Whilst trying to arrange lessons for my pupils over the next few weeks, quite a few of them informed me that they could not make next weekend as they are going to the Belladrum Festival. This is a very family-orientated festival near Beauly, about ten miles from Inverness. It never has the most prestigious line-up, but it has a fantastic, fun atmosphere.
Jane and I went a couple of years ago. James had just reformed and were one of the headline acts, but the band I really wanted to see were Misty in Roots. 31 years ago (I can't believe it is so long) they released Live at The Counter Eurovision (Cirque Royal, Brussells), which is such a great album and sounds fresh and vibrant even now. I was dumbstruck that they were even still going, let alone touring, but the idea of them playing just down the road from us was just far too good an opportunity to waste. Some of their dreadlocks had more than a touch of grey in them, but, musically, they were so tight and energetic and had me dancing the whole way through (not a pretty sight).
This year I was more inclined towards the Loopallu Festival (try spelling it backwards), until I saw, a long, long way down the list of acts at Belladrum, the name John Otway. Otway has probably been going even longer than Misty in Roots (I think he is about 57 now), first 'bursting' into the nation's consciousness with his "hit" Really Free, with its refrain "Cor Baby, that's really free!" in the late '70s. Despite such subsequent gems as Beware of the flowers (cause I'm sure they're gonna get you, yeah) and Oh my body is making me, and an appearance on The Young Ones (performing Body Talk), fame still eluded him.
In 2002, with his 50th birthday approaching, when asked what he would like for his birthday, he said "Another hit". So, with his loyal fans buying several copies each of Bunsen Burner, he finally made the top ten and even had an appearance on Top of the Pops.
However, it is his live shows that make him the legend that he is. Whether it is placing electronic drum pads around his body, sawing the bottoms off two guitars then joining them with a hinge for an exaggerated tremelo, or climbing to the top of a step-ladder then somersaulting off while still playing guitar, he more than makes up for his lack of vocal prowess.
Just go on Youtube and search for John Otway, but here is a quick link to the b-side (The House of the Rising Sun) of his 'hit'.
Unfortunately, I was too slow deciding whether or not to go to Belladrum and it is now sold out. To all my pupils who I know are going, I have given them one of my appointment cards with 'GO AND SEE JOHN OTWAY' written on it. I fully expect most of them to turn up at the next lesson giving me strange looks and perhaps even pitying me, but I hope at least one of them 'gets it'.
(* Deep and meaningless was one of his 'classic' albums)
Saturday, 31 July 2010
Thursday, 29 July 2010
"Are you sure it's safe?"
One of the factors that make being a driving instructor so enjoyable is the fact that all my pupils are different. Sounds like a bit of a cliché, but it’s true. As well as being different characters, they all progress at different rates. And where one pupil might learn parallel parking, for example, very quickly, the next pupil may struggle for hours with it. Consequently, I have to be flexible and try different teaching methods to suit each individual pupil. Recently I wrote about having a lot of success with Q&A. For example, with parallel parking I might ask them where (and why) they should initially position their car. Then I would ask them how other road users will know what they intend to do. Next I would ask how they could be sure it safe to reverse. What problems are caused by steering too early/late? How will they know when to straighten up? How quickly could the situation change around them? What can they do if things start to go wrong? And so on. I can ask some pupils these questions and then say “Right, off you go…” and they will think themselves through the whole manoeuvre, with maybe the occasional prompt from me. Unfortunately, this will not work with every pupil. Some respond better to me drawing diagrams of what will/could happen, and sometimes it helps a pupil for me to jump in the driver seat and demonstrate how it should be done (hopefully). But when I feel that a pupil is not quite understanding a particular point I always ask ‘Why?’ we would do something. Once they know ‘why’ they can often work out ‘how’.
Every now and then I get a pupil who, despite my best efforts, persists with a fault. That is when this job can get frustrating. Last year I took on a new pupil, with very nice, enthusiastic parents. The pupil was the opposite - He was sullen, would grunt when I asked him questions and was lazy. I got the impression that he was spoilt and always got whatever he wanted. If his parents wanted to spend hundreds of pounds on his lessons that was their problem. Gradually his driving progressed, but he was such a lazy git I would always have to instruct him to look all around the car before moving off or reversing. I tried Q&A, diagrams. I would take him to a car-park to watch other drivers and ask him what could happen if a particular driver had not checked before moving. Nothing. It got to the point where I would keep my foot on the dual-control brake until he had made effective observations. For 99.99% of pupils, the penny would drop and they would realise that it was actually in their interest to do what I was asking him to do. Not him. Finally, I did the only thing I could - I dumped him on another instructor. I thought he might respond better to a lady instructor but, if he didn’t, then Susan would probably be quite happy to give him a bigger kick up the backside than I would. To my knowledge, he has still not passed his test and his poor parents are continuing to pay out hundreds of pounds a month for their precious son’s lessons.
As much as I try to progress a pupil by using the carrot, rather than the stick, sometimes extreme measures are called for. A couple of years ago I had a pupil who, although he was quite competent, was negligent in his use of mirrors. He failed his first attempt at the driving test for picking up too many minor faults for (lack of) ‘use of mirrors before changes of speed or direction’. In other words, he could not know whether someone was overtaking him before he accelerated or turned right, and he had no idea whether there was a big juggernaut behind him before braking. He went ahead and booked his second attempt on a day/time that I was not available. Rather than have to wait for a later test, I asked Wayne (another BSM instructor) if he could take him for test.
“Any problems?” asked Wayne.
“No, apart from the fact that he still isn’t checking his mirrors as much as he should be. You would have thought he would have learned his lesson after the first test.”
Wayne picked him up an hour before his test. After half an hour, Wayne said “Ok. If you could turn around and head back home. I’ll drop you off as there is no point going for your test.”
“What?” said my pupil.
“Well, despite what Martin has instructed you and despite you failing your last test for that very reason, you are still not checking your mirrors, so there is no point going for a test you will certainly fail.”
The pupil promised to check his mirrors, so Wayne took him for his test. He passed, but still with several mirror faults and I doubt very much that he checks them even now.
While these rare pupils are a minor frustration, at the other end of the scale is a pupil who listens and really wants to learn, but struggles. When it finally ‘clicks’ for them is a highlight almost as satisfying as a pupil passing their test.
When I very first became an instructor I had a pupil who just could not steer. I began to doubt that I was the right instructor for her. I spent six hours in a big, quiet car-park, trying to get her to steer in a figure-8 while I controlled the pedals. I remember thinking, at one point, that I had cracked the problem when she managed to use ‘push-pull’ steering to turn the car to the right.
“Very good,” I encouraged, “now I would like you to start steering to the left.” At which point she simply let go of the wheel.
It took some time, but I never forget how proud I felt when she finally began driving around roads and junctions with confidence.
A few weeks ago I was recommended to a brand-new pupil who knew nothing about driving. She only wanted an hour’s lesson to start with. I would rather they have a two hour lesson when they are complete novices because otherwise, after learning about the cockpit drill, controls and how to move off and stop, they won’t get to do much driving on their first lesson.
So that first hour I told her as much as I could on the drive from her house to the quiet road I wanted to start her on. After going through everything she needed to know before starting, we only had about fifteen minutes to practice moving off/stopping.
“I don’t want to do it.” she protested.
Despite reassurances, offers of me demonstrating and more instruction, she still did not want to actually move the car. End of lesson.
The next lesson was a two hour one and I drove her to a very quiet car-park. Finally, after instruction, diagrams and demonstrations, I got her moving the car forward a short distance before she panicked and asked me to stop. By the end of those two hours I had her driving around the car-park (with very good steering) and even changing between first and second gears when appropriate.
