Some people think the driving test is a matter of life or death. Some of my pupils assure me it's much more important than that.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about one such pupil who was SO desperate to pass his test. He contacted me months before his 17th birthday to arrange an intensive course of lessons, practised regularly with his parents, passed his theory and had his driving test booked for only a couple of weeks after his 17th birthday. His lessons were going so well that, not only was I convinced he was going to pass, but it was hard to imagine he would even pick up a minor fault. As you may have previously read, his test went very well (I sat in the back) until, 20 seconds from the end of the test, he misjudged the intentions of an oncoming learner driver and crossed in front of him. Result - serious fault and a failed test. I have seen pupils upset after a test, but I don't think I have ever seen anyone as shocked by a fail. There is no explaining it; I can think of several pupils who, over the years, have been almost faultless in their lessons, but just do something inexplicable on the day of the test.
Anyway, Friday was his second attempt. In the lesson beforehand his driving was good, but not quite as good as it usually is. Difficult for me to put my finger on what it was, maybe just a fraction rushed. I was surprised when he asked if I would sit in the back of the test again, but I was happy to agree. Whereas, in his first test, I had been relatively relaxed (until the last 20 seconds), I wasn't so relaxed this time. Especially when it came to his reversing manoeuvre. The examiner asked him to do a parallel park - something he could do with ease. But, he just rushed it and I could see we had to gone too far round and was heading for the curb. No problem, just stop the car and pull forward to correct his position. He did not stop. He slowed right down, slow enough so that he didn't actually 'bump' the curb with any force, but I could see the shock on his face. The rest of the drive was 'ok' - a bit shabby by his usual standards, but nothing serious.
At the end of his test, the examiner totted up the faults (7) and my pupil hung his head. It was hard to say whether he was more shocked last time, learning that he had failed, or this time, hearing that he had passed. Afterward the examiner had left, he was still slightly phased and babbled about how he was sure he had failed after his parallel parking. I explained that the examiner had decided that the manoeuvre had been completed 'under control' (but I wasn't entirely convinced, and nor was Andrew).
So, well done Andrew. Your determination and eagerness paid off in the end.
Out with the old and in with the new, as my next lesson was with a brand new pupil. She has set me a bit of a challenge: She passed her theory test back in mid-May 2009, with the intention of taking lessons then. But moving house and getting married delayed that plan and she recently realised that, unless she passed her driving test within two years of passing the theory test, she would have to sit the test again. So she has set me a deadline of less than 7 weeks to get her through her test - from scratch. I like a challenge.
My final pupil of the day was one who, back in December, had begun to lose her interest in driving. She had had lessons with another instructor prior to me and she had got it in her head that it was too long since her very first driving lesson. Was it worth the effort? she wondered. At the time I had suggested booking her driving test for a few months time so that she had a goal to aim for. Unfortunately, her progress had not been as good as we would have hoped and, with her test scheduled for next week, I did not think she was quite ready. I had to break the news.
"But I really want to pass. It's been so long since I started driving." She said. (It hasn't really.... many people take much more than a year from their first lesson to passing.)
I had to persuade her that it was in her best interests and that, no matter how disappointed she may feel about my advice, she would be more disappointed at failing her test. The killer question was "Do you think you can drive around the town without ever needing my help?" "No." was her honest reply.
She agreed to postpone her test. Later that evening, however, I was concerned when she text me to say that she could not get another date until June. I was anxious that she wouldn't wait that long and decide not to change her test date, but, to her credit, she did postpone it and has arranged immediate lessons.
As much as I agree with the DSA's motto, Safe driving for life, it is very rare to have a pupil who's main aim is to learn to be a very good driver, however long it takes. The large majority just want to get their licence to drive as quickly and cheaply as possible. But rushing the process is likely to be a false economy as driving tests cost two-and-a-half to three times as much as driving lessons, so you don't really want to take too many, even if you 'just want to give it a go'.
My final pupil of the night was even more detemined to succeed. Jordan, my 10 year-old grandson was at our house and he enjoys his computer games. I only have a few Playstation 2 games and his favourite is Gran Turismo. He is so determined to beat me (I won't let him win - I'm a bad grandad) and, over the last year, he has reached the point where he is at least equal to me. Suspecting that, one day, he will trash me, I suggested playing Tekken 5 instead. Unfortunately, this was not the best idea as the previous night I had got careless slicing up some ginger for a stir-fry and had lost the tip of my thumb. Despite being bandaged, the rigours of defending my Tekken credibility opened up the wound and I had to lose real blood in order to beat Jordan. You see, I can be just as determined as anyone else, even if it is only to beat up my grandson.
Monday 28 March 2011
Thursday 24 March 2011
Who is he kidding?
"Motorists have been thrown a lifeline in the current harsh economic conditions....." an industry 'expert' has said, by Chancellor George Osborne cutting 1p from fuel duty in yesterday's budget. There are hundreds of similar headlines to this in today's papers.
WHAT RUBBISH! He has reduced the price of fuel by 0.7% and we are supposed to sink to our knees and prostrate ourselves at his feet, pledging our eternal thanks for his benevolence? Not only does it not come close to reversing the huge increases in fuel prices recently, but it is virtually meaningless for most people.
You can do a far better job than George Osborne, and safe yourself much more than 0.7% of your fuel costs, by using eco-safe driving techniques:
Anticipate what is happening on the road ahead in order to avoid sudden braking and harsh acceleration.
Keep your tyres correctly inflated.
Use the gear that suits your speed, using the highest gear that doesn't cause the engine to struggle.
Don't carry excess weight around in your car needlessly.
There are many more tips to help you save much more than 1p a litre. You can search for them online or, maybe, I'll get around to producing a more comprehensive list one day.
But if you are happy with the Chancellor's announcement, good for you. I think it is an insult.
Edit: I was out on the west coast yesterday morning and did not think I had sufficient fuel to get back to Inverness, so I was forced to pay 149.9p a litre to put some fuel in my car. Needless to say, I only put in enough to get me to Inverness.
