Music on Driving Lessons

As a local driving instructor Nottingham area I am always learning from my pupils. Recently I have had pupils who requested that we keep the radio on at low volume during lessons. This is a new thing among pupils and not something I really thought of before the pupils mentioned it as traditionally this was not a thing. Now when a pupil is nervous I suggest we put the radio on to see how they feel about it. I must say it can lead to more relaxed lessons for the pupil and instructor. Having the radio on is good experience for real life driving after the test when drivers have to deal with a certain amount of distraction without losing concentration on the driving task. It has been quite an eye opener for me. It provides a more informal and friendly atmosphere to driving lessons in Nottingham

It is possible for music to change a person’s mood and demeanour? I certainly think it is. It's the emotional change that makes music enjoyable. The emotional connections we make with songs can have a range of effects from bringing back old memories to getting our hearts racing. It is therefore important to consider how this can impact on the way we drive.
Dr David Ireland who lectures in music psychology at the University of Leeds believes there is a strong relationship between listening to music and concentration levels. This relationship however, is not necessarily a negative one. There can be both positive and negative impacts of listening to music, depending on the characteristics of a given song. Heavy rock music may cause you to drive more aggressively whereas classical music would calm you down.

Driven to distraction

The two key aspects that determine what the impact of what you are listening too will be are the tempo and volume. If volume and tempo are high the music will “influence our arousal levels”. The consequences of this heightened sense of arousal can be erratic and bullish driving.
The potential for music to distract a driver is also important to remember. Research has shown that more energetic music is more distracting to drivers. This can be particularly dangerous when in difficult driving conditions as you may already be at the limits of concentration.
Young drivers have shown to be more susceptible to distraction when their favourite songs begin playing. The study, carried out by Dr Warren Brodsky and researcher Zack Slor stated that:
“As they get drawn-in by a song, they move from an extra-personal space involving driving tasks, to a more personal space of active music listening.”
This particular study found that a staggering 98% of young drivers involved made mistakes while driving and listening to their favourite song.

Easy listening

The news isn’t all bad, and the message here isn’t “don’t listen to music”. Research carried out by Dr Simon Moore at London Metropolitan University found that listening to calmer music can actually aid concentration and potentially make you a better driver. By listening to music that has a tempo that closely matches a human’s heart rate you can avoid the potential distraction music could cause. Songs that have between 60 and 80 beats per minute are considered the safest to listen to while driving so are ideal listening when in your car; take a look at the playlist below for some inspiration.

So there you are. Listening to music during driving lessons can be a good thing. Some pupils enjoy a bit of light jazz and some prefer pop music. Chat radio would be the most distracting I think as you may become engrossed in what is being said than what is happening on the road ahead. So be sensible and enjoy music while you drive.

Learning the Driving Test Routes

It seems appealing to some learners to find a driving instructor who places great emphasis on teaching mainly test routes. You may feel that this will increase your chances of a first time pass on the driving test in the fewest number of lessons possible. There is great danger in this approach and not something that should be done by independent driving instructors Nottingham.

Don't just learn on driving test routes

I can always tell when a pupil has been trained mainly on test routes.

They feel nervous when asked to drive on unfamiliar roads. This fear can go on after the test leading to people only driving on roads they know when the weather is nice. Driving is all about freedom to go wherever you want so you need the confidence that comes from experience. You need to learn on busy roads to deal with things such as emergency vehicles

I may ask a pupil if they have covered roundabouts as we drive up to one. Their reply is often “I haven't done this one”. The idea is that you are taught the basic rules of all roundabouts so that you can deal with any roundabout at any time. Not to simply go around one or two that happen to be on the local test route. You will have problems later on if this is how you learned. I recently had a pupil who used an app that had all the test routes stored and could put them into GPS map so you could follow it and learn the routes. My pupil was not successful at passing the test until we broke off from following the routes and dealt with her driving problems. After the problems were solved she went on to pass her test with no faults recorded. This shows which approach is best if you want that driving licence.

Gain plenty of experience during your driving lessons.

Driving lessons can be extremely boring if all done in the same area. You need variety if you are to remain interested and grow as a driver. Longer lessons may be needed to go further afield but remember that you are investing in your future safety. Doing the work now will pay dividends later. You need to gain experience on faster roads. Rural road and also on the motorway if there's one within reach.

There is always a chance on the big day that you will go off a test route due to road works or high volumes of traffic. Finding yourself in unfamiliar territory can really knock your confidence and lead to mistakes. You need to be able to drive safely even if you don't know where you are. This is where confidence and the ability to follow signs come into play.

In short, make sure you get good practice on all different types of roads. You'll find the driving test much easier and your driving will be up to a good standard when you're out there on your own. Don't be one of those drivers who only drives to places they know in good weather. Driving is about freedom so get over those nerves and be a confident driver. Go for it!

Dealing with Traffic Lights

 This is not the start of a race.

It's amazing how many people learning to drive think that traffic lights mean Stop, Get ready and go. The correct meanings are different. Let's take a look with one of the independent driving instructors Nottingham area.

Red does mean Stop, but also wait at the stop line. Drivers can get confused when turning right at major crossroads and slam on the brakes when they see the red light intended for traffic on the other road. Remember, if there is no stop line on the road surface then the light is not for you. Same if you're turning left in a filter lane. Unless there is a set of lights on both sides of the lane you're in, then the light is not for you and it'll be a give way line on the road.

Red and Amber together still means Stop but green is not far away so start preparing to move off. This is a good time to have a look side to side to make sure nobody is running a red light coming from the other direction. Don't leave it until the last second to have a look. Check before you move so you can look in the direction of your steering.

Green does not mean Go. It means you may proceed if your exit is clear and it is safe to do so. Don't feel pressure imagined pressure from drivers behind to move off if you're only going to move forward a bit and block the junction. People taking driving lessons in Nottingham tend to get a bit worried about this. Stay at the stop line until your exit is clear. Watch out for people crossing the road as well, probably texting.

Amber doesn't mean foot down you can make it if you try. It means Stop unless you have already crossed the stop line or you have to brake so hard you may cause an accident. Always check the mirrors and if a vehicle is really close behind them be careful how you brake. If a green light has been on for some time and 'gone stale' then ease off the gas and be prepared to brake if it changes.