I wanted to build on that for yesterday’s lesson, so we returned to the car-park and repeated the previous lesson for forty minutes. That went well until, somewhere in the distance, she would spot another car or a pedestrian, at which point she would take her hands off the wheel and her feet off the pedals. I demonstrated how gently holding the brakes could give her more time if she was unsure about a situation and, gradually, her confidence grew.
After much reassurance, and a very slow demonstration drive by me, I persuaded her that she could apply the skills she had learned to driving on some quiet roads. She sat in the driver’s seat and then spotted a van in the distance.
“There’s a van.”
I got out my telescope and was able to confirm that, yes, there was a van.
“Have you started the car yet?”
“No.”
“Do you think that van could still be a problem by the time we are ready to go?”
“………..no.”
She prepared the car, all the time turning her head, looking for any possible hazards, despite my reassurances that we need not worry about them until we were ready to go. Finally she had selected 1st gear, set the gas, found the biting point and had her hand on the handbrake. She then started huffing and puffing as though she was at a pre-natal class. The road was deserted. The seconds passed.
“There’s a car coming.” She said.
I got out of the car, put my ear to the ground and had to agree that, somewhere within a few miles of us, there was another car.
“Will you affect anyone by moving off now?” I asked.
“No….. but I don’t want to do it.”
“That’s fine. But, if we wait, the road might get busier.”
“No. I don’t want to do it. I know I have to. I really want to learn but……” her voice trailed off.
Carol, an instructor from Manchester, informed me that she once had a pupil who took 6 hours to move AT ALL. So I shouldn’t worry too much. In fact, I am not at all worried. Carol’s pupil passed first time and I often find that many pupils who are slow to start with become very good drivers.
So we will keep at it. Back to the car-park next week and I think we will stay there until she asks me if she can go out on the road (I will say ‘yes’). It may take a little while, but I so look forward to the day when her driving makes my heart burst with pride.
Every now and then I get a pupil who, despite my best efforts, persists with a fault. That is when this job can get frustrating. Last year I took on a new pupil, with very nice, enthusiastic parents. The pupil was the opposite - He was sullen, would grunt when I asked him questions and was lazy. I got the impression that he was spoilt and always got whatever he wanted. If his parents wanted to spend hundreds of pounds on his lessons that was their problem. Gradually his driving progressed, but he was such a lazy git I would always have to instruct him to look all around the car before moving off or reversing. I tried Q&A, diagrams. I would take him to a car-park to watch other drivers and ask him what could happen if a particular driver had not checked before moving. Nothing. It got to the point where I would keep my foot on the dual-control brake until he had made effective observations. For 99.99% of pupils, the penny would drop and they would realise that it was actually in their interest to do what I was asking him to do. Not him. Finally, I did the only thing I could - I dumped him on another instructor. I thought he might respond better to a lady instructor but, if he didn’t, then Susan would probably be quite happy to give him a bigger kick up the backside than I would. To my knowledge, he has still not passed his test and his poor parents are continuing to pay out hundreds of pounds a month for their precious son’s lessons.
As much as I try to progress a pupil by using the carrot, rather than the stick, sometimes extreme measures are called for. A couple of years ago I had a pupil who, although he was quite competent, was negligent in his use of mirrors. He failed his first attempt at the driving test for picking up too many minor faults for (lack of) ‘use of mirrors before changes of speed or direction’. In other words, he could not know whether someone was overtaking him before he accelerated or turned right, and he had no idea whether there was a big juggernaut behind him before braking. He went ahead and booked his second attempt on a day/time that I was not available. Rather than have to wait for a later test, I asked Wayne (another BSM instructor) if he could take him for test.
“Any problems?” asked Wayne.
“No, apart from the fact that he still isn’t checking his mirrors as much as he should be. You would have thought he would have learned his lesson after the first test.”
Wayne picked him up an hour before his test. After half an hour, Wayne said “Ok. If you could turn around and head back home. I’ll drop you off as there is no point going for your test.”
“What?” said my pupil.
“Well, despite what Martin has instructed you and despite you failing your last test for that very reason, you are still not checking your mirrors, so there is no point going for a test you will certainly fail.”
The pupil promised to check his mirrors, so Wayne took him for his test. He passed, but still with several mirror faults and I doubt very much that he checks them even now.
While these rare pupils are a minor frustration, at the other end of the scale is a pupil who listens and really wants to learn, but struggles. When it finally ‘clicks’ for them is a highlight almost as satisfying as a pupil passing their test.
When I very first became an instructor I had a pupil who just could not steer. I began to doubt that I was the right instructor for her. I spent six hours in a big, quiet car-park, trying to get her to steer in a figure-8 while I controlled the pedals. I remember thinking, at one point, that I had cracked the problem when she managed to use ‘push-pull’ steering to turn the car to the right.
“Very good,” I encouraged, “now I would like you to start steering to the left.” At which point she simply let go of the wheel.
It took some time, but I never forget how proud I felt when she finally began driving around roads and junctions with confidence.
A few weeks ago I was recommended to a brand-new pupil who knew nothing about driving. She only wanted an hour’s lesson to start with. I would rather they have a two hour lesson when they are complete novices because otherwise, after learning about the cockpit drill, controls and how to move off and stop, they won’t get to do much driving on their first lesson.
So that first hour I told her as much as I could on the drive from her house to the quiet road I wanted to start her on. After going through everything she needed to know before starting, we only had about fifteen minutes to practice moving off/stopping.
“I don’t want to do it.” she protested.
Despite reassurances, offers of me demonstrating and more instruction, she still did not want to actually move the car. End of lesson.
The next lesson was a two hour one and I drove her to a very quiet car-park. Finally, after instruction, diagrams and demonstrations, I got her moving the car forward a short distance before she panicked and asked me to stop. By the end of those two hours I had her driving around the car-park (with very good steering) and even changing between first and second gears when appropriate.
I wanted to build on that for yesterday’s lesson, so we returned to the car-park and repeated the previous lesson for forty minutes. That went well until, somewhere in the distance, she would spot another car or a pedestrian, at which point she would take her hands off the wheel and her feet off the pedals. I demonstrated how gently holding the brakes could give her more time if she was unsure about a situation and, gradually, her confidence grew.
After much reassurance, and a very slow demonstration drive by me, I persuaded her that she could apply the skills she had learned to driving on some quiet roads. She sat in the driver’s seat and then spotted a van in the distance.
“There’s a van.”
I got out my telescope and was able to confirm that, yes, there was a van.
“Have you started the car yet?”
“No.”
“Do you think that van could still be a problem by the time we are ready to go?”
“………..no.”
She prepared the car, all the time turning her head, looking for any possible hazards, despite my reassurances that we need not worry about them until we were ready to go. Finally she had selected 1st gear, set the gas, found the biting point and had her hand on the handbrake. She then started huffing and puffing as though she was at a pre-natal class. The road was deserted. The seconds passed.
“There’s a car coming.” She said.
I got out of the car, put my ear to the ground and had to agree that, somewhere within a few miles of us, there was another car.
“Will you affect anyone by moving off now?” I asked.
“No….. but I don’t want to do it.”
“That’s fine. But, if we wait, the road might get busier.”
“No. I don’t want to do it. I know I have to. I really want to learn but……” her voice trailed off.
Carol, an instructor from Manchester, informed me that she once had a pupil who took 6 hours to move AT ALL. So I shouldn’t worry too much. In fact, I am not at all worried. Carol’s pupil passed first time and I often find that many pupils who are slow to start with become very good drivers.
So we will keep at it. Back to the car-park next week and I think we will stay there until she asks me if she can go out on the road (I will say ‘yes’). It may take a little while, but I so look forward to the day when her driving makes my heart burst with pride.