You can do a far better job than George Osborne, and safe yourself much more than 0.7% of your fuel costs, by using eco-safe driving techniques:
Anticipate what is happening on the road ahead in order to avoid sudden braking and harsh acceleration.
Keep your tyres correctly inflated.
Use the gear that suits your speed, using the highest gear that doesn't cause the engine to struggle.
Don't carry excess weight around in your car needlessly.
There are many more tips to help you save much more than 1p a litre. You can search for them online or, maybe, I'll get around to producing a more comprehensive list one day.
But if you are happy with the Chancellor's announcement, good for you. I think it is an insult.
Edit: I was out on the west coast yesterday morning and did not think I had sufficient fuel to get back to Inverness, so I was forced to pay 149.9p a litre to put some fuel in my car. Needless to say, I only put in enough to get me to Inverness.
Wednesday 23 March 2011
She who hesitates
Firstly, congratulations to Ali and Steven on passing their tests this week. It made it 8 passes out 10 tests in the week for me. And it was nice to see Ali out driving this morning (even if he didn't see me).
I've previously mentioned the tracker-gadget-thingy which provides me with all manner of trivial statistics about people visiting this site. Sometimes it gives me useful information, but, more often than not, the statistics it provides are just of curiosity value. Recently, I seem to be getting lots of people from various European countries coming here after searching for 'Swindon's magic roundabout'. Why this may be of interest to people in Belgium, Poland, Austria, Sweden and several other countries I can't imagine.
But it was someone who recently visited this blog after going to a search engine and searching for 'how do you teach a driving pupil about hesitation?' that caught my attention. A tough question, and I would not like to try to answer it in any depth here. With some pupils it is never an issue; if anything, I find that some pupils are not cautious enough. But it is the ones that seem to want to triple-check, when it is clear they are able to 'go', that can be a challenge.
I had one such pupil this morning. She has been with me for quite a while. Manoeuvres are good, control is good, observations rarely need to be remarked upon. But the only thing I regularly have to prompt her on is "is it safe to go?" Whether it is emerging from a give-way, crossing traffic or moving on after waiting behind an obstruction (such as a parked car), she is over-cautious and often ends up stopped, in first gear and waiting for a big gap before she thinks it is safe to go. 'What's wrong with that?' you may ask. Not only may the oncoming cars be holding back slighlty, expecting her to go, but the vehicles behind her may assume she will go and misjudge their braking. Also, if vehicles are already stopped behind someone who is too hesitant, they may get frustrated and rush to overtake before they get a safe opportunity.
I usually find that my pupils miss opportunities to go if they approach the junction/situation too quickly; then they are still braking at the point where they should be looking to see if they can accelerate. Getting them to bring their speed down in good time works wonders because, having done most of the braking early, they then have a few seconds to look at the junction and decide whether it is safe to go.
I teach my pupils to try and drive in a manner that doesn't cause other road users to change their speed or direction. That's fine in principle, but sometimes hard for them to judge, so instructors try to use 'knowledge transfer' - apply what they do know to something they don't. For example, when a pupil is approaching a side road to turn right, if they look like they will hesitate and wait for an oncoming vehicle when they have plenty of time to cross, I could ask "If you were a pedestrian, would you think it is safe to walk across the road here?" The theory being that they will have had experience as a pedestrian and will be able to judge whether it is safe. If they think it is safe to walk across, they will have time to drive across.
This happened to my pupil this morning. She was approaching a road to turn right. She had checked her mirrors, indicated, braked and was selecting 2nd gear when she began to brake more. I realised that she had seen the oncoming car (which was some distance away) and was going to wait until it had passed...
"Do you have time to walk across before that car?" I prompted.
No answer, She selected 1st gear and stopped, waited until the car had passed, then I had to tell her it was safe to go because I could see she was looking at another oncoming car which was even further away. I asked her to pull over and repeated my question...
"Did you not think you had time to safely walk across the road before that first car?"
"Hmmmm. Probably not."
"Really?! We had to wait some time before the car passed us. I think I could have comfortably walked across in plenty of time." I suggested.
"I'm a nervous pedestrian." was her response. I had no answer to that.
I've previously mentioned the tracker-gadget-thingy which provides me with all manner of trivial statistics about people visiting this site. Sometimes it gives me useful information, but, more often than not, the statistics it provides are just of curiosity value. Recently, I seem to be getting lots of people from various European countries coming here after searching for 'Swindon's magic roundabout'. Why this may be of interest to people in Belgium, Poland, Austria, Sweden and several other countries I can't imagine.
But it was someone who recently visited this blog after going to a search engine and searching for 'how do you teach a driving pupil about hesitation?' that caught my attention. A tough question, and I would not like to try to answer it in any depth here. With some pupils it is never an issue; if anything, I find that some pupils are not cautious enough. But it is the ones that seem to want to triple-check, when it is clear they are able to 'go', that can be a challenge.
I had one such pupil this morning. She has been with me for quite a while. Manoeuvres are good, control is good, observations rarely need to be remarked upon. But the only thing I regularly have to prompt her on is "is it safe to go?" Whether it is emerging from a give-way, crossing traffic or moving on after waiting behind an obstruction (such as a parked car), she is over-cautious and often ends up stopped, in first gear and waiting for a big gap before she thinks it is safe to go. 'What's wrong with that?' you may ask. Not only may the oncoming cars be holding back slighlty, expecting her to go, but the vehicles behind her may assume she will go and misjudge their braking. Also, if vehicles are already stopped behind someone who is too hesitant, they may get frustrated and rush to overtake before they get a safe opportunity.
I usually find that my pupils miss opportunities to go if they approach the junction/situation too quickly; then they are still braking at the point where they should be looking to see if they can accelerate. Getting them to bring their speed down in good time works wonders because, having done most of the braking early, they then have a few seconds to look at the junction and decide whether it is safe to go.
