This is such an unpredictable job. The rate at which I gain new pupils should be roughly proportional to the rate at which people reach the age 17. In other words, it should be fairly consistent. The traditional exception to this is the Christmas period when holidays, hangovers and simple lack of money usually brings a drop in lessons. So I was very happy when, in the weeks before Christmas, I suddenly gained a lot of new pupils.
Then, just when I was looking forward to a prosperous New Year, the work just stopped.
I was hit by a 'perfect storm' of factors: The snow was the biggest factor; Christmas was another; five of my pupils went on the same skiing trip, causing me to lose almost twenty hours there; some of the 'new' pupils I gained before Christmas were people who had already learned to drive, but just wanted a couple of lessons before their test; three pupils moved away, and some pupils just 'disappeared'.
I have (or had) three pupils who spent quite a bit of money on hours of lessons. One can't be bothered to take his theory test (after one failed attempt) and doesn't want any more lessons until has passed his theory (which, despite prompting and encouragement, is unlikely). Another has passed his theory, and was very keen to take his test as soon as possible, but was reluctant to take any lessons in the snow and has not been heard of since. The third one has had several attempts at learning to drive but, this time, she bought herself a car as an incentive to see it through. She bought a block of ten hours and was quite concerned that BSM might give her a different instructor after her Christmas break (in case you are wondering - no, they wouldn't). Sadly, despite leaving several messages, we have not heard anything from her in six weeks. Meanwhile, her new car presumably sits under a pile of snow and starts to rust.
You can't help but wonder if I am suddenly doing something which upsets or offends my pupils. I haven't changed my aftershave, I haven't stopped brushing my teeth, I haven't started picking my nose and wiping it on the steering wheel, I haven't ever subjected my pupils to my rendition of Running Bear and I haven't changed the way I teach. So it remains a bit of a mystery.
All this means that the last few weeks have been so bad that I have barely earned enough to pay for my franchise and fuel. The recession wasn't just biting, it was chomping ferociously.
Then, just like early December, the last few days have seen a flood of new pupils. Arran was the first, in Inverness last Wednesday. Ashleigh was next, in Forres yesterday. Then Dawn and Becky were both promising new pupils in Ullapool today. Monday sees no less than three new pupils, Carl, Kevin and Karla, all in Inverness. Finally, Helen in Kinloss, next Wednesday, completes the octet of new pupils in eight days.
The BSM franchise could never be described as 'cheap'. In fact, as far as I know, it is the most expensive driving school franchise. Many of the new pupils I picked up towards the end of last year came from my own efforts; either via personal recommendations, or via my website or listings on Google and Yell. It made me consider whether I should continue paying the BSM franchise. This week, however, it was an absolute bargain, so I would like to thank Eddie and Mairi, in the BSM Inverness office, for their support.
So, after some tough times, my pupil levels, my bank balance and even Liverpool FC seem to be on the up. Not only that, but, finally, we have news of the Fiat 500. I collect mine on Wednesday morning.
I'm not going to proclaim anything so rash as 'the end of the bad times' (as some political commentators claimed this week), and, who knows, some of these new pupils might also disappear. But, for the first time this year, I am really looking forward to next week.
Saturday 30 January 2010
Some people never learn
Finally. Finally........ The last patch of snow in our garden finally melted on Wednesday. Then it snowed again on Thursday. Now, you would think, that with three or four weeks to practice, people would have become competent at driving in the snow. Alas not. My Friday schedule was disrupted by a 3-car crash on the A96 near Alves, which caused the road to be closed for most of the day. Later on, I saw another car, upside-down on the A96 west of Nairn. And then, this morning, two other cars had left the road between Inverness and Ullapool. In each case it was on a 60 mph road, on a straight, or close to a slight bend. So, nothing too challenging..... unless you like to try overtaking on a slippery road, or you forget that a car will simply go in a straight line unless it can grip the road. And this is exactly why, with the exception of new learners, I have been trying to encourage my pupils to continue their lessons in the snow and ice. Ok, so we may not be able to do much practice on parallel parking, or reversing around a corner, but my pupils will learn exactly what happens when they brake too hard on a slippery road. They learn how to get the car moving off when 'experienced' drivers are pointlessly spinning their wheels and revving their engines. They learn what precautions they can take before they even set off on their journey and they learn how to handle the car if there is a loss of control. In essence, they learn how to keep safe on the road. But you don't have to be a learner driver to take lessons. Roger Federer still takes tennis lessons. Just because you have passed your test does not mean that there is nothing you can learn about driving. If you feel uncomfortable driving in extreme conditions swallow your pride and book a lesson with an instructor (ideally one who is qualified to teach Pass Plus). Or, you could learn the hard way.
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1584386/?UserKey=
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1584386/?UserKey=
Sunday 24 January 2010
Wheel of misfortune
Do you ever feel that some people could fall in a vat of vulture vomit and still come out smelling more fragrant than lemons and freshly-cut grass (or even freshly-cut lemongrass). Of course, there certainly some people for whom the converse applies.
I was at Inverness Test Centre this morning, chatting with another instructor while our pupils were out on test. The other instructor suggested that, ultimately, luck plays a large part in whether or not they pass their test. I disagree. Surely it is our job to train them to deal with different situations/junctions/manoeuvres so that luck wouldn't come into it. As long as the Mirror-Signal-Position-Speed-Gear-Look procedure is applied to changes of speed and direction, you drive at the appropriate speed, correct judgement is applied when meeting/crossing/emerging/overtaking, and manoeuvres are executed with control, accuracy and effective observation, you will pass your test. I'm not being anal about it, I know he was just creating conversation.
I suppose, when I think about it, luck could come into play, but only when the pupil is not good enough. For example, a pupil might get a fairly clear run, with few hazards, or he/she might struggle with a particular maneouvre, but not get it in the test.
A couple of years ago I had a pupil who was progressing well but was keen to take his test before he went on a four-month trip to India. With the rate he was progressing I couldn't see a problem, so I agreed to let him book his test. With two weeks to go, I was concerned that the pupil was not going to be ready, so I suggested he booked extra lessons. Even with these extra lessons, it was not going well but, by this time, it was too late to move his test. We crammed in more lessons but, in the hour lesson before his test he was, if anything, going backwards - he couldn't do any of the four manoeuvres correctly and his general driving was just messy. As far as he was concerned, it would be a learning experience and he would have to re-take his test when he returned from India, but I was concerned that the examiners would not appreciate me presenting this pupil for his test. Maybe he was one of those people I alluded to in the first sentence but, somehow, he passed (albeit with 9 minor faults).
He was probably the worst pupil I have had pass their test, but, perhaps on the day, he got lucky. Meanwhile, I have certainly had plenty of pupils, who I would let drive my grandchildren, but who failed their test.
Mark has just joined that list. If you read my last post, you will know that Mark was the pupil who, after my check test on Wednesday, the Senior Examiner said drove better than most qualified drivers and who was 'above test standard'. In his test this morning, he came up to Shore Street roundabout (a 3-lane, 5-exit roundabout) and the examiner asked him to take the 2nd exit. There are only two lanes on approach and he approached in the (correct) left lane. Unfortunately, he elected to take the central (2nd) lane on the roundabout. Usually, this roundabout is busy, which gives you time to see that the left lane is the correct choice, but, as Mark came up to it, it was quiet, which meant he didn't have to stop and, consequently, got into the wrong lane. I'm not making excuses. Mark knows he was wrong, and he knows the problems his decision may have caused.
Mark is, understandably, disappointed but, as Bret Harte once said, “The only sure thing about luck is that it will change.”
I was at Inverness Test Centre this morning, chatting with another instructor while our pupils were out on test. The other instructor suggested that, ultimately, luck plays a large part in whether or not they pass their test. I disagree. Surely it is our job to train them to deal with different situations/junctions/manoeuvres so that luck wouldn't come into it. As long as the Mirror-Signal-Position-Speed-Gear-Look procedure is applied to changes of speed and direction, you drive at the appropriate speed, correct judgement is applied when meeting/crossing/emerging/overtaking, and manoeuvres are executed with control, accuracy and effective observation, you will pass your test. I'm not being anal about it, I know he was just creating conversation.
I suppose, when I think about it, luck could come into play, but only when the pupil is not good enough. For example, a pupil might get a fairly clear run, with few hazards, or he/she might struggle with a particular maneouvre, but not get it in the test.
A couple of years ago I had a pupil who was progressing well but was keen to take his test before he went on a four-month trip to India. With the rate he was progressing I couldn't see a problem, so I agreed to let him book his test. With two weeks to go, I was concerned that the pupil was not going to be ready, so I suggested he booked extra lessons. Even with these extra lessons, it was not going well but, by this time, it was too late to move his test. We crammed in more lessons but, in the hour lesson before his test he was, if anything, going backwards - he couldn't do any of the four manoeuvres correctly and his general driving was just messy. As far as he was concerned, it would be a learning experience and he would have to re-take his test when he returned from India, but I was concerned that the examiners would not appreciate me presenting this pupil for his test. Maybe he was one of those people I alluded to in the first sentence but, somehow, he passed (albeit with 9 minor faults).
