Middle lane !!

[cardiff_gareth]

"I'm a fully qualified driving instructor"

I'm still learning - it's bloomin hard  

[Range Rover Blues]

"I'm a fully qualified driving instructor"

I'm still learning - it's bloomin hard  

How far have you got?

[cardiff_gareth]

Theory still - I'll pass it soon !!

My mate has his own driving school in Barry and he'll give me some lessons when it comes to part 3. I don't fancy that part  :shock:

Can't wait to get out of this call centre and into a real job  8)  :lol:

[Range Rover Blues]

I looked into working in a cube farm when I first started.  Luckily for my sanity the interviewer (his first ime in a suite I think) was so patronising I left the interview swearing.

Hardest thing is getting work, you'll find teaching rewarding but being self-employed is a PITA.  I'm thinking of doing somehting else now.

Get your hours up and go PDI, get some experience before you try the part 3.

Are you on an all-in course or funding yourself as you go? if the latter then one word of advice, if you can't get through part 2 at the first attempt you need to ask yourself if it's really the right job for you.  I've seen a few trainees who can't correct the faults in their own driving.

The hardest thing I found in the part3 was believing the examiner was really driving that badly, and that's where being able to picture a real pupil will pay dividends.

[cardiff_gareth]

I'm on the course with the driving school £1000 deposit and then the rest in installments. I've paid for it in full now, just gotta get my head around it  

probably go with BSM to get my feet and a fan base  :P  and then try and go solo. :?:

[strapping young lad]

when i saw the honda comment above i laughed!

my boss drives an accord, and he is 34  :)

might remind him of honda drivers :)

[datalas]

why not just use the expression

"Man who hog middle lane should expect middle finger"

[strapping young lad]

anyone see this?

http://www.middlelanemorons.com/script/middle_lane_morons_prob.php

[johnpirate]

I thought doctors were under an obligation to inform DVLA if a patient had a suspected heart attack.I had chest pains a couple of week ago after a pretty stressfull day.I,m a coach driver.I went to the doc on the Monday who did an ECG as soon as he could.It proved inconclusive. I informed work who suspended me till I could prove I was ok to work.They let me finish a 12 hr day and left me a note in my cubby hole to tell me .I asked the doc who said they didnt think I had had a heart attack but until I pass a walking ECG the test that DVLA make heart attack people who want their license back do,I,m not clear for work I understand but it dont pay my mortgage.If I have had a heart attack confirmed with cardiac enzyme test my mortgage would be paid but until there is a definate diagnosis I,m stuffed

[William]

us TD5 owners are only ever in the far right hand lane anyway :D

[SteveGoodz]

Another IAM driver here.  The good thing about doing the IAM test is that it teaches you the difference between "good driving" and what you believe is good driving.   It's interesting to try and drive to that standard a few years after taking the test: you recognise your own bad habits creeping back.Andy

Hi Andy, I try to maintain my standard as I'm a senior observer so in addition to training associates I also help to train potential observers. In the Bristol group we run regular "3-in-a-car" sessions where you get the chance to have your driving dissected by 2 other members ... and then get your revenge on them too  :D

Having to re-take the RoSPA test every 3 years keeps you on your toes too  :shock:

[SteveGoodz]

The problem with that idea is that neither of these organisations are officially qualified to test anyone's driving.

Neither of them do any testing. All advanced testing is carried out by either serving or ex-police traffic officers with Class 1 certification who have passed a specific examiners test. I appreciate they're not DSA Examiners either, but then it's not a DSA test.

The DSA has approved the IAM's training methods and all observers have to pass an approved course and test before being let lose on associates and the resulting standard is very consistent (and high). Observer requalification is annual which helps to maintain standards too.

I'm not saying my idea is the answer to the appalling driving standards I witness each and every day but it would ensure that some additional training was received after the "L" test and that would be of benefit to all of us, wouldn't it?