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Situations vacant
Are you considering a change of career? How do you fancy a regular 9 to 5 (ish) job that gets you out of the office but allows you to sit down most of the day, provides you with your own chauffeurs and a 'vibrant' uniform? If this appeals get your cv into the DSA and apply for the position of Driving Examiner right away.
I'm not completely sure that they are actively recruiting at the moment, but, if not, they should be.
It seems to be an annual problem; in the winter the waiting time for driving tests drops right down to two or three weeks, but always increases in the summer. This year, however, the waiting times have been ridiculous. Some of it will have been a backlog from all the cancellations caused by the snow earlier in the year. And, as far as the north of Scotland is concerned, some of it is partly because they need more driving examiners.
Back in May the waiting time in Inverness was as long as SIXTEEN weeks. In one of the local newspapers, there was an article about the situation, where the DSA admitted that they were failing to meet their target of 90% of tests being available within nine weeks (which is still a long time) (http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/12298/Learner_drivers_waiting_months_to_take_their_tests.html). The situation did improve over the next few months, but it seems to be slipping back to a few months, rather than a few weeks.
As a pupil progresses through their training, we discuss when we both agree would be the best time to apply for their test. It is not something we can really consider until they have passed their Theory Test, so I try to encourage my pupils to study and apply for the Theory as early as possible. In the winter we simply wait until both the pupil and me are confident that they will pass, then we apply for their test. As the waiting time gets longer, we then have to try to predict when they will be ready, based mainly on their rate of progress. This is not usually too much of a problem because, if, as the test approaches, we begin to doubt that they will be ready, we can get online and put the test back a few weeks (or, sometimes, the pupil is able to take more lessons per week). But when the waiting times for a test start getting as long as they have been this summer, it makes test planning very difficult.
I have a couple of pupils who have been with me for some time now. They have taken regular lessons but have not been in any desperate rush to take their test; they just want to be good, safe drivers. They both passed their theory tests in late spring/early summer and were at the stage where we could consider when to apply for their driving tests. They both applied in early June for a test in Ullapool and were told that the earliest test dates available were late September. I advised them to book those dates, but, neither were suitable as both pupils will be at university by then. The options are: For me, or the pupil, to regularly check for earlier dates (usually caused by someone else cancelling their own test); to take time away from university to come back for the original date; or to look for an earlier test at a different test centre.
The trouble with hoping that someone else will cancel, thus creating an earlier test date, is that it rarely happens and, even if it does, it is likely that someone else will also be looking for cancellations and get that slot first. The trouble with taking the original date and having my pupil come back from university is that they are unlikely to be able to take many lessons in the weeks before the test and this could affect their confidence. And the trouble with looking for an earlier test at a different centre is that not knowing the area can also affect the pupil’s confidence.
After unsuccessfully looking for cancellations for several weeks, I decided to look for earlier tests at different centres. Inverness and Buckie had waiting times of 10 weeks, Elgin and Grantown-on-Spey 11 weeks, Alness, Lairg and Gairloch 12 weeks, Kingussie 14 weeks and Ullapool 15 weeks! I have had mini-moans about this before, but not being able to get a test anywhere within 100 miles for over ten weeks is just a bit ridiculous.
The pupils I feel most sorry for are the ones who have recently failed a test. Thankfully, I have had quite a good run recently, but there are still some pupils who have proved themselves good enough for me to agree to them taking their test but who, on the day, made a mistake and then have to wait three months before they can try again. Understandably, some of them have cut down on their lessons, or even taken a complete break from them. I would never encourage any of my pupils to do this, because you should never stop learning or trying to improve, but I do understand and sympathise from a financial point of view.
With the two pupils who are going to university, one has decided to come back a few days before her test, and the other has found an earlier test in Inverness (a much busier area than she is used to).
Hopefully, the DSA will recruit a few more examiners and clear this backlog of tests. Just in time for the snow to come and cause another backlog.
I'm not completely sure that they are actively recruiting at the moment, but, if not, they should be.
It seems to be an annual problem; in the winter the waiting time for driving tests drops right down to two or three weeks, but always increases in the summer. This year, however, the waiting times have been ridiculous. Some of it will have been a backlog from all the cancellations caused by the snow earlier in the year. And, as far as the north of Scotland is concerned, some of it is partly because they need more driving examiners.
Back in May the waiting time in Inverness was as long as SIXTEEN weeks. In one of the local newspapers, there was an article about the situation, where the DSA admitted that they were failing to meet their target of 90% of tests being available within nine weeks (which is still a long time) (http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/12298/Learner_drivers_waiting_months_to_take_their_tests.html). The situation did improve over the next few months, but it seems to be slipping back to a few months, rather than a few weeks.
As a pupil progresses through their training, we discuss when we both agree would be the best time to apply for their test. It is not something we can really consider until they have passed their Theory Test, so I try to encourage my pupils to study and apply for the Theory as early as possible. In the winter we simply wait until both the pupil and me are confident that they will pass, then we apply for their test. As the waiting time gets longer, we then have to try to predict when they will be ready, based mainly on their rate of progress. This is not usually too much of a problem because, if, as the test approaches, we begin to doubt that they will be ready, we can get online and put the test back a few weeks (or, sometimes, the pupil is able to take more lessons per week). But when the waiting times for a test start getting as long as they have been this summer, it makes test planning very difficult.
I have a couple of pupils who have been with me for some time now. They have taken regular lessons but have not been in any desperate rush to take their test; they just want to be good, safe drivers. They both passed their theory tests in late spring/early summer and were at the stage where we could consider when to apply for their driving tests. They both applied in early June for a test in Ullapool and were told that the earliest test dates available were late September. I advised them to book those dates, but, neither were suitable as both pupils will be at university by then. The options are: For me, or the pupil, to regularly check for earlier dates (usually caused by someone else cancelling their own test); to take time away from university to come back for the original date; or to look for an earlier test at a different test centre.
The trouble with hoping that someone else will cancel, thus creating an earlier test date, is that it rarely happens and, even if it does, it is likely that someone else will also be looking for cancellations and get that slot first. The trouble with taking the original date and having my pupil come back from university is that they are unlikely to be able to take many lessons in the weeks before the test and this could affect their confidence. And the trouble with looking for an earlier test at a different centre is that not knowing the area can also affect the pupil’s confidence.
After unsuccessfully looking for cancellations for several weeks, I decided to look for earlier tests at different centres. Inverness and Buckie had waiting times of 10 weeks, Elgin and Grantown-on-Spey 11 weeks, Alness, Lairg and Gairloch 12 weeks, Kingussie 14 weeks and Ullapool 15 weeks! I have had mini-moans about this before, but not being able to get a test anywhere within 100 miles for over ten weeks is just a bit ridiculous.
The pupils I feel most sorry for are the ones who have recently failed a test. Thankfully, I have had quite a good run recently, but there are still some pupils who have proved themselves good enough for me to agree to them taking their test but who, on the day, made a mistake and then have to wait three months before they can try again. Understandably, some of them have cut down on their lessons, or even taken a complete break from them. I would never encourage any of my pupils to do this, because you should never stop learning or trying to improve, but I do understand and sympathise from a financial point of view.
With the two pupils who are going to university, one has decided to come back a few days before her test, and the other has found an earlier test in Inverness (a much busier area than she is used to).
Hopefully, the DSA will recruit a few more examiners and clear this backlog of tests. Just in time for the snow to come and cause another backlog.
BSM
I can’t honestly remember why I chose BSM over the AA, Red or other options when I decided to train to become a driving instructor, but I’m very glad I did.
Ok, I’m on my own now, very much enjoying it and not having the slightest regret. And some people try to give BSM a bad name either because they are strong competition, or because they are BSM instructors who expect BSM to do everything for them and don’t work with BSM. No company is perfect, but, as I said recently, I would not hesitate in recommending BSM to anyone thinking about training to become an instructor.
