It's far from grim up North

I almost daren't say it, but we have been very lucky with the weather (so far) this winter. Whilst seemingly everywhere else in the UK has had some snow, we have had virtually none. Only the hills have seen any real  snow, unfortunately, this had led to several deaths and injuries due to avalanches, particularly in the Cairngorms.
Meanwhile, we get to enjoy the tremendous views, enhanced by the snow-capped peaks, whilst not being troubled by any white stuff on the roads. In fact, the last couple of days, the weather has been so perfect, so clear, that is almost like looking through a magnifying glass. Overlooking the Moray Firth, we can clearly see hills and mountains way up towards the farthest north, almost as far as John O'Groats.

Yesterday afternoon, I had a long drive home.... a very long drive home. My last lesson was 116 miles from home (although I took a more scenic route, which added 10 miles) and, although it took me nearly two and a half hours, I could see the coast near my house before I had even reached halfway. Nearly the whole drive was breathtaking, especially in the late afternoon sun, and I was torn between wanting to get home at the end of a long weekend, or taking more time to enjoy the journey (especially along the mirror-like Loch Shin).
126 miles is a long commute for a driving instructor. Too long. But it was worth it.

A couple of weeks ago I received a call from a young lad asking if I covered Kinlochbervie. I have taught several people from Kinlochbervie (or Klb as they say), but they have always travelled the 60 miles south to Ullapool for their lessons. So I explained that, seeing as I have to travel some way just to get to Ullapool, Klb was just a wee bit too far - For those of you not familiar with Scottish geography, I have added a map. Kinlochbervie is about 335 miles, nearly 7 hours, north of the England/Scotland border. Glasgow and Edinburgh are way down south.
A short while later, he called back to say that he had 6 - 8 friends who would be interested in starting driving lessons in Klb. 'Ok', I replied, 'if everone is happy to have lessons on the same day, I could come up.'

Picture courtesy of www.come2klb.com

And so it was that this weekend, after a day of lessons in Ullapool, I travelled up to Kinlochbervie yesterday morning, and spent a very enjoyable day meeting lots of new pupils and exploring an area I have only briefly passed through before.
Admittedly, it is only a wee village, with maybe six junctions (and certainly no pedestrian crossings, traffic lights, or roundabouts), and there will only be so much I can teach them there. They all understand the limitations and all agree that, before too long, they will have to make their own way into the comparative metropolis that is Ullapool to further their driving. But, for now, we will crack on with as much as we can in Klb...... I am already looking forward to next weekend.

A new term

It feels a little like a new term here on Planet Farle. Over the last 9 days I have had 9 pupils taking their final exams, just as a sudden influx of new pupils begin their studies.
I've already mentioned Holly's test and the less successful test the same day. I have already decided that I will no longer be giving that pupil lessons. Her attitude stinks; no-one is entitled to a driving licence, you have to earn it. Losing her business is a small price to pay. Another instructor can have the aggravation if she decides to continue driving. Rant over.
The following day started with another unsuccessful test. The difference being that, this time, the pupil did deserve her licence, based on her driving ability and her attitude to her training. After starting her lessons in Ullapool, they moved to Inverness and, when we both agreed the time was right, they booked their test. Having a mathematical inclination, they are a bit of a perfectionist. No bad thing, in fact, it's quite refreshing for me to have a pupil who will not accept 'good driving', they want to be a 'perfect driver'. So, when they started their test and got asked to complete a reverse park into a parking bay, they decided that the first attempt wasn't good enough (it was in the bay) and pulled forward to perfect it - 1 driving fault. And that was their only driving fault. Unfortunately, they picked up one serious fault - As they were preparing to stop at a traffic light controlled T-Junction the lights changed to green. So they released the brake and was just about to accelerate when they hesitated because the approaching traffic in the new road were still slowing down (not yet stopped). Of course, the vehicles behind would have expected them to go and would have had to brake because of their hesitation. The examiner was almost apologetic and suggested that it probably only have been a driver fault if there had been no vehicles behind. Next time, no problem.
Day three and another pupil taking their test for the first time. At least, their first British test, and their first manual test. Jennifer had already passed her test in an automatic car, in her native Canada. Then, earlier this year, she moved to Nairn to be with her boyfriend and he has a manual Mini. It's often interesting giving lessons to someone who can already drive. She picked up the clutch and gears very quickly but it was the roundabouts that challenged her - "Why don't they just have traffic lights?" was her view - particularly the spiral roundabouts. But we conquered them in our lessons and she breezed through her test with just three driver faults, and one of those was for the vehicle checks ("He asked me how I check the engine oil level; I heard the word 'engine' and just thought 'engine coolant'. He suggested it was not a good idea to put engine oil in the radiator.").
Congratulations also to Hazel for passing her test, again at the first attempt, on the same day. Have a great time in Australia.
Day four and it was over to Elgin for Laura's next attempt. A thoroughly miserable day, with lashing rain punctuated by bright sunshine, making for quite challenging driving conditions.Laura had come so close on her previous attempt and I have rarely seen anyone less upset at failing their test. When I asked why, she replied that 'she knew that she can drive and would definitely pass next time'. And so it proved, as she passed easily with four driver faults.
Day five was not the most straightforward. My pupil had an 8.40am test in Inverness and we had arranged for me to pick her up from Nairn at 7.30am, enjoy an easy 25 minute drive into Inverness, then spend half an hour going over anything she wanted reassurance on before her test. As I pulled up at her house she came out and told me that she could not find the paper part of her licence. I always remind my pupils, in plenty of time, to make sure they both parts of their licence ready the night before. 
"Don't panic. You must have had it for your theory test. We have plenty of time. I'll wait here while you find it."
I waited. And waited. She came back out to tell me she still couldn't find it.
"You need it. It will be somewhere. We're still ok for time. You just need to think where it could be."
The clock ticked on. I listened to the eight o'clock news, then the sport. It got to 8.10am and, with a 25 minute drive to the test centre we had run out of time. I would have to knock on the door and tell her she would have to re-book for another day. Just at that moment she came running out, clutching both parts of her licence. I didn't want to panic her, so I let her drive and would consider calling the test centre if it looked like we weren't going to make it. Luckily her driving is fine, so I can concentrate on the clock. 8.30am now and we still have a few miles to go.
We get there with 2 minutes to spare - deep sigh of relief - and she reverses into one of the DSA bays. One good thing about not arriving too early for a test is that we don't have to wait too long, letting the anxiety build, before the examiner arrives. Anyway, off she goes and I sit there wondering whether the frantic nature of the last hour will affect her.
It didn't. At least, not enough to put her off her driving. She passes with five driver faults but is still too wound up by her morning to completely enjoy the experience of passing her driving test. But well done Kim. I look forward to seeing you for the Pass Plus course (and you will need your licence for that too, so keep it safe).
Day six and yet another first attempt. Unfortunately, she stalled at a set of traffic lights ("You never stall!" was my reaction) and, after re-starting, did not check that the lights were still green before attempting to move away. One of those mistakes that you only make once.
 The week was completed when Louise passed her test, first time, on my seventh consecutive day of tests (not counting the weekend), making it 6 (including 5 first-time) passes out of 9. Her driving was helped by the fact that she lives in the midst of a narrow one-way system then has to negotiate Inverness' nastiest roundabouts within minutes of leaving her house. Having being forced to cope regularly with that, I hope she found the test comparatively easy.
Only one more test on the immediate horizon - I shouldn't tempt fate, but it is one I'm 99.9999% confident about - then a bit of a break before a bunch of tests next month. What is the collective noun for driving tests? A Panic of tests? A Perspiration of tests? A Tremble of tests?
Meanwhile, a clutch (or is it a 'nervousness' or an 'excitement') of new pupils are just starting, or about to start. Hopefully, they will all be like Holly, Jennifer, Hazel, Laura, Kim and Louise in attitude, and a LOT, LOT less like the woman who threw a hissy fit because her examiner dared to fail her.

