hamiltondriving

Checktest

2012-01-24T02:33:00.000-08:00

Checktest

I recently had a checktest. This is a test of instructional ability carried out by the Driving Standards Agency to make sure driving instructors are performing up to a required standard. At the end of the checktest the instructor is graded between 1 and 6. Grades 1,2 and 3 are unsatisfactory and would require another checktest within a short space of time and if there were no improvement, could lead to the instructor losing their license to instruct for payment. Grades 4,5 and 6 are acceptable, 6 being the highest grade attainable. No further checktest required for 2 to 4 years depending on the grade attained.

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) prefers to assess an actual lesson with the supervising examiner sitting in the back of the car during a driving lesson. Where the instructor is unable to provide a pupil, DSA will accept role-play with the supervising examiner acting in the role of a pupil.

Either way the instructor has the advantage of choosing the topic for instruction, so he/she is not unprepared for the lesson. As my personal instruction is far less now and I spend much of my time in the running of the driving school, I chose role-play.

At the appointed time and day, I met up with the supervising examiner and he gave me an outline of his role-play pupil. As we set off to find the car. I made sure I didn’t have to actually check his license or eyesight before starting the driving lesson and I checked very carefully he was okay to drive from the main road. Normally, I would never allow this, preferring to find a quiet road to introduce the car and its controls. His role was near test standard so it wasn’t a problem.

The supervising instructor will drive with some driving faults and he/she is looking for these to be identified and corrected. Where I went wrong was not in the identification but in my response. Basically he was driving a little too fast on approach to junctions, I didn’t feel it was a serious problem and referred to it on a number of occasions but he continued to drive the same way. I should have pulled him over and explained in more detail the problems that can occur when driving too fast for given situations. End result I was given a grade 5. I’m okay with that and felt it was a fair result. No further checktest for another 4 years – hopefully!

Motorway Pile-Up

2011-11-08T01:29:00.000-08:00

Yet again! Yes, a tragedy with the loss of 7 lives and 51 injured: 37 vehicles including 3 lorries ploughing into each other on the northbound section of the M5 near Taunton. It was last Friday evening 4th November at 8.30pm that the mayhem leading to a fireball took place.

The police investigation is focusing on a nearby Guy Fawkes bonfire display. Witnesses have been referring to smoke drifting across the M5 carriageways seriously affecting visibility. The conditions were bad enough with wet roads following rain and fog patches in places, and I read on teletext yesterday somebody observing that it was an unlit section of motorway that added to the series of vehicles crashing into each other.

I don’t wish to make light of a dreadful incident with a play on words but reference to smoke, fog, wet conditions and lighting is just a smoke screen. If people drove at a speed to suit the conditions and left a SAFE FOLLOWING DISTANCE, none of this would have happened. I see it every day as I drive around my local A3 Kingston-Upon-Thames, a three-lane each way dual carriageway. Drivers exceeding the 50mph speed limit (between cameras) and just driving too close with no anticipation of a sudden change or heavy braking leading to the potential ensuing chaos. Why don’t they learn!!

Unfortunately provisional license holders are not allowed on motorways and don’t get the training for dealing with higher speeds. The vast majority of drivers are never tested again for the remainder of their driving adult years and there is not enough policing, let alone penalties for bad and dangerous driving. It really is a recipe for disaster and this continues to be the case.

I would like to see the Government take action to educate drivers. The recent demise of Sir Jimmy Saville reminds me of a TV campaign he championed back in the 70’s when the dangers of not wearing a seatbelt were highlighted by a peach being struck with a hammer. The Jimmy Saville phrase “clunk, click every trip” became widely recognised and contributed to the resultant reduction in injuries and fatalities, just showing how successful this type of “persuasion” can be. Why can’t the Government take up the mantel for “following distances” The benefits to the economy, emergency services and a reduction in the dreadful loss to friends and family would be huge and more than compensate for any financial outlay.

All the Government are considering at the moment is raising the speed limit to 80mph!!!

Proposed 80mph Speed Limit

2011-10-05T03:18:00.000-07:00

It has been announced by the Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, that a consultation is to take place to raise the national speed limit to 80mph. A full public consultation will take place by the end of this year and any recommendations will be implemented by the year 2013.

70mph was set as the national speed limit back in 1965 and the argument in favour of the increase, claims that vehicle safety has changed dramatically over the last 45 years and the increase will contribute to reduced travel times improving the economic climate by hundreds of millions of pounds.