So this is just me saying ‘thanks’: To Bob, who was invaluable when I was training; Ian, Susan, Dave, Donald, Jasmin, and Wayne, the other BSM instructors who all helped over the last few years; and, especially to Eddie and Mairi at BSM Inverness who did a fantastic job of looking after me and putting up with me.
All the best.
Ok, I’m on my own now, very much enjoying it and not having the slightest regret. And some people try to give BSM a bad name either because they are strong competition, or because they are BSM instructors who expect BSM to do everything for them and don’t work with BSM. No company is perfect, but, as I said recently, I would not hesitate in recommending BSM to anyone thinking about training to become an instructor.
So this is just me saying ‘thanks’: To Bob, who was invaluable when I was training; Ian, Susan, Dave, Donald, Jasmin, and Wayne, the other BSM instructors who all helped over the last few years; and, especially to Eddie and Mairi at BSM Inverness who did a fantastic job of looking after me and putting up with me.
All the best.
Thursday, 22 July 2010
My pass-rate plummets
It’s a Wednesday towards the end of the month, so it must be Driving Test day in Ullapool. Not as hectic as last month. Today I ‘only’ have four pupils taking their test, three for the first time.
My three alarms all go off around 4.45am (I don’t trust myself to get up with just one alarm). Two cups of Earl Grey and, as a breakfast treat, two pieces of Jane’s unbeatable raspberry cheesecake - unusual maybe, but it combines plenty of fresh fruit, protein, carbohydrates and, an extra bonus, gingernut biscuits crumbled up in the base…. perfect breakfast food.
My new ‘FarLe’ roofhat arrived yesterday and was proudly displayed on my car. I intended to remove it this morning, for the eighty-mile drive to Ullapool, but the torrential overnight rain meant that it was too wet to spoil my pristine boot, so I left it on. Big mistake. I have been averaging about 65mpg on my runs to and from Ullapool but, with the roof hat on, this dropped down to 54mpg; I won’t be doing that again.
My first pupil had her test at 8.40am. She has been with me since I started teaching in Ullapool nine months ago, but, since failing her first test, has been away at college, so has not had as many lessons as I would have liked. Like many pupils taking their second test, she was more nervous than she was for her first. That time, she failed for letting the car roll back on her hill-start. She got a hill-start early on in this test and the car rolled back slightly. She then thought that she had failed, but this had the effect of taking the pressure off. As a result, she only picked up two other minor faults and the examiner complimented her on ‘a very nice drive’ when he told her that she had passed. Eilidh was so pleased she almost forgot to pay me. Almost.
My next pupil was another one who I inherited from another instructor in Ullapool. This was her first test and she was playing down her chances of passing…
“I’m now hoping I don’t pass.”
“Don’t be daft,” I replied, “why do you say that?”
“Because I like these lessons.”
“Well, I’m sick of them and I can’t wait to get rid of you.” (I’m fairly sure she knew I was joking.) “You don’t have to stop lessons once you pass your test. Also, when you pass your test, you can always do the Pass Plus course.”
She had a lesson last weekend and, halfway through, I complimented her on how she handled a tricky junction. “That was perfect.”
She beamed from ear to ear, then made a complete hash of the next junction.
“That was your fault for telling me it was perfect.”
Today, in the hour before her test, she dealt with an awkward situation very competently.
“That was perfe….. that was ‘ok’, but it could have been better.” I quickly corrected myself.
Unfortunately, Sam didn’t make it necessary for her to take more lessons with me, because she passed with 6 minors. She threw herself into a hug with me before promising to book her Pass Plus, then she danced home.
Phew! After five tests with my new car I still had a 100% pass rate. Surely it couldn’t last?…..
I didn’t have any pupils on the 10.44am test and I was curious as to who had that slot. A couple of months ago an Inverness instructor took a pupil to test in Ullapool (and the pupil failed). ‘A bit of a shame’ you might think, but I had never seen that instructor in Ullapool before the test day. Ok, I’m not in Ullapool every day, but the cynic in me suspected that it was another case of an Inverness instructor bringing a pupil to Ullapool for a supposedly easier test (than Inverness). Anyway, the same instructor was back today (and another fail). Perhaps it was the same pupil too. I just find it strange that the only time I have seen that instructor in Ullapool is for a test. I hope I’m wrong. I hope it was a pupil from Ullapool. I know of at least one person who will reading this thinking this is a bit ‘rich’ considering I travel from beyond Inverness to Ullapool. Well the difference is that my Ullapool pupils take their test in Ullapool, my Inverness pupils take their test in Inverness and my Elgin pupils take their test in Elgin. The only time I have ever taken a pupil to test in a supposedly ‘easier’ area is when Chris would have had to wait months for a test in Ullapool, so we went to Gairloch.
My pupil taking the 11.41am test had asked for extra lessons last weekend. As a result, I was feeling very confident, even if they weren’t. In the hour before their test I expressed concern that his observations could be better when reversing and that occasional misjudgements of speed caused wayward steering. Sometimes it’s a curse being such a smartarse… Only a few minor faults, but a serious fault for approaching a bend slightly too fast, causing him to go wide, and another serious fault for insufficient observations during his reverse park. Only a few moments to discuss rebooking his test as my final test pupil was already waiting.
It is very, very rare that I completely relax while a pupil is out on test. No matter how confident I am of their abilities, there is nearly always the niggling doubt that they could do something out of character. Not so with Craig… no niggling doubts at all. I am still waiting for my first completely faultless test. I have had many pupils that have come close, but no-one has yet passed without a single fault. Craig was my best hope this month, but my hopes were cruelly dashed when he passed with five minors. “FIVE!!” I blasted, when he proudly showed me his certificate and his green sheet. Seeing the look on his face made me hastily congratulate him and reassure him that he had done very well.
Four more lessons followed and now I am back in my favourite B&B. It is officially closed as the landlady is away on holiday, but she told me to let myself in and leave the (reduced) money on the table when I leave tomorrow. If I was a bit younger I might be tempted to throw a wild party, but my landlady is far too nice for me to do that to her.
As with last month, despite three out of my four pupils passing today, and my ‘new-car-pass-rate’ being 86%, I still have a slightly disappointed feeling because of that one fail. It wouldn’t be so bad in Inverness or Elgin, but, in Ullapool, a failed test means the pupil will probably have to wait FOUR months for another chance to gain their freedom. This drastically increases the pressure on pupils to pass. Not fair. Especially if it is true that people from Inverness are stealing test slots that should go to Ullapool residents. Perhaps I should initiate a ‘Passport to Pimlico’ style policy for Wester Ross? But then I wouldn’t get in.
My three alarms all go off around 4.45am (I don’t trust myself to get up with just one alarm). Two cups of Earl Grey and, as a breakfast treat, two pieces of Jane’s unbeatable raspberry cheesecake - unusual maybe, but it combines plenty of fresh fruit, protein, carbohydrates and, an extra bonus, gingernut biscuits crumbled up in the base…. perfect breakfast food.
My new ‘FarLe’ roofhat arrived yesterday and was proudly displayed on my car. I intended to remove it this morning, for the eighty-mile drive to Ullapool, but the torrential overnight rain meant that it was too wet to spoil my pristine boot, so I left it on. Big mistake. I have been averaging about 65mpg on my runs to and from Ullapool but, with the roof hat on, this dropped down to 54mpg; I won’t be doing that again.
My first pupil had her test at 8.40am. She has been with me since I started teaching in Ullapool nine months ago, but, since failing her first test, has been away at college, so has not had as many lessons as I would have liked. Like many pupils taking their second test, she was more nervous than she was for her first. That time, she failed for letting the car roll back on her hill-start. She got a hill-start early on in this test and the car rolled back slightly. She then thought that she had failed, but this had the effect of taking the pressure off. As a result, she only picked up two other minor faults and the examiner complimented her on ‘a very nice drive’ when he told her that she had passed. Eilidh was so pleased she almost forgot to pay me. Almost.
