Blog Archives

Green 'L' or 'P'?

30/5/2014

I keep being asked by my customers if they 'need' to display a green 'L' or 'P' on their car when they have passed their test, and the simple answer is no.
Once a person has passed their UK car driving test there is no legal requirement for them to display any sort of 'plate', unless they want too. The green 'new driver' L plate can be a great way to let other drivers know that you have only recently passed your test and might be a little slow off the mark at traffic lights etc, but it is a purely voluntary addition to your car. The green 'P' plate has a similar effect and stands for 'probationer' or 'passed' depending who you believe, but again is something you can 'choose' to fit to your car or simply blend in with the crowd. The choice is yours but my feeling is that a green 'L' could be a good thing if you are using a motorway or dual carriageway for the first time as this will alert following drivers to the fact that you are newly qualified so they should be 'nice' to you.
Good luck with that and safe driving!

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Remember BOB n TOM?

28/5/2014

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I've been watching the new series of 'Barely Legal Drivers' on BBC3 on Monday evenings and like most experienced drivers I've been cringing at some of the antics of these 'street legal but barely able' drivers. As an instructor though, one of the things that has jumped out at me is how little these novice drivers are using their side mirrors and I thought I would share my little tip as to how I get my learners to remember to use them.
Bob and Tom are the names I give to my side mirrors. Bob is the near side one and stands for 'Bloke On Bike' or of course anything that may be down the near side of the car when pulling over or lane changing. Tom is the offside mirror which stands for 'Teenager On Moped'. I find that by giving them names and introducing them early that my learners pick up there use quite quickly and if they forget (which they do from time to time) a quick "check Bob" prompt gets them looking in the right direction. When all said and done, observation is king!

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Late cancellations..good news!

23/5/2014

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Lots of young learner drivers are fitting in their driving lessons around their exam schedules at this time of year and occasionally the two will clash. Well now the DVSA have made it easier to re-schedule your test at short notice. Before 1st April you had to give 3 days notice but now you can have a re-booking at short notice if you can't take a test because of exams, a bereavement or a medically certified illness. Hangovers don't count!

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One For The Girls...Mostly!

21/5/2014

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The last week or so has seen some great weather on the Yorkshire coast and subsequently the arrival of the 'summer wardrobe' which usually means (for the girls at least) digging out the sandals and flip flops. Now there's nothing wrong with that type of footwear for walking around campus or town BUT for driving they are a complete no no!
"You can't drive in those" I told one of my female students this week as she got in the car for her lesson in a nice pair of diamanté covered flip flops. Surprised by this she then offered to drive 'bare footed' for which I also had to refuse her. Put simply, you need to be wearing suitable footwear when you're driving a car and that usually means a decent pair of old flat shoes that will stay on your feet and not fall off and jam under the pedals. Heels are fine of course but (I'm told) it doesn't do them any good and may break off the heel part.
This simple philosophy not only applies to learners, but to all drivers so please don't drive in loose fitting sandals and (unless you're heading for the beach) avoid driving completely in the humble flip flop this summer. Be safe!

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You never lose that feeling!

16/5/2014

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Wow...what a week it's been. The weather has been really kind and I've had three people pass their tests with flying colours. I've been doing this job for over 25 years now and I never lose that feeling of total pride (any maybe a small amount of self satisfaction) when I see my customers standing there after their tests holding their pass certificates. It can be life changing stuff and it's always great to be part of helping to make that happen.
Well done to Ben, Clair and especially Catherine for achieving your goals and enjoy your success.
"Next!".

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Speeding is YOUR problem?

14/5/2014

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A learner from Dorset has been fined for exceeding the speed limit on a driving lesson. She was clocked at 36mph in a 30mph hour limit on her lesson with her AA instructor. She was 'flabbergasted' to learn that SHE was liable for the speeding ticket siting that she had not been made aware of the liability by her instructor. She said "I was shocked to see the notification was in my name, I thought my instructor would have made sure that speeding did not happen, as that's what they're there for". Accepting a 'speed awareness' course at a cost of £110 she has now changed driving schools but is still not happy at the outcome.
Naive or ignorant?
This is something which I tell all of my students when they first take to the roads and the speedo starts creeping up over 30, slow down or you'll get the fine and the points. The law is clear that if a motoring offence is committed then it is the driver at the time of that offence that is liable for the subsequent points and fine. We can only advise!

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Social Media..turn off!

13/5/2014

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The latest research from Australia once again confirms that the use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter is on the increase and is now accounting for around 43% of accidents especially among young drivers with smartphones who can't resist the urge to check that tweet or text. Driving a car requires our full attention and any distraction such as media devices, phones, MP3 players or even just the kids playing up in the back seat can lead to severe consequences. It has been illegal in the UK to use a handheld device in a moving car for a while now but this doesn't seem to deter those that 'think' they can do it and not put other peoples lives at risk. I still see people on a daily basis driving with their phone in their hand and their eyes flicking up and down as they try to text or tweet. It's a total distraction and will eventually lead to an accident which could result in injury or death.
The message is simple..turn on the car, turn off the phone.

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New CGI Theory Clips.

1/5/2014

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The 'Hazard Perception' part of the car theory test has been around since 2002 and the clips, which were shot over a period of time from a moving vehicle are getting long in the tooth and limited in the way they portray current road conditions. So the Driving & Vehicle Standards Agency has undertaken a programme to update the video's using CGI (Computer Generated Images) to create a range of new clips that include the sort of hazards drivers can expect to meet on today's busy roads. I have included a link to the introductory video showing one of the new clips and how candidates should use them on the test. Have a look and I'm sure you will be amazed at how 'life like' they are.

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Green 'L' or 'P'?

Remember BOB n TOM?

Late cancellations..good news!

One For The Girls...Mostly!

You never lose that feeling!

Speeding is YOUR problem?

Social Media..turn off!

New CGI Theory Clips.

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