Another advantage, it is claimed, is the change would bring the 49% of motorway drivers who regularly break the existing speed limit within the boundaries of the law. Perhaps that argument is a good reason to increase the mostly unnecessary 20mph zones so loved by local councils back to 30mph, but that is another issue!

Increasing the speed limit flies in the face of those arguing that increased fuel consumption as a result of this proposed change will further damage the environment. Crashes at 70mph are bad enough and higher speeds will inevitably lead to an increase in road fatalities.

The only reason so many drivers regularly break the existing speed limit of 70mph is lack of policing. Perhaps the better option might be to leave things as they are. Those wishing to risk a fine know the choices, but a sensible restriction bound by law will hopefully discourage further excesses. Increase the speed limit to 80mph and drivers will see this as a green flag to break that as well.

Don’t forget there is an allowance of 10% plus 2mph anyway to allow for any discrepancies from speedometer to actual speed, so drivers don’t get convictions up to 79mph anyway!

Cyclists

2011-08-24T04:21:00.000-07:00

It’s official. There are now 13 million cyclists in the UK. They range from young children getting early experience of dealing with traffic to the elderly who have been doing it for years. There are a lot of cycling enthusiasts these days too. Success at recent Olympics has certainly put cycling on the map. There are of course cash-strapped students and those influenced by environmental issues (carbon emissions). The ever-increasing numbers does inevitably mean more conflict with motorists and of course it is the cyclist who comes off worst.

The most recent figures show road fatalities have dropped in the UK to below 2,000 for the first time since records began way back in 1926, to 1857 in 2010. At the same time a rise of 7% in cyclist fatalities was recorded. Seriously injured cyclists rose by 2% to 2660. Motor vehicle traffic fell by 2% due to the economic downturn and the harsh winter had its part to play in the overall figures, so the rise in cyclist casualties does stand out as going against the other figures produced. Increased cyclist numbers does of course have a bearing.

Cyclists are not the most popular road users and they bring it on themselves by flouting the rules of the road. One shouldn’t generalise but there are too many cyclists who don’t think red lights, one-way streets and the rules for pedestrian crossings apply to them. How often do you see a cyclist at night with little or no adequate lighting? They don’t need a license, appear unaccountable and contribute nothing to the upkeep of our road system. The police seem to pay little heed to their disregard for the law.

The car driver sits stuck in a queue as the cyclist weaves his way in, out and around cars, buses and lorries with impunity until they are not seen and come crashing down to an abrupt halt – and who has to prove their innocence – why, the motorist of course! How often does it reach the headlines when a cyclist trying to squeeze past the nearside of a lorry is crushed to death against iron railings or some other restriction?

“Think bike” aimed primarily to protect motorcyclists must also be applied to pushbikes and I believe it has to be the responsibility of the cyclist to be aware they are not easily seen. Reflective clothing, adequate lighting at night and an acceptance of their vulnerability might help to reduce the number of dead and injured on our roads.

Communication

2011-06-13T01:38:00.000-07:00

A bit of a gap since my last entry but I have been away, albeit only for one week!
Continuing with the theme of communication, drivers are not totally reliant on signals – and just as well, with so many ignoring the basic courtesy of letting others know their intentions.

Brake lights inform the following vehicles you are slowing down, or could it be you are too close to the car in front and have to keep braking as an overreaction to closing in on the car ahead of you. An automatic vehicle requires more use of the brakes, as there is less control. The driver is unable to use engine braking to slow the car down. By coming off the gas in a manual car the gearbox will hold the car back, but this is less so in an automatic and I was surprised to find the life of the front brakes was reduced by 50% comparing automatic to manual. The automatic will eventually slow without gas being applied (not travelling downhill though), but braking will be the more likely way of holding the car back. Watch out for the driver continually applying the footbrake. This is somebody who is not planning ahead, is an anxious driver and possibly elderly with limited concentration.

Whether it’s manual or automatic, leave space between you and the vehicle in front, especially following a larger vehicle because your view ahead is blocked and you cannot see what is developing ahead. Leaving space does make driving safer. You can plan further ahead and have plenty of time to respond to an ever-changing situation. And if a car takes the space, so what, hold back and recreate the same following distance. What have you lost? In fact, if they were an aggressive driver I would rather have them in front than following too close behind.

Leaving space can allow vehicles to emerge from sideroads, thus helping them and the general flow of traffic. What's wrong with that? I like helping others out and it could be me in a sideroad in the future waiting to join the main traffic flow. Seeing it from both points of view can reduce selfish driving. Don't let too many out though, you will upset the driver behind you!