My next pupil was another one who I inherited from another instructor in Ullapool. This was her first test and she was playing down her chances of passing…
“I’m now hoping I don’t pass.”
“Don’t be daft,” I replied, “why do you say that?”
“Because I like these lessons.”
“Well, I’m sick of them and I can’t wait to get rid of you.” (I’m fairly sure she knew I was joking.) “You don’t have to stop lessons once you pass your test. Also, when you pass your test, you can always do the Pass Plus course.”
She had a lesson last weekend and, halfway through, I complimented her on how she handled a tricky junction. “That was perfect.”
She beamed from ear to ear, then made a complete hash of the next junction.
“That was your fault for telling me it was perfect.”
Today, in the hour before her test, she dealt with an awkward situation very competently.
“That was perfe….. that was ‘ok’, but it could have been better.” I quickly corrected myself.
Unfortunately, Sam didn’t make it necessary for her to take more lessons with me, because she passed with 6 minors. She threw herself into a hug with me before promising to book her Pass Plus, then she danced home.
Phew! After five tests with my new car I still had a 100% pass rate. Surely it couldn’t last?…..
I didn’t have any pupils on the 10.44am test and I was curious as to who had that slot. A couple of months ago an Inverness instructor took a pupil to test in Ullapool (and the pupil failed). ‘A bit of a shame’ you might think, but I had never seen that instructor in Ullapool before the test day. Ok, I’m not in Ullapool every day, but the cynic in me suspected that it was another case of an Inverness instructor bringing a pupil to Ullapool for a supposedly easier test (than Inverness). Anyway, the same instructor was back today (and another fail). Perhaps it was the same pupil too. I just find it strange that the only time I have seen that instructor in Ullapool is for a test. I hope I’m wrong. I hope it was a pupil from Ullapool. I know of at least one person who will reading this thinking this is a bit ‘rich’ considering I travel from beyond Inverness to Ullapool. Well the difference is that my Ullapool pupils take their test in Ullapool, my Inverness pupils take their test in Inverness and my Elgin pupils take their test in Elgin. The only time I have ever taken a pupil to test in a supposedly ‘easier’ area is when Chris would have had to wait months for a test in Ullapool, so we went to Gairloch.
My pupil taking the 11.41am test had asked for extra lessons last weekend. As a result, I was feeling very confident, even if they weren’t. In the hour before their test I expressed concern that his observations could be better when reversing and that occasional misjudgements of speed caused wayward steering. Sometimes it’s a curse being such a smartarse… Only a few minor faults, but a serious fault for approaching a bend slightly too fast, causing him to go wide, and another serious fault for insufficient observations during his reverse park. Only a few moments to discuss rebooking his test as my final test pupil was already waiting.
It is very, very rare that I completely relax while a pupil is out on test. No matter how confident I am of their abilities, there is nearly always the niggling doubt that they could do something out of character. Not so with Craig… no niggling doubts at all. I am still waiting for my first completely faultless test. I have had many pupils that have come close, but no-one has yet passed without a single fault. Craig was my best hope this month, but my hopes were cruelly dashed when he passed with five minors. “FIVE!!” I blasted, when he proudly showed me his certificate and his green sheet. Seeing the look on his face made me hastily congratulate him and reassure him that he had done very well.
Four more lessons followed and now I am back in my favourite B&B. It is officially closed as the landlady is away on holiday, but she told me to let myself in and leave the (reduced) money on the table when I leave tomorrow. If I was a bit younger I might be tempted to throw a wild party, but my landlady is far too nice for me to do that to her.
As with last month, despite three out of my four pupils passing today, and my ‘new-car-pass-rate’ being 86%, I still have a slightly disappointed feeling because of that one fail. It wouldn’t be so bad in Inverness or Elgin, but, in Ullapool, a failed test means the pupil will probably have to wait FOUR months for another chance to gain their freedom. This drastically increases the pressure on pupils to pass. Not fair. Especially if it is true that people from Inverness are stealing test slots that should go to Ullapool residents. Perhaps I should initiate a ‘Passport to Pimlico’ style policy for Wester Ross? But then I wouldn’t get in.
Wednesday, 21 July 2010
So far.........
Almost the first thing I did when I got the Clio was to call Caroline, a pupil of mine from Lossiemouth, to tell her the news. “Thank God for that. Does that mean I don’t have to drive that Fiat thing anymore?” Caroline had started with me when I had the diesel Corsa and, despite my best efforts, I could not persuade her to like the 500, even though her own car had a petrol engine.
The next day Caroline had an hour lesson in the Clio and finished the lesson beaming. Two days later she took her 4th attempt at the driving test and passed with 5 minor faults. “It was your ‘lucky’ car,” she explained, “I felt a lot more confident.” I think it may have more to do with all the hard work she had put it over the last few months, so mastering the Fiat’s clutch meant that she found the Clio’s easy in comparison.
Three days later, James was having his second attempt. He also liked the Clio and passed easily with just 2 minors.
Katie, who was heavily pregnant, was supposed to have had her test the following day (also her second attempt), but we were concerned that the test date was very close to the due date of her baby. However, on the Monday, four days before her test, she text me to say that she would have to postpone her test because she had gone into labour. I text her back to wish her luck and to ask her for her theory certificate number, so that I could rearrange her test. I didn’t get a reply, so I assumed that she had other priorities by this time, but it meant I could not rearrange her test. Then, Thursday night she text me to say that Monday had been a false alarm and could she still take her test tomorrow morning?
Thus, at 9.37 Friday morning, an extremely pregnant Katie and I were sat at Elgin Test Centre after Katie had had a very brief half-hour to get used to the Clio. Fergie, the examiner came out, went through the formalities and explained that the Senior Examiner would be accompanying them on the test. Poor Katie. That would not help her nerves. “Would you like Martin to sit in on the test?” asked Fergie. I am always happy to sit in if my pupil wants me to, but I did not dream for one minute that Katie would want four (actually, five) people in the car for her test. “Yes please.” She replied. The Senior Examiner tried to calm her nerves by telling her that he had helped deliver two babies in the past, but I’m not entirely sure that Katie was reassured by this fact. Although, it was a bit of a squeeze (and I had to bend my head forward), I did not mind sitting in the back of the Fiat for 45 minutes. In the Clio, however, it easily comfortable enough for all five of us (I guess I am being a bit presumptuous about junior). It was not the most enjoyable of tests for me. Pedestrians stepped out in front of her, cars cut across her without any indication or warning. It was like a 45 minute-long extreme hazard-perception video. Bearing all this in mind, I expected Fergie to put a bit more feeling into his voice when, at the end of the test, he simply said “You’ve passed.”
Although one or two have been caught out by the way a diesel ‘pulls’ when the speed is too low for a particular gear, all my pupils say they prefer the Clio. And, since ‘officially’ leaving BSM last week, I have picked up 4 brand new pupils through my own efforts, plus 2 as a parting ‘gift’ from BSM.
As I learned last winter, I can’t take the good times for granted - it is my own business now and I will have to work hard to keep business levels high. But, for now, I am happy, my pupils are happy, and Caroline, James, Katie and Katie Jnr are especially happy.
The next day Caroline had an hour lesson in the Clio and finished the lesson beaming. Two days later she took her 4th attempt at the driving test and passed with 5 minor faults. “It was your ‘lucky’ car,” she explained, “I felt a lot more confident.” I think it may have more to do with all the hard work she had put it over the last few months, so mastering the Fiat’s clutch meant that she found the Clio’s easy in comparison.
Three days later, James was having his second attempt. He also liked the Clio and passed easily with just 2 minors.