I teach my pupils to try and drive in a manner that doesn't cause other road users to change their speed or direction. That's fine in principle, but sometimes hard for them to judge, so instructors try to use 'knowledge transfer' - apply what they do know to something they don't. For example, when a pupil is approaching a side road to turn right, if they look like they will hesitate and wait for an oncoming vehicle when they have plenty of time to cross, I could ask "If you were a pedestrian, would you think it is safe to walk across the road here?" The theory being that they will have had experience as a pedestrian and will be able to judge whether it is safe. If they think it is safe to walk across, they will have time to drive across.
This happened to my pupil this morning. She was approaching a road to turn right. She had checked her mirrors, indicated, braked and was selecting 2nd gear when she began to brake more. I realised that she had seen the oncoming car (which was some distance away) and was going to wait until it had passed...
"Do you have time to walk across before that car?" I prompted.
No answer, She selected 1st gear and stopped, waited until the car had passed, then I had to tell her it was safe to go because I could see she was looking at another oncoming car which was even further away. I asked her to pull over and repeated my question...
"Did you not think you had time to safely walk across the road before that first car?"
"Hmmmm. Probably not."
"Really?! We had to wait some time before the car passed us. I think I could have comfortably walked across in plenty of time." I suggested.
"I'm a nervous pedestrian." was her response. I had no answer to that.
Thursday 17 March 2011
Ullapool tests
Tuesday 15th March 2011
7am Tuesday morning and I’m enjoying two hours of tea and tranquillity, but bracing myself for what is to come: 18 hours of lessons, plus no less than nine tests in the next three days.
Once one of my pupils has passed their theory test we discuss when to book their driving test. They can pay me and I will do it for them, or they can do it themselves. For my Inverness and Elgin pupils I advise them to quote my ADI number when booking, to avoid two pupils booking tests that clash. Where my Ullapool pupils are concerned, there is no chance of a clash because one examiner comes up once a month and he can obviously only conduct one test at a time.
A few months ago one of my Ullapool pupils told me they had booked their test at 1.33pm on 16th March. I checked my diary and saw that another of my pupils had already booked a test in Ullapool at that time. I assumed that one of them had made a mistake and did not immediately worry about it. The next week, a similar thing happened; two pupils told me they had booked their test for 10.44am on 16th March. Then two more pupils booked their test for 8.40am on the same day. What was going on? Surely they could not all be mistaken? I went online to check and, sure enough, they were all correct.
I called the DSA to find out what had happened. They confirmed that the test time were correct because TWO examiners were being sent to Ullapool that day. The problem is I only have ONE car!
I explained the situation to all six pupils and discussed the options:
1. Move their test back to a later date (not popular).
2. Try to find another test time on that date (there were none that did not clash with some of my other pupils’ tests).
3. Consider taking their test in Inverness or Gairloch (again, not popular).
4. Try to find another car.
Lots of phone calls and texts ensued and I managed to juggle a few tests around. I was still left with three pairs of clashing tests, but I had managed to switch tests around so that two of the clashing tests each had a pupil who was happy to use their own car.
With two weeks to go I still had two pupils who had no other car they could use and neither were willing to move their test back to a later date. The nightmare scenario was that, without the problem being resolved, both pupils would turn up at the test centre for their test and I would have to toss a coin to see who took their test - unthinkable.
The situation was finally resolved when I placed an ad in the local paper, asking if anyone taking the 9.37am test would be willing to swap to 10.44am. Someone responded to the ad and I was able to call the DSA and swap the two tests over. Finally. Problem solved.
Well, not quite. One of my pupils who was going to take the test in his own car has now got a problem with his car that cannot be fixed before his test. So he has been forced to ask another instructor if he can use his car.
Today I have nine pupils having lessons, then Wednesday I have eight pupils on test (plus three additional lessons). I would love to predict that all eight will pass - and they are all good enough to pass - but mathematical probability suggests it is unlikely. The big problem comes if a few of them don’t pass because they may then have to wait until June, or even July, to retake their test.
Fingers crossed then, but I have done what I can, it’s down to my pupils now.
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Wednesday 16th March 2011
I never used to be an early bird, I was much more of a night owl, but these days I often find myself waking up before my alarm - particularly on test days.
Wednesday morning it was the bright morning light that woke me soon after six. A pristine Ullapool morning with not a speck of cloud. Although maybe it was anxiety that woke me early. Yesterday, two of my lessons were with very new learner drivers and, with eight tests the following day, I was particularly anxious for them not to hit any curbs. I have only ever had two pupils damage tyres by hitting the curb, but, with no full spare tyre in my car, I dread it happening just before a test.
By eight o’clock I had refuelled, washed my car and was heading to my first lesson. I had two pupils taking the 8.40am test, with one of them using his own car (which, without power steering, was hard work for him on the manoeuvres). Ruairidh (in his own car) had previously asked if I could sit in the back of his test. It would have been strange sitting in the back of someone else’s car, watching another pupil go out in my own car, but, when the time came, Ruairidh decided he would be fine without me in the back. He was fine, passing with 2 minor faults. Unfortunately, my other pupil misjudged a junction and failed for his approach speed. A mixed start to the day.
I have three or four pupils taking their test today whose approach to junctions and hazards is perfection. Heather, taking the 9.37am test, was one such pupil. She had kindly let me move her test around a couple of times to accommodate other pupils, so I especially wanted her to pass. Seven minor faults is more than we would have liked, but still a comfortable pass.
My next pupil, taking the 10.44am test, was an equally good driver. Her pedal control is so good that her gear changes are seamless. It was therefore a big shock when the examiner opened the door at the end of her test and beckoned me over. She had been on the 60mph road to Ardmair when, in front of her, a truck had been struggling to get up the hill. Rather than hang back and look for a safe opportunity to overtake, she had let herself get too close and the examiner deemed it a serious fault. Whenever a pupil fails their test I wonder if I had left a gap in their knowledge. I may be blowing my own trumpet, but this is almost never the case. With this pupil however, I am blaming myself because, although we covered safe following distances, we rarely had the opportunity to see it in practice (most of her lessons were on quiet Sunday mornings), so I am not convinced that I had made her understand the concept. I always feel bad for the ones that don’t pass, but I do feel especially bad for her because her driving is usually textbook.