Oncoming vehicles can’t see your brakelights (obviously), but speed and position is the key to your and their intentions. A vehicle approaching a left or right turn without slowing is unlikely to be turning, whereas a slowing vehicle probably is, so you can anticipate a situation without the added information of indicators.

Brakelights from the vehicle in front can help in a meeting situation. Imagine you are following a car around a curve in a narrow road restricted by parked cars on both sides. You can’t see beyond the curve and the vehicle in front. Their brakelights come on and they move into a gap. This will immediately suggest they are giving way to an oncoming vehicle. Now if you are too close, you may have nowhere to go. The space may not be big enough for both of you to give way. If, as I stated previously you left a bigger space between you and the car in front, you have a better opportunity to tuck into an earlier gap allowing the oncoming vehicle(s) to pass before proceeding ahead.

Another indicator apart from the courtesy of signals includes positioning. A car steering to the side of the road and brakelights coming on suggests parking. Swinging wide and sharp turn left suggests turning into a narrow access (to square up to it). Moving towards the centre of the road and slowing might indicate a right turn.

It really is a question of concentrating at all times and not being surprised. You can learn a lot just by watching and anticipating, thereby avoiding trouble ahead.

Signalling (a lost courtesy)

2011-04-08T03:32:00.000-07:00

How many ways are there to communicate with other road users? Signals are the obvious start. Sadly very much lacking on today’s roads. The whole point of a signal is to advise others where you are going and should be timed to avoid confusion. Signalling too early could suggest turning earlier and a driver could pull out from a side road into your path. Signalling late isn’t going to help anybody and other drivers may have assumed you were going straight ahead.

If you are turning into the second of two roads close to each other then delay the signal just enough to show you are not taking the first turning. Moving around parked cars shouldn’t require a signal generally speaking, but if you are passing a bus at a bus stop then the driver will need to know as he/she may be preparing to move away. It does of course warn oncoming drivers you could be encroaching onto their side of the road and it tells the following drivers as well. This applies to any large vehicle where your movement is exaggerated, but passing parked cars shouldn’t require a warning unless they are badly parked or there is somebody in the vehicle (brake lights are on).

The worst example of incorrect signalling or no signal at all is at roundabouts. Drivers either do not know the correct procedure (and let’s assume they have passed a driving test) or are totally lacking in any consideration for other road users. Just simply forgetting is no excuse either.

It’s quite straightforward really. If you are taking the first exit left you signal left on approach. Any exit to the right – signal right (signalling left as you pass the turning before your one). If your exit is directly ahead or intermediate (second left for example) – no signal until you are passing the exit before your one. On mini roundabouts no exit signal unless you have time, by the time you’re on the roundabout, you’re off of it!

Driving Without Insurance

2011-02-23T02:01:00.000-08:00

A recently qualified driver, whose license had been revoked, contacted me to prepare for another driving test. Having acquired six points on his license within two years, he had to re-take the theory test and now the driving test again.

Three points were on his license for a motor scooter offence even before his original driving test, however he passed, and all was okay until he decided to drive (and not walk) to the local insurance broker to buy his motor insurance. Unfortunately for him, he was stopped by a police car outside the insurance broker’s office and was booked for driving without insurance. The odds of that happening are pretty remote, but the number of people who drive on our roads without insurance are a costly menace to all law-abiding drivers. The Government does take it seriously and a new law is coming into force this spring that states you must have a vehicle insured even if it is off road unless it is declared as such to the road fund license authority (SORN). Computer technology can quickly reveal uninsured vehicles, so the risk of conviction is becoming much higher.

Drinking and Driving

2011-01-20T05:56:00.000-08:00

The Christmas figures are through and once again far too many drivers think they can get away with drinking and driving. During the pre Christmas period 200 drivers per day failed the breathalyser test. That is 6613 throughout England and Wales.

Compared to 2009 the numbers are actually down. There were 170,000 tested this year, which is down from 223,000 the previous year. The cold weather played its part as more people stayed in leading up to the festive period. I would also suggest with the cut backs perhaps there were fewer police allocated to the seasonal drink-drive campaign.

I read some years ago, there is a hardcore 5% of the driving population who will drink and drive no matter what risks there are to their driving license; let alone risks to other road users. Perhaps it is time to review the penalties, which obviously don’t go far enough to protect us from these irresponsible drivers. I know what I would do, but I am rather hard-line when it comes to punishing offenders.

PDI/Trainee Instructor

2010-12-19T03:29:00.000-08:00

A PDI (Potential Driving Instructor) is not a fully qualified driving instructor. He/she has started the route to passing the necessary exams beginning with Part I, a theory test. The theory test for the PDI is much more demanding than the theory test for the provisional license holder and requires considerable research. Once passed, the PDI has two years to qualify or they must start all over again by retaking the theory test.