Katie, who was heavily pregnant, was supposed to have had her test the following day (also her second attempt), but we were concerned that the test date was very close to the due date of her baby. However, on the Monday, four days before her test, she text me to say that she would have to postpone her test because she had gone into labour. I text her back to wish her luck and to ask her for her theory certificate number, so that I could rearrange her test. I didn’t get a reply, so I assumed that she had other priorities by this time, but it meant I could not rearrange her test. Then, Thursday night she text me to say that Monday had been a false alarm and could she still take her test tomorrow morning?
Thus, at 9.37 Friday morning, an extremely pregnant Katie and I were sat at Elgin Test Centre after Katie had had a very brief half-hour to get used to the Clio. Fergie, the examiner came out, went through the formalities and explained that the Senior Examiner would be accompanying them on the test. Poor Katie. That would not help her nerves. “Would you like Martin to sit in on the test?” asked Fergie. I am always happy to sit in if my pupil wants me to, but I did not dream for one minute that Katie would want four (actually, five) people in the car for her test. “Yes please.” She replied. The Senior Examiner tried to calm her nerves by telling her that he had helped deliver two babies in the past, but I’m not entirely sure that Katie was reassured by this fact. Although, it was a bit of a squeeze (and I had to bend my head forward), I did not mind sitting in the back of the Fiat for 45 minutes. In the Clio, however, it easily comfortable enough for all five of us (I guess I am being a bit presumptuous about junior). It was not the most enjoyable of tests for me. Pedestrians stepped out in front of her, cars cut across her without any indication or warning. It was like a 45 minute-long extreme hazard-perception video. Bearing all this in mind, I expected Fergie to put a bit more feeling into his voice when, at the end of the test, he simply said “You’ve passed.”
So, almost certainly tempting fate to say this but, after three tests, I have a 100% pass rate in my new car. (This is bound to be followed by a rash of fails now).
Although one or two have been caught out by the way a diesel ‘pulls’ when the speed is too low for a particular gear, all my pupils say they prefer the Clio. And, since ‘officially’ leaving BSM last week, I have picked up 4 brand new pupils through my own efforts, plus 2 as a parting ‘gift’ from BSM.
As I learned last winter, I can’t take the good times for granted - it is my own business now and I will have to work hard to keep business levels high. But, for now, I am happy, my pupils are happy, and Caroline, James, Katie and Katie Jnr are especially happy.
Saturday, 17 July 2010
Sleek and sophisticated
Appearance and styling: The Clio, is certainly more conservative in its styling; hardly surprising considering, despite facelifts, how long it has been around. But, as I explained the other day, it was the looks that attracted me in the first place (I am so shallow) and I think the new Clio is as attractive as any 'supermini' out there. Internally, the Clio is even more conservative and, I must admit, I will slightly miss the chunky stylings of the 500. Horses for courses, but I found the Fiat very comfortable for the driver and front passenger, but not all my pupils agreed. Marks out of 10 (Fiat score in brackets): Externally: 8 (7). Internally: 6 (8).
Controls: I liked the 'chrome', dashboard-mounted gearstick on the Fiat and it had a nice action, although it sometimes got stuck when selecting 5th gear. The Clio's gearstick, while less stylish, actually feels better and has an even better action. Plus, there is no risk of getting stuck when selecting 5th. The brakes are significantly better than the Fiat (which has caught a couple of pupils out) and the accelerator is less sensitive than the Fiat (petrol version). But the clutch.... The clutch is an absolute joy compared to the Fiat. The Clio's clutch is so much more forgiving that it has instantly given some of my pupils 100% more confidence. The 500 is a very easy car to stall, whereas my Clio is (famous last words) very hard to stall. Marks out of 10: 9 (7.5)
Performance and handling: The 1.5dCi engine is very quiet for a diesel, but lively and torquey. Although the Fiat was quite quick off the mark and nippy in the lower gears, it struggles with any workload in higher gears and often required dropping down the gears to tackle many of the hills in my area. The extra power in the Clio is plenty to cope with all but the steepest hills in 4th, or even 5th gear. As I mentioned in an earlier post, there is a lot more confidence when it comes to overtaking, even without changing down. I will miss the way the Fiat handled. The Fiat just went wherever you pointed it and the firm suspension (I had the Sport model) made the twisty roads around the West Highlands a real pleasure. The softer suspension on the Clio means that it is not quite as confident on the sharper corners, but it is smoother over pot-holed roads. Performance: 7 (5). Handling 7 (8).
Economy: Bliss. The Fiat really wasn't too bad for a petrol engine. I used to average around 50 mpg. But the Renault seems even more economical than the diesel Corsa. So far I am averaging 63 mpg. Not only that, but it has a decent sized fuel tank too, so I can cover 650 - 700 miles on a full tank. This eliminates the need for me to begrudgingly pay 10p more per litre in certain, out-of-the-way petrol stations. Economy: 9 (7)
Comfort: I'll be completely honest, I do miss the Fiat seats a little. In the Clio it feels more like I am sitting 'on' them, rather than 'in' them. However, there is far more adjustment possible and my pupils prefer the seats, whether they are 5 foot tall, or.... larger. On Wednesday, I had 11 hours of lessons and never felt the slightest bit uncomfortable. It is nice to have seat-belt height adjustment back again (not available in the 500) and the greater gap between front seats means I do not have to consciously keep away from my pupil. I have spent a little extra on a 5-door Clio and this has already been worthwhile. Last Friday Katie asked the examiner if I could sit in on her test, then the Senior Examiner sat in the back as well. Absolutely no problem in the Clio, but it would have been very cosy in the Fiat. Comfort: 8 (7)
Misc: No Bluetooth (yet), which I miss. The driver display is less cluttered and easier to see. Neither the Fiat, nor the Clio's audio system are quite as good as the Corsa's, but it is nice to have fingertip controls for the audio. The Fiat's turning circle was tiny, which was great for manoeuvres, but the Clio will still turn in the tightest of roads.
Final scores: Renault Clio - 54/100. Fiat 500 - 49.5/100.
But what do my pupils think of it?.................
Friday, 2 July 2010
Pariah
Well? First impressions of the Clio: After the Fiat, it seems very smooth. The longer wheelbase and softer suspension means that it feel much more composed on the road, where the 500 did get thrown about a bit. The 1.5dCi engine is powerful enough to enable overtaking with confidence, whereas the Fiat needed a lot of winding up to overtake. I will admit that, for me, it is not quite as much fun to drive, but it is much easier for my pupils to learn in. After five months trying to perfect their clutch control in the sensitive Fiat, the Clio's clutch is almost effortless and, after two full days, not one pupil has had a single stall. I haven't got time for a detailed review just now, I will do that soon, but, most importantly, my pupils (especially Caroline, who hated the Fiat) love it.
One amusing consequence of switching from my BSM Fiat to my own Renault (with minimal signage at the moment), is the reaction of other instructors. So long as it does not interfere with my tuition, I always acknowledge other instructors and they (usually) wave back. But, yesterday in Inverness, and today in Elgin, whenever I have waved at other instructors they have almost all narrowed their eyes and stared at me, giving the car a quick look-over as if to say 'Who is that new instructor encroaching upon my territory?' So, at the moment I feel a little bit of an outcast, but it certainly doesn't bother me. I just find it funny (ha ha).
One amusing consequence of switching from my BSM Fiat to my own Renault (with minimal signage at the moment), is the reaction of other instructors. So long as it does not interfere with my tuition, I always acknowledge other instructors and they (usually) wave back. But, yesterday in Inverness, and today in Elgin, whenever I have waved at other instructors they have almost all narrowed their eyes and stared at me, giving the car a quick look-over as if to say 'Who is that new instructor encroaching upon my territory?' So, at the moment I feel a little bit of an outcast, but it certainly doesn't bother me. I just find it funny (ha ha).
