Driving test tips - How to Save Money by Hiring a Professional

When you are working to a limited budget hiring a professional often appears to be a luxury. This is probably why DIY is so popular - it can't be that hard can it?

My garage is full of tools I've bought for a particular job and never used again, I've completed the job to a fair degree of satisfaction and saved some money but it never really looks like a professional has done it. My garage also has it's fair share of part completed 'projects' where what seemed to be a straightforward easy job turned out to be slightly more complicated than I'd imagined.

To a large extent this is the case with learning to drive. Loads of people can drive and therefore think it must be easy to teach someone to do it and part of me agrees - driving is not rocket science and even an amateur is allowed to teach you and there's a chance of passing the driving test, even when using techniques that are less than car or wallet friendly.

"If you think hiring an expert is expensive, wait until you hire an amateur"

So why pay a professional?

The difference lies in both the effectiveness and efficiency of learning from a professional.

The cost of learning is quantifiable and therefore it's really easy to see exactly what it costs and think "wow that's expensive." However, it takes a long-term view to see how the techniques taught by a good instructor could save you £1000's. The techniques an excellent instructor teaches you could save you even more.

Take for example the average driver's mileage of around 10,000 miles per year and the cost of fuel at 20p per mile, that's £2,000 per year. But what if you applied the fuel-saving techniques taught by your instructor and reduced this to 15p per mile, it would save you £500 per year.

I recently helped a pupil, initially being taught by her parents, get an extra 18 miles per gallon. Over a lifetime she could save enough money to buy a new car!

Added to these savings is the potential reduction in maintenance costs such as, amongst other things, replacing worn out clutches, brakes, tyres and steering and of course a reduction in insurance premiums by avoiding crashes.

You may not fail a driving test for using certain habits or techniques that are unlikely to be corrected when learning with an amateur, but over a period of time these are serial clutch killers. Habits such as 'riding the clutch' or occasionally unnecessarily 'slipping the clutch', or sitting at traffic lights in first gear with the clutch at the 'biting point' for long periods. These faults may not be deemed worthy of marking on a test but can take thousands of miles off the lifetime of the clutch. Considering that a replacement clutch is going to set you back a good £400-£600 these are expensive habits to have. This cost is comparable to around half of the current fee for learning to drive with a professional. The difference being, you only pay to learn to drive once. When treated well a clutch can last the lifetime of the car, yet if treated poorly may need to replaced regularly.

Another common habit we see that leads to additional wear and tear is changing down through each gear instead of using the more effective, and cheaper to replace, brake components . You really don't want to know what it costs to replace a gearbox.

I often recall a conversation I had with a friend many years ago. He was buzzing because he'd just taken his 4 year old car for a service and he still had 50% of his brake pads left.

"Not bad for 40,000 miles" he beamed.

I replied "that's interesting Rob, haven't you recently had your clutch replaced?"

"Yes" he said.

"How much did that cost you?"

"About £400"

"Oh, and how much would it have cost you to replace your brake pads instead? About £40?"

He didn't reply, but you could see the sudden dawning of realisation on his face.

You may have noticed that I've used the words 'could' and potential' a lot so far. This is because these savings rely on YOU doing what you've been taught, not just in the first few weeks of driving but for a lifetime (a lifetime that can be greatly reduced if you don't). And don't listen to that nonsense about learning to drive properly once you've passed your test, this just makes others more comfortable with their bad habits. You're as much an expert as they are.

Saving a few quid here and there may seem like a good idea in the short-term and I'm all for parents or friends helping out by giving learners the chance to gain experience in addition to driving lessons and actively encourage this, but a wise person should look at the money they are paying for an Approved Driving Instructor as a long-term investment in theirs or their child's future.

Something that has stayed with me is a phase my old House-master at school often said "the saddest two words in the English language when put together are...if only"

He's right you know.

For expert driving tuition or driving tips visit my website www.udidit.co.uk



Advertising in the driving school industry - how bad is it?

Legal, decent, honest and truthful

These four words form a key part of the intrinsic values of every Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) – don’t they?

For some time now I’ve had a bee-in-my-bonnet about the standard of advertising within the driver training industry, including both the intended and unintended messages these communicate.

I realise that for many ADIs this is the first time they have been self-employed, becoming not only a training deliverer but also, amongst many things, their own website designer, copy & proof reader, and marketing manager. However, websites and social media content generally goes unchecked and a lot of the transgressions are unintentional, but I guess even when giving them the benefit of the doubt, is ignorance really a valid defence for a responsible business owner?

