Have a look and see what you think!
Welcome to my driving instructor blog for Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks and Maidstone. It's been designed to help all you learners out there who have any issues regarding learning to drive. Here you can keep up to date with the latest developments with the driving test and any changes within the industry. You can also leave me comments and questions which I'll be happy to answer
Monday 27 February 2012
New tests for CGI hazard perception!
I've just received an email from the DSA revealing a couple of YouTube clips that show samples of new hazard perception clips that have been computer generated. head of e-assessment,Peter Weddell-Hall, says: "DSA aims to bring these computer-generated clips into the theory test by the end of 2013. It means DSA can introduce hazards that would be hard to film safely – particularly those involving vulnerable road users.”
Have a look and see what you think!
Have a look and see what you think!
Sunday 26 February 2012
What's in the driving test?
There seems to be a certain amount of confusion amongst new drivers about what exactly the driving test involves, so I've decided to try to take some of the mystery out of it!
When you arrive at the test centre, you're going to need to have brought both parts of your provisional licence - the photocard and counterpart - and a copy of your theory test certificate. Failure to bring both parts of your licence would result in you not being able to take the test and losing the test fee, currently at £62. Once your examiner has checked this, you'll be required to read a numberplate from a minimum distance of 20 metres, again failure to be able to do this will result in a cancelled test. Once this has been completed you'll walk over to your car, where the examiner will ask you one "show me" and one "tell me" question. These questions relate to the maintenance and operation of your car, and each is worth 1 minor markdown should they be answered incorrectly (a candidate is allowed no more than 15 minors on their test).
Once these have been answered, the examiner will ask you to move off out of the car park. Your driving test should last between 35 - 40 minutes, although this can differ depending on traffic conditions. For the most part, your examiner will be giving you step by step instructions on which roads to take and where to turn at junctions. However, for roughly 10 minutes, you will be asked to do the 'independent driving' part of the test, where you'll be asked to follow roadsigns or a diagram to a certain destination. You will also be asked to carry out just one manoeuvre (Turning in the road, reversing around a corner, parallel parking, or at some test centres bay parking) and 1 in 3 people will be asked to carry out an emergency stop (it will be completely random whether you're asked to do this).
Once you get back to the test centre, the examiner will let you know the result of your test once all of the marks have been counted. As mentioned earlier, a candidate will fail a test for either a) receiving more than 15 minor faults, b) getting a major fault, or c) failing to carry out a manoeuvre adequately.
That's about it! Hopefully it's now clear what to expect on your test day. For further info or to book driving lessons in Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks, please click the link.
When you arrive at the test centre, you're going to need to have brought both parts of your provisional licence - the photocard and counterpart - and a copy of your theory test certificate. Failure to bring both parts of your licence would result in you not being able to take the test and losing the test fee, currently at £62. Once your examiner has checked this, you'll be required to read a numberplate from a minimum distance of 20 metres, again failure to be able to do this will result in a cancelled test. Once this has been completed you'll walk over to your car, where the examiner will ask you one "show me" and one "tell me" question. These questions relate to the maintenance and operation of your car, and each is worth 1 minor markdown should they be answered incorrectly (a candidate is allowed no more than 15 minors on their test).
Once these have been answered, the examiner will ask you to move off out of the car park. Your driving test should last between 35 - 40 minutes, although this can differ depending on traffic conditions. For the most part, your examiner will be giving you step by step instructions on which roads to take and where to turn at junctions. However, for roughly 10 minutes, you will be asked to do the 'independent driving' part of the test, where you'll be asked to follow roadsigns or a diagram to a certain destination. You will also be asked to carry out just one manoeuvre (Turning in the road, reversing around a corner, parallel parking, or at some test centres bay parking) and 1 in 3 people will be asked to carry out an emergency stop (it will be completely random whether you're asked to do this).
Once you get back to the test centre, the examiner will let you know the result of your test once all of the marks have been counted. As mentioned earlier, a candidate will fail a test for either a) receiving more than 15 minor faults, b) getting a major fault, or c) failing to carry out a manoeuvre adequately.
That's about it! Hopefully it's now clear what to expect on your test day. For further info or to book driving lessons in Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks, please click the link.
Tuesday 21 February 2012
The independent drive.
Many pupils are initially alarmed when I explain that 10 minutes of the driving test is set aside for 'independent driving'. Most immediatley feel like this because they wrongly believe this to be a test of navigation, whereas what it really is designed to do is to test the candidate's ability to drive in a more 'real life' environment. So anyone worried about going the wrong way during the independent drive can be reassured that it wouldn't result in a fail. If you check the correct mirrors, signal at the correct time, and then carry out the manoeuvre suitably then it doesn't matter too much if you miss a road sign. Should this happen, the examiner will step in and guide you back onto the correct route where you would continue with the independent drive. If you're following diagrams instead of road signs, simply ask the examiner to repeat the instructions if you're having a problem remembering them.
The thing that tends to suffer most when first attempting independent driving is the MSM routine. Learners are often so intent on looking for road signs that they can forget correct mirror checks and sometimes even a signal before carry out the manoeuvre. This, in my humble opinion, is what you as a learner should be concentrating on, rather than worrying if you've gone the wrong way!!
For a driving instructor in Tunbridge Wells please click the link.
The thing that tends to suffer most when first attempting independent driving is the MSM routine. Learners are often so intent on looking for road signs that they can forget correct mirror checks and sometimes even a signal before carry out the manoeuvre. This, in my humble opinion, is what you as a learner should be concentrating on, rather than worrying if you've gone the wrong way!!
For a driving instructor in Tunbridge Wells please click the link.
Thursday 16 February 2012
Sorry it's been a while.......
It has been months since my last blog - but I have good reasons for this. Aside from being very busy with driving lessons, I've been working towards becoming a fleet trainer and am happy to say I passed my exam last week! This means I'm now qualified to train and assess company drivers, which I'm looking forward to. In addition to this, I've been working on our new facebook page, as well as our Google + page. Please have a look at them and add us/like us! We've also recently taken on Carole as our third instructor, covering driving lessons in Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks, and we're also happy to now be in the position to offer automatic driving lessons. Onwards and upwards! Lastly, our new website is due to be launched in a few weeks, with this blog integrated into it. I will also in the coming days be adding more blogs aimed at helping learners and new drivers with any issues they may have when learning to drive. Until then!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)