He was probably the worst pupil I have had pass their test, but, perhaps on the day, he got lucky. Meanwhile, I have certainly had plenty of pupils, who I would let drive my grandchildren, but who failed their test.
Mark has just joined that list. If you read my last post, you will know that Mark was the pupil who, after my check test on Wednesday, the Senior Examiner said drove better than most qualified drivers and who was 'above test standard'. In his test this morning, he came up to Shore Street roundabout (a 3-lane, 5-exit roundabout) and the examiner asked him to take the 2nd exit. There are only two lanes on approach and he approached in the (correct) left lane. Unfortunately, he elected to take the central (2nd) lane on the roundabout. Usually, this roundabout is busy, which gives you time to see that the left lane is the correct choice, but, as Mark came up to it, it was quiet, which meant he didn't have to stop and, consequently, got into the wrong lane. I'm not making excuses. Mark knows he was wrong, and he knows the problems his decision may have caused.
Mark is, understandably, disappointed but, as Bret Harte once said, “The only sure thing about luck is that it will change.”
Thursday 21 January 2010
Checking up on me
You may remember me talking about the dreaded Part 3 exam a few months back. As the name suggests, this is the 3rd (and final) step in the process of becoming a DSA Approved Driving Instructor and the reward is the coveted Green Badge (as opposed to the Pink licence which Provisional driving Instructors have). The Part 1 is an extended Theory Test, the Part 2 is an extended Driving Test (at a high standard) and the Part 3 is a challenging 1 hour test of the instructor's ability to teach - The examiner plays the role of a new, or partly-trained pupil for he first half hour, then a completely different partly-trained, or qualified, driver for the second half hour. Of all the people that set off on the road to become a driving instructor, not even half of them get through the first two parts: The pass rate was 52% for Pt 1, 42% for Pt 2, but only 24% for Pt 3. Anyway, what I am saying, in a very long-winded way is 'it's tough'. So it was a fantastic feeling and a huge relief when I passed my Part 3 last year. After the examiner had told me my result I got out of the car, the clouds disappeared, birds started singing, flowers bloomed and angels played their harps. Then I met Susan.
Susan is another BSM instructor. She had a pupil out on test and, being a warm, sunny day, she was waiting outside. I walked over to give her my good news...
"Congratulations. It's a nice feeling, isn't it?" She replied. "Mind you... the Check Test is worse."
Every so often, the DSA likes to make sure we haven't turned into rubbish instructors by giving us a Check Test. Like the Part 3, you are only given 3 'lives'. So, if you mess up your check test, they ask to see you again in another few months, and if you mess that up, you only get one more chance before they remove you from the register of Approved Driving Instructors.
As I said, in the part 3 the examiner 'pretends' to be a pupil, and much of the difficulty stems from trying to think of the examiner as someone who can't drive, while, subconsciously, you know he/she can. In the check test most instructors teach one of their own pupils, while the examiner sits in the back and observes. An alternative option is to have the examiner do role play again. With some Fiat 500s not having rear head-restraints, there have been reports of some examiners refusing to sit in the back, thus forcing the instructor to take the role play option - but with me STILL having my Corsa, I had the luxury of choosing my option.
Virtually everyone advised me to use one of my own pupils, ideally choosing one that was not too good so that I could demonstrate an improvement in their driving over the hour lesson. I had chosen Inverness as the centre where I wanted to take my check test, mainly because it has much more variety of roads and situations than Elgin, Grantown or Ullapool. However, I only have a couple of Inverness pupils who at the part-trained stage - the others are all ready to take their test - but, unfortunately, neither of them could be available at the time of my test. Oh well, it's not a problem, I thought, I will just ask the examiner to do role play.
A couple of days before my test I popped into Inverness Test Centre to ask whether I would choose the route, or whether the examiner would choose it (as he/she does in the Part 3). The Chief Examiner asked me for a chat and we discussed the check test. Although I explained why I was electing to use the role play option, he was trying to steer me towards taking a 'real' pupil, even if it meant borrowing one from another instructor.
When Jane is driving her school minibus, one of her favourite passengers is Mark, who recently turned 17 and began driving lesson with me. His father is a gamekeeper, so he has grown up driving Land Rovers around the estate. Consequently, after only 12 hours with me, he is taking his test this Saturday. Despite my reservations that, because of his ability, he will not demonstrate much improvement over the hour, in other ways, he is an ideal choice for the check test because he responds to instruction and thinks about his answers when I question him. And we have a laugh in our lessons. Mark has breezed through his lessons so far, but has had to wait to book his test because he kept failing the Hazard Perception part of the Theory Test. Because of this, I thought about theming the check test lesson on hazard awareness, antici pation, and the use of mirrors.
Mark has a thing about punctuality, so I was a tad concerned when he wasn't at the agreed pick-up point at 1.30pm. Five minutes later he arrived, running and out of breath because he had to run an errand for someone, and we set off for Inverness. The Senior Examiner (SE) was very affable and, after the introductions, we began the lesson. Usually my lessons are quite relaxed, but I had sixty minutes to demonstrate my ability so I think poor Mark was a wee bit shocked at the intensity of the lesson. An instructor should vary the level of instruction according to the pupil's ability - a new learner will get step-by-step instruction for everything they do, a partly-trained learner is encouraged to think more for themselves by prompts and questions, and a 'test-ready' pupil (such as Mark) is almost left alone, with occasional prompts and questions when the need arises. But with limited time, I wanted rapid communication between Mark and I everytime a potential hazard appeared.
I took him around the Crown area of Inverness - lots of parked cars, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, narrow roads, very closed junctions and, by 3 o'clock, children leaving school. He drove very well.... too well. Any small faults we discussed and corrected on the move, but he barely gave me any cause to pull him over and discuss potentially serious faults. He responded really well to the prompts and questions and, although slightly phased by the increased demand on him, made me very proud.
Back at the Test Centre, Mark sat in the waiting room while the SE discussed the test with me.
"I'm not sure about your planning. By that I mean that I think you should have chosen a different pupil, one with less ability. Then they may have shown more improvement over the lesson." He suggested. (Exactly the concerns I had when deciding whether to take a pupil or do role play).
I explained the choice I had, then he suggested that, in that case, perhaps I should have pushed Mark a bit more by taking him out on fast rural roads. I replied that, if anything, Mark was even more comfortable in those situations and, because I had identified mirrors as his main weakness, I thought the lesson would be of most benefit to him. The SE agreed and said, now that he knew that, I had been correct in my planning.
Unfortunately, he had already marked his test sheet and he explained that, because Mark had been unable to demonstrate much learning, he could not grade me higher than a 4. We chatted some more, I thanked him for his advice (it had been useful) and that was that.
Mixed feelings after. Lots of people, including the Chief Examiner, said that the first check test was really what they call 'an educational' (and it certainly was) and would often be graded as an E (for 'Educational', in case you are not keeping up). However, if it was good enough, I could be graded (a 4, 5 or 6). An E would mean that I would get another check test in a few months time and, as I said earlier on in this post, three successive sub-4 grades would result in removal from the register. So, in many ways, I am pleased with my '4' because, as the SE said, 'they will not be bothering me now for a couple of years'. But..... there is a tiny tinge of disappointment because I thought the lesson went very well (not perfect, but good) and, if I had been able to choose a different standard of pupil, I am sure I could have achieved a higher grade.
Ultimately, I should just heed the SE's advice about check tests. He doesn't believe the grading system is a good one because it is only based on what they see in that one hour. In fact, he was generous enough to say that it was actually refreshing to sit on a check test where the pupil is "above test standard" (Mark was very pleased when I passed on that comment to him). And, although a '6' or a '5' would have been nice, it doesn't bring any greater reward. As it stands, the DSA are happy with my instruction, I am happy with my instruction and, most importantly, my pupils are happy with my instruction, and surely that is the most important thing. And, as for Check Tests, I don't know what you were talking about, Susan. Bring on the next one!
Susan is another BSM instructor. She had a pupil out on test and, being a warm, sunny day, she was waiting outside. I walked over to give her my good news...
"Congratulations. It's a nice feeling, isn't it?" She replied. "Mind you... the Check Test is worse."
Every so often, the DSA likes to make sure we haven't turned into rubbish instructors by giving us a Check Test. Like the Part 3, you are only given 3 'lives'. So, if you mess up your check test, they ask to see you again in another few months, and if you mess that up, you only get one more chance before they remove you from the register of Approved Driving Instructors.
As I said, in the part 3 the examiner 'pretends' to be a pupil, and much of the difficulty stems from trying to think of the examiner as someone who can't drive, while, subconsciously, you know he/she can. In the check test most instructors teach one of their own pupils, while the examiner sits in the back and observes. An alternative option is to have the examiner do role play again. With some Fiat 500s not having rear head-restraints, there have been reports of some examiners refusing to sit in the back, thus forcing the instructor to take the role play option - but with me STILL having my Corsa, I had the luxury of choosing my option.