The 11.41am test was taken by a pupil who, in addition to the lessons in my car, has had plenty of practice in his parents’ car - an automatic. At first I wasn’t sure whether this was a good idea, but his clutch and gear control have not been a problem, so no harm done. His early lessons were very promising, but I seem to have spent most of his lessons trying to slow him down. My advice finally sank in and he has realised how much easier driving is when he gives himself plenty of time on approach to hazards/junctions. This was proved when he passed today with 2 minor faults. So well done Daniel, I look forward to seeing you for the Pass Plus course (and thanks to your mum for the delicious meal).
A while back I wrote about trading driving lessons for goods and accommodation. Last October, the manager of an Ullapool hotel suggested a deal where I taught his wife in return for food and accommodation. A wonderful suggestion because I usually need to stay 2 or 3 nights a week in Ullapool and his wife, Anna, was always happy to fit in wherever I had a gap in my schedule. On test days they spoil me in the hotel by providing me with a corner turreted room that overlooks several junctions (as I mentioned last month). And so it was this week. But the weather was so nice today that, while waiting for my pupils to complete their tests, I was happy to sit down by the harbour, rather than hide up in my hotel room. An heavily pregnant Anna ensured that I will have to pay for my Ullapool accommodation from now on by passing easily with 3 minor faults. Although her lessons were, effectively, free for her, Anna always continually tried to improve her driving and was always asking me very technical questions about all sorts of hypothetical driving situations. I wish all my pupils were like her. Warmest congratulations Anna and best wishes for your new arrival.
I had another pupil out on test at the same time as Anna. Ruaridh has had many lessons with me, but was happy to take the test in his own car. Unfortunately, a crack in his windscreen meant that this would not be possible. The cheapest option was to ask another instructor if he could use their car. This instructor, quite rightly, insisted on an assessment lesson before he would agree to this. This morning, while waiting for one of my pupils, I met Ruaridh and wished him well for the test. He then asked me some technical questions that had been raised by the other instructor giving advice which conflicted with the instruction I had given him:
While parallel parking I once had a pupil fail a test because, after pulling alongside the car, she secured her car and looked all around. While she did this a car was approaching from behind. Obviously, with her car in neutral, there was nothing to tell the approaching car that she was about to reverse and the car stopped just behind her, expecting her to drive on. The examiner had to tell her to drive on and she failed her test as a result. Consequently, I always advise my pupils to give a signal to approaching cars (indicator and reversing lights) as soon as possible. The other instructor told Ruaridh he needed to secure the car before selecting reverse gear.
The other conflicting advice involves an unusual situation where the examiner asks them to complete a U-turn within a rural crossroads. They have to turn left into the side road, then swing the car back round to the Give-way line, check to ensure it is safe before continuing the turn right. I advise my pupils to signal left before turning into the first road then, because they are then effectively turning right at a crossroads, they need to signal right. The other instructor told him a right signal was not necessary.
I felt sorry for Ruaridh because two instructors were giving him conflicting advice. I couldn’t say the other instructor is wrong. I could only tell Ruaridh to imagine the situations from the perspective of other approaching drivers and use his common sense. He must have done so for at least forty minutes because he too passed.
Struan had the last test of the day. All that practice in his parents’ estate car paid off because he passed with 3 minor faults. Well done Struan. See you for the Pass Plus.
It was quite a contrast then, after a whole day of test-standard pupils, to have lessons with three novice pupils, but that is one of the beauties of this job.
I am now settled, for the last night in my hotel room, watching the cliché-fest that is Masterchef. I should be proud that I had six pupils pass their test today - a record for me - but it is the two that didn’t pass that weigh on my mind. One day I will come to Ullapool and have all my pupils pass……. next month maybe?
7am Tuesday morning and I’m enjoying two hours of tea and tranquillity, but bracing myself for what is to come: 18 hours of lessons, plus no less than nine tests in the next three days.
Once one of my pupils has passed their theory test we discuss when to book their driving test. They can pay me and I will do it for them, or they can do it themselves. For my Inverness and Elgin pupils I advise them to quote my ADI number when booking, to avoid two pupils booking tests that clash. Where my Ullapool pupils are concerned, there is no chance of a clash because one examiner comes up once a month and he can obviously only conduct one test at a time.
A few months ago one of my Ullapool pupils told me they had booked their test at 1.33pm on 16th March. I checked my diary and saw that another of my pupils had already booked a test in Ullapool at that time. I assumed that one of them had made a mistake and did not immediately worry about it. The next week, a similar thing happened; two pupils told me they had booked their test for 10.44am on 16th March. Then two more pupils booked their test for 8.40am on the same day. What was going on? Surely they could not all be mistaken? I went online to check and, sure enough, they were all correct.
I called the DSA to find out what had happened. They confirmed that the test time were correct because TWO examiners were being sent to Ullapool that day. The problem is I only have ONE car!
I explained the situation to all six pupils and discussed the options:
1. Move their test back to a later date (not popular).
2. Try to find another test time on that date (there were none that did not clash with some of my other pupils’ tests).
3. Consider taking their test in Inverness or Gairloch (again, not popular).
4. Try to find another car.
Lots of phone calls and texts ensued and I managed to juggle a few tests around. I was still left with three pairs of clashing tests, but I had managed to switch tests around so that two of the clashing tests each had a pupil who was happy to use their own car.
With two weeks to go I still had two pupils who had no other car they could use and neither were willing to move their test back to a later date. The nightmare scenario was that, without the problem being resolved, both pupils would turn up at the test centre for their test and I would have to toss a coin to see who took their test - unthinkable.
The situation was finally resolved when I placed an ad in the local paper, asking if anyone taking the 9.37am test would be willing to swap to 10.44am. Someone responded to the ad and I was able to call the DSA and swap the two tests over. Finally. Problem solved.