Finally, keep an eye out for green filter arrows. New drivers tend to miss these as they don't stand out as much as red and can be difficult to see if you are driving in fog or heavy rain. The windscreen wipers in my car go slower when the car is stood still which is a bad idea because it makes it more difficult to see the lights change. Be careful when driving in bright sunlight as it can be difficult to see which light is lit up. If this happens slow down in good time so you can have a good look before you commit over the stop line. Don't start daydreaming and miss them either or you'll be hearing car horns from behind, and that'll be embarrassing.

So there you are. Stay safe and happy motoring!

The Car you Learn to Drive in

 

It's the Driving Instructor that counts, not the car.

It seems when shopping around for one of the driving instructors Nottingham area that some new pupils are looking to learn in a particular make and model of car. Usually it's something like an Audi or a Mini or perhaps the same make as the family car. If you are looking to take driving lessons in Nottingham then there are more important things to think about than which car you will be using. It's far better to have an instructor who is experienced and has a good track reord of test passes. Punctuality is important as late starting lessons can leave pupils nervous and of course a friendly and couteous manner will make your lessons a more pleasant expericence. The car you drive is of much less importance than getting the right instructor for you.

Ask yourself how much you actually know about cars. Most people get their info from family and friends who are not really experts in the field. Ask yourself what type of car you you will want or be able to afford after the test and keep your expectations reasonable.

Learning in an expensive model of car is a poor choice if the instructor is not up to scratch. Remember you are buying tuition, not the status of driving a certain make of car. Many new cars have features like an electronic parking brake which most learners will not have in their first car. Much better to learn to drive in a basic model car and then if you want to upgrade later when you have the money then that's fine

If you do learn in a prestige car you may be more nervous about mishandling or even damaging it. Too big a car can make you nervous on the road especially in tight situations. Too many control options can be confusing so keep it simple.

Chances are if you are a new driver you will not be in a position to buy an expensive car on passing your test. Your first car may seem like a bit of a shed by comparison.

Lesson prices may be more expensive to cover the cost of the tuition vehicle.

It's the quality of the driving lessons, not the school car.

Your overall aim is to obtain your driving licence and be a competent driver at the end of your course so make sure you put this at the top of your priority list. Check out driving instructors reviews or ask around friends who have passed their test when selecting an instructor.

Obviously you will need to be comfortable when learning so the driving school car will need to be a decent size. It should be reasonably clean inside and out and be in good mechanical condition. Other than that there is nothing to worry about. All driving instructors should have a car suitable for just about anyone to drive. I use a Skoda Fabia and have done for many years now. It accomodates all sizes of pupil and is a really smooth drive. Anyway, have fun on your lessons and happy motoring!

Are you Sitting Comfortably?

Take control during driving lessons in Nottingham

One of the first things a new pupil is taught by driving instructors Nottingham is how to set the driving position for optimum comfort and safety. This is something perhaps forgotten after the test as you can see so many experienced drivers who do not pay attention to their seating position. They will often strain themselves to reach the pedals or sit too close to the wheel. Let's have a look at a few things to consider before you turn on the engine and move off.

First thing to look at is the clothes you are wearing. So many pupils get into the car and keep their coat on. Yes, it may be cold outside but the car is heated and soon you will be too warm. Many times we have pulled over to allow the learner to take off coats and jumpers. If you were on a motorway you may have to sit there boiling before you got the chance, so make yourself comfortable before you start. I think some nervous drivers feel more protected if they keep a large coat on. It may protect you in a crash, but not much.

Footwear is the other big thing. In a learner it can make a huge difference when it comes to clutch control. You don't want the soles too thick or you can't feel the pedal movement. Too thin and you may have trouble pushing the pedals down. Make sure they are not too loose or tight and that they aren't flip flops. These have got to be the worst shoes for driving. I had to take a pupil home the other day as she had mistakenly put her crocs on and had no control over the steering because she was concentrating on working the gas pedal in her crocs. Because she was uncomfortable she couldn't concentrate at all!

Next comes the seating position. Car seats have a pretty wide range of movement nowadays to accommodate the tallest to the shortest people. It's important that you adjust things correctly as poor posture can cause aches and pains particularly in the lower back and can effect your level of awareness on long journeys,. You need to be a distance from the pedals which allows you to fully press down the clutch pedal without reaching too far or locking your knee. If you have to reach then chances are you won't press the clutch all the way down and will grind the gears. If your knees are locked and you have even a moderate collision you stand a bigger chance of breaking your leg. If your leg is bent it will just fold in a crash. If you are driving an automatic check you can press the brake or accelerator without reaching. Sitting too far forward can hinder movement and trap your legs under the wheel.

Shorter people will benefit from raising the height of the seat. This will give you a better view of the road ahead and also the dials on the dashboard. As the seat tilts forward as it is raised it allows for better reach of the pedals. The seatbelt anchorage point can also be lowered so the seatbelt fits correctly over the shoulder and across the chest. With the seat too low the seat belt can cut into your neck.

Nottingham driving instructors do it while sitting comfortably!

Alter the rake of the seat, that means the degree of backward tilt, so it supports your weight and doesn't have you leaning too far back or hunched over the wheel. New learners tend to have the seat  tilted too far back and then pull themselves forward using the wheel. This causes wobbly steering and is sometimes a sign of nerves. Remember the head restraint is just that and not a head rest. One pupil I had recently could not help but force his head back against the head restraint by pushing against the wheel with his arms. Not a good posture at all. You can't move your head properly to look to the side.

A guy I gave instructor training to was involved in a car accident. He was hit from behind by a car moving at speed. He had checked his mirror and saw that he was going to be hit. The mistake he made was to brace himself by locking his arms and gripping the wheel tightly. He suffered serious damage to his wrists on impact. This is one good reason not to lock your arms when driving. When the arms are extended then the inside of your wrists should touch the wheel. They will then have a bend in them when the wheel is gripped properly allowing for more accurate steering. In the event of a crash the arms will bend and the seatbelt will prevent you from being propelled forward.