Virtually everyone advised me to use one of my own pupils, ideally choosing one that was not too good so that I could demonstrate an improvement in their driving over the hour lesson. I had chosen Inverness as the centre where I wanted to take my check test, mainly because it has much more variety of roads and situations than Elgin, Grantown or Ullapool. However, I only have a couple of Inverness pupils who at the part-trained stage - the others are all ready to take their test - but, unfortunately, neither of them could be available at the time of my test. Oh well, it's not a problem, I thought, I will just ask the examiner to do role play.
A couple of days before my test I popped into Inverness Test Centre to ask whether I would choose the route, or whether the examiner would choose it (as he/she does in the Part 3). The Chief Examiner asked me for a chat and we discussed the check test. Although I explained why I was electing to use the role play option, he was trying to steer me towards taking a 'real' pupil, even if it meant borrowing one from another instructor.
When Jane is driving her school minibus, one of her favourite passengers is Mark, who recently turned 17 and began driving lesson with me. His father is a gamekeeper, so he has grown up driving Land Rovers around the estate. Consequently, after only 12 hours with me, he is taking his test this Saturday. Despite my reservations that, because of his ability, he will not demonstrate much improvement over the hour, in other ways, he is an ideal choice for the check test because he responds to instruction and thinks about his answers when I question him. And we have a laugh in our lessons. Mark has breezed through his lessons so far, but has had to wait to book his test because he kept failing the Hazard Perception part of the Theory Test. Because of this, I thought about theming the check test lesson on hazard awareness, antici pation, and the use of mirrors.
Mark has a thing about punctuality, so I was a tad concerned when he wasn't at the agreed pick-up point at 1.30pm. Five minutes later he arrived, running and out of breath because he had to run an errand for someone, and we set off for Inverness. The Senior Examiner (SE) was very affable and, after the introductions, we began the lesson. Usually my lessons are quite relaxed, but I had sixty minutes to demonstrate my ability so I think poor Mark was a wee bit shocked at the intensity of the lesson. An instructor should vary the level of instruction according to the pupil's ability - a new learner will get step-by-step instruction for everything they do, a partly-trained learner is encouraged to think more for themselves by prompts and questions, and a 'test-ready' pupil (such as Mark) is almost left alone, with occasional prompts and questions when the need arises. But with limited time, I wanted rapid communication between Mark and I everytime a potential hazard appeared.
I took him around the Crown area of Inverness - lots of parked cars, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, narrow roads, very closed junctions and, by 3 o'clock, children leaving school. He drove very well.... too well. Any small faults we discussed and corrected on the move, but he barely gave me any cause to pull him over and discuss potentially serious faults. He responded really well to the prompts and questions and, although slightly phased by the increased demand on him, made me very proud.
Back at the Test Centre, Mark sat in the waiting room while the SE discussed the test with me.
"I'm not sure about your planning. By that I mean that I think you should have chosen a different pupil, one with less ability. Then they may have shown more improvement over the lesson." He suggested. (Exactly the concerns I had when deciding whether to take a pupil or do role play).
I explained the choice I had, then he suggested that, in that case, perhaps I should have pushed Mark a bit more by taking him out on fast rural roads. I replied that, if anything, Mark was even more comfortable in those situations and, because I had identified mirrors as his main weakness, I thought the lesson would be of most benefit to him. The SE agreed and said, now that he knew that, I had been correct in my planning.
Unfortunately, he had already marked his test sheet and he explained that, because Mark had been unable to demonstrate much learning, he could not grade me higher than a 4. We chatted some more, I thanked him for his advice (it had been useful) and that was that.
Mixed feelings after. Lots of people, including the Chief Examiner, said that the first check test was really what they call 'an educational' (and it certainly was) and would often be graded as an E (for 'Educational', in case you are not keeping up). However, if it was good enough, I could be graded (a 4, 5 or 6). An E would mean that I would get another check test in a few months time and, as I said earlier on in this post, three successive sub-4 grades would result in removal from the register. So, in many ways, I am pleased with my '4' because, as the SE said, 'they will not be bothering me now for a couple of years'. But..... there is a tiny tinge of disappointment because I thought the lesson went very well (not perfect, but good) and, if I had been able to choose a different standard of pupil, I am sure I could have achieved a higher grade.
Ultimately, I should just heed the SE's advice about check tests. He doesn't believe the grading system is a good one because it is only based on what they see in that one hour. In fact, he was generous enough to say that it was actually refreshing to sit on a check test where the pupil is "above test standard" (Mark was very pleased when I passed on that comment to him). And, although a '6' or a '5' would have been nice, it doesn't bring any greater reward. As it stands, the DSA are happy with my instruction, I am happy with my instruction and, most importantly, my pupils are happy with my instruction, and surely that is the most important thing. And, as for Check Tests, I don't know what you were talking about, Susan. Bring on the next one!
Sunday 17 January 2010
More green shoots (except at Anfield)
Very strange. I'm watching the BBC news and the correspondent, reporting live from Port-au-Prince airport, is being completely drowned out by the noise of jet engines. What is the point of that? Surely the producers would think it might be better to switch to Kate Silverton, back in the London studio. Ah, the man in Haiti has obviously had a word with the pilots and asked them to turn the volume down on their engines. I can hear what he is saying now.
I'm not sure that that was well-advised: President Obama is with former Presidents Bush and Clinton: Hearing President Bush say '....just send money' (as opposed to blankets or food) is no more convincing than Ronnie Biggs saying the same thing. All the same, it is a terrible tragedy - and another reminder of how we will always be at the mercy of geological processes - and the best ways to help are at http://www.dec.org.uk/donate_now/.
They are saying that the disaster earlier in the week is one of the worst in living memory. That is quite a statement to make, but I am struggling to remember one worse. When it was 1-0, with ninety minutes up, I was convinced that Liverpool were going throught to the 4th round. So to end up losing 1-2 to Reading was certainly a disaster of seismic proportions. My 'friend', Iain, sent me a text informing me that the President of Haiti wished to thank the Liverpool supporters for their 2 hour silence on Wednesday night. To make matters worse, today we suffered further aftershocks by again letting another 1-0 lead slip in the last moments of the game (at Sunderland). Then, on Match of the Day, Chelsea rub salt into the wounds by showing how it should be done - even their defenders (Ashley Cole) have better control and finishing than Liverpool's forwards at the moment.
If you have read previous posts, you may have clicked that a Saturday night post, comprised of my ponderings on television, can only mean one thing.... I am back in a B&B in Ullapool. Quite a contrast to recent visits though. It's a lovely B&B (Creagan House in Pultenay Street), but the last few times I have stayed here it has been a little more chilly than I would have liked. Tonight, though, I am wondering if there are any punka wallahs available because the bedroom temperature is 27C - I might even open a window. In fact, as the weathermen predicted, the temperature here reached 10C this afternoon, enough to melt (almost) all the snow. It is such a relief to get back to proper lesson structure, and being able to teach manoeuvres where the pupil can actually see the curb. Hopefully, this bodes well for a handful of tests that I have got coming up in the next few weeks.
I am hoping that the improved weather will encourage some potential leaner-drivers to take the plunge and begin lessons. I was sat in my car this morning, inbetween lessons, when a lady tapped on the window. She explained that her daughter had failed a couple of tests but is keen to take more lessons and pass her test. I gave her my card and encouraged her to get her daughter to contact me. Later on, in the afternoon, I was writing up some lesson notes in my car when there was another tap on the window. A mother and daughter, on seeing my car, decided to ask me about the daughter taking driving lessons after she turns 17 next week. After a short conversation, I had a new pupil and Becky has the exciting prospect of learning to drive. This is all good news of course. It wasn't that long ago that I was wondering how I would fit all my pupils in, but the combination of the weather and the festive season has devastated my diary, with many pupils not having lessons for almost a month. I am hoping that a thaw will bring an increase in lessons, but, if my pupils pass their tests, I will be short of pupils again.
So, today's developments were very welcome although, looking back, it may have looked slightly dodgy, having women approaching my car and tapping on the window each time I pulled up to the curb.
I'm not sure that that was well-advised: President Obama is with former Presidents Bush and Clinton: Hearing President Bush say '....just send money' (as opposed to blankets or food) is no more convincing than Ronnie Biggs saying the same thing. All the same, it is a terrible tragedy - and another reminder of how we will always be at the mercy of geological processes - and the best ways to help are at http://www.dec.org.uk/donate_now/.
They are saying that the disaster earlier in the week is one of the worst in living memory. That is quite a statement to make, but I am struggling to remember one worse. When it was 1-0, with ninety minutes up, I was convinced that Liverpool were going throught to the 4th round. So to end up losing 1-2 to Reading was certainly a disaster of seismic proportions. My 'friend', Iain, sent me a text informing me that the President of Haiti wished to thank the Liverpool supporters for their 2 hour silence on Wednesday night. To make matters worse, today we suffered further aftershocks by again letting another 1-0 lead slip in the last moments of the game (at Sunderland). Then, on Match of the Day, Chelsea rub salt into the wounds by showing how it should be done - even their defenders (Ashley Cole) have better control and finishing than Liverpool's forwards at the moment.