Part II is a driving test, again much more demanding than that required for a learner driver. The driving test for the PDI is an hour long and only a maximum of 6 minor driving faults are allowed. As with the provisional driving test, no serious or dangerous faults are acceptable. If the PDI fails three times, they have to wait the two years from the theory pass date to retake the theory test and begin the process all over again.

Once the PDI has passed the Part II driving test, they can apply for part III, which is the test of instructional ability. The examiner role-plays a learner driver at two levels, a novice with no experience or hardly any, to a more experienced learner driver approaching test standard. The PDI is tested on their ability to instruct at a level to suit the learner, their ability to recognise driving faults and take the necessary action to correct them. The PDI is graded on both parts. A successful grade is an overall 4, 5 or 6. Anything less is unsuccessful and a further test required, again, limited to three attempts or it’s back to starting again after two years from the theory pass date.

The part III is very difficult to pass without some sort of experience and this is where the trainee license comes in. Having passed the part II driving test, a PDI can apply for a trainee license, which is designed to allow the PDI time to put their newly acquired knowledge to the test and gain valuable experience before attempting the part III. If they do not pass the part III within 6 months the trainee license expires and they are no longer allowed to give driving lessons for money. There are exceptions where the Driving Standards Agency may extend the license, but this not easily achieved and extraordinary circumstances would apply.

A trainee license holder must work within and be supervised by a driving school with additional instruction of at least 20 hours. Problems have arisen (and recently reported in an investigative TV programme), where the driving school has failed to inform their pupils/customers they have been given a trainee instructor to teach them to drive and charging the same price as a fully qualified driving instructor. The new driver is none the wiser as the whole experience is new and has nothing previous to compare with. The only outward sign is the instructor’s badge, which must be visible during driving lessons. The trainee license is triangular and pink, whereas a fully qualified instructor exhibits a green octagonal license – but nobody notices or is aware of any difference. What can happen is the sudden loss of the PDI when they have an unsuccessful part III at the third attempt. They have to cease instruction with immediate affect and it is only then that the pupil may find out there instructor was not qualified. The failure rate is higher than you might expect, so difficulties arise on a regular basis throughout the UK

I was a trainee instructor with BSM in 1995, but went on to qualify within the six month period, transferred to a full green badge and none of my pupils had any knowledge of this and there was no disruption – and that is the way it has been throughout the present system. The transition from trainee to qualified passes unnoticed – until they don’t!

When I started my own driving school I was uncomfortable with this and tried telling customers if I was offering a trainee, which virtually everybody declined. I also had an obligation to the PDI to provide pupils and experience, so this proved difficult. I tried discounted lessons for trainee instructors and this didn’t work either. Word of mouth led to people wanting the cheaper lessons they had heard about and when the PDI qualified their existing pupils didn’t accept a price hike to normal rates. An unsuccessful PDI with a full diary of pupils was a disaster and I have experienced that too. The failed PDI is without a license with immediate affect and I was left with 20-30 upset pupils to place with other instructors if I could.

The PDI drawn into our profession with lots of promises, having spent a lot of money getting trained suddenly finds what should have been a natural stage leading to qualification, is the end of the road. They are left without income with immediate effect – instant dismissal and the prospects of a new career torn from them. A dreadful situation. I wonder how many potential good instructors have been let down by this system over the years and left in financial difficulties as a result. I know of two failed PDIs who sold their houses shortly after the cessation of their trainee license. It just isn’t practical for those requiring an income to go back to retaking the theory test and starting again, if the two years isn’t up they can’t anyway.

In my view, the trainee license is an important part of the process of gaining experience, but six months is too short. It should have a life of at least two years before expiring, the PDI would be able to get that much more experience reducing the failure rate and far less disruptive to the paying public.

Currently from passed experience, I will not accept PDIs to my driving school, but if that changes, it is important that the paying public are made aware of the status of my instructor, trainee or qualified.

Grade 6?

2010-10-26T05:39:00.000-07:00

All Instructors are assessed regularly with a “check test.” A check test is basically a driving lesson with an examiner sitting in the back of the tuition car and observing the quality of instruction. It is very much biased in the instructor’s favour in that he/she selects the pupil and the topic for training. At the end of the check test the instructor receives a grade between 1 and 6.

The three lower grades are unacceptable and below standard. A further checktest would follow. If a standard of 4,5 or 6 could not be reached after three attempts the Driving Standard Agency would proceed to remove the instructor from their register, thus making it illegal for the instructor to give tuition for payment, ending their career.