Some businesses should know better

I recently received an email from one of the voucher scheme providers and one headline caught my interest

“Get 4 beginners’ driving lessons - £12”

After the usual round of eye-rolling and tutting I looked past the headline and clicked on the “fine print” which told me that the "Deal consists of 2 hours worth of driving lessons at the start and 2 hours before the driving test."

This revelation got me wondering what I’ve been doing wrong all these years –I’ve been doing pre-test preparation lessons two hours prior to the test and tend to get the beginner lessons out of the way quite early on when the pupil is...huh erm.... a beginner (Seemed more client-centred to me).

Now taking into account the fine print this particular headline appeared to be a little misleading, so I followed the advice of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and sent the following business-to-business email politely requesting a change to the wording.

Dear Voucher Scheme Provider,

I would like to bring to your attention the misleading nature of a current advert you have running for XYZ Driving School. This advert clearly states:  "Get 4 beginners' driving lessons"

However; the terms and conditions restrict this to two beginner lessons.

Quote: "Deal consists of 2 hours worth of driving lessons at the start and 2 hours before the driving test". This means the customer cannot take four beginner lessons and [the advert] is therefore misleading and should either be removed or reworded.

Very shortly after I received the following reply from Voucher Scheme

“Thank you for your E mail.

Any customer purchasing the deal with the merchant XYZ will get two 2 hour free lessons at the start when you begin learning. Any lessons the instructor feels the customer needs leading up to the driving test the customer will pay the merchant XYZ for. Before you take your driving test the 2 lessons all customers will have before their test will be free of charge. This equates to 4 lessons in total each at one hour in length.” 

For us mere mortals who couldn’t follow that logic, here’s a summary;

Two x 2 hours + 2 hours = 4 (1 hour lessons) and these are free

Where did the £12 go?  And how does 2 x 2 + 2 = 4? And how does a two hour lesson become a one hour lesson?

Time Travel

This made me wonder how I managed to miss the ADI training classes on how to bend the space and time continuum....

...and then it struck me, I realised just how it is they can deliver beginner lessons just before the test and only charge an equivalent £3 per hour – they must have a time-machine taking them back to the beginner lessons and then at the end of each day it takes the instructor back to the 1970’s when the cost-of-living was lower.

If they haven’t invented time travel then I suggest this particular advert isn’t accurately representing the service being offered and so I made it clear to Voucher Scheme Provider that if they continued the campaign with its current wording then I would have to formally complain to ASA. This did the trick and Voucher Scheme Provider sent another email informing me that the wording had been changed, although by this time the campaign had ended with over 220 vouchers sold.

Now you might be thinking so what? What’s this got to do with me anyway? Well, as a consumer and business owner it’s all about a sense of fairness and no doubt at some point we’ve all questioned the validity of an advertisement’s content, so why wouldn’t I challenge those in my industry which directly affect my business?

Buyer’s Remorse

Here’s the problem. Those 220 customers are now 220 fewer customers for all those businesses who follow the rules and play fair. Also, those new customers may regret not having read the fine print when they eventually find out that their expectations are not met and consequently a distrust of the industry as a whole grows. I recently took a call from a potential client who'd bought a voucher and spent the entire duration of the lesson driving around a car park because the instructor didn't know the area.

Over the next few weeks I continued to look out for further advertising by this company and sure enough around a month later a similar email was received. This time though, the wording had indeed changed and the “beginner lessons” simply became “lessons”. The effect was dramatic, as this time around the number of people purchasing the voucher dropped from 220 to 77. So, it appears that a large number of consumers were possibly misled by the wording of the previous advert and may well have made a different transactional decision had it not included the word “beginner”.

Many ADIs work independently and are unaware of the rules and regulations. Without an awareness of the advertising codes ADIs are likely to fall foul of the rules and leave their businesses open to all manner of issues. 

For expert driving tuition or driving tips visit my website www.udidit.co.uk

©Stu Walker 2021

Driving test tips - Parking on pavements - you could be breaking the law

No way past

Pavements are for people

Parking a vehicle on the pavement, either wholly or partially happens all around the UK every day and has become a habit for millions of drivers. This often thoughtless and unnecessary act can cause all sorts of problems for pedestrians, especially those with pushchairs, wheelchair users, mobility scooter users and of course blind pedestrians. 

During your driving lessons you are taught to choose a safe, convenient and legal place - along with all the other rules around parking, this doesn't generally include using the pavement.

What does the Highway Code say?

Rule 244 of the Highway Code states: “You MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London, and should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it.” 

Despite a number of efforts to implement a blanket ban on pavement parking over many decades, none has ever been implemented so we currently have no national ban on pavement parking. The reason for this is probably down to the enormous cost of additional resources the police and local authorities would need to tackle the problem. However, following a report into the problem in 2019 and further consultation in 2020, there may well be a ban in store within the near future.