If you have read previous posts, you may have clicked that a Saturday night post, comprised of my ponderings on television, can only mean one thing.... I am back in a B&B in Ullapool. Quite a contrast to recent visits though. It's a lovely B&B (Creagan House in Pultenay Street), but the last few times I have stayed here it has been a little more chilly than I would have liked. Tonight, though, I am wondering if there are any punka wallahs available because the bedroom temperature is 27C - I might even open a window. In fact, as the weathermen predicted, the temperature here reached 10C this afternoon, enough to melt (almost) all the snow. It is such a relief to get back to proper lesson structure, and being able to teach manoeuvres where the pupil can actually see the curb. Hopefully, this bodes well for a handful of tests that I have got coming up in the next few weeks.
I am hoping that the improved weather will encourage some potential leaner-drivers to take the plunge and begin lessons. I was sat in my car this morning, inbetween lessons, when a lady tapped on the window. She explained that her daughter had failed a couple of tests but is keen to take more lessons and pass her test. I gave her my card and encouraged her to get her daughter to contact me. Later on, in the afternoon, I was writing up some lesson notes in my car when there was another tap on the window. A mother and daughter, on seeing my car, decided to ask me about the daughter taking driving lessons after she turns 17 next week. After a short conversation, I had a new pupil and Becky has the exciting prospect of learning to drive. This is all good news of course. It wasn't that long ago that I was wondering how I would fit all my pupils in, but the combination of the weather and the festive season has devastated my diary, with many pupils not having lessons for almost a month. I am hoping that a thaw will bring an increase in lessons, but, if my pupils pass their tests, I will be short of pupils again.
So, today's developments were very welcome although, looking back, it may have looked slightly dodgy, having women approaching my car and tapping on the window each time I pulled up to the curb.
Thursday 14 January 2010
The green shoots of recovery.
The last three mornings I have woken up, having dreamt that the snow has finally melted, only to have my hopes dashed when I raised the blinds. (Did you know that 'dreamt' is the only word in the English language - apart from 'daydreamt' maybe - that ends in 'amt'?)
Having said that, a steady drip... drip... drip... does mean that it is starting to melt. Too early to get our hopes up just yet, there are still forecasts for more snow to come. Let's hope that we don't get close to breaking the record set in the winter of 1962/1963 - it snowed every day between Boxing Day 1962 and 6th March 1963 (somewhere in the UK)... 71 consecutive days! (so far, I think we are up to about 29 days).
I used to host weekly quizzes in the pubs I used to run, and I still have a penchant for trivia. So here is some random 'snow' trivia I have picked up:
1. Don't eat yellow snow. This advice was officially given to South Koreans in 2005 when dust from Chinese deserts, containing heavy minerals and pollutants, turned the snow yellow.
2. Snow can also be green, orange or red as a result of algae.
3. Everyone knows that snowflakes have 6 sides, but, apparently, they can have 3 or 12 sides too, and a 1966 snowflake classification included 80 different types of snow. I can feel your fascination from here.
4. The idea that the Inuit have over 100 different words for snow is a myth - they have 2 ("qani" means falling snow and "api" means snow lying on the ground). But, the Inuit language is agglutinative (meaning they join different words together to form one long word), so, in theory, there could be thousands of different Inuit words for snow.
5. Driving too close to the vehicle in front (especially during snowy/icy conditions) WILL increase your chances of crashing. Oops, I have already covered this one.
I have more snow trivia, but I don't want you getting too excited.
Talking of getting excited, the Met Office website predicts temperatures of 5C in Forres tomorrow, and I may even find Ullapool swelters at 9C over the weekend. So, as Business minister Baroness Vadera (in)famously said, it may be that we can finally 'see a few green shoots' of recovery.
Unfortunately, as I have just seen on my way to Katie's lesson in Hopeman, the disappearing snow brings further problems: Potholes and the return of idiotic overtaking. Actually, what am I saying? The idiotic overtaking never went away, it was just done at a (slightly) slower speed.
Having said that, a steady drip... drip... drip... does mean that it is starting to melt. Too early to get our hopes up just yet, there are still forecasts for more snow to come. Let's hope that we don't get close to breaking the record set in the winter of 1962/1963 - it snowed every day between Boxing Day 1962 and 6th March 1963 (somewhere in the UK)... 71 consecutive days! (so far, I think we are up to about 29 days).
I used to host weekly quizzes in the pubs I used to run, and I still have a penchant for trivia. So here is some random 'snow' trivia I have picked up:
1. Don't eat yellow snow. This advice was officially given to South Koreans in 2005 when dust from Chinese deserts, containing heavy minerals and pollutants, turned the snow yellow.
2. Snow can also be green, orange or red as a result of algae.
3. Everyone knows that snowflakes have 6 sides, but, apparently, they can have 3 or 12 sides too, and a 1966 snowflake classification included 80 different types of snow. I can feel your fascination from here.
4. The idea that the Inuit have over 100 different words for snow is a myth - they have 2 ("qani" means falling snow and "api" means snow lying on the ground). But, the Inuit language is agglutinative (meaning they join different words together to form one long word), so, in theory, there could be thousands of different Inuit words for snow.
5. Driving too close to the vehicle in front (especially during snowy/icy conditions) WILL increase your chances of crashing. Oops, I have already covered this one.
I have more snow trivia, but I don't want you getting too excited.
Talking of getting excited, the Met Office website predicts temperatures of 5C in Forres tomorrow, and I may even find Ullapool swelters at 9C over the weekend. So, as Business minister Baroness Vadera (in)famously said, it may be that we can finally 'see a few green shoots' of recovery.
Monday 11 January 2010
Fun and games
Well, quelle surprise! It’s not snowing! At the moment it doesn’t really matter because there is no chance of the existing snow/ice melting. Yesterday I drove over to Ullapool to give lessons. It was -13C when I set off - it took me twenty minutes just to scrape the ice from the INSIDE of the windscreen - and did not get above -10C until I neared Ullapool. Later, when I drove home, the temperature continued to drop and, while we watched the BBC weatherman telling us that the weather should slowly improve this week, the outside thermometer read -18C!
With pupils cancelling lessons faster than I can book them I took the opportunity to spend some time with Jordan, our nine year-old grandson. Jordan loves his PS3 and Nintendo, so I was hoping to encourage him to play outdoors for a change. With plenty of snowy slopes close by, I thought that we could go sledging. The last time I went sledging I had a big, wooden sledge and we took it to Dunstable Downs. I hit a bump, took off and landed on my hand. The bones in my hand were so smashed that my little finger had almost disappeared into my palm. But I wasn’t going to let something trivial, such as memories of two doctors pressing down on my broken bones, put me off.
Alas, despite scouring the emporiums of Nairn and Forres, we were unable to find a single sledge. If I was a proper grandad, I would have spent weeks slaving away with wood, screws, tools and varnish, to create the world’s best sledge….. Maybe next winter. Determined not to be beaten, we took two plastic dog food sacks to the slopes. Admittedly, they were not the most sophisticated of sledges (and I definitely could have done with a lot more padding), but Jordan…..ok, we…. had great fun (even if I had bruised knees for the first time in decades).
Luckily for me, Jordan is not a games snob. He may have the latest consoles and the latest games, but he does not turn his nose up when I can only offer him Grand Turismo on my PS2 (actually, he loves Grand Turismo and I have to admit that he now beats me more often than I beat him). Because he seems quite happy massacring an airport full of innocents in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, I thought I could introduce him to the delights of Resident Evil. Strangely, while he doesn’t mind being shot by enemy snipers, he didn’t enjoy zombies attacking him with pitchforks.
I thought Tomb Raider - Legend might then be a wee bit tame for him, but he loved it. Whether it was the pneumatic charms of Lara Croft or the running/jumping/exploring/shooting/etc aspect he liked I’m not sure, but, I must admit, I am tempted to have a go where he left off. If I can beat the boss with the curved green sword I am sure it would confirm my position as ‘The World’s Greatest Grandad’ (at least in Jordan’s eyes)….. even if I can only provide dog-food sacks for a sledge.
With pupils cancelling lessons faster than I can book them I took the opportunity to spend some time with Jordan, our nine year-old grandson. Jordan loves his PS3 and Nintendo, so I was hoping to encourage him to play outdoors for a change. With plenty of snowy slopes close by, I thought that we could go sledging. The last time I went sledging I had a big, wooden sledge and we took it to Dunstable Downs. I hit a bump, took off and landed on my hand. The bones in my hand were so smashed that my little finger had almost disappeared into my palm. But I wasn’t going to let something trivial, such as memories of two doctors pressing down on my broken bones, put me off.
Alas, despite scouring the emporiums of Nairn and Forres, we were unable to find a single sledge. If I was a proper grandad, I would have spent weeks slaving away with wood, screws, tools and varnish, to create the world’s best sledge….. Maybe next winter. Determined not to be beaten, we took two plastic dog food sacks to the slopes. Admittedly, they were not the most sophisticated of sledges (and I definitely could have done with a lot more padding), but Jordan…..ok, we…. had great fun (even if I had bruised knees for the first time in decades).
