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.

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.