Well, not quite. One of my pupils who was going to take the test in his own car has now got a problem with his car that cannot be fixed before his test. So he has been forced to ask another instructor if he can use his car.
Today I have nine pupils having lessons, then Wednesday I have eight pupils on test (plus three additional lessons). I would love to predict that all eight will pass - and they are all good enough to pass - but mathematical probability suggests it is unlikely. The big problem comes if a few of them don’t pass because they may then have to wait until June, or even July, to retake their test.
Fingers crossed then, but I have done what I can, it’s down to my pupils now.
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Wednesday 16th March 2011
I never used to be an early bird, I was much more of a night owl, but these days I often find myself waking up before my alarm - particularly on test days.
Wednesday morning it was the bright morning light that woke me soon after six. A pristine Ullapool morning with not a speck of cloud. Although maybe it was anxiety that woke me early. Yesterday, two of my lessons were with very new learner drivers and, with eight tests the following day, I was particularly anxious for them not to hit any curbs. I have only ever had two pupils damage tyres by hitting the curb, but, with no full spare tyre in my car, I dread it happening just before a test.
By eight o’clock I had refuelled, washed my car and was heading to my first lesson. I had two pupils taking the 8.40am test, with one of them using his own car (which, without power steering, was hard work for him on the manoeuvres). Ruairidh (in his own car) had previously asked if I could sit in the back of his test. It would have been strange sitting in the back of someone else’s car, watching another pupil go out in my own car, but, when the time came, Ruairidh decided he would be fine without me in the back. He was fine, passing with 2 minor faults. Unfortunately, my other pupil misjudged a junction and failed for his approach speed. A mixed start to the day.
I have three or four pupils taking their test today whose approach to junctions and hazards is perfection. Heather, taking the 9.37am test, was one such pupil. She had kindly let me move her test around a couple of times to accommodate other pupils, so I especially wanted her to pass. Seven minor faults is more than we would have liked, but still a comfortable pass.
My next pupil, taking the 10.44am test, was an equally good driver. Her pedal control is so good that her gear changes are seamless. It was therefore a big shock when the examiner opened the door at the end of her test and beckoned me over. She had been on the 60mph road to Ardmair when, in front of her, a truck had been struggling to get up the hill. Rather than hang back and look for a safe opportunity to overtake, she had let herself get too close and the examiner deemed it a serious fault. Whenever a pupil fails their test I wonder if I had left a gap in their knowledge. I may be blowing my own trumpet, but this is almost never the case. With this pupil however, I am blaming myself because, although we covered safe following distances, we rarely had the opportunity to see it in practice (most of her lessons were on quiet Sunday mornings), so I am not convinced that I had made her understand the concept. I always feel bad for the ones that don’t pass, but I do feel especially bad for her because her driving is usually textbook.
The 11.41am test was taken by a pupil who, in addition to the lessons in my car, has had plenty of practice in his parents’ car - an automatic. At first I wasn’t sure whether this was a good idea, but his clutch and gear control have not been a problem, so no harm done. His early lessons were very promising, but I seem to have spent most of his lessons trying to slow him down. My advice finally sank in and he has realised how much easier driving is when he gives himself plenty of time on approach to hazards/junctions. This was proved when he passed today with 2 minor faults. So well done Daniel, I look forward to seeing you for the Pass Plus course (and thanks to your mum for the delicious meal).
A while back I wrote about trading driving lessons for goods and accommodation. Last October, the manager of an Ullapool hotel suggested a deal where I taught his wife in return for food and accommodation. A wonderful suggestion because I usually need to stay 2 or 3 nights a week in Ullapool and his wife, Anna, was always happy to fit in wherever I had a gap in my schedule. On test days they spoil me in the hotel by providing me with a corner turreted room that overlooks several junctions (as I mentioned last month). And so it was this week. But the weather was so nice today that, while waiting for my pupils to complete their tests, I was happy to sit down by the harbour, rather than hide up in my hotel room. An heavily pregnant Anna ensured that I will have to pay for my Ullapool accommodation from now on by passing easily with 3 minor faults. Although her lessons were, effectively, free for her, Anna always continually tried to improve her driving and was always asking me very technical questions about all sorts of hypothetical driving situations. I wish all my pupils were like her. Warmest congratulations Anna and best wishes for your new arrival.
I had another pupil out on test at the same time as Anna. Ruaridh has had many lessons with me, but was happy to take the test in his own car. Unfortunately, a crack in his windscreen meant that this would not be possible. The cheapest option was to ask another instructor if he could use their car. This instructor, quite rightly, insisted on an assessment lesson before he would agree to this. This morning, while waiting for one of my pupils, I met Ruaridh and wished him well for the test. He then asked me some technical questions that had been raised by the other instructor giving advice which conflicted with the instruction I had given him:
While parallel parking I once had a pupil fail a test because, after pulling alongside the car, she secured her car and looked all around. While she did this a car was approaching from behind. Obviously, with her car in neutral, there was nothing to tell the approaching car that she was about to reverse and the car stopped just behind her, expecting her to drive on. The examiner had to tell her to drive on and she failed her test as a result. Consequently, I always advise my pupils to give a signal to approaching cars (indicator and reversing lights) as soon as possible. The other instructor told Ruaridh he needed to secure the car before selecting reverse gear.
The other conflicting advice involves an unusual situation where the examiner asks them to complete a U-turn within a rural crossroads. They have to turn left into the side road, then swing the car back round to the Give-way line, check to ensure it is safe before continuing the turn right. I advise my pupils to signal left before turning into the first road then, because they are then effectively turning right at a crossroads, they need to signal right. The other instructor told him a right signal was not necessary.
I felt sorry for Ruaridh because two instructors were giving him conflicting advice. I couldn’t say the other instructor is wrong. I could only tell Ruaridh to imagine the situations from the perspective of other approaching drivers and use his common sense. He must have done so for at least forty minutes because he too passed.
Struan had the last test of the day. All that practice in his parents’ estate car paid off because he passed with 3 minor faults. Well done Struan. See you for the Pass Plus.