Apparently it is difficult to bring a prosecution for simply parking on the pavement and so the police often turn a blind-eye. This said, there are circumstances in which the police will take action, especially if a vehicle is parked 

• on zig-zag lines at a pedestrian crossing
• within 10 metres or opposite a junction
• over a dropped kerb or obstructing a driveway
• blocking a road or pavement which causes pedestrians to enter the road
• preventing an emergency vehicle from accessing an area

The offence of unnecessary obstruction of the highway, which includes the road as well as the pavement, already exists and can be prosecuted under criminal law.

You may well be tempted to pull up on the pavement because "everyone does it". 

If you were to park on a pavement during the driving test, unless signs permit this, a serious fault will be recorded and you will fail your test. 

This is because although there is no blanket ban and there's a very slim chance of being prosecuted, you are breaking a law in the act of driving on the pavement and an examiner does not have the discretion to turn a blind-eye to this. 

The law in question is in the Highways Act 1835 Section 72 

Highway Code Rule 145 states "You MUST NOT drive on or over a pavement, footpath or bridleway except to gain lawful access to property, or in the case of an emergency"

Since January 1999 a fixed penalty notice (FPN) can be issued for this offence. This can include penalty points and a fine for the offender. 

For a new driver, under "The New Drivers Act" these points could prove disastrous and eventually lead to losing their licence, should they tot up six points within the first two years of holding a full licence. 

Can you imagine how you'd feel losing your hard earned licence for this easily avoidable reason?

The key to making any driving decision and avoiding danger or prosecution is answering yes to these three questions

Is it necessary?

Is it legal?

Is it safe?

Apply this to your driving and you are unlikely to get into trouble.

Check out this video illustrating the danger caused pavement parking .

https://youtu.be/6jOT41gnXlo

For expert driving tuition or more driving tips, visit my website www.udidit.co.uk

For more Highway Code rules follow this link. 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/waiting-and-parking-238-to-252

Insider Tips to Save Money When Learning to Drive

I make a living out of teaching people to drive, so I shouldn't really be telling you this, but there are a number of ways you can save money when learning to drive.

1. Don't just think you are only learning when sat at the side of your instructor. If you study the Highway Code and other books frequently in the periods between lessons and get to know and understand the rules, you can spend less time talking and more of your lesson time experiencing the wide range of situations you'll need to deal with on your test. Result - fewer lessons

2. Practice with friends or family. As long as you're insured and the person supervising you is at least 21 years old and have had their full driving licence for 3 years or more then this is perfectly legal. Make sure you speak with your instructor first to ensure you are ready for private practice without the help of dual controls. Result - fewer lessons

3. Ask your instructor if you and a friend can learn together. You get to sit in the back watching and listening to your friend's lesson and therefore learning from any explanations the instructor gives or any mistakes your friend makes and vice versa. And you get twice as long for your money. Result - fewer lessons

4. If you can help it don't take 1 hour per week at the early learning stages. If you can afford it, try to fit at least a couple of 90 minute lessons in each week. This helps you retain more information over a shorter period of time. You can always reduce this when practising with friends or family. Result - fewer lessons

5. Watch YouTube videos. There are loads of good ones showing you what to do and there are even official videos showing you what to expect on the test. This visual way of learning helps you retain more information. Result - fewer lessons

6. Make sure you're ready for your test. There's the test fee to consider and the cost of a double lesson on the day. Don't go if you're not ready as this results in you paying for another test and more lesson time. Ask your instructor to conduct a number of mock tests and to keep you regularly informed on your progress. DVSA provide free Progress Records. Result - fewer test attempts

7. During your lesson, listen carefully to what your instructor is telling you. Ask questions if you don't understand and make notes whenever possible. Reviewing these notes after your lesson will help you retain information longer. Result - fewer lessons

8. Avoid being suckered into cheap deals. As the saying goes, you only get what you pay for and you could end up spending more in the long term. Result - fewer tears before bedtime and fewer lessons

9. Tell your instructor if you don't feel you are progressing well enough and come up with a plan to help progress more. If this doesn't work you should consider changing your instructor. Styles clash sometimes and you may find a different style suits you better. Result happier lessons and fewer of them.

10. Make it important that you do well and learn to drive safely and responsibly. Being a good student and having the right attitude to learning means that you will achieve your goal sooner. Result - fewer lessons and fewer tests.

There you have it straight from the horses mouth. If you study well and find the right instructor for you, there's no reason for you to scrimp on quality, even if you are on a tight budget.

For more expert tips visit www.udidit.co.uk 

Driving test tips - Who has right of way? - You could have been doing it wrong.

