Well done to Ben, Clair and especially Catherine for achieving your goals and enjoy your success.
"Next!".
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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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! 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. 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.
It's true that most new learners are keen to get behind the wheel, get on the road and pass the practical test as soon as they can, but at some stage they have to take and pass both parts of the theory test. 'Studying' for this test can seem a bit of a chore and can involve buying books, CD-Roms or both and of course, allocating the time to learn. Having spent a lot of time evaluating the theory learning resources available on-line, I have decided that Theory Test Pro can offer the best learning experience and it's completely FREE for all In-Tuition Driver Training customers to use. The service provides full on-line learning and practice sessions on the multiple choice part of the test and uses the latest DSA approved question bank. Customers can also view and practice on a large range of hazard perception clips to make themselves ready for the real thing. Theory Test Pro is free of charge for all In-Tuition customers and should help them to pass their theory test first time and saves the expense of buying learning materials. Result!
So here we are, well and truly into Spring, our first bank holiday weekend out of the way and as always the enquiries start to come in from prospective customers looking to start driving lessons. And what better time of year to start?
The weather is improving and days are getting longer so It's a great time to get behind the wheel for your first lesson and learn through the summer months ready for that test before the autumn. I did a promotion with Yorkshire Coast Radio back in January for 5 'half price' lessons which sold out in 3 hours and I've gained some lovely new customers from it who are now progressing nicely towards their tests. Through spring and summer lots of 17th birthday's come along and what better gift could you give somebody than a course of lessons for a skill that can change someone's life? I love this job.. The cost of the driving theory test could be cut by 25%, saving learner drivers £14.5m a year.
The proposals, which could save learner drivers in excess of £100m over the next 9 years, are contained in a public consultation on changes to theory test fees. The plans would see the cost of a car driving theory test fall by £6 in October this year, taking the cost of a test from £31 to £25, with a further drop of £2 planned in October 2015. The consultation follows the government’s commitment to reduce the cost of motoring. It also sets out proposed reductions for motorcycle, bus and lorry theory tests. In-Tuition comment: It's very rare these days that the cost of anything comes down so this price reduction would certainly be a welcomed by the consumers and everyone in the driver training industry. What happens when you make people text whilst driving! So why do so many people still do it?9/4/2014 Roads Minister Stephen Hammond has launched the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.
DVSA replaces the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA). It will be responsible for setting, testing and enforcing driver and vehicle standards in Great Britain and employs more than 4,000 staff. Each year DVSA:
“The creation of DVSA builds on the vital work that has already been done to improve road safety and offer modern, cost effective services for motorists. The merged agency offers the opportunity to increase efficiency and further explore ways of providing innovative, convenient services.” DVSA Chief Executive, Alastair Peoples, said: “By bringing testing and standards services into a single agency we will make life easier for customers by putting them at the heart of the services they rely on and providing a more coherent approach to service delivery.” Well, it's taken a few days of hard typing but it's finally up and running, so welcome to my new website!
Having been with another website company for around 12 years I decided it was time to update my site and looked for some idea's on the web. I even had a few companies design a few 'mock ups' for me but to be honest most of them looked like either a 'super hero comic book' design or they were just too fancy AND expensive. And so I ended up on 'Weebly' and did it all myself. It's still a work in progress but I hope it will give a good insight into my business and how I teach people to take to the road. Please feel free to let me know what you think about the site and any other constructive comments are always welcome. Kev |
AuthorThese are the musings of Kevin Jewison ADI owner of this driving school and website. Archives
September 2023
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