A new instructor on their first checktest would be marked “educational” if their level of competence was below grade 4 and re-tested within three months.

Instructors graded 4,5 or 6 will not be checked again for up to 6 years, depending on how high the grade is.

Unfortunately, the system is open to abuse. I heard the story of an instructor who practised a checktest with the chosen pupil and even gave the pupil a number of questions to ask during the course of the “lesson.” I also recently heard about an instructor who took his wife as his pupil and again set up the lesson getting a top grade 6 for his effort. These are the ones I have heard about. There must be hundreds, if not thousands, of similar examples throughout the UK over the many years of instructor testing.

Then there was the grade 6 instructor who assaulted his pupil by grabbing hold of his right arm to stop him starting the car in gear, which is quite amazing. All he had to do was apply the dual controls and there would have been no risk of the car jumping forward. Hardly what you might expect from an instructor graded top of his profession!

So how do you find a quality instructor if you can’t trust the grading system?

Going to a well-known national driving school is no guarantee. Some of whom use trainee instructors without informing the customer. Trainee instructors haven’t passed their test of instructional ability and therefore have no grade as yet. There are of course experienced, qualified instructors within these schools but it’s potluck whether you get one or not. Even then, they may not be monitored. There may be more interest in collecting the franchise from the instructor rather than ensuring they deliver good quality driving instruction

The independent instructor could be a source for finding a good instructor as they tend to rely on recommendations in addition to local advertising, but then, it comes down to personality, as not everybody is suited to work together.

We, at Hamilton, are members of checkatrade (checkatrade vets local businesses and provides feedback from previous customers), and this can offer some protection as we rely on feedback and recommendations. Any adverse publicity would reflect badly on us. Our instructors are only taken on where they satisfy me they have the right qualities (and I don’t profess to getting it right every time). Any complaint would be followed up and action taken as necessary to protect the pupil and our good name.

There you have it. It’s potluck, but at least with Hamilton School of Motoring we do care and our aim is a professional relationship leading to a successful driving test.

Long Term Learners

2010-09-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

That’s it, summer holidays over for another year. It’s back to coping with the “school run,” dark mornings/evenings and deteriorating weather. Important for new drivers to experience these conditions but can be frustrating for driving instructors as we struggle to get from one pupil to the next.

This summer was good news for one test candidate though. I read in the August newspapers about a test candidate, Suzi Hughes, who finally passed her driving test after 22 years and 21 attempts! She had to retake her theory test several times as it kept expiring every two years. She also tried three different test centres and got through twelve instructors. Congratulations to her and well done for sheer perseverance.

Suzi is not the only one who struggles with the driving test. In fact 48 tests is the current record. This unenviable number of driving tests belongs to a Mrs Git Kaur Randhawa of Hayes, Middlesex.

The closest I got to a long-term test candidate was over a four-year period when I had a pupil pass in Isleworth after 11 attempts and 11 years. Just four tests and four years with me though. She had tried manual and automatic. She had tried BSM and the AA all to no avail and finally came to me from a work colleague of hers who had passed with me earlier. Most of her problems related to spatial awareness during the manoeuvres, planning ahead and meeting situations.

On the day of her 11th test the sun was shining, all road works in the area had vanished and the examiner’s name sounded like “Be Good.” It was her day and when the examiner said she had passed, she went mental, jumping up and down in Isleworth test centre car park in sheer ecstasy. I wished her well and finally, or so I thought, we parted company. I assumed that was the end but . . . 6 months later I got a phone call from her “Pheel, I can’t park!” She is Spanish and that is my interpretation of how she pronounced my name Phil.

To celebrate her test success, her husband had gone out and bought a people carrier and basically she couldn’t cope, so it was back to having a few more lessons – well fifty actually!! Apart from parking practise we would cover journeys she was going to have to make. For example taking her children to dancing classes or to and from their friend’s houses.

The most amusing story was once she started to drive on her own. When she came home she would always park on the driveway forwards because she didn’t have the confidence to reverse. She would then reverse into the road on her next journey. Because she never looked properly and her sight was obscured by a hedge, she either didn’t see or consider pedestrians on the pavement. So her husband got an electric saw and cut the hedge down. He said “You may not look for them, but at least they can see you!!”