I thought Tomb Raider - Legend might then be a wee bit tame for him, but he loved it. Whether it was the pneumatic charms of Lara Croft or the running/jumping/exploring/shooting/etc aspect he liked I’m not sure, but, I must admit, I am tempted to have a go where he left off. If I can beat the boss with the curved green sword I am sure it would confirm my position as ‘The World’s Greatest Grandad’ (at least in Jordan’s eyes)….. even if I can only provide dog-food sacks for a sledge.Wednesday 6 January 2010
Giants, Fiat 500s and other myths
When I very first started this blog, back in July, I mentioned that BSM were due to replace their Vauxhall Corsas and Astras with Fiat 500s. Initially, I was told that the London area would be the first to exchange, and then Scotland, and then the rest of the UK. It did seem a little odd that the exchanges would jump from London, up to Scotland, and then back down south again, but who was I to question the reasoning.
As you will know from previous posts, I still have my Vauxhall Corsa (now with a slightly tarnished rear end).
I previously wrote about many BSM instructors being very upset about the decision. And, especially with those who had the larger Astra, I could sympathise. However, I was quite looking forward to the Fiat. The Corsa’s not a bad car, in fact, it regularly tops the ‘Best Driving Instructor Car’ lists. But I hate the stupid indicators, which are particularly troublesome to pupils who get extra practice in other (non-Vauxhall) cars, and there are awkward blind-spots (although the Fiat apparently has these too). I guess I am just looking forward to a change, especially having driven the Fiat and (gradually) getting used to the shape of it.
Much of the initial opposition was to the size of the Fiat. Externally, it is certainly smaller than the Corsa, but internally, there is actually more leg-room for the driver and front passenger, but less for passengers in the rear. My (current) pupils range between about 5’2” and 6’2”, so I don’t imagine that any of them would have any problem, but, according to the BSM Instructor Forum, most of the problems have been with shorter pupils. One was amused to read an article (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1238718/Pictured-The-7ft-1ins-learner-driver-hoping-pass-test-tiny-Fiat-500-car.html) a 7’1” pupil who is having lessons with BSM in a Fiat. He doesn’t look particularly comfortable in the car, but then he wouldn’t look any more comfortable in a Corsa either. Or almost any other car that wasn’t a convertible, come to that.
I asked, on the forum, whether any instructors in Scotland had got the Fiat yet. One person said they had, but did not say where they were from. So the wait goes on. On the bright side, there seems to be quite a few favourable reports about how the Fiat 500 is coping with the atrocious weather. It seems to be that its small size is making it less likely to get stuck in snow, compared to other cars.
On the other hand, perhaps it was good fortune that I still had the Corsa yesterday. If I had been in the Fiat when hit from behind, we might have been shunted to the other end of the village.
As you will know from previous posts, I still have my Vauxhall Corsa (now with a slightly tarnished rear end).
I previously wrote about many BSM instructors being very upset about the decision. And, especially with those who had the larger Astra, I could sympathise. However, I was quite looking forward to the Fiat. The Corsa’s not a bad car, in fact, it regularly tops the ‘Best Driving Instructor Car’ lists. But I hate the stupid indicators, which are particularly troublesome to pupils who get extra practice in other (non-Vauxhall) cars, and there are awkward blind-spots (although the Fiat apparently has these too). I guess I am just looking forward to a change, especially having driven the Fiat and (gradually) getting used to the shape of it.
Much of the initial opposition was to the size of the Fiat. Externally, it is certainly smaller than the Corsa, but internally, there is actually more leg-room for the driver and front passenger, but less for passengers in the rear. My (current) pupils range between about 5’2” and 6’2”, so I don’t imagine that any of them would have any problem, but, according to the BSM Instructor Forum, most of the problems have been with shorter pupils. One was amused to read an article (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1238718/Pictured-The-7ft-1ins-learner-driver-hoping-pass-test-tiny-Fiat-500-car.html) a 7’1” pupil who is having lessons with BSM in a Fiat. He doesn’t look particularly comfortable in the car, but then he wouldn’t look any more comfortable in a Corsa either. Or almost any other car that wasn’t a convertible, come to that.
On the other hand, perhaps it was good fortune that I still had the Corsa yesterday. If I had been in the Fiat when hit from behind, we might have been shunted to the other end of the village.
Tuesday 5 January 2010
Stopping distances in snow may be up to ten times that of normal stopping distances.
I guess it had to happen one day.
This morning, Anna was having her first lesson since her test was cancelled, five weeks ago. The driving conditions were dreadful, with horizontal snow to start with. Although Anna had been ready for her test, I was slightly concerned about her not having driven at all for five weeks (and, she admitted, so was she). We need not have worried. She coped exceptionally well with all aspects of her driving and I barely had to give any instruction. Her rescheduled test is supposed to be this Thursday, but there is no way that will go ahead with the current and forecasted weather.
We were nearing the end of the lesson and heading over to Lhanbryde for a quick refresher on 'meeting traffic' (where, because of parked cars, roadworks, other obstacles or just narrow roads, the road is sometimes too narrow for two cars to pass). We had our first instance of this as soon as we entered the village. Our side of the road was clear, but there were many parked cars on the opposite side. Usually there is still just enough room for two cars to pass, but, with the snow, oncoming cars were having to keep further out on to our side than usual. Anna anticipated the situation and, with an oncoming car coming through a long way over to our side, she slowed right down to walking speed (she had previously only been driving at approx' 20mph due to the snow).
WHAM! We were hit from behind. The car following us had obviously been far too close (especially considering the conditions), had not anticipated the situation and, in leaving his braking too late had skidded into the back of my car. First things first; I made sure Anna was ok. I got out the car to take the other driver's details.
"Why did you stop?" He asked.
"We didn't stop. We had to slow down because there was a car coming through on our side of the road."
It was not in my interest, and certainly not in Anna's interest, for me to give the man the benefit of my knowledge of driving in the snow - he would not have appreciated it and I'm sure he would not have paid me for it. We exchanged details and, with a bus now waiting to get through, we drove away. Although it felt like quite a hefty whack, I was pleased to see only very minor damage to my car.
Pupils sometimes ask me if any of my pupils have ever crashed the car. I have now had two pupils who have hit the curb hard enough to burst the tyre, but that has been it. After all, the dual-controls are there for me to try and prevent anything potentially dangerous from happening, but there was not a lot I could do about today. And I made sure I reassured Anna that she did nothing wrong. In fact, she approached an icy, potentially dangerous situation with forward planning, appropriate speed and complete control.
Unfortunately, as my dad used to tell me when he taught me to drive, it does not matter how good a driver you are, always treat other drivers as though they are idiots. He was proved correct this morning.
This morning, Anna was having her first lesson since her test was cancelled, five weeks ago. The driving conditions were dreadful, with horizontal snow to start with. Although Anna had been ready for her test, I was slightly concerned about her not having driven at all for five weeks (and, she admitted, so was she). We need not have worried. She coped exceptionally well with all aspects of her driving and I barely had to give any instruction. Her rescheduled test is supposed to be this Thursday, but there is no way that will go ahead with the current and forecasted weather.
We were nearing the end of the lesson and heading over to Lhanbryde for a quick refresher on 'meeting traffic' (where, because of parked cars, roadworks, other obstacles or just narrow roads, the road is sometimes too narrow for two cars to pass). We had our first instance of this as soon as we entered the village. Our side of the road was clear, but there were many parked cars on the opposite side. Usually there is still just enough room for two cars to pass, but, with the snow, oncoming cars were having to keep further out on to our side than usual. Anna anticipated the situation and, with an oncoming car coming through a long way over to our side, she slowed right down to walking speed (she had previously only been driving at approx' 20mph due to the snow).
WHAM! We were hit from behind. The car following us had obviously been far too close (especially considering the conditions), had not anticipated the situation and, in leaving his braking too late had skidded into the back of my car. First things first; I made sure Anna was ok. I got out the car to take the other driver's details.
"Why did you stop?" He asked.
"We didn't stop. We had to slow down because there was a car coming through on our side of the road."
It was not in my interest, and certainly not in Anna's interest, for me to give the man the benefit of my knowledge of driving in the snow - he would not have appreciated it and I'm sure he would not have paid me for it. We exchanged details and, with a bus now waiting to get through, we drove away. Although it felt like quite a hefty whack, I was pleased to see only very minor damage to my car.
Pupils sometimes ask me if any of my pupils have ever crashed the car. I have now had two pupils who have hit the curb hard enough to burst the tyre, but that has been it. After all, the dual-controls are there for me to try and prevent anything potentially dangerous from happening, but there was not a lot I could do about today. And I made sure I reassured Anna that she did nothing wrong. In fact, she approached an icy, potentially dangerous situation with forward planning, appropriate speed and complete control.
Unfortunately, as my dad used to tell me when he taught me to drive, it does not matter how good a driver you are, always treat other drivers as though they are idiots. He was proved correct this morning.
Monday 4 January 2010
Testing times
Nice to be back working again. I am back up in Ullapool where the temperature has soared to 4.5C. I had almost forgotten what it felt like to be this warm. It’s actually a relief to see rain (as opposed to snow).