There's no such thing as a driver's right of way

"It's my right-of-way you idiot" or words to that effect are often voiced by a driver who believes that the driver of the on-coming vehicle should have given way - but is the angry driver correct to claim it's his right-of-way?

Let's look at what the Highway Code says; 
"The rules in The Highway Code do not give you the right of way in any circumstance, but they advise you when you should give way to others. Always give way if it can help to avoid an incident."

That's pretty clear advice right? Then why is it that many drivers believe they have the right to force another driver to swerve or stop in any circumstance just because the obstruction is not on their side of the road?

I believe that this is largely down to what they have been told by an influential person during their learning to drive process. This person passes on their own received wisdom or misguided theories which in turn goes unchallenged, resulting in a whole lot of aggressive, obnoxious drivers. 

It obviously makes good sense to give way to any oncoming vehicle, regardless of which side of the road they happen to be on when faced with the prospect of either crashing into a parked vehicle or causing an head-on crash with the oncoming vehicle. It's a no-brainer!

If you compare the way two drivers deal with one another on a two-way single-tracked road with how they deal with one another on a wide two-way road with obstructions, the mindset is often totally different. Cooperation is easier to come by on the single-tracked road but equally required in both situations and yet you often meet an oncoming driver who simply drives straight at you regardless of the fact that you are most of the way through a long channel of parked vehicles, with no place to wait safely. I've experienced this myself, where a taxi driver insisted that it was her right-of-way and that I should reverse 12 car lengths when she'd had plenty of space and time to stop before entering the channel. She would have had to reverse 1 car length. The stereo-type became a reality.

Priority is based on safety. 
Who goes first isn't based simply on which side of the road the obstruction is on, it's based the safest option in every changing situation. Whether it be in a meeting situation or a junction, including traffic light controlled junctions (Green doesn't mean GO! it means go, if it's safe to go!).

The road is a shared space and especially with today's busy driving conditions, we need to work together to make safety work.

With an obstruction on our side of the road we generally have three options when  encountering an oncoming vehicle: 

1) Keep going because we can safely pass the obstruction and get back onto our side well before the oncoming vehicle gets there. 
2) Slow down and arrive at the obstruction after the oncoming vehicle has passed. 
3) Stop and wait until the oncoming vehicle has passed.

The key to surviving is - Don't expect the oncoming driver to do the right thing. 

Even when you see this sign, if someone is already occupying the space you should give way if that's the safest option!

Choosing the correct option relies on you being aware of the situation well in advance, anticipating the approach of oncoming vehicles and planning your actions in good time in order to avoid any sudden changes of speed or direction.

There's no such thing as "my right-of-way" so be prepared to give-way.

For expert driving tuition or driving tips visit my website www.udidit.co.uk

Why You Should Pay for a Lesson You Haven't Had

The vast majority of the UK’s Approved Driving Instructors are self-employed and only earn a wage when a client pays them – just like those awful zero hour contracts they're wanting to ban.

Imagine getting ready in the morning and turning up at work on time only to be told by your employer "sorry, we don't need you today". It has cost you time, and probably money, to be there and you might well have turned down other work and missed an opportunity to have been paid by someone else. How would you feel in those circumstances?

In a similar way it is you, the client, who employs the Instructor and therefore if you fail to turn up for your lesson or you give short notice of cancellation, your Instructor doesn't get paid.

The double-whammy is that the Instructor may well have turned down someone else for the time you have reserved and now can’t sell the lost time at such short notice. Not only does the Instructor miss out, other clients may miss out too.

When choosing a Driving Instructor, along with excellent teaching skills and a friendly manner, no doubt you will be expecting someone with a professional attitude and someone who provides excellent customer service. Within this you would certainly expect reliability and punctuality.

Looking at it from the Instructor’s perspective, they also hope that their clients are reliable and punctual, have a good attitude and are willing to accept responsibility for their own learning and responsibility for the bookings they've made.

If you had an instructor who consistently let you down, what would you do? I know what I'd do; I'd look for a replacement and many instructors do the same with customers.  I personally try to be as flexible as possible and I understand that life often gets in the way of learning. Maybe the kids are ill, unexpected bills need to be paid, work calls you in etc, or you simply haven't budgeted well and have run out of cash until payday. This all becomes obvious to an experienced Instructor, especially as the last week in the month sees more cancellations than any other. 

You may even be in the middle of a confidence crisis and can't face the lesson. Whatever the reason, to avoid having to pay, talk openly to your instructor and look for a solution before it's too late. 

