Private Driving

I always tell my pupils that they are much better off and more likely to pass first time if they can get some extra time behind the wheel with the help of Mum and/or Dad.

The Driving Standards Authority (DSA - regulator of all things driving test and tuition), states that a pupil passes with 45 hours of lessons from a qualified instructor and 50% more privately with Mum or Dad. This means the average pupil gets around 67 hours of driving before the test!

There are issues that driving another car causes...

1. Suitability of car - maybe Dad drives a van and Mum drives and Automatic Micra. If you are taking your manual driving test, neither car is really suitable.
2. Insurance - the only car available is a 2 litre sports version. That's going to really hit the wallet when it comes to insurance for a non-qualified 17-year-old! And don't even think about driving uninsured!
3. OK, so you have a car and it is insured - where is Mum or Dad when you need them? Working or off down the golf course or shopping! Not very useful. Maybe you could get up early & take Mum shopping or Dad to golf?
4. Do you get on with your folks? If you tend to argue with them, it is almost certain you will come to blows over your driving sooner or later. Try to keep calm if something goes wrong - they are only trying to help!
5. Understand that Mum and/or Dad are trying to help you. The reason they are so jumpy whenever a car comes towards you is that they have probably not taught anyone else before. They don't have pedals in the passenger foot well, so all they have is their persuasive powers, the handbrake and the ability to get hold of the steering wheel to prevent them facing 'certain death'!
6. Have you actually looked at your Mum or Dad's driving before? They may think it is OK to go down that 30mph road at 45, 'cause no-one else comes this way!' They may not also be so alert to telling you to check mirrors or blind spots as often as your instructor does. And how about Pull-and-Push steering or block Vs step changing gears... ?
7. Does your car have power steering? Most instructor's cars are relatively new, so they will have power steering, but the car that's available to you may not. It is still drivable but worth considering.
8. Where's the Biting Point? Every car has a different Biting Point - even the same car of the same model in the same year, so your first attempts at getting your car off the driveway may not be too successful!

For more information, go to http://www.gtdrivingschool.net/ or call 07906 302910

Defensive Positiveness

What?

Defensive Positiveness (DP) is how I describe the correct attitude that a pupil needs to pass their Practical Driving Test.
Positiveness is being wide-awake to every opportunity that is presented whilst on your test. It is very much a 'sit forward' frame of mind. The pupil needs to actively engage with their surroundings and the other road users found within. There is no room for a 'passive' approach, where the pupil lets things happen that may or may not be to their advantage. The reason for the 'Defensiveness' is because caution has to be exerted at all times - allowing the pupil to see the bigger picture and to envisage the consequences of their actions...

What I mean is ... a pupil has got to be careful and thoughtful whilst out on the road. We all see too many examples of thoughtless and dangerous driving. It is very easy to be caught up in this and think that jumping lights or not indicating around a round-a-bout is acceptable. The pupil needs to rise to the challenge of careful, thoughtful and considerate to other road users. The positiveness comes in the form of not hesitating at junctions or other challenging situations when it is possible to take these situations without stopping.

Hazard Awareness is a significant part of DP. It allows the pupil to see what may be an issue in the not-so-distant future. Good DP will show a clear understanding of Hazard Awareness and the ability to separate out the multitude of issues that face the driver into ones that need immediate attention, such as a car pulling out of the side of the road, to those that need just some respectful observation, such as children playing on the grass verge.

To discuss this matter more, please go to http://www.gtdrivingschool.net/ or contact me (Alastair Goodale) on 07906 302910

How To Pass Your Theory Test

The very short answer is - PRACTICE

Obvious I know, but it always amazes me how many people don't revise!
There are 50 questions that you need to get 43 of them correct. A number of them you will know just because they are straight forward, and if you use a road in any capacity (pedestrian, cyclist, biker etc.). there will be another few that you will be able to deduce from the silly answers that have been given and there will be a few that you will get right if you just guess - but this is likely NOT to be enough.
On the negative side, you need to assume that you will get some of the questions that you think you know wrong due to not reading them properly. There will also be questions on areas that you have no or little knowledge, such as documents - (do you know what a SORN is?), First Aid or trams ...
The Highway Code is full of information and data that can be put into thousands of questions. I wouldn't recommend reading the Highway Code - unless you want to lose the will to live! Try a book and/or CD ROM that have lots of questions and answers in it. The questions are official DSA questions that you may well get in the test. If you get an answer wrong, it will usually tell you the correct answer. Even thought revision is tedious, I would recommend 10+ hours of reading to get comfortable with the question style and to understand what the answers are.

Happy Revising !!!

For more information, contact GT Driving School at http://www.gtdrivingschool.net/