I was a wee bit concerned yesterday afternoon. My Corsa had not moved since Boxing Day. With all the snow we have had, I thought it best to clear the car during daylight, rather than leave it until 7am this morning. This proved to be a good decision because the thick snow had frozen around my wheels, so I had to use a spade as a chisel to chip away the ice, which took over half an hour. I did consider cheating and waiting until Jane came home with the Navara to tow me out, but the ice was so solid I’m not sure even that would have worked.
My first lesson this morning was with Jed. I don’t remember any previous pupil learning as quickly as Jed. After only 7 hours we have covered everything (except dual-carriageways, which are not to be found within 50 miles of Ullapool) and are now just polishing his manoeuvres (which he can do all four of without my help). He passed his Theory Test before Christmas and (bearing in mind his rate of progress) I advised him to apply for his driving test. At the start of this morning’s lesson I asked him if he managed to book his test.
“I tried, but it (the website) said my test has been put on hold and that they will contact me when a date becomes available.”
What good is that? Jed and I are left not knowing when he might be able to take his test. It could be next week (extremely unlikely) or it could be Easter (much more likely). Naturally, Jed would rather not pay for weeks and weeks of lessons that he will not need. We were hoping that we could get a test date and schedule his lessons leading up to this date, but we can’t do that now. He has had a couple of lessons in Inverness, so he asked about taking his test there instead. Regrettably, Inverness Test Centre apparently has a ten-week waiting list, so that is not the ideal option.
Usually, when a Test Centre gets a bit of a backlog of tests, they bring in examiners from other areas to clear it. The trouble now, is that, with this weather, other areas will also start to get backlogs of tests, due to cancellations. I promised Jed I would try to get an estimate of a likely test date for him, but I am not bursting with confidence about this.
My next lesson is with Jayanne, who had her test cancelled due to the weather just before Christmas. I imagine that she will also want to know when her test will be. I wish I knew.
It gets worse. You may remember me writing about Anna’s test being cancelled in Elgin, a few weeks ago, when the temperature was 6C. Her rescheduled test is supposed to be in Elgin this Thursday, the day before she goes to university. And I have another pupil, Eddie, due to take his test in Elgin on the same day. I should be positive. Who knows, the Met Office might be completely wrong and we could get a quick thaw in the next two and a half days.
As if on cue, in the time I have been typing this, the temperature has dropped back to 2C and the rain has turned to snow AGAIN.
I haven't provided any top tunes recently, this came up on my MP3 player this morning. I'd forgotten just how brilliant this track (and the whole album) is. http://open.spotify.com/track/5NTAbVY1pBXaCLITRFWbVm
I was a wee bit concerned yesterday afternoon. My Corsa had not moved since Boxing Day. With all the snow we have had, I thought it best to clear the car during daylight, rather than leave it until 7am this morning. This proved to be a good decision because the thick snow had frozen around my wheels, so I had to use a spade as a chisel to chip away the ice, which took over half an hour. I did consider cheating and waiting until Jane came home with the Navara to tow me out, but the ice was so solid I’m not sure even that would have worked.
My first lesson this morning was with Jed. I don’t remember any previous pupil learning as quickly as Jed. After only 7 hours we have covered everything (except dual-carriageways, which are not to be found within 50 miles of Ullapool) and are now just polishing his manoeuvres (which he can do all four of without my help). He passed his Theory Test before Christmas and (bearing in mind his rate of progress) I advised him to apply for his driving test. At the start of this morning’s lesson I asked him if he managed to book his test.
“I tried, but it (the website) said my test has been put on hold and that they will contact me when a date becomes available.”
What good is that? Jed and I are left not knowing when he might be able to take his test. It could be next week (extremely unlikely) or it could be Easter (much more likely). Naturally, Jed would rather not pay for weeks and weeks of lessons that he will not need. We were hoping that we could get a test date and schedule his lessons leading up to this date, but we can’t do that now. He has had a couple of lessons in Inverness, so he asked about taking his test there instead. Regrettably, Inverness Test Centre apparently has a ten-week waiting list, so that is not the ideal option.
Usually, when a Test Centre gets a bit of a backlog of tests, they bring in examiners from other areas to clear it. The trouble now, is that, with this weather, other areas will also start to get backlogs of tests, due to cancellations. I promised Jed I would try to get an estimate of a likely test date for him, but I am not bursting with confidence about this.
My next lesson is with Jayanne, who had her test cancelled due to the weather just before Christmas. I imagine that she will also want to know when her test will be. I wish I knew.
It gets worse. You may remember me writing about Anna’s test being cancelled in Elgin, a few weeks ago, when the temperature was 6C. Her rescheduled test is supposed to be in Elgin this Thursday, the day before she goes to university. And I have another pupil, Eddie, due to take his test in Elgin on the same day. I should be positive. Who knows, the Met Office might be completely wrong and we could get a quick thaw in the next two and a half days.
As if on cue, in the time I have been typing this, the temperature has dropped back to 2C and the rain has turned to snow AGAIN.
I haven't provided any top tunes recently, this came up on my MP3 player this morning. I'd forgotten just how brilliant this track (and the whole album) is. http://open.spotify.com/track/5NTAbVY1pBXaCLITRFWbVm
Sunday 3 January 2010
Stir crazy
My sixth consecutive day with no lessons. I half-heartedly tried moving my car last night, but it is too snowed-in to move without a shovel or a crane.
Filling the time is the problem. There is only so much dog-walking, tea-making, hare-casseroling and snow-shovelling one can do. Actually, this morning's walk with the dogs was especially enjoyable: The fields bordering our house are caked in a thick blanket of snow on which has formed an icy crust. This crust is too thin to support Jilly (our Retriever) or I, but it will hold Doris (our Parsons Terrier) and Daphne (our Whippet). Daphne, when she can be bothered, is easily the fastest and, while Doris is faster than Jilly, Doris will usually slow down to let Jilly catch up. Whenever I throw a ball for them, Doris tends to reach it first, but will politely let Jilly return it to me. Today's conditions however, brought out a slightly sadistic side to Doris. Because her weight was supported by the icy crust, Doris would have no problem reaching the ball before Jilly with time to spare. But seeing Jilly struggle to plough through the snow, rather than relinquish the ball to Jilly, Doris seemed to delight in skipping just a few strides ahead of the lumbering Retriever, often giving cheeky, teasing glances behind her with a look that said 'eat my (snow)dust, Fatty'. Eventually, Jilly's torment was ended when Doris and Daphne spotted a large bird of prey perched on a post and foolishly set off in futile pursuit.
Predictably, I have been spending more time on my lap-top than usual; sometimes working, but mainly browsing. I like the various forums. As I have mentioned before, BSM instructors have their own forum for discussing all aspects of our profession, asking/giving advice and having the odd moan. And there are other, independent, driving instructor forums which can be illuminating at times. But what has entertained me at times over this enforced break is the forums that follow a newspaper column or review. Around this time of year the media is filled with 'The Best Films/Albums/TV (etc) Of The Year' (and, no, I don't know why each word is capitalised). Obviously I am not alone in finding them entertaining, especially when they sometimes unearth the odd gem of an album, or film, that I had missed. Increasingly, these lists, when published online, are followed by forums so that we may have 'our say'.
What tickles me is how some people seem to take them so seriously. One 'Top 20 films of the Noughties' review (which contained a slightly safe list, containing only one non-English language film - Amelie) provoked a furore of rabid, blood-spitting posts. One respondent then provided his own top 20, none of which had heard. Ok, it may well be my loss that I have not seen any of his films, but I sensed that it more likely to be 'cleverer-than-thou' snobbery. A 'TV review of the year' briefly mentioned 'reality tv' and 'celebrity tv' in it's lengthy review. The forum that followed was then peppered with anti-reality/celebrity television posts, of which the following is perhaps my favourite:
Who is gripped by this purile rubbish? I have only seen brief glimpses of reality TV shows and must admit that I'm not gripped at all. I know very few people who do watch them. Advertisers beware: the people who watch this rubbish are too thick to earn decent money and can't afford to buy your products. Alistair Scott.
Don't you wish you could be like Alistair? Earning 'decent money' (unlike you) and far too superior to deign to watch such common programmes. Unfortunately, not superior enough to spell 'puerile' correctly.
I know I have moaned before about News priorities in the media, but New Year's Day took the biscuit. Not content with bombarding us with David Tennant over Christmas, the BBC 1 News actually devoted several minutes of its running time to the 'news' that the tenth incarnation of Dr Who would die that night IN A FICTIONAL TELEVISION PROGRAMME. You can forget the Afghan war, the Credit Crunch, world poverty and global warming, it seems that the television news editors believe it is far more important that we learn whether Dev is going to raise the price of his Peach Slices in Coronation Street, or whether The Chippendales are going to make a surprise appearance in Cranford.
I am so glad I have finally got some lessons tomorrow. For a minute there I was beginning to sound like dear Alistair.