Whenever possible and subject to availability, I personally allow some flexibility by offering another lesson time within 3 working days and waive the late cancellation charge if it is attended. However, as patient and understanding as I am there’s a tipping point and in these cases I have to take everything into consideration and reluctantly part ways with clients who consistently cancel at short notice or fail to turn up.

In my experience many Instructors have a standard 48 hour or so short notice cancellation policy whereby should a client cancel within this time then the lesson fee is payable either in full or in part. There are variations in these terms and if you're not sure, I recommend that you ask your Instructor what their business terms are.

“Why should I pay for something I've not had” cried the client who failed to turn up...

You may not have attended the lesson, but you have reserved that time for yourself and yourself alone. This is not dissimilar to booking a flight; a holiday; a hotel room or even a dental appointment - in fact any appointment you make and fail to pay for or attend,  costs someone something. One report estimates the cost to the taxpayer for NHS no shows as £162m per year, with more than 12 million appointments missed.

Unlike buying goods, if you reserve a service at a particular time and you don’t turn up, you have to pay because it can't be resold.

Sadly as consumers we all end up paying a little more to cover losses caused by other people’s actions, whether it’s for goods or services. Apparently we motorists pay around £30 extra per year on our motor insurance premiums simply to cover uninsured drivers. As a consumer I don't like the idea of paying extra to cover other people’s poor actions, but inevitably we all do and driving lessons are no exception.

“What can be done to reward the clients who are in the majority and are reliable?”

I often extend the lesson time for clients who turn up for every lesson and who give me plenty of notice if they ever need to change an appointment. It’s a nice way of rewarding them. I sometimes give away a free lesson as a way of saying thank you.

What I do know from my experience is that those clients who are reliable and hard-working are the ones most likely to succeed and ultimately spend less in getting their licence. 

The key to avoid paying for lessons you didn't attend, is to talk openly to your instructor, keep them up to date and together you will be able find a solution and maybe even get a nice little reward.

I'll leave you with a final thought - If businesses gave customer reviews, how would you rate?

For expert driving tuition or driving tips visit my website www.udidit.co.uk

BULLYING - Stop BULLYING Learner Drivers

A note to bullies. Stop BULLYING learner drivers, in fact stop bullying anyone.

What's that? This doesn't apply to you because you're not a bully! 

If you've ever been behind a learner driver and felt anger towards them because they aren't as proficient as you and you've let your anger manifest itself into causing danger, you need to take a good long hard look at yourself. 

Don't forget that a lot of learners are only 17 years old children, so you like bullying kids eh?

Learner drivers are trying their very best to get things right, however, they often do unpredictable things. They are even more likely to be unpredictable when they're being pressured by bullies tailgating them, honking the horn because they are taking a few seconds longer than an experienced proficient driver or because the learner can see the bully's hand gesturing or facial expressions and they become even more anxious.

There are two things which are sure to bring out the childish behaviour in someone and that's social media and driving.

Being behind a learner driver brings out the worst in some people. Let's look at some of the justifications you bullies use.

"You're driving too slow"
Well, they're either driving as fast as the law allows or as fast as the road and traffic conditions allow, or (shock, horror) they haven't yet built the confidence to drive faster. Have you tried driving within the speed limit since passing your test? Here's a bit of news for you bullies. Just because the vast majority of drivers speed, it's still against the law - period.

"Can't you find somewhere else to learn?"
If you recall your lessons, no there isn't anywhere else except PUBLIC roads. Learners, pedestrians, cyclists etc are as legally entitled to use public roads as a full licence holder is. A full licence doesn't give you any more rights. All it means is you can drive without supervision. 

Here's some more news for you. Your 'road-tax' doesn't pay for the roads, it's a tax on producing vehicle emissions. 

"You're making me late"
If your only strategy for getting somewhere on time is by consistently speeding, you're onto a loser anyway. If being behind a learner causes you a few seconds or even just a couple of minutes delay, you weren't going to make it on time anyway. Try working on your time-management skills. Learners are often overtaken only for the overtaking driver to turn at a junction 3-4 seconds later. I guess it made them feel better about themselves, because it serves no other purpose. 

More news for you. There are all types of vehicles on the road with you, driven by drivers with the full spectrum of proficiency and experience.

"You're taking too long to move away"
They're taking as long as they need to get it right. Would you rather they rush and stall or move away a little slower than you? We could practice even more on quieter roads but there is no substitute for dealing with moving away on demand, in real-time traffic or at traffic lights. 

Further news for you. Honking your horn will not change this, getting irate will not change this, it's only likely to make things worse.