It was quite a contrast then, after a whole day of test-standard pupils, to have lessons with three novice pupils, but that is one of the beauties of this job.
I am now settled, for the last night in my hotel room, watching the cliché-fest that is Masterchef. I should be proud that I had six pupils pass their test today - a record for me - but it is the two that didn’t pass that weigh on my mind. One day I will come to Ullapool and have all my pupils pass……. next month maybe?
Monday 14 March 2011
Tested to the limit
The week started to so well, with Liverpool beating Man Utd, and the weather making it feel much more like Spring than Winter. But, gradually, the week got worse.
Wednesday morning I was stunned to look out of my window and see the return of snow. Fortunately, it didn't last too long, but it stayed long enough to cause more road accidents (or rather, it was a factor in some drivers not dealing with the conditions). So Wednesday and Thursday weren't great, but Friday was the day from hell.
I have a pupil who is just DESPERATE to drive. He first contacted me about six months ago - five months before his 17th birthday - and spent the next few months arranging lessons and asking almost every question imaginable about the process of learning to drive and the tests. Finally, a few weeks ago, as soon as he turned 17, he began taking a course of 3-hour lessons, passed his theory test and applied for his driving test. He practiced every day with his parents and became possibly the most dedicated pupil I have yet had. I pushed him and pushed him and, as his test approached, his driving was virtually faultless.
The day of the test arrived and, despite his ability, he was still a little nervous, so he asked me if I would sit in on his test. I have probably said it before, but, although I will always agree to do so, sitting in the back of my car while a pupil is out on test is not the most relaxing experience for me. I can’t say or do anything - I have to make myself as invisible as possible. I usually sit behind the pupil and watch the road ahead, silently urging my pupil to react the way I would and squirming if they don’t. With this pupil I was doing very little squirming. I wouldn’t exactly say I was relaxed, but there was mild clenching rather than squirming.
After he successfully negotiated a particularly tricky parallel park, in a road that is barely wide enough for two cars, he was directed to Lossiemouth, where he dealt superbly with several awkward meeting situations. By the time he had tackled some blind, uphill crossroads and had begun the road back to Elgin test centre I had completely relaxed (not even the mildest of clenching). I had counted three minor faults and was very proud of his overall drive. He just had to turn right into the test centre. Approaching the junction from the other direction was another learner driver. Presumably this was a fairly new learner driver, as they were approaching the junction rather slowly. My pupil was waiting patiently then the oncoming leaner slowed right down (approx 2 - 3mph) to take the turn. My pupil mis-interpreted this as an invitation to cross and began turning right, in front of the learner. I clenched and squirmed like never before. Why? Why? WHY?
Twenty seconds later he had parked at the test centre and the test was over. The examiner sighed. "Why did you think you had time to turn? He asked.
"I thought he was slowing down to let me go first."
The examiner turned to me and asked "Did you think that?"
"No," I had to honestly reply, "he was slowing down because he was a learner driver."
The examiner gave the bad news to my pupil, who was completely shocked that he had failed, and added "It's a pity." as a he left the car.
After that I went to Inverness train station to meet another pupil for his test. He had had lessons and failed his first test with another instructor, but this instructor had booked a holiday that coincided with the pupil's second attempt, so the pupil had called me and asked if I could give him a block of lessons and take him to his test. The lessons were fine and I was confident that he would pass. By 12.10pm my pupil had still not arrived, so I decided to call him. Unfortunately, on my stupid replacement phone, I did not have his mobile number saved, but I had his home number in my diary. I called and his mother answered. Sometimes pupils keep their tests a secret, so I just explained that he was late for his lesson. His mother said that he was in Fortrose today - I began to get a bad feeling - but she would call him. Ten minutes later I had still not heard anything, so I called the mother again.
"Oh. Has he not called you?" She asked. I said 'no' and asked for his contact number so that I could call him. No reply. I sent him a text. I was just glad that we still had an hour and a half before his test. I had visions of him asking me to collect him from Fortrose (which was possible in the time). Still no reply. What should I do? I decdied that the best course of action would be to stay where I was, as it was, just a few days ago, where we had agreed to meet.
Another Inverness pupil had previously asked if he could have a lesson this afternoon, but 3.00pm (after my pupil's test) would have been too late for him. I considered calling him to see if he still wanted the lesson, but I decided not to in case my test pupil turned up. At 1.45, he had still not turned up, so my only option was to drive to the test centre in the hope that he had gone straight there. No, he had not. I could not understand it. The examiner called out his name, so I knew that the pupil had not given me the wrong date/time. Who knows why he did not show. He has still not replied to my calls or text, so I can only conclude that he had forgotten and was too embarrassed to get in touch. Maybe I will never know. He may have wasted his £63 test fee, but he cost me three, possibly four, hours of income. Not happy.
I drove on to my next pupil. She has her test within the next month and I don't think she will be ready in time, so I decided to give her a mock test. Her control and awareness can be as good as anyone's, but she lacks concentration. I was hoping, after the wretched morning I had just had, that she would prove me wrong and do well in the mock.
She didn't prove me wrong. In fact, it was probably the worse she had driven for weeks. I had a suspicion that she was relying on me a little too much, so a mock test would test this suspicion. I'm not going to go into detail but it went so badly wrong that, half-way though, she stopped the car and asked if I could drive her home.
I love my job but I had just had a bad day. I looked forward to getting home, opening a bottle of wine and doing some experimental cookery.
I got home, opened a bottle of wine and, while I perused the cupboards for ingredients I had a little rant about my day to Jane. Then I switched on the telly and learned of the terrible and tragic events in Japan. It put my day in perspective.
So if you ever catch yourself saying "I've had the day from hell", just think back to Friday 11th March 2011, because the people of Honshu really did have 'The Day from Hell'.
Wednesday morning I was stunned to look out of my window and see the return of snow. Fortunately, it didn't last too long, but it stayed long enough to cause more road accidents (or rather, it was a factor in some drivers not dealing with the conditions). So Wednesday and Thursday weren't great, but Friday was the day from hell.