[SteveGoodz]

oi oi hold on.
i feel a bit of the underage drivers are all the problem theme coming on.
how unfair.
ill have you know there are a lot of 'young' drivers who are better then some adults, and young drivers are a LOT better then the old drivers who drive around in their stooooooooooopid honda's driving at 30mph everywhere.
now stop going on about young drivers causing the problems. all this L drivers talk once people [pass their tests they can be very good drivers, the tests are getting really quite difficult, and i think that if all adults took their test now i bet you at least 50% would fail on the spot.
Rob

Hi Rob, I'm not bashing young drivers in particular, my views of further training apply equally to newly qualified drivers of all ages. :)

[SteveGoodz]

I have to confess that, as a professional driver, I don't hold the IAM test in such a high regard as you do.

Admitedly it is one step above the defensive driving techniques course, but it is nowhere near perfect./quote]

Of course it's not perfect. I didn't say it was. For sure though it's far better than the "L" test. Unless DSA are going to devise a completely new course and test then it's the only tried and tested option currently available in the UK.

I offer it as an achievable avenue for further training for newly qualified drivers. The course teaches the system of car control (as used by all UK police forces) and the test is simply a method of finding out how much of that training has sunk in.

[SteveGoodz]

"I'm a fully qualified driving instructor"

I'm still learning - it's bloomin hard  

I'll echo that sentiment. Failed Part 3 the first time and then decided that as I didn't really want to be a driving instructor I wouldn't bother again.

Hope you pass  :D

[SteveGoodz]

Wireless, there a lot of absolute "driving snobs" in both the IAM and RoSPA. I'm sorry you fell foul of them  :(  Come to Bristol, mate, we'll show you a good time  :shock:

[SteveGoodz]

Oops, is thread hogging as anti-social as middle-lane hogging?

[CaptainColourful]

Oops, is thread hogging as anti-social as middle-lane hogging?

Only if you don't move over  

[strapping young lad]

nearly a whole page by one member!

[littlepow]

May be they should start to use the motorbike principle. A basic test to get restricted access to the roads, then a more advanced to remove restrictions once you have passed a certain age.

For driving Instructors, do they cover dual carriageways and motorways in driver training and testing?

Didn't when I did mine, but then my examiner got lost and I had to give him directions back to the test center! :lol:

[jjsaul]

Going back to the middle lane theme...its even more frustrating if you are towing, and someone is sat in the middle lane at say 55mph...nothing in lane 1 or 3.

Do you
a) go up the inside
b) sit behind em flashing your lights etc til they move over
c) use the outside lane

given that b could be viewed as aggressive driving and c is illegal, a seems the most logical.

i was always under the impression that you can stay in the inside lane and go up the inside of someone providing you are within the speed limit and didnt move in to their inside from another lane.
you would be simply following the rules of driving on the left...

[Range Rover Blues]

Hi Rob, I'm not bashing young drivers in particular, my views of further training apply equally to newly qualified drivers of all ages. :)

I think it's about time most licence holders had to bring their driving up to the standard of a newly qualified driver.  THAT would be a good start.

[CaptainColourful]

May be they should start to use the motorbike principle. A basic test to get restricted access to the roads, then a more advanced to remove restrictions once you have passed a certain age.

For driving Instructors, do they cover dual carriageways and motorways in driver training and testing?

Didn't when I did mine, but then my examiner got lost and I had to give him directions back to the test center! :lol:

Learners ( cars and bikes) are not allowed on motorways even under instruction.

 When I was teaching, I offered a free motorway hour  after they had passed their test (usually persuaded them to book at least an hour extra too) Fast dual-carriageways were often used pre-test but real motorways somehow frightened newly qualified drivers and they end up avoiding them as much as possible.

As far as I know, nobody else in the area offered this free tuition, but I felt it was at least a start for new drivers to get a taste of them. I had already made a profit on the lessons, so for the sake of one hour I thought it was a good selling point for my driving school.

I do wonder how new drivers in remote areas manage though... some people don't have a local motorway and end up driving on them for the first time miles from home in a strange place on strange potentially dangerous roads. Scary !

[Range Rover Blues]

They say that's why you can tell drivers who are from Hull (or Norfolk for that matter) as they don't know which lane to be in on their way, well anywhere that's not Hull really :lol:

These days motorway driving is one of the six module on the pass pluss course.  Problem is most pupils don't want to pay for any more tuition unless it will save them money on their car insurance.  I only had a couple of pupils who's parents made them take it regardless.