"You're taking too long to look"
The most common cause of failure on a driving test is 'ineffective observations at junctions'
The pupil is being trained to make effective observations to avoid causing danger. They're just the same as you when you are in a new environment or new job role. Things take longer to do. They haven't yet developed the quickness of processing and interpreting information that an every-day, experienced driver has. Honking your horn or revving your engine won't change this either. We even have drivers further back in a queue at a closed junction honking their horn when they can't even see what we're waiting for.

"You could have gone then"
Maybe they could...If the other drivers were signaling properly or using the correct lane or driving at the right speed. A learner doesn't have the years of experience it takes to interpret the mess of information or lack of information given by "drivers". You licence holders should learn to follow the published rules instead of making up your own and expecting everyone else to know which bits of the Highway Code you've decided you don't like or is a stupid rule you don't agree with.

Here's a message for parents - your behaviour around your children when you are driving, and especially when you're harassing a learner driver, has a direct effect on the way they feel when they become the learner. So if you are wondering why they are taking longer than you to learn to drive, you may well be part of the reason.

To end this rant, there is no justification for bullying - EVER!

Driving test tips - Use of Signals - Learn how and why they are important

This type of switch can even be found in German cars 

"Giving a signal is not an instruction to other road users, it's a signal of our intentions which helps them make good decisions."

Signaling incorrectly or not at all is a certain trigger for an angry response from other road users and pedestrians alike. You may have heard the stereotype insult that BMW or Audi drivers don't signal, but the reality is that drivers of any vehicle are just as guilty. Failure to signal properly at roundabouts is one of the key reasons learner drivers struggle when trying to predict the actions of the other drivers. 

The expected standard is to give the correct signal, properly time this signal and in a situation where it is necessary to signal.

The 'correct' signal depends on which direction you intend to go, 'properly timed' means that it's not given so early that it has the potential to confuse someone or so late that they can't respond in time and 'where necessary' means when it is essential to avoid causing danger or potential danger.

If you get this wrong, then confusion can lead to mistakes and mistakes can lead to collisions. This is why other people often react angrily.

The actions of a good driver will be easily predicted. It is essential to use the Mirrors, Signal, Manoeuvre routine.

The use of signals is directly linked to situational awareness. Without this awareness it is simply left to chance whether you get it right or not. Before taking any action which involves changing speed, direction or signaling you will need to check all around so that you can make a good decision. 

I'm often told by pupils who are practicing with family or friends that they've been asked why they aren't signaling every time they move away from the side of the road or before pulling up to park. There seems to be an impression that this standard has somehow changed since they were taught to drive. The standards have been the same for decades - if you look around and you are sure that a signal is unnecessary, then there is no need to give one.

Simply signaling every time regardless of the situation leads to lazy or ineffective observations and doesn't help learners develop a good sense of situational awareness. 

A good driver will look all around, assess the risks and the need for a signal, and then give a signal where necessary and at the correct time.

"My Dad says I need to signal every time I pass a parked car."

Based on what you've just read, what's your answer to this question?

It's also important to remember that signals aren't just for other drivers. Pedestrians also need good information to avoid danger. Another common question is "do I need to signal at a junction where it says turn left only?" 

The answer to this is "If you think it might help someone decide not to cross the road, then it's necessary"

We can't assume that a pedestrian is aware that it's a left turn only junction.

Whilst we have been focusing on directional signals it's important to remember that there are other signals we can use. We have brake lights warning that we are slowing or stopping; we have reverse lights warning that we are reversing; we have hazard warning lights used to warn that we are causing a temporary obstruction or are slowing rapidly on a motorway or national speed limit dual carriageway and of course we still have arm signals at our disposal should we feel the need to support other signals.

One other less obvious signal of our intentions is to position correctly, this helps others interpret what we intend even if they can't see our signals. This will be the subject of a future blog.

Whichever signal you intend to use, you will need to be situationally aware before you use it.

On your next lesson, ask yourself "Do I need to signal? Which signal do I need? When should I signal?"

For expert driving tuition or driving tips visit my website www.udidit.co.uk

Driving test tips - Follow these easy steps to Pass Your Driving Test First Time

Introduction

It is easy to see why many people believe that the most important part of learning to drive is learnt simply by driving the car. It's true that mastering the necessary practical skills is definitely an important part of learning. You will need a good level of practical experience to co-ordinate the controls and also a good deal of experience in varying situations in order to be confident in the decisions you are making and the actions you are taking. But practical skills and experience form only part of what it takes to learn to drive safely and responsibly. 

To learn fully and effectively there are four main elements of learning; Knowledge; understanding; attitude and practice. 

Gaining Knowledge

Nobody likes a know-it-all until it comes to driving. Then every other road user depends on you to know what to do and then do the right thing. If you don't know what to do in a driving situation then you can take too long to make a decision and have an equally good chance of making the wrong one.