Once the seat has been set you may need to adjust the steering wheel to finish things off. If you've got long legs like me then you may have the seat quite far back and low down. To prevent reaching for the wheel, flip the lever and pull the wheel out towards you. It can also be raised or lowered. Don't have the steering wheel too close to your chest. There can be the risk of injury if the air bag goes off. You need a distance of at least 12 inches between you and the steering wheel for the air bag to do it's job. When you have the position you want just flip the lever back and make sure it locks back into place.

There you have it. Take a bit of time before your next drive to make sure you are as comfortable as possible. Happy motoring to you.

 

ADI Standards Check Triggers

 

It's enough to make any driving instructor nervous. If you trigger three of the four DVSA stats then you will be called in for a standards check. Some instructors don't mind doing a standards check but I must admit I'm not a fan. Here are the four triggers -

Average number of driving faults per test 6 or greater

Average number of serious faults per test 0.55 or greater

Percentage of driving tests where the examiner had

to take physical action 10% or higher

Driving test pass rate 55% or lower

If 3 of the triggers are met within a 12 month period then an ADI will be requested to attend a standards check. This only applies to an ADI who has presented for 5 or more tests.

I always train my pupils to a standard beyond what is required for the test. This way we can take into account the detrimental effect of nerves on the day. I make sure that the pupils can drive without my intervention over all types of roads and traffic situations. The easy routes come first to make sure all the basics are in place. Next come the intermediate routes to develop the basic skills and get used to interacting with more moving traffic. Then come the manoeuvres to develop and fine tune the car control skills and finally the busy city centre routes. Sat nav and sign following develop hazard awareness skills to ensure the pupil is good to drive unattended after the test.

Even after all this people still fail for one reason or another. Is the pass rate a good and fair indicator of an instructor's teaching ability? I don't really think so. The stress of the first attempt is usually the reason for failure. Not thinking straight or mishandling of the vehicle are common on the first attempt but an instructor can only do so much to soothe the nerves of a pupil, once the test begins they have to do it for themselves.

An instructor's pass rate can depend on which test centre they are local to. The trigger pass rate is 55%. The test centre with the lowest pass rate is Speke in Liverpool with a miserable 29%. The highest is Kendal with a pass rate of 68.3%. If an instructor worked out of the Liverpool test centre they would be hitting the pass rate trigger every year whereas an instructor in Kendal would have a much better chance of staying above the trigger. This would not be a true reflection of the driving instructor's abilities. It's simply the luck of the draw on which test centre you are using.

Six driving faults or less per test is a strange trigger. Given a test candidate can commit 15 driver faults before failing without a serious fault being committed the figure of six seems arbitrary. I always have regarded six or less faults as indicative of a good clean drive and personally I think that 15 faults allowed is too many. I would go with 10 as it brings the committed faults to less than one every three minutes. Six seems a bit too low given people are prone to nerves on a driving test.

It is a serious matter when an examiner takes physical action on a test as they will only do so if there is a definite danger that a safety critical incident will occur. This really shouldn't happen at all to pupils who are genuinely at test standard so I suppose this trigger is fair. I don't want to get to a place where I worry and become annoyed at pupils if they fail their test as you never can tell. I just had a great pupil who took 4 tests to pass. He just couldn't remain calm and come up with the goods on the day. If all pupils tested like him then I'd be having a standards check every year but there's nothing I could really do about his poor performance on tests. Ah well, I'll just keep doing my best and teaching safe driving for life.

Brought to you by Russ Chaplin, one of the driving schools Nottingham area.

Driving Instructor Hacked

Having your website hacked is a little bit depressing.

It's been one of those turbulent times recently where lots of problems associated with driving instruction all seem to come at once. A high turnover of new pupils owing to loads of tests going out in the same week. Car damage due to pupils reversing the car into a trolley corral in the supermarket and most shockingly the driving school website going down owing to it being hacked.

   It's my first experience of being hacked though I have had my driving school website spammed many times. My website seemed to be accruing fake URLs which went from my website to a page about Viagra or Casinos or some other such thing. They never really effected anything so I had a word with a web developer guy and just redirected them to my site's home page. This time though the site went down totally.

  I must give a shout out to the nice people at GoDaddy who managed to get my site back up and running after nearly a week. It took a good few hours back and forth on the phone but now we are back in business. I've dropped to the 2nd page on Google search but hopefully I will be back on the front page soon. Phone calls did definitely drop off during the down time. Was it because it coincided with the students just getting back to university or does a website help to sell lessons? I have been a bit sceptical about the effectiveness of websites recently with most enquiries coming from Google my Business. It surely can't help consumer confidence when they click the website button and are presented with a blank screen though. Probably better to have a site than not.

   So why would anyone want to hack a lowly driving instructor's website? one thing hackers do is make a copy of your website and then destroy yours a bit at a time. When it has completely gone you receive an email from them offering to sell you the site files for a price. If it came down to it I would just redesign the site on the same domain and link it all up again. No way would I give in and pay some hacker for my own stuff. Another reason is to access any online payment data to get into people's bank accounts. If you are taking payments through a website you need top notch web security which can be expensive. As payments can be made using the banks over the phone I don't see the need for this function on a website. Not for a small one person business. 

  So anyway we are back up and running online. I'll now be taking online security more seriously and have got a firewall installed to prevent further interference. The rear lights of my car will be fixed next week. My diary should settle down and everything running smooth again soon. You need the difficult times to appreciate the good times. Yes indeed.

Value driving lessons Nottingham

New Cars and Cranky Calls

Hooray for the Financial Ombudsman. The dodgy car salesmen have been beaten.

A couple of years ago I was taken advantage of by unscrupulous car sales people who sold me a car on a PCP. They withheld important information from me the most important of which was the mileage limitations on the contract. Turns out I would be 30000 miles over the limit at the end of the contract with a whopping bill to pay. Only after I had switched the dual controls from my old car into the new car was the information placed before me just before closing time at the dealership. Too late for me to do anything without putting myself out of work. I had written about this at the time as I was very angry about it. I made a complaint to the financial ombudsman about financial misconduct and was fortunate to have enough evidence to support my case.