Thursday, 1 July 2010
We have lift off!
Today, I finally launch my new driving school. Ok, it may seem a bit grand to say ‘driving school’ when it is just me but, who knows, I may take on other instructors in the future.
I’m really excited about it, and a good, confident ‘excited’ too…. not a nervous ‘excited’. I have said it before, but I am not leaving BSM because I have any problem with them. I have no personal experience with Red, the AA or any other driving school, but I would have no hesitation in recommending BSM to anyone thinking of training to become a driving instructor. Once you have qualified though, consider your options. I liked the supply of pupils - sometimes not enough, sometimes too much - although the supply strangely dried-up a couple of months ago. I liked the fact that, if anything went wrong - with the car, with pupils, with payments - someone from BSM would do what they could to fix it. I liked the cars - the Corsa, although a little dull, was a good tuition car, and the Fiat 500, although a little underpowered and slightly sensitive, has been fun to drive and teach in; I shall miss it. And I liked the camaraderie and sense of ‘belonging’ with other BSM instructors and office staff. All in all, I (just about) considered it worthwhile paying the franchise fee each week. I lost count of the number of times I would be at test centres, chatting with other instructors, who would urge me to leave BSM and go independent; I would “never look back” they would say. However, many of these instructors would also say “I am really busy at the moment. I’ve got 27 hours this week.” busy?! PAH! As someone who has spent years running pubs, restaurants and hotels, anything less than 60 hours is part-time! So any thoughts of ‘going independent’ were always checked by concerns about how I would attract my own pupils. Where should I advertise? What should I charge? What happens if I don’t have enough pupils?
Over the last nine months, for various reasons, I have started to get a lot more pupils approaching me directly, rather than through BSM. I’m not going to list everything I did because it’s dog-eat-dog (as Adam Ant once said) out there and why should I give any advice to ‘the competition’? However, I was generating enough new pupils to make me think that perhaps I no longer needed to pay BSM to do this for me.
Once the decision had been made to leave BSM, I was then faced with countless new questions: What do I call my new business? What car do I choose? Do I buy or lease a car? What about the cheaper franchises (where the driving school provides the car, but no pupils), such as AA Solo, BSM AFI, etc?
I wasn’t too fussy about the car, but, with the mileage I do, I was fairly set on a diesel - that ruled out the AA, who only provide petrol cars. I considered BSM associated franchise, but it is a lot of money for a car, but no supply of pupils. Although, ultimately, it may be better for me to buy a tuition car and replace it every 18-24 months, depreciation would mean that it would not be hugely cheaper than leasing a car but I would have various worries (maintenance, paperwork, replacement cars etc), which I would not have if I leased a car. So, for the first one or two years at least, I am going to lease a car and see how that goes.
But what car? No choice whilst at BSM, just the Fiat 500. But I still put the Fiat in my shortlist (although a diesel version). Other cars that made it into my shortlist included the Ford Fiesta, the Mazda 2 and maybe the VW Polo, but I was inclined towards the increasingly ubiquitous Fiesta. In fact, back in April,, when I thought I would only have to give BSM one month’s notice, I had actually gone ahead and placed an order for the lease of a new Fiesta. So I was definitely not a happy bunny when BSM said I had to give three months notice; I did not want to pay for two cars, so I had to cancel the Fiesta order.
A month ago, I was in Ullapool enjoying a lunch-break in the sun, when a car pulled up in front of me. My instant reaction was ‘Wow! I want one of those’ - and I am not usually an ‘I want one of those’ person (unless it comes to British Sea Power CDs, aniseed twists or ginger biscuits). When the occupants had walked away I had a sneaky peek at their car. My mind was almost made up and, a week later, was confirmed after a test drive. It is a car which, as well as being great to drive, radiates class, quality, sophistication and sexiness - just like me.
So on this beautiful, sunny morning, I am sat on the Inverness - Glasgow Megabus, on my way to pick up my brand new Renault Clio. I was initially a little disgruntled by the fact that the car lease company would only deliver as far north as Glasgow, but now the day has arrived, I am enjoying my three-and-a-half hour journey south to meet the transporter. I feel like a kid the night before Christmas.
But what about the name? After all the tortuous mental wrangles, what snappy, defining word(s) did I choose for my new driving school? I would observe other independent instructors and note that I could not read a lot of their names until they were very close. I wanted something short, so that the letters could be large enough to be read from a distance. I liked the idea of incorporating an ‘L’ into the name, but that was not essential. I love driving and am saddened by the grim-faced and competitive nature of some drivers (and instructors), so, for a long time I was set on ‘SmiLe’. I have seen one or two ‘Smile’ driving schools on the internet and I liked the imagery. Unfortunately, while trying to design a logo one day, the face of Marti Pellow popped into my head and I could no longer bring myself to be associated with such an image.
From the age of thirteen, I somehow acquired the nickname ‘Farley’. I’m not entirely sure why, but it may have been my penchant for the extra-large ginger biscuit-type things the school would often provide for desserts. I guess they reminded someone of Farley’s Rusks. Or it may have been someone deciding that, because my surname begins with the first two letters as ‘rusk’, Farley would be an obvious (?) nickname…. I really don’t know how I ended up with the name. Perhaps it was something deeply insulting that has been kept secret from me. Anyway, it was a name that stuck and was soon used by friends, parents, teachers and just about everyone except my grandmother. Last year I wrote about our very influential French teacher, Monsieur Hobbs, and how he (unknowingly) inspired our fad for Franglais. Consequently, ‘Farley’ soon became ‘Farlé’, and then just ‘Farle’. Thirty years later, my wife, Jane, said “Why don’t you call it ‘Farle’?” I was initially dismissive, and not because it my wife’s idea rather than mine, but because I thought all those driving instructors out there who simply had their name on their signs were just a little unimaginative. However, I came round to the idea and, when I suggested alternative names to some of my pupils, ‘Farle’ beat ‘Smile’. (I did promise a free driving lesson to whoever came up with the ‘winning’ name, but I don’t think Jane will take very kindly to that).
With the name decided, I then had to think how best to market my fledgling business. I had been pleased when BSM made the decision to stop using the plastic roof signs, but now I am trying to promote my business myself, it is tempting to go back to a roof sign; after all, what is the point in choosing a short name if it is not going to be prominent? Meanwhile, while I shop around for one of those, my self-designed door signs arrived by post yesterday. That was exciting, but frustrating not yet having a car I could instantly go and put them on.
The bus is now two hours from Glasgow. Yesterday I confirmed all arrangements with the car lease company (I resisted the temptation to ask them if they were scared to venture as far north as the Highlands, rather than tentatively venturing up to Glasgow and then running quickly back south). So, shiny new car ordered? Check. Name chosen? Check. Logo designed? Check. Car signage delivered? Check. CD chosen as the first CD to be played in my new car?……… This is critical. Important drives have to be christened with an appropriate fanfare. Before we set off on our annual drive down to Dorset for the summer camping holiday, I would always spend ages deliberating over which essential tracks to include on the compilation cassettes. And then, I would spend a similar time choosing between ‘Teenage Kicks’ by The Undertones, ‘New Rose’ by The Damned or ‘Another girl Another planet’ by The Only Ones as THE track to kickstart the holiday. It was going to be ‘Do you like rock music?’ by British Sea Power, the most jaw-droppingly brilliant album of recent years, but I have decided to go for ‘Live in Belfast 2001’ by Belle and Sebastian (the bonus CD that came with their 2008 BBC session CD) - it is a rare album that can give me the shivers and have me singing (ok, shouting) along at the same time.
Actually, I was wrong. I don’t feel like a kid the night before Christmas, it is EVEN more exciting than that. I feel like Charlie entering the chocolate factory, or like Dr Frank N Furter about to unveil Rocky, or even like the German football team lining up to face England.