This makes you unpredictable and this scares other drivers because it increases the risk of a collision. If you've ever felt annoyed at the person in the supermarket who stops without warning, you'll know how other drivers feel when you are unpredictable.

Lack of knowledge also increases the risk of you breaking a law which could result in a fine or even a driving ban.

Your level of knowledge affects the decisions you make and actions you take when driving. During the test your driving examiner will check to make sure you can consistently make the right decisions and take the correct actions - any gaps in your knowledge are likely to show up in your driving and may result in faults being marked.

What you can do to help yourself learn: Knowledge comes through study, so study frequently - the official publications "the Highway Code" and "Driving - the essential skills" are highly recommended reading materials for all drivers.

Developing Understanding

Knowing what to do is not always enough to convince you that it is the right thing do or even important to know. Sometimes we need to explore the reasons why this is the best thing to do in order to accept it.

Understanding can be developed through 'doing', so it is important to practice doing the right things.

Take this example; Normally you'd position your car about a metre from the kerb. There's not much to remember and it might not seem that important, but when you explore and consider the reasons why this distance is an important safety margin and then experience the benefits, you develop a better understanding, and in turn a good understanding helps develop a good attitude.

What you can do to help yourself learn: Don't be afraid to ask questions during your lessons,especially if you don't understand or agree with something - in fact your driving instructor encourages you to do so as this not only helps broaden your understanding, it also helps the instructor understand how to support your learning better. A poor understanding can lead to mistakes and mistakes lead to crashes. 

Demonstrating a Good Attitude

When you become a driver, you become a member of one of the biggest team participant events there is. In this team everyone depends on one another's co-operation. Some of the team are more experienced than others and some not as good as others - what we all have in common is that we all make mistakes from time-to-time.

We have to show tolerance of other's mistakes and actions because once you become annoyed or upset, your decisions and actions are affected and you become part of the problem, which ultimately increases the risks.

During the test your examiner will be monitoring your attitude to check that you are able

demonstrate tolerance and patience whenever necessary.

What you can do to help yourself learn: You need to become self-aware and recognise the behaviour in other drivers that makes you annoyed or angry and ask yourself why this is. Some drivers get annoyed simply because they've given way to an oncoming vehicle and the driver doesn't wave to say thanks - do you really need to put your own safety and that of others at risk by driving angrily for such a minor reason? Do you really need to be acknowledged every time you give way to someone? Instead, take comfort and pride from the fact that you were courteous and safe.

Developing Your Skills Through Practice

You will need to develop your practical skills and there's only one way to do this and that is by practising.

The key is to practice doing things the right way otherwise you will become very good at doing it wrong.

The sign of a good driver is well coordinated use of the foot controls and steering. This results in smooth driving which is unhurried.

During the test your examiner will check that you can maintain full control, and as you may expect, a loss of control can result in a fault being marked.

What you can do to help yourself learn: Once you have achieved a good level of coordination ask your instructor if they feel you are ready to practice privately with a suitable family member or friend. Remember though that you MUST be insured to drive any car you drive and the person supervising you MUST be over 21 years old and have had a full licence for at least 3 years. 

There's no real secret to passing first time, you just  need to take responsibility for studying to improve your knowledge, improving your understanding, developing a good attitude and getting plenty of practice with a professional instructor and private practice.

For expert driving tuition or driving tips visit my website www.udidit.co.uk

© UDIDIT Driver Training 2021 

Driving Test Tips - Follow This Easy Method to Pass the Hazard Perception Test

Before we go into any more detail about the test, let's first be clear on what a hazard is and how your perception affects your reaction to them.

A hazard is anything that will cause you danger. When driving this means something that will cause you to take action such as; change speed or direction or both.

Perception is your interpretation of the information you are picking up. The correct interpretation is essential to you being able to respond with the correct action.

The hazard perception test is designed simply to check that you can recognise a developing hazard and can respond accordingly. 

It's likely that you've used hazard perception many times in your life, so it's nothing new to you. The only new bit is applying it to driving. 

Here's an example using a situation you may have experienced before. You're walking home when you see a group of kids making snowballs and think to yourself “yep, I bet one of those is coming my way, so I'll keep an eye on them.” You've just identified a potential danger and carrying on walking but with more caution.

What you're doing is gathering information and using past experience to interpret it. This forms your perception which then influences your decisions and actions.

As you carry on walking you see the situation developing as a couple of the kids point towards you and then begin throwing the snowballs at you. This potential danger has just developed into a real danger and you have to duck to avoid being hit.

When driving, instead of the snowball being the developing hazard it will be either a person, a vehicle or even an animal which makes you change speed or direction.