I have a pupil who is just DESPERATE to drive. He first contacted me about six months ago - five months before his 17th birthday - and spent the next few months arranging lessons and asking almost every question imaginable about the process of learning to drive and the tests. Finally, a few weeks ago, as soon as he turned 17, he began taking a course of 3-hour lessons, passed his theory test and applied for his driving test. He practiced every day with his parents and became possibly the most dedicated pupil I have yet had. I pushed him and pushed him and, as his test approached, his driving was virtually faultless.
The day of the test arrived and, despite his ability, he was still a little nervous, so he asked me if I would sit in on his test. I have probably said it before, but, although I will always agree to do so, sitting in the back of my car while a pupil is out on test is not the most relaxing experience for me. I can’t say or do anything - I have to make myself as invisible as possible. I usually sit behind the pupil and watch the road ahead, silently urging my pupil to react the way I would and squirming if they don’t. With this pupil I was doing very little squirming. I wouldn’t exactly say I was relaxed, but there was mild clenching rather than squirming.
After he successfully negotiated a particularly tricky parallel park, in a road that is barely wide enough for two cars, he was directed to Lossiemouth, where he dealt superbly with several awkward meeting situations. By the time he had tackled some blind, uphill crossroads and had begun the road back to Elgin test centre I had completely relaxed (not even the mildest of clenching). I had counted three minor faults and was very proud of his overall drive. He just had to turn right into the test centre. Approaching the junction from the other direction was another learner driver. Presumably this was a fairly new learner driver, as they were approaching the junction rather slowly. My pupil was waiting patiently then the oncoming leaner slowed right down (approx 2 - 3mph) to take the turn. My pupil mis-interpreted this as an invitation to cross and began turning right, in front of the learner. I clenched and squirmed like never before. Why? Why? WHY?
Twenty seconds later he had parked at the test centre and the test was over. The examiner sighed. "Why did you think you had time to turn? He asked.
"I thought he was slowing down to let me go first."
The examiner turned to me and asked "Did you think that?"
"No," I had to honestly reply, "he was slowing down because he was a learner driver."
The examiner gave the bad news to my pupil, who was completely shocked that he had failed, and added "It's a pity." as a he left the car.
After that I went to Inverness train station to meet another pupil for his test. He had had lessons and failed his first test with another instructor, but this instructor had booked a holiday that coincided with the pupil's second attempt, so the pupil had called me and asked if I could give him a block of lessons and take him to his test. The lessons were fine and I was confident that he would pass. By 12.10pm my pupil had still not arrived, so I decided to call him. Unfortunately, on my stupid replacement phone, I did not have his mobile number saved, but I had his home number in my diary. I called and his mother answered. Sometimes pupils keep their tests a secret, so I just explained that he was late for his lesson. His mother said that he was in Fortrose today - I began to get a bad feeling - but she would call him. Ten minutes later I had still not heard anything, so I called the mother again.
"Oh. Has he not called you?" She asked. I said 'no' and asked for his contact number so that I could call him. No reply. I sent him a text. I was just glad that we still had an hour and a half before his test. I had visions of him asking me to collect him from Fortrose (which was possible in the time). Still no reply. What should I do? I decdied that the best course of action would be to stay where I was, as it was, just a few days ago, where we had agreed to meet.
Another Inverness pupil had previously asked if he could have a lesson this afternoon, but 3.00pm (after my pupil's test) would have been too late for him. I considered calling him to see if he still wanted the lesson, but I decided not to in case my test pupil turned up. At 1.45, he had still not turned up, so my only option was to drive to the test centre in the hope that he had gone straight there. No, he had not. I could not understand it. The examiner called out his name, so I knew that the pupil had not given me the wrong date/time. Who knows why he did not show. He has still not replied to my calls or text, so I can only conclude that he had forgotten and was too embarrassed to get in touch. Maybe I will never know. He may have wasted his £63 test fee, but he cost me three, possibly four, hours of income. Not happy.
I drove on to my next pupil. She has her test within the next month and I don't think she will be ready in time, so I decided to give her a mock test. Her control and awareness can be as good as anyone's, but she lacks concentration. I was hoping, after the wretched morning I had just had, that she would prove me wrong and do well in the mock.
She didn't prove me wrong. In fact, it was probably the worse she had driven for weeks. I had a suspicion that she was relying on me a little too much, so a mock test would test this suspicion. I'm not going to go into detail but it went so badly wrong that, half-way though, she stopped the car and asked if I could drive her home.
I love my job but I had just had a bad day. I looked forward to getting home, opening a bottle of wine and doing some experimental cookery.
I got home, opened a bottle of wine and, while I perused the cupboards for ingredients I had a little rant about my day to Jane. Then I switched on the telly and learned of the terrible and tragic events in Japan. It put my day in perspective.
So if you ever catch yourself saying "I've had the day from hell", just think back to Friday 11th March 2011, because the people of Honshu really did have 'The Day from Hell'.
Disconnected
I remember my dad getting a 'mobile' phone back in the 80's. It was one of those ones with a huge separate battery. Being a self-employed builder, I could understand why he needed one. But, as they became smaller they became more ubiquitous, although I often wondered why people had them. For a time, it seemed that I was the only person in the world that didn't have one. Why would I want one? I was a publican and rarely ventured out into the pub car park, let alone be far enough away to be out of contact. If anyone desperately wanted to contact me when I was at the wine merchant, or bank, or wherever, they could leave a message on my answerphone and I would return their call when I returned.
Finally, about seven years ago, roughly when I began my training to become a driving instructor, I decided that perhaps I should get one. The trouble is, once you have got one, you don't know how you ever managed without it. Last year I moved on to my second mobile phone - one with all sorts of stuff on it which I don't use. But, it does have a useful calendar/diary function which I use, plus easy acces to the internet, which has enabled me to book driving tests while I am out in my car.
Last Friday morning, I checked my phone and was surprised to see no new messages. I tried to send a message to one of my pupils and the phone just crashed. No amount of taking the battery and SIM card out and switching back on again could bring it back to life. Disaster.