Observer on Test - A Review

2010-08-01T14:14:00.000-07:00

The most recent change to the driving test has seen the introduction of “observer on test.” Instructors and accompanying drivers have been allowed to sit in on a test but previously the test candidate had to make the request to the examiner before the commencement of the test. Since April 2010, the bias has been changed and the examiner now asks the test candidate if they would like their instructor or accompanying driver to sit in and observe the test. The idea was to have a third party who could view the test and give feedback to the candidate if they were unsuccessful. The instructor would recognise weaknesses in the test candidate’s driving and hopefully resolve them before retaking the test.

I had previously sat in and observed just three driving tests over the fifteen years since I became a driving instructor and all three were unsuccessful. Initially a useful experience as a new instructor but I never saw the advantage beyond that and didn’t accompany any more tests until the change in emphasis placed the choice with the pupil this year.

I remember one pupil, Sonia, who was feeling particularly nervous, and wanted me in the back of the car. Of course I wasn’t allowed to be involved in the test and watching the pupil fail to see a pedestrian stepping onto a zebra crossing was painful. Her next test finished up with the same result as she failed to give way to a cyclist on a roundabout.

The only other pupil I observed was Martha and she suggested I contributed to her failure by distracting her when she looked through the rear of the car during an unsuccessful parallel park manoeuvre. After that, I never wanted to sit in at the risk of putting the test candidate off.

And since the change this year - two more tests with me in the back! The first one was with Tina who didn’t anticipate a green light changing, so was a little late stopping and finished up in the cyclist stop/waiting area. (To me, not a serious problem, at least she stopped safely). Her second serious fault was pulling in behind a bus displaying hazard warning lights. She hadn’t reaslised it was parked. Actually it moved away as Tina stopped but that was more luck than judgement, so the examiner gave a serious fault (though as it turned out, no problems to other road users. Serious fault or minor?

The second test was at least successful, but I watched as my test candidate, Andrew, pulled out of a side road with a car approaching from the right. I felt he shouldn’t have gone and unfortunately he saw me grimace via the rear view mirror and thought he’d made a serious mistake. Luckily it didn’t affect the result – but it could have done.

Now I tell this latter story to my test candidates but still give them the choice of me observing. They have all declined so far and basically we are back to where we started. I can also see problems where I disagree with the examiner’s interpretation of a fault, especially if they are novices and I have had that many more years experience.

Perhaps with the arrival of the “independent drive” I should observe a test to check out the format and see if the change is likely to improve newly qualified drivers. I’ve been encouraging independent driving for years with my pupils, so it’s nothing new to me.

Tailgating and Following Distance

2010-07-04T10:55:00.001-07:00

A recent study by the Transport Research Laboratory in association with Direct Line Insurance has shown that drivers adhering to speed limits are forced to drive faster by following vehicles who get too close and tailgate to bully them into driving faster.

Incidents of tailgating rose four times where a driver was driving within the speed limit. The study was making a comparison between drivers when they complied with the Highway Code as against when they drove in their “normal” style. 93% were tailgated at 30mph whereas those driving faster were tailgated far less at just 47%. The study also showed that 40% of drivers with their vehicle kept within the speed limit were over or undertaken by other motorists.

The stress caused by being tailgated was monitored and showed much more use of the rear view mirror and a raised heart rate. Those who are most likely to comply with the Highway Code are novice drivers and older drivers. Tailgating contributes to 7% of road crashes (I won’t use the word “accident”).

As a driving instructor in Surbiton, I see it all the time; the following driver taking the most outrageous risks by driving too close and then often making a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre to pass the learner driver. One dreadful example was the driver who went round the wrong side of a keep left bollard to pass my learner driver and 200 yards further along the road pulled over to park outside a local newsagents!! When it comes to driving I have found that intelligence is unevenly distributed!

I believe the figures above barely touch the real problem – driving too close to the vehicle in front. Motorists seem totally oblivious to the reality of having to react to a sudden incident ahead. It only takes a cat to dart across the road or a hubcap spinning towards the car in front for sudden braking and there they are, faced with a car braking heavily and nowhere to go – and you get the concertina effect. A series of vehicles slamming on their brakes to avoid the vehicle in front and hoping the car behind can stop in time.

I recall seeing what had been a nine-vehicle pile up on the right hand lane of the A3 Kingston-Upon-Thames. I’ve no idea what caused the lead car to suddenly brake but I remember it was a Friday afternoon and there had been a light shower, the first rain for some three weeks. The result was a slippery road surface due to a fine coat of rainwater on top of the build up of exhaust fumes and tyre deposits over an extended dry period. A recipe for disaster when the wet conditions are not taken into account.