  A couple of years later and I am pleased to say that the management has changed at the dealership with a much more professional crew steering the ship. I went in there a few months back and managed to get in touch with the branch manager who took my complaint seriously and we began talking. I had all the excess mileage charges waived and dual controls fitted to the new car free of charge which saved me over £2000. The new PCP contract seems to make sense so I'm now back on track. Apart from a dodgy sensor which occasionally tells me the rear tyre is going down when it isn't the new car is fantastic. This will be my 5th Skoda Fabia in a row. All has ended well.

  On a totally different note there must be driving instructors out there who receive the odd crank call now and again as I have done recently. I get some guy ringing up at all hours of the night just saying my name over and over again. Spooky voicemails greet me in the morning. I  blocked the number but the voicemails still come through now and again which is a bit strange. Some person texted recently asking for driving lessons and when I couldn't fit him in immediately he started messaging me asking if I was from Grindr and using acronyms I didn't understand. Another number blocked from my phone. Hazards of having your phone number publicly available I suppose.

  Anyway with some luck the time of problem solving is over and it's time to enjoy another busy hard working summer. We can go out on the motorway now which should be fun. All the best to driving instructors and learners out there. Just keep rolling along.

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The New Driving Test

Are the changes to the driving test a good thing?

I've been having a look through the changes to the driving test and it certainly makes for interesting reading. I think overall the changes are a good thing and much more representative of everyday driving after passing the test. First off the bat is the increase in the independent driving to 20 minutes. This is a much more realistic test of normal everyday driving than being told exactly where to go all the time. Pupils have to be able to make their own decisions when they're out there on the road and this is examined to a higher standard with a longer independent drive.

  Following directions sat nav is also an important skill to be examined. The majority of drivers use them nowadays and I must admit I found sat navs really distracting when I first started to use them. I nearly hit the kerb once as I was watching the little car on the display instead of looking through the windscreen. I also noticed I was defering to the device to let me know about speed limits instead of looking out for signs. I reckon I'll buy the model that's being used on test so my pupils are familiar with the layout on the screen. This could make for some interesting lessons as well. Less time giving directions could mean more time observing how the pupil will actually drive after their test leading to more useful and realistic instruction and coaching.

  When it comes to the manoeuvres I would be loathe to remove the turn in the road. I regard this as a useful manoeuvre and it's certainly a commonly used one. It's a road blocker when being practiced which is a pain for the local folk but I will still continue to teach this one to a good standard. Good riddance to the left hand reverse I think. This is the one that pupils were the most skeptical about asking when they would use it after the test. This is probably a bigger pain to local residents than the turn in the road as it occurs at junctions and is somewhat unexpected. Many times I have asked my pupil to move forward out of the way of people trying to turn left. 

  Driving forward and reversing out of a parking bay is a welcome addition. This is what people do so they can get the shopping in the boot rather than reversing into the bay so it's good to get it right pre-test. I see many motorists reversing out of bays without any idea where they should be looking.

   The most controversial new addition is pulling up on the right, reversing back 2 car lengths and rejoining traffic. Depending on the volume of traffic this could be well tricky. It is something that people do when pulling up outside shops and things so good to see it being tested. I haven't started doing this yet so some solo practice is in order before I include it in lessons.

  Asking one of the show me tell me questions on the move is a good idea. Even the best pupils seem to have trouble with headlights and wiper switches when on the move even after the questions have been gone over in a car park. They just seem to forget where everything is once we're driving about. Good to have driving test candidates think about two things at once.

  All in all I think the changes are a good thing and help reflect the ways of modern driving. Let's hear it for progress and realism!

driving lessons in Nottingham

Learner Drivers on Motorways? Yes Indeed

Should have happened many years ago I reckon.

The time is getting near when learner drivers will be allowed on motorways with a qualified Approved Driving Instructor in a dual controlled car. I regard motorway driving as an important part of driving knowledge and experience which should always have been included in the learning to drive syllabus from the very beginning. Depending on where people are learning to drive this isn't always possible. The nearest motorway could be a long way off and not be reachable on a standard driving lesson. Here in Nottingham we have easy access to the M1 which gives every driving instructor the opportunity to teach the skills necessary for safe motorway driving. This has been a wasted opportunity for learner drivers and the sooner we can get on there the better.

   According to research younger drivers who are fearful of driving on the motorway are taking routes along back roads where statistically they are more likely to have an accident. This situation seems ridiculous to me. Surely Motorways are an integral part of teaching safe driving for life? Instead motorway driving is viewed as an add on, not something which is strictly necessary and certainly not given the importance it deserves. I like many other driving instructors offer motorway training on it's own as well as part of the Pass Plus scheme. The take up on this type of training is very low. After paying a good amount for lessons it's hard to ask people to spend more after they have passed the L test. I hardly ever go out on the M1 with a learner. Those that do go out are always happy that they did and to be honest they pick it up pretty quickly. 

   Unfortunately the scariest part comes right at the beginning. Joining the motorway requires good judgement of speed to match the vehicles already on there. Too slow and you can head into danger very quickly. Signalling early and spotting a potential gap are skills that transfer to other situations so motorway training can improve the general standard of driving as a whole. The main difference in traffic is the number of heavy goods vehicles on there moving at speed. This can be terrifying for the nervous driver with no experience. Once on there things start to settle down with lane changing being the main skill being practiced. Many new drivers may have very limited experience of this depending on where they live. I find the instinctive thing they do before changing lanes is to slow down which is entirely the wrong thing to do. An hour on the motorway and the problem is cleared up producing an altogether better quality driver. Leaving the motorway and the drive onto smaller roads brings into play the skill of speed control. After doing 70mph trying to do 30mph can be a bit painful. Again we are helping to produce a more aware and skilled driver by coaching learners in how to deal with this. I think that learners will be in a much stronger position to pass the L test first time with the confidence they will have from being on a motorway.

    For a lot of us the motorway drive is a yearly event when we go on holiday. How much better would the traffic flow if all drivers got professional tuition before passing the test? It may help with those phantom traffic jams we all know and love. I personally can't wait to get out there with my learners. It will add interest to my working day and add some variation to my teaching. Happy motoring to you all and hope your roof sign doesn't blow off at high speed. Ha.