Lost and found

Is it better to be self-employed or employed? Personally, I prefer being my own boss, but there is definitely something to be said for turning up for work at a certain time, going home at a certain time, being paid at the end of the month and also being paid for time off through illness or injury.
Possibly the biggest challenge in being self-employed is continually chasing new business. It was easy when I had my pubs; customers walked in the door, spent money and staggered out. Every day. We worked hard to make the pubs welcoming, ensure the beer and food were of the best quality and make people want to come and spend money with us. But we didn't have to advertise or wonder who our next customer would be.
Being a driving instructor, I have to look after my pupils/customers as best I can while I have them, but I know that, one day, they will pass their test and I will no longer have their custom. Sometimes, especially when I have several pupils pass in a short time, I get people commenting that 'it is bad for business'. Well, yes, it means that (unless they take the Pass Plus course) someone passing their test means no more income from that person. However, by the time we decide they are ready for their test, they are good enough to be driving on their own. So if they don't pass, they rarely have many more lessons; just a lesson or two to work on their weakness and few 'refreshers'. In fact, I think a pupil passing their test will actually generate business, through word of mouth.
But sometimes we lose pupils for other reasons. If I look at my list of pupils from 2011 alone, I have lost pupils because they have moved away, gone to university, lost their job, are spending time travelling, have run out of money or have broken bones in a motorbike accident. But there are one or two pupils who just seem to have 'disappeared'. When my diary is really busy, it is tempting to forget about them and concentrate on those who do seem to want lessons. But there will be times when my diary isn't so busy and I don't want to regret losing any pupil through not bothering to contact them.
This morning I was reading another instructor's blog, and he was talking about losing a pupil because he had not contacted her for four weeks because he did not want her to think he was stalking her. I sympathise. I usually try to contact all pupils on my books at least once a week, but there is always the nagging feeling that the ones that don't reply might think I am harassing them. Once someone has started a course of lessons I presume they want to continue until they have passed their test, but some pupils don't seem to think like that. While I was still with BSM they provided me with a new pupil (it was a rare moment). I looked at the name and thought 'Where do I know him from?'. It turned out he had started lessons with me several years earlier, taken a break, gone to university, then decided he wanted to resume lessons. He had some lessons, went back to university, had some more lessons several months later, went back to university, went abroad, had some more lessons etc. Each time I saw him I began to think 'I wonder how long he will have lessons this time?'. Finally, early last year, he sat and passed his test, nearly four years since his first lesson with me.
And he is by no means an exception. Even last night, I had a lesson with someone who has not had lessons for over five months. I have no idea why she took a break, especially when she still had three lessons still in credit with me.
With numerous pupils taking their test over the next few weeks, I am looking at my diary and wondering 'What happens then?' But I often do this. It is tempting to consider advertising, anything to feel that I am doing something positive about keeping my diary full. The thing about this job is that sometimes I can go a few weeks without any new enquiries, then, strangely, I can get several new pupils within one day, even within a couple of hours.
I sometimes hear of instructors who have a 'waiting list' of people who want to take lessons but can't immediately be accommodated. A nice position to be in (for the instructor), but it has not happened to me. Maybe tomorrow.

(Edit: Within two hours of writing this post I had two brand new pupils booking a block of ten lessons. I should write something similar every week.)