Filling the time is the problem. There is only so much dog-walking, tea-making, hare-casseroling and snow-shovelling one can do. Actually, this morning's walk with the dogs was especially enjoyable: The fields bordering our house are caked in a thick blanket of snow on which has formed an icy crust. This crust is too thin to support Jilly (our Retriever) or I, but it will hold Doris (our Parsons Terrier) and Daphne (our Whippet). Daphne, when she can be bothered, is easily the fastest and, while Doris is faster than Jilly, Doris will usually slow down to let Jilly catch up. Whenever I throw a ball for them, Doris tends to reach it first, but will politely let Jilly return it to me. Today's conditions however, brought out a slightly sadistic side to Doris. Because her weight was supported by the icy crust, Doris would have no problem reaching the ball before Jilly with time to spare. But seeing Jilly struggle to plough through the snow, rather than relinquish the ball to Jilly, Doris seemed to delight in skipping just a few strides ahead of the lumbering Retriever, often giving cheeky, teasing glances behind her with a look that said 'eat my (snow)dust, Fatty'. Eventually, Jilly's torment was ended when Doris and Daphne spotted a large bird of prey perched on a post and foolishly set off in futile pursuit.
Predictably, I have been spending more time on my lap-top than usual; sometimes working, but mainly browsing. I like the various forums. As I have mentioned before, BSM instructors have their own forum for discussing all aspects of our profession, asking/giving advice and having the odd moan. And there are other, independent, driving instructor forums which can be illuminating at times. But what has entertained me at times over this enforced break is the forums that follow a newspaper column or review. Around this time of year the media is filled with 'The Best Films/Albums/TV (etc) Of The Year' (and, no, I don't know why each word is capitalised). Obviously I am not alone in finding them entertaining, especially when they sometimes unearth the odd gem of an album, or film, that I had missed. Increasingly, these lists, when published online, are followed by forums so that we may have 'our say'.
What tickles me is how some people seem to take them so seriously. One 'Top 20 films of the Noughties' review (which contained a slightly safe list, containing only one non-English language film - Amelie) provoked a furore of rabid, blood-spitting posts. One respondent then provided his own top 20, none of which had heard. Ok, it may well be my loss that I have not seen any of his films, but I sensed that it more likely to be 'cleverer-than-thou' snobbery. A 'TV review of the year' briefly mentioned 'reality tv' and 'celebrity tv' in it's lengthy review. The forum that followed was then peppered with anti-reality/celebrity television posts, of which the following is perhaps my favourite:
Who is gripped by this purile rubbish? I have only seen brief glimpses of reality TV shows and must admit that I'm not gripped at all. I know very few people who do watch them. Advertisers beware: the people who watch this rubbish are too thick to earn decent money and can't afford to buy your products. Alistair Scott.
Don't you wish you could be like Alistair? Earning 'decent money' (unlike you) and far too superior to deign to watch such common programmes. Unfortunately, not superior enough to spell 'puerile' correctly.
I know I have moaned before about News priorities in the media, but New Year's Day took the biscuit. Not content with bombarding us with David Tennant over Christmas, the BBC 1 News actually devoted several minutes of its running time to the 'news' that the tenth incarnation of Dr Who would die that night IN A FICTIONAL TELEVISION PROGRAMME. You can forget the Afghan war, the Credit Crunch, world poverty and global warming, it seems that the television news editors believe it is far more important that we learn whether Dev is going to raise the price of his Peach Slices in Coronation Street, or whether The Chippendales are going to make a surprise appearance in Cranford.
I am so glad I have finally got some lessons tomorrow. For a minute there I was beginning to sound like dear Alistair.
Saturday 2 January 2010
You say you want a resolution
Another day, another duller. The combination of the weather and half my Ullapool pupils being away on a school skiing holiday means another day without work. Or, if I'm looking on the bright side, another holiday.
Jane and I have a Nissan Navara as our other car. We bought this brute of a 4x4 because we wanted something which would easily tow Jane's two ponies in a trailer and our Toyota RAV-4 was too puny. Since moving from Glen Urquhart to near Forres a couple of years ago, Jane's ponies, Dave and Lachie, have been settled near Culbin forest - a vast forest on the Moray coast, which is superb for hacking out - so we have not had the need to take them elsewhere in the trailer. As a result, we have often considered selling the Navara for something smaller (and easier for Jane to park). But I always resist. It is great for the dogs; they jump up into the back of the truck and, it doesn't matter how mucky they get, the cab stays clean (no wet-dog smell) and the truck is easily cleaned with a broom or, when it's really filthy, a hosepipe. Not only that, but it also comes into its own whenever we, or our daughters, move house, need stuff taken to the tip, or have bought bulky objects that would never fit in a normal car.
With this weather, we.... or rather, our car..... has become very popular. On the farm, where Jane keeps Lachie and Dave, she has often been asked to ferry items around areas where the farmer has been unable to go (without a tractor). She has also been able to help people whose cars have become stranded in the snow. Yesterday, a relative of Irene, our lovely neighbour, was having a spot of bother with his brand new BMW in the snow. The big, fat tyres meant that he was slipping and sliding all over the place. Male pride means that you must overcome these adversities yourself. Asking for help is an absolute last resort. So, I made myself a cup of tea while he revved, dug snow, gritted beneath his wheels, revved some more, slipped and spun to no avail. I finished my tea, then went and towed him out onto the main road. Not wanting to dent his pride any further I carefully asked him if he had tried using 2nd gear (instead of 1st) to try and move off (he hadn't). the reason for this is that it supplies less torque to the wheels, so they are less likely to spin, but you have to be careful with the clutch. Further advice for driving in snow can be found here http://www.breakdowncover.co.uk/faq/driving-in-snow.html .
I'm not usually one for New Year's resolutions, but there is one I wanted to make this year. It has not gone unnoticed by me that Jane has made one or two (hundred) little comments about my stomach recently. It is Newton's little-known 4th law that states that, with no opposing forces, stomach size is proportional to age (no, you won't find it on Google).
A couple of years ago I took a break from being a driving instructor to become Operations Manager at The Newton Hotel, in Nairn. Within a couple of months, my weight had dropped from 86kg to 77kg - a loss of about a stone and a half - purely from being much more physically active. Since returning to driving, my weight has crept back up to 87kg, the heaviest I have ever been. It's not too surprising, some days, if I don't get to walk the dogs, the most exercise I get is walking from the driver's door to the passenger door (and I sometimes even bypass that in heavy rain or freezing temperatures).
I haven't quite worked out my plan of action yet. I enjoy cooking (and, of course, eating) food, so it will have to be more exercise. I can just see Jane rolling her eyes when she reads this. Now I have published this, I will have to keep to it. First, I have to set a target. So, nothing too silly. Let's say...... 80kg. Sound reasonable?
Right, I'm off to walk the dogs...... (after I have had a Ginger biscuit).
Jane and I have a Nissan Navara as our other car. We bought this brute of a 4x4 because we wanted something which would easily tow Jane's two ponies in a trailer and our Toyota RAV-4 was too puny. Since moving from Glen Urquhart to near Forres a couple of years ago, Jane's ponies, Dave and Lachie, have been settled near Culbin forest - a vast forest on the Moray coast, which is superb for hacking out - so we have not had the need to take them elsewhere in the trailer. As a result, we have often considered selling the Navara for something smaller (and easier for Jane to park). But I always resist. It is great for the dogs; they jump up into the back of the truck and, it doesn't matter how mucky they get, the cab stays clean (no wet-dog smell) and the truck is easily cleaned with a broom or, when it's really filthy, a hosepipe. Not only that, but it also comes into its own whenever we, or our daughters, move house, need stuff taken to the tip, or have bought bulky objects that would never fit in a normal car.
With this weather, we.... or rather, our car..... has become very popular. On the farm, where Jane keeps Lachie and Dave, she has often been asked to ferry items around areas where the farmer has been unable to go (without a tractor). She has also been able to help people whose cars have become stranded in the snow. Yesterday, a relative of Irene, our lovely neighbour, was having a spot of bother with his brand new BMW in the snow. The big, fat tyres meant that he was slipping and sliding all over the place. Male pride means that you must overcome these adversities yourself. Asking for help is an absolute last resort. So, I made myself a cup of tea while he revved, dug snow, gritted beneath his wheels, revved some more, slipped and spun to no avail. I finished my tea, then went and towed him out onto the main road. Not wanting to dent his pride any further I carefully asked him if he had tried using 2nd gear (instead of 1st) to try and move off (he hadn't). the reason for this is that it supplies less torque to the wheels, so they are less likely to spin, but you have to be careful with the clutch. Further advice for driving in snow can be found here http://www.breakdowncover.co.uk/faq/driving-in-snow.html .
I'm not usually one for New Year's resolutions, but there is one I wanted to make this year. It has not gone unnoticed by me that Jane has made one or two (hundred) little comments about my stomach recently. It is Newton's little-known 4th law that states that, with no opposing forces, stomach size is proportional to age (no, you won't find it on Google).
A couple of years ago I took a break from being a driving instructor to become Operations Manager at The Newton Hotel, in Nairn. Within a couple of months, my weight had dropped from 86kg to 77kg - a loss of about a stone and a half - purely from being much more physically active. Since returning to driving, my weight has crept back up to 87kg, the heaviest I have ever been. It's not too surprising, some days, if I don't get to walk the dogs, the most exercise I get is walking from the driver's door to the passenger door (and I sometimes even bypass that in heavy rain or freezing temperatures).