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Drivers Under Passenger Presssure

Let's not hear it for the back seat driver.

After a few years giving refresher lessons to more mature drivers I have noticed a common thread. When I ask the driver what they see as their weaknesses I usually get a very definite things that the driver feels need to be addressed. Upon further questioning it turns out that these problems are in fact opinions given by the driver's partner, positioned in the passenger seat offering unsolicited help and advice. Often from the standpoint of someone who has never driven.
   One gentleman believed his observations and judgement of a safe gap when emerging from junctions left a lot to be desired. After 90 minutes of driving and a few pointers I felt that these skills were more than adequate and I couldn't really see a problem. The gentleman then told me about his short wife who has the passenger seat fully raised and as far to the front as it will go. From this position the nearside front window is completely blocked by the passenger who then proceeds to tell the driver whether to go or not. This is so very dangerous and totally unacceptable. I  informed the driver that he has to be able to see all around the vehicle and make his own decisions on when to emerge. The time delay from when he is told to go to when the car actually moves could prove well hazardous. Also he is relying on the judgement of a person who has never driven a car. Not an ideal situation at all.
   I recently gave a refresher driving lesson to a lady who believed she was too hesitant at junctions and when meeting traffic coming in the other direction. Also she drove at well under the speed limit on faster roads and dual carriageways. When asked why she thought this she replied that it was her husband's verdict. As he was now visually impaired and had to give up driving, the lady I was teaching had to do it for him. After a good drive around Nottingham there were some issues with mirror use and early observations but absolutely no issues regarding hesitancy. I assured the lady that she should drive within her own limits and not bow down to the opinion of her passenger. She seemed relieved to hear this and I'm sure she will be fine on the road.
   Passenger pressure is always considered an issue which only rally effects younger drivers but this is obviously not the case. People of any age and driving experience can succumb to pressure from friends or family in the car and feel they have to overstep their limits in order to satisfy another. It can be very difficult to ignore criticism and the driver may start to feel belittled and incompetent. The stress caused by this can have a detrimental effect on the quality and safety of the drive. A passenger who is late for an appointment or in a bad mood can put pressure on a driver which they wouldn't normally if they were in a relaxed mood.
   I say to all drivers out there that you alone are responsible for your driving. Do as you judge fit when behind the wheel and don't let others influence you when it comes to safety. 

Independent driving lessons Nottingham

I Teach Safe Driving For Life

I don't just teach driving test routes.

I remember once getting an unsolicited lecture from a driving test examiner about following driving test routes on lessons. He had taken my candidate out on test and they had followed another driving school car who had followed the test route exactly. He seemed very annoyed that this had provided endless prompts for my pupil who simply had to copy what the car in front did. He said my pupil may have passed anyway but I could see his point. I wondered why it was me who received the talking to and not the guilty instructor, but there you go.
   I have never taught test routes in their entirety. I just don't believe in it but I can tell that there are still some driving instructors who do. We all get pupils who have been with other instructors and have changed because they are dissatisfied with the teaching they are receiving. Some have complained to me that they follow more or less the same route week after week with no variation and have simply got bored. Could the route have been a test route? Another giveaway is when on the approach to a roundabout I ask if they have covered roundabouts. Sometimes they will reply "Yes I have done some, but not this one." When I ask if they have had properly structured lessons covering each major topic individually they reply in the negative. They have never been given a briefing, shown a diagram or even had the topic introduced properly. They just drove the same route each week and received tips only on how to deal with the problems on that route. This is driving instruction at it's absolute worst in my opinion.
   I take my pupils all over Nottingham. I only do 90 minute lessons which allows time to get out there and cover topics which may not even crop up on the test but will be needed for safe and happy future driving. I will make sure they are familiar with any complex junctions in the test area but that is a world away from teaching a certain route.
 Perhaps some instructors worry about their pass rate and see following routes as a way to ensure that most pupils pass first time. The problem is that it probably is. If a learner driver knows exactly where they are going and what to look out for they will feel a lot more confident on the day. Publishing individual instructor's pass rates may lead to more of this sort of thing but what happens after the driving test? We have a lot of new drivers with a full driving licence who are simply not prepared for the road. Many drivers who have held a licence for some years will only drive to places they know in good weather conditions. They have a fear of driving to unknown places and don't trust themselves on busy roads. All the advantages of driving are denied to them. I bet they only practised on test routes before they passed.
   Nottingham is a good place to learn to drive. Everything from city driving to country roads are readily available so there are no excuses for not preparing young drivers properly. In the long run a first time pass is not necessarily a good thing. I have had many pupils say they are glad they passed on the second attempt and had the extra lessons because they feel more prepared for the road. As they will be driving for the next 50 years or so it is wise to set some good driving foundations. Financial and parental pressure could be forcing young drivers to take the test earlier than they would like. I like to think that the people I have taught are capable of safe driving for life and they will remain safe and competent drivers. That's why we do what we do.

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Driving Lessons Whatever the Weather

There's been a lot of it recently.

The weather plays an important part when teaching people to drive. It adds things to teach and provides greater challenge to both learners and driving instructors alike. lately we have experienced almost all weather conditions in only a few weeks. Lets take a look at the opportunities for teaching that this provides.

  A couple of weeks back we had a bit of a snow flurry. This is the weather type that makes me assess the abilities and constitution of the pupils I have booked in for that day. Some learners just do not like the idea of snow on driving lessons. They fear skidding on corners and develop a sudden mistrust of other drivers who they see as driving too fast for the conditions. One of the most dangerous things I find is the wind tunnel effect when driving into falling snow. The tendency for the eyes to focus on the snow and the Star Wars hyperspace effect really takes attention away from the important things like other vehicles and pedestrians. I remind the pupils to constantly focus on scanning for hazards and try to ignore the snow altogether. It can spook the learner something terrible. The chances of skidding on light snow are quite minimal at normal speeds. You really need ice on the road to skid.