In the hazard perception test, it's the developing hazards that have a score attached, but there's no problem when clicking for potential hazards, so think of it like this.

In real-life when driving, the potential hazard makes you check your mirrors and the developing hazard makes you press a pedal or move the steering wheel. 

During the computer based test you register your response by clicking a mouse button.

You will need to scan the screen as if you are driving. If you imagine splitting the screen into three horizontal bands - Top - Middle - Bottom.

The hazard will most likely be somewhere across the full width of the middle band of the windscreen.

As soon as you spot a potential hazard – click the mouse to record your response.

As soon as the hazard begins developing – click the mouse to record your response.

This is important because the sooner you spot the developing hazard and click, the higher your score. Many people tell me that they see the hazard and click too soon but don't follow this first click with a second click. 

Example;
You're driving along and see there's a side road on the left - no click needed, but keep an eye on it just in case.

Potential hazard (I might). You see a car slowly approach the end of the side road on your left and it comes to a stop, it might pull out – click (mirror check in real-life)

Developing Hazard (I will). As you get closer you see the car start to move forward – click (brake or steer in real-life)

A third click helps ensure that you haven't clicked a fraction too soon.

Developed Hazard (I am). In real-life further action might be needed.

My pupils know this 3 click method as “The Mighty Will.i.am Method"

If you know the song "boom boom pow" by the Black-eyed Peas try clicking to the same beat as the bit in the song that goes "boom, boom boom, gotta get that" We have a laugh about it (and I can imagine the look on your face as you read this) but it produces outstanding results.

This method also reinforces the real-life actions you take because when you see a potential danger you think "I might" have to react, when it is developing "I will" have to react and after it has developed "I am" reacting.

Go on try it!

The developing hazard has a scoring "window" that begins counting down 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 – 0 the moment the developing hazard appears.  If you don't react soon enough you may miss the scoring opportunity completely.

There are 14 video clips, but there are 15 scoring hazards. This means at least one of the clips has two scoring hazards. You won't know which clip this is or which hazards have a score, so make sure you stay alert throughout and respond to every developing hazard you see. Some hazards require you to react quickly. These especially occur when driving around bends in the road or over the brow of a hill.

The key to being alert and spotting the dangers is to scan & plan and anticipate. Keep scanning from side-to-side and along the road, starting with the far distance, the middle distance and the near distance and anticipate danger by saying to yourself – What if?

What if there's a pedestrian crossing the road just over the next hill?

What if there's an obstruction just around the next bend?

Try to avoid clicking continuously or in a rhythm as this might be interpreted as cheating and the computer will give you a zero score for that clip. You shouldn't have to worry about this at all if you follow the previous advice of scanning, planning and anticipating and then clicking for potential and developing hazards as you see them (Boom Boom Boom).

Practising – You can of course practise by using the hazard perception apps that are available.

Recommended are Driving Test Success and Theory Test Pro. You can do these online too. However, a word of caution. You cannot improve your perception by going over the same clips over and over as once you've seen the clip you are testing your memory not your reaction.

The best way to develop your perception and reaction is to practice while out and about. You can do this as a pedestrian, passenger, cyclist etc. (People might look at you as a bit strange if you're walking around saying 'click' so it's best to do this silently in your head).

Check out this official video from the DVSA 

https://youtu.be/7womeV0brCo

Driving test tips - Animals In The Road - Emergency Stop or Not?

An alert driver who is planning ahead and driving at a suitable speed for the road and traffic conditions should have plenty of time to see a hazard and reduce speed safely or even bring the car to a gentle stop. Awareness, anticipation and planning are the key to avoid sudden braking or performing an emergency stop.When learning to drive or during the driving test your instructor or examiner will ensure that it is safe to perform the simulated emergency stop by checking that there is no one following close behind.

There are, of course, some occasions when even the best of us get caught out by a sudden danger, such as a vehicle or child crossing our path and it is entirely reasonable to perform an emergency stop. If the following driver hasn't left a sufficient gap and cannot stop in time then it can be successfully argued that they could have avoided the collision had they done so. However, slamming on the brakes for no apparent reason is clearly potentially dangerous and the Court would look at the reasonableness of doing so.

When it comes to making an emergency stop for an animal it would appear that reasonableness is based on the type and size of the animal. It may be deemed more reasonable to perform an emergency stop for an animal large enough to cause damage to the vehicle or injury to the occupants and by law you must report hitting some types of animals, as specified in the Highway Code, such as, dogs; horses; cows or sheep.

A Court may deem it unreasonable to perform an emergency stop for a small animal or bird but as any reaction could simply be instinctive they will look at each case individually and it could again be argued that the following driver could have avoided the collision.