I will let you know soon what I think of the new car.
I’m really excited about it, and a good, confident ‘excited’ too…. not a nervous ‘excited’. I have said it before, but I am not leaving BSM because I have any problem with them. I have no personal experience with Red, the AA or any other driving school, but I would have no hesitation in recommending BSM to anyone thinking of training to become a driving instructor. Once you have qualified though, consider your options. I liked the supply of pupils - sometimes not enough, sometimes too much - although the supply strangely dried-up a couple of months ago. I liked the fact that, if anything went wrong - with the car, with pupils, with payments - someone from BSM would do what they could to fix it. I liked the cars - the Corsa, although a little dull, was a good tuition car, and the Fiat 500, although a little underpowered and slightly sensitive, has been fun to drive and teach in; I shall miss it. And I liked the camaraderie and sense of ‘belonging’ with other BSM instructors and office staff. All in all, I (just about) considered it worthwhile paying the franchise fee each week. I lost count of the number of times I would be at test centres, chatting with other instructors, who would urge me to leave BSM and go independent; I would “never look back” they would say. However, many of these instructors would also say “I am really busy at the moment. I’ve got 27 hours this week.” busy?! PAH! As someone who has spent years running pubs, restaurants and hotels, anything less than 60 hours is part-time! So any thoughts of ‘going independent’ were always checked by concerns about how I would attract my own pupils. Where should I advertise? What should I charge? What happens if I don’t have enough pupils?
Over the last nine months, for various reasons, I have started to get a lot more pupils approaching me directly, rather than through BSM. I’m not going to list everything I did because it’s dog-eat-dog (as Adam Ant once said) out there and why should I give any advice to ‘the competition’? However, I was generating enough new pupils to make me think that perhaps I no longer needed to pay BSM to do this for me.
Once the decision had been made to leave BSM, I was then faced with countless new questions: What do I call my new business? What car do I choose? Do I buy or lease a car? What about the cheaper franchises (where the driving school provides the car, but no pupils), such as AA Solo, BSM AFI, etc?
I wasn’t too fussy about the car, but, with the mileage I do, I was fairly set on a diesel - that ruled out the AA, who only provide petrol cars. I considered BSM associated franchise, but it is a lot of money for a car, but no supply of pupils. Although, ultimately, it may be better for me to buy a tuition car and replace it every 18-24 months, depreciation would mean that it would not be hugely cheaper than leasing a car but I would have various worries (maintenance, paperwork, replacement cars etc), which I would not have if I leased a car. So, for the first one or two years at least, I am going to lease a car and see how that goes.
But what car? No choice whilst at BSM, just the Fiat 500. But I still put the Fiat in my shortlist (although a diesel version). Other cars that made it into my shortlist included the Ford Fiesta, the Mazda 2 and maybe the VW Polo, but I was inclined towards the increasingly ubiquitous Fiesta. In fact, back in April,, when I thought I would only have to give BSM one month’s notice, I had actually gone ahead and placed an order for the lease of a new Fiesta. So I was definitely not a happy bunny when BSM said I had to give three months notice; I did not want to pay for two cars, so I had to cancel the Fiesta order.
A month ago, I was in Ullapool enjoying a lunch-break in the sun, when a car pulled up in front of me. My instant reaction was ‘Wow! I want one of those’ - and I am not usually an ‘I want one of those’ person (unless it comes to British Sea Power CDs, aniseed twists or ginger biscuits). When the occupants had walked away I had a sneaky peek at their car. My mind was almost made up and, a week later, was confirmed after a test drive. It is a car which, as well as being great to drive, radiates class, quality, sophistication and sexiness - just like me.
So on this beautiful, sunny morning, I am sat on the Inverness - Glasgow Megabus, on my way to pick up my brand new Renault Clio. I was initially a little disgruntled by the fact that the car lease company would only deliver as far north as Glasgow, but now the day has arrived, I am enjoying my three-and-a-half hour journey south to meet the transporter. I feel like a kid the night before Christmas.
But what about the name? After all the tortuous mental wrangles, what snappy, defining word(s) did I choose for my new driving school? I would observe other independent instructors and note that I could not read a lot of their names until they were very close. I wanted something short, so that the letters could be large enough to be read from a distance. I liked the idea of incorporating an ‘L’ into the name, but that was not essential. I love driving and am saddened by the grim-faced and competitive nature of some drivers (and instructors), so, for a long time I was set on ‘SmiLe’. I have seen one or two ‘Smile’ driving schools on the internet and I liked the imagery. Unfortunately, while trying to design a logo one day, the face of Marti Pellow popped into my head and I could no longer bring myself to be associated with such an image.
From the age of thirteen, I somehow acquired the nickname ‘Farley’. I’m not entirely sure why, but it may have been my penchant for the extra-large ginger biscuit-type things the school would often provide for desserts. I guess they reminded someone of Farley’s Rusks. Or it may have been someone deciding that, because my surname begins with the first two letters as ‘rusk’, Farley would be an obvious (?) nickname…. I really don’t know how I ended up with the name. Perhaps it was something deeply insulting that has been kept secret from me. Anyway, it was a name that stuck and was soon used by friends, parents, teachers and just about everyone except my grandmother. Last year I wrote about our very influential French teacher, Monsieur Hobbs, and how he (unknowingly) inspired our fad for Franglais. Consequently, ‘Farley’ soon became ‘Farlé’, and then just ‘Farle’. Thirty years later, my wife, Jane, said “Why don’t you call it ‘Farle’?” I was initially dismissive, and not because it my wife’s idea rather than mine, but because I thought all those driving instructors out there who simply had their name on their signs were just a little unimaginative. However, I came round to the idea and, when I suggested alternative names to some of my pupils, ‘Farle’ beat ‘Smile’. (I did promise a free driving lesson to whoever came up with the ‘winning’ name, but I don’t think Jane will take very kindly to that).
With the name decided, I then had to think how best to market my fledgling business. I had been pleased when BSM made the decision to stop using the plastic roof signs, but now I am trying to promote my business myself, it is tempting to go back to a roof sign; after all, what is the point in choosing a short name if it is not going to be prominent? Meanwhile, while I shop around for one of those, my self-designed door signs arrived by post yesterday. That was exciting, but frustrating not yet having a car I could instantly go and put them on.
The bus is now two hours from Glasgow. Yesterday I confirmed all arrangements with the car lease company (I resisted the temptation to ask them if they were scared to venture as far north as the Highlands, rather than tentatively venturing up to Glasgow and then running quickly back south). So, shiny new car ordered? Check. Name chosen? Check. Logo designed? Check. Car signage delivered? Check. CD chosen as the first CD to be played in my new car?……… This is critical. Important drives have to be christened with an appropriate fanfare. Before we set off on our annual drive down to Dorset for the summer camping holiday, I would always spend ages deliberating over which essential tracks to include on the compilation cassettes. And then, I would spend a similar time choosing between ‘Teenage Kicks’ by The Undertones, ‘New Rose’ by The Damned or ‘Another girl Another planet’ by The Only Ones as THE track to kickstart the holiday. It was going to be ‘Do you like rock music?’ by British Sea Power, the most jaw-droppingly brilliant album of recent years, but I have decided to go for ‘Live in Belfast 2001’ by Belle and Sebastian (the bonus CD that came with their 2008 BBC session CD) - it is a rare album that can give me the shivers and have me singing (ok, shouting) along at the same time.
Actually, I was wrong. I don’t feel like a kid the night before Christmas, it is EVEN more exciting than that. I feel like Charlie entering the chocolate factory, or like Dr Frank N Furter about to unveil Rocky, or even like the German football team lining up to face England.
I will let you know soon what I think of the new car.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)