   But we've had plenty of that recently. The misery starts before work getting that windscreen cleared and he cockpit warm enough for human habitation. Luckily I have a driveway with a gate so I put the car well back towards the house and leave it warming up. Sometimes I will leave it for 30 minutes then easily clear the ice from the windscreen. Warm water is used to clear the ice from the roof of the car so U can put the magnetic roof box on without fear of it slip sliding away. That would be no good at all. I always give the tyres a good visual check as well. Lessons from the past when I was young and let my tyres get bald and then wondering why I couldn't get around a corner. Be sure to  check those inside edges. A nice chat about early braking before bends and allowing more room to stop pus the young learner more at ease.

   A couple of slates blew off the roof this week thanks to hurricane Doris. Of all the extreme weather conditions it's high winds that bother me most. I have visions of the roof box blowing off and flying through the windscreen of the car behind. Pupils don't like it because of the noise. Add a little rain to the mix and the noise can be terrible. Some pupils comment on how they can feel the car move in the wind when driving. They never felt the car being effected by wind as a passenger. A talk on maintaining a firm grip on the wheel while trying to keep as much safety space around the car would be a suitable topic for these conditions. High sided vehicles weaving about in the road are something to watch out for. Cyclists can have a bad time of it as well so give them plenty of room in case they swerve.

  Sometimes it seems like the rain will never stop. It has rained non stop for days recently. What is it about the windscreen wiper controls that pupils find so difficult? Push the stalk up one click seems an easy enough instruction but damned if they don't always put them on full speed. Then the rear wiper. Then turn them off and use the indicator stalk instead. Time to pull over for a full tutorial I think which would include turning the wipers off when the rain has stopped to prevent the awful dragging sound which they just don't seem to notice. The pull to the left when driving through large puddles can take some learners by surprise. I like to steady the wheel or gently move us to the right if need be to stop us drenching pedestrians with a bow wave. Apparently it constitutes assault to drench a pedestrian and they can take legal action.

   Now it looks like the weather is calming down a bit. Time for me to go out and wash the salt off the car ready for the coming week. Nothing I hate worse than a dirty driving school car. I would remind instructors that driving with your car so dirty that you can't see the rear number plate is highly illegal and sets a bad example to others. Time to get the bucket and sponge out.

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Learning to Let Go of Learner Drivers

The Road to Driving Lessons can be a bumpy one.

Most of the time a driving school runs smooth as silk. Regular pupils have regular lessons. They book the same time week after week so the days take some sort of shape and we all know where we are. More work and less stress is always a good thing. Sometimes though there are ripples in the pond which always seem to come at once.
   People give up on driving lessons for many reasons. So long as it's not because they have a problem with the instructor this can't be helped. Starting a new year is a bit of a turbulent time in driving instruction. Pupils from the previous year don't get back in contact and return to their lessons as they said they would. People pass the test in time for Christmas leading to a lot of new intake as we get into the new year. Many of whom are learning to drive as a new year's resolution, not because they really want to which can result in a lack of commitment.
  A couple of pupils have this week decided to give up after only a couple of lessons. They both paid in advance so it's refund time. I haven't actually lost money from this but it certainly feels like it as a few hundred pounds disappears from the business account. I really should charge some sort of admin fee for the time taken messing around with internet banking but that seems a bit tight. If I wasn't independent and had a school name to hide behind maybe I would. Dealing directly with people is a bit different though and I would hate to have a petty argument over a few pounds. Trying to convince people to carry on and give it a bit more time can be dodgy. They may resent it after a couple more bad lessons and decide that you are only interested in taking their money. I find it best just to refund the remaining lessons, wish them well and let them go. Learning to drive requires a certain focus and determination. Not something an instructor can provide and if they don't have it then success will be very hard to come by.
   I've also asked a pupil to leave recently, or rather refused them any more lessons due to extreme time wasting. Week after week they cancelled with one excuse or another. As they book for the week after I can't really fill the space and the income I lose soon adds up. They get good at cancelling just before the cancellation fee takes effect as well. After a couple of polite warnings it's time to wish them all the best and let them go. We can't afford to lose valuable lesson time on people who will not commit.
   I even had a pupil who was so obnoxious and negative on the first lesson I gave them the lesson for free just to get them out of the car and away down the road. After a few years in this game you can tell when it's going nowhere with certain people. I feared that this was the type of person who would post a bad review out of pure spite. If that happened the money I lost on the lesson would seem like nothing compared to the bad publicity and potential loss of business so on with the friendly face and in a gentle voice apologise that they are not satisfied and here's the lesson for free. This is the stuff you just don't get taught about in Instructor college. Keep it clean and professional leaving them no cause for complaint. The next pupil will hopefully be nicer and we're all back on track. Hopefully things will settle back down in the coming weeks and it'll be a rip roaring 2017.

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Teaching Driving in Your Own Back Yard

Driving Lessons are happening further afield for me in Nottingham these days.

Strange how things work out. For the whole summer I have been delivering driving lessons in my own area of Nottingham. Enquiries in this area have dropped off recently in favour of more enquiries from the city centre and other areas. Not to my advantage at all but you've got to roll with it I suppose.
   To be honest there are pros and cons to both for me. If everyone is 10 minutes away it's super convenient in terms of coming home for a coffee in between lessons. The long working day can seem much easier when there is time for multiple comfort breaks and I must say I have gotten used to it. There is time to answer those text messages and sort out all the emails on my phone without having to start all that when I get home after work. Knowing I can come home at the end of the day with everything sorted is such a high.
  The many road works and traffic jams have had little effect on me this summer and arriving for driving lessons on time has been no effort at all. The mileage driven in between lessons is at a minimum reducing the amount of fuel I use and the time between servicing the car is extended meaning I am quids in.
  The down side is that it can all get a bit stale. Doing driving lessons on the same streets five times a day can be a bit of a drag. Sometimes when I come home I simply don't want to go back out again which means the day has no momentum and can seem to go on and on. Sometimes it's good to have a bit of a rush on, but not too much obviously.
  Now I seem to be working more out of my area. If the first lesson is a bit far out then it's an earlier start to the day. One lesson was taking me 40 minutes to get to instead of the usual 10 minutes. That's half an hour of unpaid work and more petrol being used. Getting through that school traffic is stress I don't need. If the lesson is in a busy area at the wrong time it can be a nightmare getting to the next lesson on time. I pride myself on my punctuality and hate being late even by a couple of minutes. The mental stress of being in traffic that just isn't moving while the minutes tick away is enough to make my head pop.
  On the brighter side it does add some variety to the day. It's good to see areas I haven't been in for a few months. Structuring lessons to fit in these areas and cover the learner driver syllabus properly gets me thinking on my feet, making the day go by much quicker. Finding new streets I haven't driven down before to create new short cuts is always enjoyable. It's good to increase one's local knowledge in case you ever want to drive a taxi. Knowing more of the city helps me deliver interesting lessons and stops pupils thinking we're just having a bit of a drive around the same old streets.
  I hope that the enquiries pick up in my own area before the weather gets really bad. When the roads are snowy it's good to not have to fight your way through between lessons which can get a bit exhausting. A mixed bag of local pupils and lessons further out is good as long as it's the first lesson and the last one that are nearby. Nothing worse than that long drive home after work. We all need an evening to relax don't we?