I haven't quite worked out my plan of action yet. I enjoy cooking (and, of course, eating) food, so it will have to be more exercise. I can just see Jane rolling her eyes when she reads this. Now I have published this, I will have to keep to it. First, I have to set a target. So, nothing too silly. Let's say...... 80kg. Sound reasonable?
Right, I'm off to walk the dogs...... (after I have had a Ginger biscuit).
Friday 1 January 2010
Whiteout wipeout
As Donna Summer once said, enough is enough. This snow stuff was great for the first day (or two), but I have decided it is a new year (Happy New Year, by the way) and it is time for the snow to go.
Jane and I were trying to think when it started. Jane had to drive her school minibus up in the glens, in snow, on Friday 18th December. I didn't encounter it until early the next morning, when I drove over to Ullapool. Although the A835 had been gritted, it had had little effect between Garve and the Braemore junction, which made for an exciting drive over the hills. The snow had not settled in Ullapool but my pupil, Kim, was concerned that, with a lot more snow forecast, they would close the A835, leaving me with a possible 100-mile detour to get home. I had already resigned myself to missing the Strictly... Final, but to miss Match of the Day as well! While the weather remained snow-free in Ullapool I decided to stay, but, by 4 o'clock, big flakes began tumbling from the sky, so I headed carefully home to find that the snowfall now stretched across the whole of the Highlands.
Of course, we certainly weren't the only area. A few inches of snow (particularly in England) is headline news. All other news about soldiers being killed in Afghanistan, world leaders failing in Copenhagen and even the race for the Christmas No.1 was pushed down the priorities as snow hampered last-minute Christmas shoppers. In some parts of Bedfordshire it was so bad that some of my friends had to postpone their game of golf. I shouldn't be glib, thousands of people had to abandon cars, or even spend the night in them. But, no-one died. Around the same time, over twenty people died as a result of severe snow storms in central parts of the USA, but our media thought it more important to focus on people who took 3 hours to get out of a Tesco's car park.
The Tuesday before Christmas I returned to Ullapool. I have to say, the gritters and snowploughs had performed minor miracles to keep the main roads clear and, in Elgin (in particular) even the most minor road was clear of snow and ice. So, although I set off in plenty of time to deal with icy roads, I enjoyed a clear drive and reached Ullapool almost an hour early. Unfortunately, Ullapool's side roads were not clear of snow. I had four pupils, Eilidh, Kim, Mascha and Jayanne, all scheduled for tests on the Wednesday. Although I was still able to give lessons in the snow (in fact, I believe it is an unmissable opportunity to gain such experience), I had strong doubts about the tests going ahead.
Mascha actually lives in Surrey, but, having failed her first attempt in Reigate, she had booked a test in Ullapool because she was staying with family there over Christmas. Kim is moving to France early in January, so would only get one shot at the test. Eilidh's test was paid for by her parents as part of her Christmas present. And Jayanne had been increasing her lessons recently in the run-up to this test.
Because Ullapool is only a temporary Test Centre, the examiner has to drive over from Inverness to conduct the tests. The senior examiner called me to ask what the roads were like in Ullapool. With my pupils wanting so much to take their tests the following day, it was with some reluctance that I had to tell him the roads were not suitable. One criterion was that the curbs must be visible (especially for the reversing manoeuvres), but that certainly was not the case on many of the roads. As a result, not only were all the tests cancelled, but, understandably, all four pupils preferred to cancel their lessons too. Disappointing for me to drive all the way to Ullapool for four, instead of fifteen, hours work, but even more disappointing for those that were unable to take their tests.
I then had four hours of lessons cancelled on Christmas Eve and, since Christmas, I have had another eleven hours of lessons cancelled due to the snow/ice; some of them by me (when I was concerned that the pupils' skills may not have been up to the conditions), some of them by the pupil.
Worse still, I have two more pupils hoping to take their test, in Elgin, next week and there seems to be no respite from the snow. With so many tests being cancelled there will be a huge backlog of tests in the region.
As I said, I liked it when the snow first arrived, it meant that I could have snowball fights with my grandchildren and it made the scenery was even more spectacular. But, with blue skies and white snow giving way to white/grey skies and white/grey icy snow, it is now like looking at a never-ending Joy Division album cover.
The snow stopped for a few hours this afternoon, but more is forecast later tonight. According to the Met office website, the temperatures over the next five days are not going anywhere near the -12C we had a few days ago, but they don't look high enough for anything like a thaw.
I have decided it is Andy's fault (my pupil in Aviemore). Back in the Autumn, he said that the spectacular abundance of berries on the Rowan trees meant that we were in for a lot of snow in the winter. I quietly dismissed that as bumpkin nonsense and optimism on his part (he is a keen snowboarder). I still think it was bumpkin nonsense, but it is always nice to have someone to blame.
Jane and I were trying to think when it started. Jane had to drive her school minibus up in the glens, in snow, on Friday 18th December. I didn't encounter it until early the next morning, when I drove over to Ullapool. Although the A835 had been gritted, it had had little effect between Garve and the Braemore junction, which made for an exciting drive over the hills. The snow had not settled in Ullapool but my pupil, Kim, was concerned that, with a lot more snow forecast, they would close the A835, leaving me with a possible 100-mile detour to get home. I had already resigned myself to missing the Strictly... Final, but to miss Match of the Day as well! While the weather remained snow-free in Ullapool I decided to stay, but, by 4 o'clock, big flakes began tumbling from the sky, so I headed carefully home to find that the snowfall now stretched across the whole of the Highlands.
Of course, we certainly weren't the only area. A few inches of snow (particularly in England) is headline news. All other news about soldiers being killed in Afghanistan, world leaders failing in Copenhagen and even the race for the Christmas No.1 was pushed down the priorities as snow hampered last-minute Christmas shoppers. In some parts of Bedfordshire it was so bad that some of my friends had to postpone their game of golf. I shouldn't be glib, thousands of people had to abandon cars, or even spend the night in them. But, no-one died. Around the same time, over twenty people died as a result of severe snow storms in central parts of the USA, but our media thought it more important to focus on people who took 3 hours to get out of a Tesco's car park.
The Tuesday before Christmas I returned to Ullapool. I have to say, the gritters and snowploughs had performed minor miracles to keep the main roads clear and, in Elgin (in particular) even the most minor road was clear of snow and ice. So, although I set off in plenty of time to deal with icy roads, I enjoyed a clear drive and reached Ullapool almost an hour early. Unfortunately, Ullapool's side roads were not clear of snow. I had four pupils, Eilidh, Kim, Mascha and Jayanne, all scheduled for tests on the Wednesday. Although I was still able to give lessons in the snow (in fact, I believe it is an unmissable opportunity to gain such experience), I had strong doubts about the tests going ahead.
Mascha actually lives in Surrey, but, having failed her first attempt in Reigate, she had booked a test in Ullapool because she was staying with family there over Christmas. Kim is moving to France early in January, so would only get one shot at the test. Eilidh's test was paid for by her parents as part of her Christmas present. And Jayanne had been increasing her lessons recently in the run-up to this test.
Because Ullapool is only a temporary Test Centre, the examiner has to drive over from Inverness to conduct the tests. The senior examiner called me to ask what the roads were like in Ullapool. With my pupils wanting so much to take their tests the following day, it was with some reluctance that I had to tell him the roads were not suitable. One criterion was that the curbs must be visible (especially for the reversing manoeuvres), but that certainly was not the case on many of the roads. As a result, not only were all the tests cancelled, but, understandably, all four pupils preferred to cancel their lessons too. Disappointing for me to drive all the way to Ullapool for four, instead of fifteen, hours work, but even more disappointing for those that were unable to take their tests.
I then had four hours of lessons cancelled on Christmas Eve and, since Christmas, I have had another eleven hours of lessons cancelled due to the snow/ice; some of them by me (when I was concerned that the pupils' skills may not have been up to the conditions), some of them by the pupil.
Worse still, I have two more pupils hoping to take their test, in Elgin, next week and there seems to be no respite from the snow. With so many tests being cancelled there will be a huge backlog of tests in the region.
As I said, I liked it when the snow first arrived, it meant that I could have snowball fights with my grandchildren and it made the scenery was even more spectacular. But, with blue skies and white snow giving way to white/grey skies and white/grey icy snow, it is now like looking at a never-ending Joy Division album cover.
The snow stopped for a few hours this afternoon, but more is forecast later tonight. According to the Met office website, the temperatures over the next five days are not going anywhere near the -12C we had a few days ago, but they don't look high enough for anything like a thaw.
I have decided it is Andy's fault (my pupil in Aviemore). Back in the Autumn, he said that the spectacular abundance of berries on the Rowan trees meant that we were in for a lot of snow in the winter. I quietly dismissed that as bumpkin nonsense and optimism on his part (he is a keen snowboarder). I still think it was bumpkin nonsense, but it is always nice to have someone to blame.
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