The “two second rule” drummed in to the new driver for a minimum safe following distance (four seconds in the wet) soon gets forgotten as complacency takes over. Now, I’m being a complete hypocrite here, because I had a life before I became a Surbiton driving instructor and I was as guilty as everybody else when it came to driving as a means to an end without remembering the responsibility that goes with it.

Advanced driver training has made me realise that leaving a good following distance takes all the stress out of driving. The driver is no longer keyed up for sudden braking because there are two or three more seconds to assess the changing situation ahead. The following driver can see beyond the vehicle in front, even a bus or lorry, and can plan for the speed fluctuations that come with town driving. On faster roads, dual carriageways and motorways there is so much more time to gently brake or change lanes to suit a developing situation without the fear of somebody crashing into the back of you.

Leave space – it’s not a race!

Bus Lanes

2010-06-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

There I was happily instructing my pupil with driving lessons in Kingston-Upon-Thames when we were both rudely awakened by a couple of blasts from the horn of a motorcyclist.

I had just advised my pupil a moment earlier she could use the approaching bus lane because it was outside its operating hours. The motorcyclist decided we should be admonished for our positioning and as he passed, shouted, “you shouldn’t use the bus lane.” The time was 2.00pm in the afternoon and the times stated quite clearly on the blue road sign at the beginning of the bus lane that it operated as a bus lane between 4.00pm and 7.00pm. The motorcyclist was clearly in the wrong but was gone in a moment and his error could not be pointed out to him. He carried on blissfully unaware of his mistake and no doubt will be telling off other road users with his interpretation of the rules of the road. If he must be judge and jury then “get it right!!”

This happens all the time – no, not the blast of the horn, but the misinterpretation of bus lanes. The problem is, drivers just don’t look at the times and for fear of being fined, avoid bus lanes all together. “Don’t use the bus lane - £120.00 fine” sticks clearly in one’s mind.

The blue rectangular sign clearly states the times the bus lane is operating and which vehicles can use it. Sometimes though it is positioned after the beginning of the bus lane and if a car driver is unfamiliar with the area could enter a bus lane in error before seeing the sign. It is an incentive to avoid the bus lanes even outside their times of operation if you can't see the restrictions. The road surface of the bus lane is textured more coarsely and is pink/red in colour. This is also designed to discourage bus lane use at all times.

The most dangerous aspect though is, if you do use a bus lane legally outside its operating times, other road users will not expect you to be there. I have experienced the driver turning left from the right lane (avoiding using the bus lane) and cutting right across my path, totally unaware of my presence. No doubt many a motorcyclist has come unstuck in this way. Another risk is when are car stops in the right lane pending turning right. The following cars then cut into the bus lane to pass and if they haven’t checked their mirrors properly anybody in the bus lane is going to be cut up – or worse!

Drivers incorrectly positioned in the right lane when the bus lane is outside its times view drivers in the left lane as opportunistic and trying to gain ground, though in some cases this is true. I have frequently seen the aggressive driver flying along the bus lane to undertake vehicles in the right hand lane. They have realised the bus lane is inoperative and taken advantage of the other road users following each other sheep-like in the right lane.

So, look at the times. They vary depending on the demands of the route. Sometimes they operate in the morning only. Others are just Monday to Friday and between 4.00pm and 7.00pm as stated earlier. Some blue sign restrictions are 7.00am to 7.00pm or “at any time” – which means never! If you do use the bus lane legally do be aware others may not be aware of your presence and could drive into your path.

Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre

2010-04-30T05:50:00.000-07:00

Boring! Boring! Yes it may be and I remember a pupil of mine called Peter who thought so too. He just wouldn’t listen. He took his driving lessons in New Malden, Surrey, and no matter what I said or how I said it; Peter would not check his mirrors before signalling. There was no way he was going to check his mirrors before steering around parked cars or before slowing down on approach to a hazard either.

The end result was an unsuccessful test.

The examiner at the end of the test turned to him and said, “In the end, I got fed up with checking your lack of mirrors.” Peter had 12 driving faults, of which 8 were mirror faults.

So Peter had to go through the process of booking another test, more lessons leading up to it and all the expense that went with it. Guess what? He checked his mirrors properly this time, well before signalling, changing direction and changing speed. This time he passed easily. Why didn’t he listen to me?

The problem is priority. You have to look ahead to deal with the ever-changing situation in front of you and the new driver with a lot to concentrate on, will focus only there. They have to learn that what is developing behind may well affect how to deal with the situation ahead. Imagine moving around a parked car and at the same time being overtaken by a motorcyclist. If you check your mirrors and see the fast approaching bike from behind you can hold back and move around the obstruction after the motorcyclist has passed without endangering other roadusers.