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Chasing Those Pesky Phone Payments.

You always know where you are with cash. Sometimes the old ways are the best when paying for driving lessons.

Keeping track of payments can get to be a very time consuming process with the bank transfer over the phone payments. My heart always sinks a little when at the end of a first lesson the pupil asks to pay by phone instead of with cash right there and then. They always seem to want to pay latter and never there in the car at the time. If they are paying for a block of lessons then there seems to be less of a problem and the payment is usually prompt. if on the other hand they are paying for lessons individually then it can all get a bit tedious.
   There seems to be a laissez faire attitude with phone payments. People don't seem to see the problem in paying late or letting it slip their mind altogether. With cash people seem to see the importance of prompt payment. There's nothing worse than making small notes in the diary about who's paid and who hasn't. After a full day on the road then coming home and answering texts and emails the last thing I want to do is start checking the online bank and then start firing out reminder texts to people who have not paid.
  It makes for an untidy account book to have lots of smaller payments listed instead of the one big one at the end of each week. I wouldn't even consider the card machine where there is a tariff for using the machine. I wouldn't want to put lesson prices up just to cover that. Still, spending half a lesson looking for a working cash machine can be a bit of a bind as well. Better if people just got prepared and had enough money to pay for the lesson when they turned up. I suppose that's asking a bit much in our modern society.
   On a totally unrelated tangent I see that there has been the first driverless car fatality. The car didn't malfunction or have any kind of fault. It simply couldn't see the lorry that was in front of it because the lorry was white and the sky was bright. The guy on the telly was saying that 'driverless cars' is the wrong thing to call them as there will always need to be a driver on board at any given time. Looks like people will have to pass a driving test anyway, even if they want a self driving car. Good that our jobs look safe for the immediate future. Trouble is that people may pass the driving test and then never really gain any real experience and so never become skilled at driving. Not exactly the best route to road safety but there you go. Hope I didn't sound too whiny there.

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Pitfalls of Arranging Driving Lessons by Text

There are advantages to actually talking.

As an independent driving instructor in Nottingham I have to keep admin time down to a minimum. I'm sure you know what I mean. When getting home after a full day's teaching I can't face 10 phone calls as well as sorting out emails. It would take all night. In response to voice messages I have a standard text I paste in which thanks the person for their message and asks where they are and when they are available. This helps me to filter out people who are too far away or need lessons at times where I am not available. Helps keep the fruitless phone calls at bay. If someone specifically asks me to phone and talk then I will. People do prefer to text rather than talk anyway it seems. If someone texts and I call them straight back chances are they will not answer even though they must still have their phone nearby.
   There are disadvantages to texting though. Many people don't read them properly and so only tell me when they are available and not where they are. I don't get to ask the questions I would like to ask and neither do they get to ask me anything.
   I arranged a lesson by text for last Thursday morning. After driving out to Carlton and locating the new person we set off only to find that she required an automatic car and I only have a manual. It was her partner who had arranged the lesson so we had not communicated at all. I showed her the texts I had received and pointed out that there was no mention of an automatic vehicle. I dropped her off back at her place and drove home. I couldn't charge her for the lesson as it was a genuine misunderstanding. I bet if we had spoken on the phone then the subject of an automatic car would have been mentioned.
   One good thing about texts is that if someone turns up at the wrong time then you can use the text message to show that you turned up as per the message and prove yourself right. It's a satisfying feeling to be right and know that you can prove it. Ha.
   You can never be sure that a text has been received. If on the very rare occasion I need to cancel a lesson and I send a text I always imagine the person stood on a rainy street corner waiting for me because they haven't seen the text. Lots of people do receive texts but ignore them. The youth are very good at this. I have asked people if they want a driving lesson and don't get any reply at all. When I asked a pupil if he realised I was waiting for a reply so I would know if I can book someone else in he told me he never realised. They can forget that there is another person waiting for a response. I suppose in these times of social media and suchlike the amount of pointless noise they have to screen out is pretty amazing.
   You really can't beat the personal touch of actually talking on the phone. I think with all the time pressure and amount of information we have to deal with nowadays it may become a thing of the past.

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The Subtlety of Inter-Driver Communication

Some things just can't be found in the Highway Code.