I write my bookings in a diary, as well as entering them into my phone's calendar, but I had lots of lessons to arrange and no way of doing so. Luckily, I had an hour's gap in the afternoon, so I took the phone into the 3 shop to ask them to fix it. They could not fix it and said it would have to be sent away (in four days time). In the meantime they provided me with another phone (which, a week later, I'm still trying to get used to). The trouble was (and I did not know this at the time), all my messages and contact numbers had been stored to my phone's memory, not the SIM card. So, when I finally got home, charged up my replacement phone, and switched it on, I still had no way of contacting all the pupils I needed to contact.
Since then, I have received dozens of texts that I have not known who they were from. It has been quite embarassing having to reply 'Sorry, ..... who are you?'. Fortunately, I have recorded many of my pupils' contact details in my diary, so I have been spending ages entering all my contacts into my temporary phone. This time, however, I have not repeated my mistake, and have saved them all to the SIM.
I still don't really see the point in spending too much on a phone just because it has features on it that you will probably never use, but I have been converted. When people in my pub used to say 'Oh, I couldn't manage without my phone' I now know EXACTLY what they meant.
Tuesday 1 March 2011
Whistling with a shoe full of slush*
March 1st already. The year has really got a gallop on.
Yesterday, I was in Ullapool with an half hour gap between lessons. It was such a beautiful day I fancied sitting outside The Ceilidh Place and enjoying a coffee while I read a book for twenty minutes. As I pulled up opposite, Robbie and Murdo, who live a couple of doors down, were sat outside their house with coffee and invited me to join them. We sat there, in short-sleeves, chatting and exchanging pleasantries with passers-by while the sun beat down on us, bouncing off the whitewashed houses and turning Loch Broom a pearlescent blue. If I had not been driving, a jug of Margarita or Singapore Sling would have made it perfect, but the coffee was fine. It was hard to believe that it was still only February.
Later that afternoon, I drove home over the Diridh and through Inverness. I had Saint Etienne on the CD player, but The Byrds or Teenage Fanclub would have been just as suitable. Something was different. Everyone seemed to be driving at a constant speed, keeping generous gaps and not overtaking, even on the A9. In Inverness I witnessed the strange phenomenon of cars indicating correctly and being courteous to each other. No-one seemed to be in a rush and it made the drive a real pleasure. What was happening? Either everyone was on happy pills, or they were all listening to Saint Etienne, or the hint of Spring had mellowed everyone.
Heston Blumenthal gives his diners an MP3 player with headphones with certain dishes. For example, while eating a seafood dish, they may hear sounds of the seashore, or the sound of a distant lawnmower with a summer salad. He also has waiting staff who may squirt a complementary (and complimentary, I would hope) scent (freshly-cut grass with the salad, for example) to further enhance the whole sensory experience. Could this multi-sensory experience be applied to driving?
With the warmth of the sun on my face, Foxbase Alpha on the CD and the pure air of the Highlands coming through the open window, I could not help but feel blissed-out as I drove home yesterday. With my first lesson this morning, his driving was making me feel slightly less relaxed. He was putting too much priority on changing down the gears and not enough on using the brakes to bring the speed down. It is a common fault and I explained how coming off the accelerator earlier and braking progessively would give a smoother, more controlled approach to the junctions/hazards. It took a while, but he finally cracked it and we enjoyed a much more relaxed second hour of the lesson.
It crossed my mind to 'do a Blumenthal' and play soothing background music and light some joss-sticks as an experiment to enhance and encourage my pupil's more chilled approach to driving. But I was out of joss-sticks.
(* - "Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush." - Doug Larson)
Yesterday, I was in Ullapool with an half hour gap between lessons. It was such a beautiful day I fancied sitting outside The Ceilidh Place and enjoying a coffee while I read a book for twenty minutes. As I pulled up opposite, Robbie and Murdo, who live a couple of doors down, were sat outside their house with coffee and invited me to join them. We sat there, in short-sleeves, chatting and exchanging pleasantries with passers-by while the sun beat down on us, bouncing off the whitewashed houses and turning Loch Broom a pearlescent blue. If I had not been driving, a jug of Margarita or Singapore Sling would have made it perfect, but the coffee was fine. It was hard to believe that it was still only February.
Later that afternoon, I drove home over the Diridh and through Inverness. I had Saint Etienne on the CD player, but The Byrds or Teenage Fanclub would have been just as suitable. Something was different. Everyone seemed to be driving at a constant speed, keeping generous gaps and not overtaking, even on the A9. In Inverness I witnessed the strange phenomenon of cars indicating correctly and being courteous to each other. No-one seemed to be in a rush and it made the drive a real pleasure. What was happening? Either everyone was on happy pills, or they were all listening to Saint Etienne, or the hint of Spring had mellowed everyone.
Heston Blumenthal gives his diners an MP3 player with headphones with certain dishes. For example, while eating a seafood dish, they may hear sounds of the seashore, or the sound of a distant lawnmower with a summer salad. He also has waiting staff who may squirt a complementary (and complimentary, I would hope) scent (freshly-cut grass with the salad, for example) to further enhance the whole sensory experience. Could this multi-sensory experience be applied to driving?
With the warmth of the sun on my face, Foxbase Alpha on the CD and the pure air of the Highlands coming through the open window, I could not help but feel blissed-out as I drove home yesterday. With my first lesson this morning, his driving was making me feel slightly less relaxed. He was putting too much priority on changing down the gears and not enough on using the brakes to bring the speed down. It is a common fault and I explained how coming off the accelerator earlier and braking progessively would give a smoother, more controlled approach to the junctions/hazards. It took a while, but he finally cracked it and we enjoyed a much more relaxed second hour of the lesson.
It crossed my mind to 'do a Blumenthal' and play soothing background music and light some joss-sticks as an experiment to enhance and encourage my pupil's more chilled approach to driving. But I was out of joss-sticks.
(* - "Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush." - Doug Larson)
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