Another example might be when intending to turn left, on checking the mirrors you see a vehicle coming up fast behind you. Having seen it, you can signal earlier to give them more time to respond to your intended turn.

Check those mirrors – be safe out there!

Cyclist Fatality

2010-03-30T09:20:00.000-07:00

Tragically Capt Jonathan Allen, a 24 year old soldier who has served in Afghanistan, was killed on his bicycle just after 7.00pm on 24th March. He was cycling near his base in Wiltshire when it is believed he swerved to avoid a pothole and was struck by a lorry. He suffered multiple injuries and died at the scene. Wiltshire council has since filled in the pothole and the police are investigating.

Potholes and poor road surfaces are a danger to all, especially the vulnerable cyclist. A driver should always leave plenty of space when overtaking cyclists. It is not only potholes but also drains, manholes and unevenly repaired roads which are likely to affect the path of the cyclist and if the motorist is too close just shaving past the cyclist, a repetition of this tragedy is likely time and time again. Leave space, check your rear and offside mirrors and look well ahead before moving out to pass a cyclist. There are times when it will be safer to delay overtaking until there is more space. The width of a car is the recommended passing distance between a cyclist and a motor vehicle.

Update

2010-03-01T01:41:00.000-08:00

For the new driver potholes add a new dimension to driving – as if there isn’t enough to do already!

A longer following distance will certainly allow more time to see the pothole appear from beneath the vehicle in front of you and give you more time to adjust your position. Remember to check your mirrors first.

If you cannot avoid a pothole in your path then slow down to reduce the impact on the tyres and suspension.

Examiners on strike

Civil servants are striking 8/9 March over public sector redundancy terms. This includes driving examiners.

Normal procedure is to attend the test centre if you have a test booked, as there may be an examiner available. If your test does not go ahead due to strike action, the test candidate will be able to claim limited compensation and a new test date will be advised as soon as possible.

6th April change to test

Observer on test

The first change to the driving test following the consultation over the last couple of years is due from 6th April 2010. The initial change is the invitation for your instructor (trainer) to sit in on the test and observe.

An observer has been accepted previously and in some 81,000 tests in 2009 the instructor sat in the back during the course of the test. This was by request from the nervous test candidate who may have felt having the addition of a friendly face may help to quell any anxiety.

The emphasis will now be a positive invitation from the examiner for the instructor to sit in and view the test. The advantage to the candidate is a second opinion and thorough feedback, which can be lost during the short debriefing at the end of a test, successful or otherwise. It can help the instructor monitor weaknesses on test and plan for future lessons for post test instruction, whether it is passplus or another driving test.

The decision rests with the test candidate. If they prefer no observer, that will be accepted without bias. This will not affect the status of an interpreter though the instructor can now be both. This will not affect a second examiner observing the examiner on test.

The additional weight of three or four people in the car should be considered during training with regard to the performance of the test car regarding acceleration, road holding, braking and stopping distances.

There are more changes to come in the next few months.

potholes

2010-02-23T08:42:00.000-08:00

The snow and ice seems to have passed for another year, leaving in its wake seriously damaged roads with potholes everywhere. The councils invariably strapped for funds will probably take 12 months to repair the road surfaces (at £65 per hole apparently). Then the cycle begins all over again!

Unfortunately the motorist is left to negotiate these awful road conditions, with the risk of damage to tyres, suspension and shock absorbers. Wheel alignment and tracking can be put out by the sudden impact of dropping into a pothole. This can lead to an unstable car at higher speeds and uneven tyre wear, shortening the life of a tyre (1.6mm across ¾ of the central tread and all the edges is required for a tyre to meet legal requirements. Don’t forget damage to the wall of the tyre – there should be no cuts, no bulges or swelling where the tyre reinforcement has been damaged by impact).

Motorists watch out. The risk to cyclists and motorcyclists is significantly increased when they suddenly veer left or right to avoid a hole in the road.

Also be aware deep potholes will be hidden by puddles and loose water after a period of rain. What may look like light surface water on the road can hide a nasty hole just waiting to swallow a tyre as you splash into it!

Introduction

2010-02-20T01:33:00.000-08:00

It's Saturday morning (UK) 20 February 2010 and this is my first blog entry.

I am a driving instructor based in Surbiton/Kingston-Upon-Thames, Surrey and my driving school covers the areas Richmond to Ashford, north of the Thames and Weybridge to Croydon, south of the Thames.

I aim to use my blog to keep my website visitors up to date with issues relevant to the driving instruction profession.

That's it. My first blog