When the going gets tough...

It is now nearly two weeks since the snow first arrived. I have given up cleaning my car for the moment; I should be cleaning the car more regularly to keep it clear of salt, grit and ice… maybe tomorrow.

The standard of driving around here has generally been good, but there have certainly been exceptions. Yesterday, I was on my way to Ullapool from early lessons in Inverness, with plenty of snow on the road and more snow falling. I was staggered to see a blue Subaru Impreza WRX overtake me, and the two cars immediately ahead of me, at a speed of at least 70mph. Granted, the WRX, with its all-wheel drive and low centre of gravity, will handle the conditions better than many cars, but it will still skid in a straight line once it loses traction. At 70mph that won’t be funny.

Someone tweeted “Drivers, if you are finding it difficult to control your car in these conditions, try ending your phone call and use both hands to hold the wheel.” The ones that really amaze me are when they have passengers, but it is the driver on the phone.

You may have heard that the police are getting tougher on motorists who fail to clear accumulations of snow from their roof. Apparently, this could lead to a £60 fine and 3 points on your licence. Far worse, it could lead to the snow sliding over your windscreen and your sudden loss of vision leading to a fatal accident. There have also been many reports of frozen blocks of snow flying off vehicles into the path of those following. A few days ago, my pupil had stopped at some traffic lights when car, with approximately 10cm on snow on the roof came up behind us. They braked and we watched as the entire load of snow slid forward and covered their windscreen. The lights changed to green and we drove off while the car behind remained stationary (to the irritation of following vehicle) while their windscreen wipers frantically tried to clear the snow. All it takes is about 20 seconds with a broom. On some forums I have seen people trying to justify that they can’t reach their roof. You have two options: Take an extra 30 seconds to get a stool, a step-ladder, or anything to give you enough height to clear the roof; or leave the snow on your roof and risk killing someone (maybe even yourself).

I have had a few more lessons cancelled, but I have been very impressed with my pupils’ attitude. Only two or three have cancelled because they don’t want to drive in these conditions; most of the cancellations have been because they live out of the area and have been unable to get transport to where I meet them (particularly in the case of my pupils from Kinlochbervie and Durness in the far north. I’m continually impressed with the dedication of these pupils to their lessons. Even in the best of conditions - my Kinlochbervie pupils have to make a 116 mile (three and a half hour) round trip to Ullapool for their lessons, while my pupils from Durness are even further away - 136 mile round trip (three hours, forty-five minutes).

I am really enjoying the lessons in the snow and ice. For their first lessons in these conditions I try to take them somewhere, such as an uncleared car park, where I can get them to safely brake normally to they can see how far the car will slide. Once they see this, I rarely have to tell them to brake on approach to junctions (and other hazards). It encourages them to look well ahead and come off the accelerator in plenty of time. I also explain how to use the gears and clutch effectively and, as a result, it can greatly improve their driving. If you are learning to drive and concerned about driving in these conditions, you may find that professional instruction in the snow and ice can substantially help your coordination of the controls (including steering). In fact, you don’t have to be a learner driver to benefit from qualified instruction.

So, apart from drivers who continue to use their phones while driving and people who can’t be bothered to take a moment to effectively clear their cars of snow and ice, the worst problem caused by these atrocious conditions is cancellation of tests. So far I have been lucky, as I have not had any tests scheduled for the past two weeks. However, I do have a few booked over the next fortnight and the forecast is not promising. I already have several pupils who are disappointed at the length of time they are having to wait for their test, so I am dreading test cancellations leading to the four month waiting times that we experienced earlier in the year. At least I know what I will be asking Father Christmas for - a heatwave.