw a small child lying across the dashboard of a L2OO double cab as it merrily went on its way into Limassol. Crash helmets are compulsory as long as you hang them on your handlebars or your arm and the death toll has to be seen to be believed.

We did have an "ordinary" car but quickly traded it in for a double cab L200 so they can see us coming, we can see them coming and we are bigger than they are.

I think my father had the right idea, he drove tanks during the war.....
Dorothy

so bad idea or good idea???

[BabsM]

Originally Posted by alannixon

so bad idea or good idea???

Look, rather than start up your own school, why not see if you can get a job teaching driving over here and see what you think. You may love it or hate instructing over here!

Ok realism time... Yes, the driving standards are horrendous! Yes, the rules of the road here are flagrantly broken! But hey there are far less cars on the road and driving is more laid back. I find driving here to be a pleasure...even in Nicosia.... so much better than England.

[alannixon]

Originally Posted by BabsM

Look, rather than start up your own school, why not see if you can get a job teaching driving over here and see what you think. You may love it or hate instructing over here!

Ok realism time... Yes, the driving standards are horrendous! Yes, the rules of the road here are flagrantly broken! But hey there are far less cars on the road and driving is more laid back. I find driving here to be a pleasure...even in Nicosia.... so much better than England.

thank you the first positive response, do you have to speak the language to teach? and do you know of any driving schools that i could make contact with? thanks for the reply. alan