I've noticed recently how difficult it can be for some pupils to grasp the idea of communicating with other drivers by means of signals, speed and position. Many pupils need something definite they can use such as a fixed distance from a junction to put on the indicator rather than considering what they are actually telling other drivers. Many pupils find it difficult to look directly at other drivers and thus miss out on looks and gestures that would give them quality information on what another driver intends to do. They will even miss thee obvious flashing of headlights and so miss the gap that was being offered. Apart from 'Mind Driving' by Stephen Haley there aren't any learning resources which deal with this kind of thing.
   A pupil recently had an issue on test with the timing of indicator signals. When changing lanes he will look into the door mirror with his fingers on the indicator stalk expecting other drivers to know telepathically that we want to move over to the right. I explained that putting the signal on can influence other drivers into doing what you want them to do which is either hold back and let you in or get passed quickly and allow you in behind them. No signal means no response so they will just sit along side you and prevent the lane change. Get that signal on before you try to move. There is no set time to put on an indicator. You have to look at the overall traffic situation and consider the message you are putting across when you signal. This is something learned by experience.
   When manoeuvring some pupils will keep moving in and out of reverse gear for no good reason. They do not consider that the revering light is being turned on and off so any driver sat waiting won't know what we are doing and may assume that we are abandoning the manoeuvre and driving on. They may get into gear and prepare to move off only to find the light is back on and we are actually continuing to reverse. I can see how this would be annoying.
  Pupils who tap the brake on and off instead of using one smooth application of pressure fail to realise that the brake lights are on and off which is confusing to following drivers. Brake lights are probably the most important signal there is when it comes to preventing accidents. Getting the brakes on lightly and early gives more warning to the following driver and increases safety.
   Flashing headlights is a bone of contention for me. I always teach pupils that it is only a warning of your presence and can be interpreted in many ways. The vast majority of pupils when asked believe that flashing headlights definitely means someone is letting you through and would proceed if someone flashed their headlights. Totally wrong and potentially dangerous but that's what people think.
   Eye contact is important. Being let out of a junction is easier if you turn your head and look at other drivers. Such a simple thing as this adds a touch of the personal I find and people are much more willing to let you out once they know you are looking at them. Pupils on driving lessons tend to avoid eye contact as a result of nerves and miss out on opportunities to proceed as a result. Arm signals from cyclists would be a welcome addition to the world of signals as they seem to be something of a rarity.
   So there. Have a good think about how you communicate with other drivers and explore how it can be improved. it makes driving a much easier and pleasant experience and fosters a friendlier attitude on the road. Word up.

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Long Wait for a Driving Test in Nottingham

The wait is so long it even made the news.

Some of my pupils are booking driving tests online and are getting dates for the lovely month of August. It is fast approaching the middle of April. A waiting time approaching four months. This is less time than it takes some people to learn to drive from scratch. It's a situation which brings many problems for a driving instructor.
   I encourage my pupils to get the theory test sorted from the very beginning of their training now. I explain the length of time it will take after passing the theory to get to the practical test so the earlier they can book and pass it the better. I suppose it adds some pressure to pass, as a fail would push the possible date for a practical test back by a further 3 to 4 weeks. If they do fail or wait until their driving is of a reasonable standard before taking the theory then some decisions have to be made.
  Many people understandably don't want to pay for months of lessons they don't believe they need. Who can blame them? Driving lessons are not cheap and a three month wait really adds to the cost of learning by a significant amount. We can argue that the extra training is never wasted but people only have so much money to spend. We then have to explore other options.
   They can pack in the lessons until nearer the time of the test. I don't book so far in advance as I find it causes problems with existing pupils if they suddenly can't have their usual time because someone booked it in advance. I tell the test person that I will do what I can nearer the test but I can't guarantee fitting them back in. The best solution would be to keep up the lessons and look online every day to see if a cancellation can be found. If they do find one they have to grab it straight away before someone else does. If they check with me first you can bet your bottom dollar it will have gone by the time they get back online.
   Some people keep up the practice with parents which can lead to some poor habits forming and a general drop in the driving standard. Others want to take a lesson every two weeks which I won't do because it leaves spaces which are hard to fill as most people want a weekly lesson. Others look to book tests in other towns which would take most of the day to get there and back as well as not having any knowledge of the test area.
   A fail on the driving test is now a much more serious drawback. Pupils know there is a long wait for a second attempt which only adds to the pressure on the day. If they need a driving licence for a job then the four months wait could seriously scupper their plans. If you know you can take another test in three weeks then the pressure is not so great.
   To overcome this I find people are looking for driving lessons after booking a test some time in advance. Problem is they try to start lessons with only a few weeks to go before the test date. The pupil is then full of false expectation that they will be ready. When they see it will take more time than they have left themselves they pressure the instructor to get them ready and work a few miracles. The whole situation is a sorry mess.
   Three weeks should be the maximum amount anyone should have to wait for a driving test. At the moment the waiting times are making life hard for everybody. Poor planning on behalf of the DVSA in allowing examiner numbers to fall is a major factor I would say. Hopefully things will improve soon.

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No More Web Woes for this Driving Instructor!

Taking control feels good.

2015 was a year of dealing with problems and overcoming them. Not a bad thing as I have learned a lot about how to complain properly and take positive action even if it means a lot of time and effort. Last piece of the puzzle was getting my website away from incompetent people who refuse to acknowledge phone calls, texts and emails.

   A couple of months ago I found that I just could not update my website. All kinds of errors popped up and as it's an important part of my business I simply couldn't let the situation carry on for too long. After about 6 texts, 3 emails and a bunch of ignored calls to my web designer and his imaginary team I decided it was time to migrate my site to another host. 

   I've read some nightmare stories about migrating websites. It can really mess things up but I had no choice but to take this route. I contacted the people at GoDaddy and bought a hosting package. I was told migrating would be easy and nothing to worry about. The problems started immediately when the website failed to migrate. Seems the old company had put blockers on it to prevent escape. I tried to back up the files myself and do it manually but to no avail. 

   I contacted the excellent customer services at GoDaddy and stayed on the line while they migrated it for me. A nice guy talked me through the whole process and it was done. I didn't realise my URL was still pointing to the old site which is what I was looking at through the browser. Took me a few days before I noticed actually. Another phone call got the URL pointing to the right place and no website. Just an error message. Back on the phone to disable the plugins so I could finally look at the migrated site.

  I've got to say my heart sank. Lots of bits missing and hyphenated text that didn't fit on the page and pictures all over the place. After a small time spent in contemplation I decided to do a redesign and make an even better website. A new header image and text for starters. Picking my way through each page and re-spacing things to fit took a fair few hours of laborious and tedious work. The end result is well worth it I think.

  So here I am with complete control of the website. No more phone calls when the hosting runs out and the website goes down. No more errors getting in the way. When a website is your main means of bringing in new business things have to be right. Driving Instructors are busy people so the less time spent worrying over things the better. Now all i have to do is suss out the website email so it goes straight to my phone and I can then deal with it in between lessons. That way it's one less job when I get home. Happy 2016

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